I Believe in Forgiveness

SERMON TITLE:   “I Believe in Forgiveness”
SERMON TEXT:    Luke 23:32-43
PREACHER:           Rev. Kim James
OCCASION:           February 24, 2019, at First UMC
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
                In my reading this week, I came across a story an author was telling about his childhood.  David and his two brothers had been climbing on their landlord’s cherry tree.  The boys knew they were forbidden to swing on the branches, but young David did it anyway until “the loud crack with which the branch snapped sounded like the thunder of Judgment Day.”  David wanted very much to avoid the wrath that was certainly coming, but knew he had to drag himself up the stairs to his German landlord’s flat.  Years later, David described it like this:
Our landlord’s figure, tall and haggard, filled the doorframe as I stood there mumbling my confession.  If the roof had fallen in at that moment . . . it would have been a relief.  Herr . . . Baumgartner was known to be a man of few words.  ‘Oy weh!’ he said.  Just that:  ‘Oy weh!’ . . . But then, as I looked up at him, he gave me a broad smile.  I think he also ruffled my hair with his heavy hand.  But the smile was the great gift with which he sent me away, the gift of forgiveness.1
 
                Over the past two months, we have been making our way through The Apostles’ Creed, affirming our belief in God our Creator; Jesus our suffering, dead, risen, and ascended Lord; the Holy Spirit; and the Church.  Today I invite you to consider with me what it means to say, “I believe in forgiveness.”

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