September 15, 2002
Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
"Luxuriate In God's Grace"
(Matthew 18:21-35)
Rev. Billy D. Strayhorn
There once was a millionaire who owned a lot in an exclusive residential area of New York City. This particular lot presented a very unusual problem. The lot was five feet wide and about a hundred feet long.
He couldn't do anything with such an odd sized lot, so he decided to sell it one of the neighbors on either side. But when he went to the neighbors, they didn't want to give him anything for it. They basically said, "Look, you can't build on it and you can't sell it to anyone else. So take our offer or leave it." The millionaire was so angered by their refusal and rebuttal that he decided to get even.
He hired an architect and a contractor, and had a house designed for that weird shaped lot. It was five feet wide and ran the entire length of the property. He moved in and set up house in this narrow house. Each room was barely wide enough for a single piece of furniture. His hatred for the people on either side of this small lot made him decide to ruin the look of the entire area.
The neighbors complained that it was a blight to the neighborhood. But the city fathers couldn't find any code forbidding it. This millionaire moved into it, and lived there the rest of his life. The only one who was really punished was him. He moved into a long narrow little house that held only hate and discomfort. The house became known throughout the neighborhood as "Spite House." It still stands to day as a monument to one man's hatred.
When I first read that story, I thought, surely this is an exaggeration. So, I did some research trying to find out whether this was a true story or just one of those myths that has been passed on. Not only did I find out that it was true. I found out the man's name. But what was even more shocking is the fact that I found no less than eight other "Spite Houses" in a simple search online.
There's one in Carlsbad, New Mexico, built to block the Mayor's view and annoy him. There are two in San Francisco; One at Deadman's Point, Maine; one in Huntsville, Alabama; one in Boston, one that is supposed to be haunted and has been turned into a Bed & Breakfast in Fredrick, Maryland; and a triangle shaped "Spite House" in Montlake, Washington, a suburb of Seattle.
Our passage today from the Gospel of Matthew is the parable of the ungrateful servant. It's story about our debt of sin. It's about God's free and redeeming grace. It's also about anger and spite, and the judgment that follows an unforgiving spirit. Let's look at the passage. Matthew 18:21-35 NT p. 19 or 1203.
[21] 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?"
[22] Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
[23] "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
[24] When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him;
[25] 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.
[26] So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'
[27] And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.
[28] 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.'
[29] Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'
[30] But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt.
[31] 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.
[32] Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
[33] Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?'
[34] And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt.
[35] So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."
[NRSV]
Peter must have been thinking about the problem of the lesson Jesus had just finished teaching about how to deal with those who have done wrong in the Church. He probably weighed that against the Scriptural teaching of an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth. And when he asked if forgiving seven times was enough, he wasn't being flippant or even impertinent. I believe Peter thought he was being magnanimous. Jesus answered with this parable about the master and slave.
The central theme I see in this passage is about Grace. It's about Grace and Gratitude. Gratitude was something the servant had in short supply. I think from the passage we can see that when it comes to God's Grace and Forgiveness, you and I are called to TAKE IT IN, SOAK IT UP, LIVE IT OUT AND PASS IT ON.
A. WE'RE CALLED TO TAKE IT IN, THE GIFT OF GRACE THAT IS.
Have you ever received a gift you didn't open? I can't think of a single present or gift that I didn't almost immediately open. And yet, the Gift of God's Grace is offered day after day; It's offered minute by minute of every day and it's turned down. Sometimes the gift is taken but it's never unwrapped or opened. it just sits on the shelf.
You might even ask them, "Have you ever experienced the glorious Grace of God." And they'll answer excitedly, "Oh, yes." And then they'll proudly show you the still wrapped gift.
B. A young man from a wealthy family was about to graduate from high school. The custom of this affluent neighborhood was for the graduating senior to receive a new car. And the boy fully expected the norm would hold true for him as well.
He had spent months talking about cars and looking at them with his father. A week before graduation, father and son found what seemed to be the perfect car. The young man was certain he would see the car in his driveway come graduation day.
Yet, when he opened his father's graduation present, it was a Bible. The young man was so mad that he threw down the Bible and stormed out of the house. He never reconciled with his father and remained estranged until his father died.
As the son went through his father's belongings, he came across the Bible his father had given him years ago. He brushed off the dust and opened it. And to his surprise and horror he found a cashier's check between the pages of Scripture. It was dated the day of his graduation for the exact amount of the car he and his dad had chosen together.
The problem with the young man and servant was the same. There was no gratitude in them. They hadn't opened the Gift. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:4-5 (repeat) "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God's word and by prayer." [NRSV]
We're called to receive the gift of God's Grace. We're called to TAKE IT IN and open it up and Luxuriate In It.
A. WE'RE CALLED TO SOAK IT UP. BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE REALLY SOAKING UP IS THE GIVER, NOT JUST THE GIFT.
I've got to tell you that I've been working on this sermon for a couple of weeks. And the image of how to SOAK IT UP that stuck in my head, came a couple of weeks ago while we were baby sitting for Zach. That particular night I was the center of Zach's attention. "Gampa" was the greatest toy ever created. He didn't want to go to anybody but me. He didn't even what me to leave the room.
We crawled and we built stuff with blocks and we read and we played ball. We played chase Zach out of all the "No, No" spots. We laughed and we tickled. We played with his balloons. After about 2 hours of this, I needed to sit down. I did. I sat on the love seat. But Zach still wanted to be with me. So up he came. And he proceeded to continue to do what I call "crawl and maul."
