"Grudges"

Pentecost 17, 2005

Matthew 18:21-35

“Grudges”

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

            Today, I’m going to give you some of the best advice you’ll ever hear and its something for each and every one of you. This advice will help all of your relationships between brother and sister, neighbors, friends, husbands and wives, the Church, and of course God. Yes, I know I’m not married and that I don’t have children…but the rest are all applicable towards me. So would you like to hear my advice?...its from the Bible. Well, here it is…simply…forgive.

            Maybe you’re wondering… that is it? We already forgive each other…and this is your advice? Simply forgive…such easy advice to give…Seemingly easy enough to do. Yet, so hard to accomplish in our every day lives with each other…with those we love.

            Think of those you love and those that your friends with. It takes years to build up the love and trust that is shared. Yet so often one problem can ruin that trust. One single issue can destroy love. One mistake is all it takes to break the trust we thought we had. Once this happens…we never let go. It haunts us…it remains with us. No matter what you do you always remember what happened that ruined everything.

            Too many people have let grudges destroy their families. Children leave the family and never talk to their own brothers and sisters…never talk to their parents. Parents hold on to grudges with their children and disown them never wishing to speak with them again. Friends that were close for years are now bitter rivals and enemies. Neighbors hold feuds. Husbands and wives push each other apart…and separate…and divorce. Many abandon the Church if there is a disagreement never to set foot in the door again. Others hold grudges against God.

            Simply forgive. Sometimes it seems so hard to forgive another person. Sometimes it’s the hardest thing in the world to admit guilt. Our problem is that we live in a “what have you done for me lately” world. We always remember what people have done to us but forget everything that people have done for us.

            “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.”

            God is always watching over us. Come Christmas there will be countless people singing that Santa knows if you have been good or bad. This is a quality of God not Santa. God knows the actions of each of us. Only God knows our true thoughts, desires, and wills. God knows if we hold grudges or not. God knows if we forgive others or not.

            We know that God is the master in this parable. God has condemned each one of us for a debt that we couldn’t pay…because Christ paid a debt for us that He didn’t owe. God has wiped out our debt for Jesus sake and has forgiven us. Yet we hold on to what is owed to us by others. We always expect to be paid back in full.

            You and I have a problem. That problem is that we are the wicked servant that has been forgiven our debt…and hold others accountable. It’s always bound to happen with those we are close to…when we get into an argument. We are bound to bring up something in the past…something that was already discussed and taken care of. No matter how long ago something might have happened we bring it up as evidence of continued wrongdoing and intent on those we argue with. When we burry the hatchet…we burry it with the handle pointing up so that it is easy to grab and use again.

            Husbands and wives bring up the past to prove their point because they want to be right. Children remember when they counted on their parents and their parents failed. Parents remember all the times their children broke their trust. We feud with neighbors over a fence or property lines. We blame the Church for not caring or being their when we think they should. We blame God for all of our problems, our hurts, and even our own mistakes. Yes…we hold grudges… Yes….we have difficulty forgiving others.

            Have you ever thought what would happen if God didn’t forgive? If God didn’t forgive…we would lose more then any priceless procession. We would lose more then a friend or a loved one. We would lose salvation. We would lose perfection. We would lose out on paradise. "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

God gives us a stern warning in these verses of how He treats those that do not forgive…and forget…truly from the heart. Yet God does forgive us…countless times. As Jesus told Peter…you should forgive not once or twice but seventy seven times…meaning… to go on forgiving. God forgives us not once, not twice, not even daily…but forgives us each minute and second … for we sin often.

Jesus has told us through many parables…truths that we need to use as guides in our own lives. Jesus has also given us the gift of prayer. Jesus taught us to pray “and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The catechism says that “We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor on their account deny our prayer; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we also heartily forgive, and readily do good to, those who sin against us.” (P.302 LW)

By God’s grace we are saved. By God’s grace we are forgiven. By God’s grace our prayers are heard. This grace was won for us by Jesus death on the cross. Jesus has shown us our need to forgive. Jesus has given us the prayer and means of forgiving. Jesus has won the grace we need for all things. Jesus will surely be with us and guide us as we forgive those who sin against us. Don’t hold onto your grudges…they hurt both yourself and others. Simply forgive as God has forgiven You. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.