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From The Pastor

November 15, 2019 by Rev. John Hartman

From the Pastor

In his book, “What’s So Amazing About Grace,” author Philip Yancey tells of a weekend in which he was invited to participate in an encounter group led by the noted author and psychiatrist M. Scott Peck. The group was made up of 10 Jews, 10 Christians, and 10 Muslims. Scott Peck was hoping the weekend might lead to some sort of breakthrough to community building, and a better, more caring understanding among the group, – even if at least on a small scale.

Sadly, it didn’t go very well. Fistfights almost broke out among these educated, sophisticated people who, no matter what, just couldn’t seem to get along. The Jews talked about all the horrible things done to them by Christians. The Muslims talked about all the horrible things done to them by Jews. Philip Yancey wrote, “We Christians tried to talk about our own problems, but they paled in contrast to stories of the Holocaust and the plight of Palestinian refugees, and so mainly we sat on the sidelines and listened to the other two groups recount the injustices of the past.” At one point, an articulate Jewish woman turned to the Christians and said, “I believe we Jews have a lot to learn from you Christians about forgiveness. I see no other way around some of the logjams. And yet it seems so unfair to forgive injustice. I am caught between forgiveness and justice.”

I suppose that is where many of us are as well. We are caught somewhere between forgiveness and justice. We are trapped between wanting to just let it go and move on, and yet feeling that somehow a price still has to be paid. We are paralyzed and can’t move. We also would be stuck that way forever if it weren’t for the cross. On the cross is where both mercy and justice were served. On the cross is where the price for sin and injustice was paid. On the cross is where genuine forgiveness was offered and the guilty were set free. Friends, the cross of Jesus Christ is where it all comes together, -- and where both forgiveness and justice meet. If there is to be any hope of forgiveness in our lives and in the lives of others, – it has to come from Jesus Christ, because only he is able to satisfy both and set us free.

Please join us for worship this Sunday morning at either 8:00 am or 10:30 am, as I continue my sermon series on the phrase in the Apostles’ Creed, “the forgiveness of sins.”

Pastor John

Quote of the Week

“To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.” G.K. Chesterton

Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC, was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic. He has been referred to as the "prince of paradox". Time magazine has observed of his writing style: "Whenever possible Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs, allegories—first carefully turning them inside out."

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