One of my favorite TV openings is from The Dick Van Dyke Show. While looking for a memorable way to open up each show, director Rob Reiner suggested Dick fall over a stool as he entered his living room. After one take, they decided to shoot another scene when he missed the stool. Viewers had no idea which opening scene would begin each episode and even had bets which it would be. The Dick Van Dyke Show earned 15 Emmys in five seasons.
Like Dick Van Dyke, people trip up in life. It’s human nature that we all sin and need forgiveness. But forgiveness is not easily given and its not easily available. Forgiveness costs.
Jesus on His final trip to Jerusalem to provide forgiveness for the whole world by dying on the cross, shared some important lessons about sin and forgiveness. What life lessons should we learn about forgiveness?
Don’t cause others to stumble.
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. (Luke 17:1-2)
Everybody sins. But don’t be the one who causes someone else to sin. A Christian must be careful not to trip others. We will be held accountable for our actions and our words. If I am guilty of causing another to sin, their guilt will be my guilt.
A man regretted a boyhood prank he used to pull. In his town, they had a sign that pointed toward a park. He often flipped the arrow the opposite way. He said, “I wonder how many people I sent the wrong way by what I did?”
People are going to sin. There are many traps in life that occur naturally – greed, pride, fear, addictions, temptations, distractions. But what Jesus warns is for us not to be the one who is the danger to others. Pay close attention to the impact of your life on those around you. Be aware of weaker Christians and unbelievers who are watching your lifestyle and hearing your speech.
When others sin – rebuke and forgive.
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. (Luke 17:3-4)
Jesus teaches that when others sin against us we are commanded to confront them and forgive them. It not only helps us, but it helps them. To “rebuke” is to call attention to wrongdoing and assign responsibility. We are to confront immediately and forgive just as quickly. Jesus wants us to be in the habit of forgiving. Even if they sin seven times in one day, if they repent we should forgive them.
Corrie Ten Boom spent years in a Nazi concentration camp during WW2. Years later she came face to face with one of the most cruel of the German guards. He reached out his hand and said, “Will you forgive me?” She stood motionless and knew what she should do. So she mechanically reached out her hand and when she touched him she felt a current of love flow throughout her body. As tears came to her eyes she said, “I forgive you, brother.” For a few moments they held hands, former guard and former prisoner. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.
The steps toward giving forgiveness are: (1) We rebuke, (2) They repent, (3) We forgive. Repentance is their part. When a Christian is shown their sin, they should repent. Repentance is a genuine sorrow. But it is more than saying, “I’m sorry.” It is saying “I was wrong and want to change.” When someone repents, we are to forgive them.
If someone has hurt you, you need to confront them and forgive them. We must rebuke sin even though we don’t want to; and we must forgive sin even though we don’t want to.
Forgiveness is impossible without faith.
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. (Luke 17:5-6)
Forgiving is difficult. No one said it was easy. But the disciples didn’t ask for more love to forgive. They asked for more faith. If we are having trouble forgiving, we need faith. We need to believe that God is in control, that He loves us and will take care of us. We don’t forgive because we feel like it. It is our duty. Forgiveness is the ordinary way to live out our faith.
Most people don’t come to church, stand in front of the pew, and wonder if the pew could hold them up. Most people don’t study the pew, evaluate the pew, or wonder about the pew’s strength. They just sit down. They exercise faith. Their faith is not based on a feeling about the pew, but rather on the confident trust that the pew will hold them up. But if a person says they believe the pew will hold them up, but never sit down, they aren’t exercising their faith. Faith is acting on what God has told us. We forgive because we believe and trust God.
Notice that Jesus didn’t answer their request for more faith. He told them to exercise the faith they already had. Even little faith (mustard seed), if exercised, is enough to work miracles. You don’t need great faith. You need faith in a great God. Forgive others and trust God with the details.
A few years ago the Special Olympics were being held in Seattle, Washington. Nine physically and mentally challenged runners lined up at the starting line for the 100 meter run. At the sound of the gun, all the runners began to run as fast as they could. That is all, except for one boy who stumbled out of the starting blocks. He fell down and began to cry. The other eight runners heard the boy crying and immediately stopped running and turned around to see what was wrong. Then everyone in the crowd was stunned to see all 8 of them walk back to the place where the boy was lying on the ground and help him back to his feet. One girl with Down syndrome kissed him and said, “That will make it better.” Then all nine of them linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood up and began to cheer a standing ovation for 10 minutes. Wouldn’t it be nice if our world was a little more like that scene? It can be.
Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something or someone to forgive. You are never more like God than when you forgive another. Receive God’s greatest gift – forgiveness. Extend that forgiveness to someone else.