That Doesn't Matter

OT Lesson: Genesis 50:15-21 (CEB)

When Joseph’s brothers realised that their father was now dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us, and wants to pay us back seriously for all of the terrible things we did to him?” So they approached Joseph and said, “Your father gave orders before he died, telling us, ‘This is what you should say to Joseph. “Please, forgive your brothers’ sins and misdeeds, for they did terrible things to you. Now, please forgive the sins of the servants of your father’s God.”’” Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

His brothers wept too, fell down in front of him, and said, “We’re here as your slaves.”

But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I God? You planned something bad for me, but God produced something good from it, in order to save the lives of many people, just as he’s doing today. Now, don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” So he put them at ease and spoke reassuringly to them.

NT Lesson: Matthew 18:21-35 (NRSV)

Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’

Sermon

Introduction

Today is Sunday, September 17th, 2023. It is real hard for me to say “Good morning” today. It is just a morning—cloudy, getting chilly, rain and thunderstorms are forecasted in the afternoon today. Especially we have three Memorial Services coming in seven days. It is a very difficult morning for the families of McConnell and McConnaha, for me, and for the congregation because most of the church family loved Kathy and Al. I was told that my grandfather—my mother’s father, passed away when I was about three. I must have met him but I do not have any memory of him. He was in his 70s and had some kind of dementia and was not able to use potty. My mother took care of him about four years, changing his dirty diapers several times a day, wiping the poop stained floor and walls. I have no idea why the wall was poop stained. I was also told that my grandfather had a very hot temper and his temper got hotter and shorter with his dementia. My mother did a real tough and difficult job taking care of her father for four years, and then he died. She was sad because her father died, but at the same time she felt relieved, of course, because she did not have to do all those difficult and yucky things any more. And because she felt relieved, she began to have a huge sense of guilt. If I had been a little older, I would have comforted my mother and said, “Mother, you did everything you could. No need to feel guilty.” Today, I want to say something to Bruce and Margi: “You did a great and amazing job taking fabulous care of your spouses. You literally exhausted human endeavours. There is not one thing left you could have done more as human beings. You both fulfilled the wedding vows by loving your spouses to the end and by taking wonderful care of them till the last moment. You are amazing people. I am really proud to know you in person.”

Fight over Casket

Speaking of the funerals, it reminded me one thing. At one of my previous churches, I got a strong impression that the people did not like my predecessor. So one day I asked them why, and they poured out many things. Among those things, one thing particularly got my attention. By the way, my predecessor had PhD in theology and was in his mid 60s. At the funeral which he officiated first there, he had a disagreement with the family. The family wanted the open casket, but the pastor insisted the closed casket. I have no idea why but obviously the open casket was not acceptable in his theology. They could not come to an agreement. The tension and situation were escalated. Right before the memorial service, the family and the pastor were yelling and screaming at each other. And the funeral was of course all messed up. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard it, but at least ‘yelling and screaming at each other’ part was true when I double and cross checked with the town people later. Well, clearly he and I have very different theologies, and I cannot judge him. But to me, open casket and closed casket, that doesn’t matter. In my opinion, funeral is not where I exercise or enforce my theology but where I comfort the family. Rev. Lehman, who founded my home church in Naperville half century ago, taught me when I was in the seminary that at funeral I got to do whatever is needed to comfort the family even if that is against my theology unless unethical. He said to me, ‘If the family wants, do the Moon Walk dancing with Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean.’ Since then to me, beside comforting the family, nothing matters. Again I say, that doesn’t matter.

Jesus Tells Peter to Forgive

Let’s talk about the Scriptures. Today’s NT lesson is right after last Sunday’s Scripture when Jesus talks about the Three-Strikes-Out. After hearing Jesus’ preaching, Peter came to Jesus and asked Him how many times we should forgive. That means, Peter and possibly those audiences back then in Palestine two thousand years ago took it as forgiveness even though most modern people consider that as church discipline. For the number of forgiveness, Peter first suggested seven times, and Jesus told him seventy seven times. This pattern is found in Genesis 4. Cain, as in Cain and Abel, had his own descendants. And one of his fifth generation grandson, Lamech said to his wives, ‘Cain’s vengeance is seven times, but my vengeance is seventy seven times.’ The combination of seven times and seventy seven times is connected to the vengeance. But now Jesus turned the old and ancient vengeance into His graceful and merciful forgiveness. By following Jesus, we can finally lift Cain’s old curse.

Jesus Parable of Forgiveness

In the following parable of Jesus, there is a guy whose debt is ten thousand talents. So how much is it? Do you have a rough idea? I calculated it based on yesterday’s US gold price, which was $1,945.60 per ounce. One talent is a little over 110 pounds, because one pound is sixteen ounce, it is 1,760 oz. When we multiply it with the gold price, then the price of one talent is $3,423,200. But this guy’s debt is not one talent of gold but ten thousand talents which as of yesterday $34,232,000,000. It is almost impossible to pay back that much debt. This guy has a friend who owed him hundred denarii. Bible says a denarius is a day’s wage. Let’s calculate it with Indiana’s labour law. From July 1st this year, Indiana’s minimum wage raised from $7.25 to $13 per hour. And if you work 9-5 with one hour of lunch break, you work seven hours a day. 7 hours times $13 is $91. So hundred denarii is same as $9,100 in today’s Indiana. It is approximately $9,100 versus 34 billion dollar. It is about 3.7 million times more. It means that our debt to God is almost infinite, and if we can get our debts forgiven by forgiving other people’s debt to us, then it is way more beneficial to us, beyond measure.

Joseph Forgives His Brothers

In Today’s OT lesson, we see that Jacob is now dead. Oh great—another funeral is coming up in the Bible. Now Joseph’s ten older brothers were in fear because they tried to kill Joseph before even though their younger brother, Joseph did not do anything wrong. The thing is Joseph is now the Prime Minister of the most powerful empire. In the 2003 film, Love Actually, the English Prime Minister was flirting with his assistance, and said to her, ‘If you want, I can get your ex-boyfriend executed right away. The charming special forces is one phone call away.’ Now Joseph is the Prime Minister of the empire that he can execute all of his older brothers in one gesture, and also their father is gone who protected them. But Joseph chose forgiveness instead of vengeance as Jesus turned the vengeance into forgiveness. Forgiveness comes with accepting and embracing. Joseph did not say like, “OK, brothers, I will not execute you guys for now. I forgive you. But I don’t want to see you guys again. Get out of here and hide somewhere far away forever. When I see you again, nobody knows what’s gonna happen.” Joseph did not say like this, but he embraced them and accepted them just as they were. Joseph even said to them, “I will take care of you and your children.”

Paul’s Letter

Again, forgiveness is embracing the differences and accepting other people just as they are. For this, apostle Paul writes in his letter to the church in Rome—it is quite long but let me quote anyway: “Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarrelling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgement on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honour of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honour of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honour of the Lord and give thanks to God. We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God. For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’ So then, each of us will be accountable to God.”

Modern Christians Judge and Quarrel Each Other

But sadly so many Christians, possibly including myself, judge sisters and brothers in Christ over opinions and theological disagreements. With the issue of open or closed casket, Christians yell at each other. But I say, that doesn’t matter. The Bible doesn’t say either way. What really matters is if we are loving or judging. We need to accept each other as is to work together in Christ. With the issue abortion, Christians judge each other, yelling that the other side will burn in hell. I was actually yelled at by those Christians holding the Bibles in their hands that God hates me and that I will burn in hell. But I say, that doesn’t matter. The Bible doesn’t say either way. What really matters is if we are loving or judging. We need to accept each other as is to work together in Christ. With the issue of homosexuality, Christians hate each other. But apostle Paul urges us, “Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.” So let me say, that doesn’t matter. What really matters is if we are loving or judging. We need to accept each other as is to work together in Christ. 

Apostle Paul and his fellow Christian Luke, who supposedly wrote the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, had different understanding and theology. Even so, instead of shunning each other, they worked together in the ministry of Christ because they both believed in Jesus Christ, and they both had the same goal that is, advancing God’s kingdom on earth. The greatest reformers, Martin Luther and John Calvin many times had fierce debates. The debate over the issue of divine presence in the Communion was one of the most famous debates, and the debate was so fierce that they looked unreconcilable. But they did not shun each other to the end. They worked together to reform God’s church, one to the German speaking people from Wittenberg, and the other to the French speaking people from Geneva. In spite of their unreconcilable theological differences, they chose to work together because they both believed in Jesus Christ, and they both had the same goal of reforming the church.

Presbyterians, Lutherans, Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, Mennonites, Orthodox, and other denominations all have different understanding of the Bible, different theologies, and different opinions. What we need to do is not quarrelling each other, condemning each other, but forgiving each other, embracing the differences, and accepting each other as is. Because according to Paul, ‘if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.’ And our job to do together is to make God’s kingdom here in our community first, and then on earth. That is the essence of the Great Commission. If we do not forgive and embrace each other, it is nothing but Great Omission.

Conclusion

Friends, Jesus commanded us to forgive our Christians sisters and brothers seventy seven times. Have we? Did we forgive and embrace other people’s differences seventy seven times before we pass judgement? If we believe in Jesus Christ, if we believe in God’s love and grace, nothing else matters. That doesn’t matter. Even though we all have different theologies, understandings, denominations, we can walk together hand in hand because we believe in same God, same Saviour, and same Holy Spirit. Amen.