He was like a dog trying to find a comfortable spot to lay down in. Round and around he went.
But then, all of a sudden, he found that spot. I had my arm out to the side a little. He curled up next to me, between my arm and my leg, like he was sitting in a big comfy easy chair. He threw out his arms, laid back his head and let out a great big sigh of comfort and joy. He looked up at me with that impish little grin and we were both in heaven. We both soaked up as much as we could.
Tomorrow it might be different. Grandma might be the center of attention. But that was one of those perfect moments, and I soaked up as much of it as I could. It will always be an image of what we're supposed to do with the Grace and Forgiveness of God.
WE'RE CALLED TO SOAK IT UP. BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE REALLY SOAKING UP IS THE GIVER, NOT JUST THE GIFT. WE'RE CALLED TO LUXURIATE IN GOD'S GRACE.
Write this passage down. 1 John 4:15-16 (repeat) I'm reading from The Message. John writes: "Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we've embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God. God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us." [Msg]
That's what I mean. WE'RE CALLED TO SOAK IT UP. BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE REALLY SOAKING UP IS THE GIVER, NOT JUST THE GIFT.
WE'RE CALLED TO LIVE IT OUT. WE'RE CALLED TO LIVE A LIFE OF GRACE.
Storyteller Bill Harley tells a simple story about a children's T-ball game he witnessed a few years ago. On one of the T-ball teams was a young girl named Tracy. Tracy ran with a limp. She couldn't hit the ball to save her life. But everyone cheered for her anyway.
Finally, in her team's last game, Tracy did the unthinkable. She hit the ball. Tracy's coach began hollering for her to run the bases. She landed on first base, only to be told to keep on running. She rounded second base, and the fans stood to their feet and cheered. With one voice, they were all urging Tracy to head home. But as she neared third base, Tracy noticed an old dog that had loped onto the field. It was sitting near the baseline between third plate and home. Moments away from her first home run, Tracy made a momentous decision. She knelt in the dirt and hugged the dog. Tracy never made it to home plate.
But the fans cheered for her anyway. Tracy had made her priorities clear. Love was more important than winning. And the fans cheered for her anyway. (3)
That is Grace. Those fans were living a life of Grace before the entire world.
Write this passage down: James 2:17-18. Please take time to read this one in context. James 2:17-18. Again I'm reading from The Message. James writes: "Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department." Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove." [Msg]
WE'RE CALLED TO LUXURIATE IN GOD'S GRACE AND LIVE IT OUT. WE'RE CALLED TO LIVE A LIFE OF GRACE.
A. WE'RE CALLED TO TAKE IT IN, SOAK IT UP, LIVE IT OUT AND FINALLY, WE'RE CALLED TO PASS IT ON. WE'RE CALLED TO PASS ON THE FORGIVENESS AND THE GRACE.
You see, what got the ungrateful servant in trouble was the fact that he didn't pass on the gift. A talent was equivalent to about fifteen years wages. The servant owed his master the equivalent of about 150,000 years wages. When the master decided to settle accounts, the servant fell to his knees and begged for mercy. He said he would work it off. How do you work off that much?
The king, showed mercy and obliterated the debt. Just wiped it out; erased it from the books. Based on an average salary of $40,000 That would have been a gift equivalent to six million dollars in today's market.
And then this stingy, unmerciful, ungrateful servant, goes and demands that another servant who owed him the equivalent of three months salary pay up right then. This servant begs for mercy, too, what he owes is a pittance compared to what the first servant had just had erased from the books. But the first servant shows no mercy and has him thrown in prison. When words gets back to the King, he's furious and has the servant tortured until he can pay because he didn't show the same mercy he had been shown.
And while very uncomfortable for us, Jesus says: [vs 35] "So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."
B. This parable is about Grace. It's about forgiveness and grace. And one of the things we learn is that WE'RE CALLED TO PASS ON THAT FORGIVENESS.
Forgiveness is always about grace. Grace is a gift. A gift so great that we can't hold it in our hand. A gift so huge it can't be contained. A gift so glorious that it can't be kept to ourselves. It's a gift that has to be passed on
We are blessed when we are forgiven. And when we forgive because we have been forgiven then we are twice blessed. Blessing others through forgiveness is living the resurrection. Blessing others through forgiveness is PASSING IT ON.
Though centuries old, Portia's words to Shylock still speak with the eloquence of God, "The quality of mercy is not strained, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed: it blesseth him that gives, and him that takes."
Being "Twice Blessed" means not only embracing God's forgiveness, but it means becoming a forgiving child of God, too.
Now sounds easy doesn't it. It sounds easy, like sharing a fool proof recipe for a delicious dessert. It even sounds inexpensive, it won't cost more than a trifle. But there are few things in life that are any more difficult or any more expensive than forgiving in the same way we have been forgiven.
But then we know that. Just look at what it cost God to offer us forgiveness. And for that very reason we should never even consider the cost or the difficulty. We should forgive.
Part of what this parable teaches, an important part that we need to remember is that God is not just a God of grace. God is also a God of judgment. God not only gives us His love and Forgiveness as a free gift; God expects us to share those gifts with others. And God holds us accountable for the way we respond to God's love, mercy, grace and forgiveness.
WE'RE CALLED TO PASS ON THE FORGIVENESS AND THE GRACE.
Sociologist and Christian author, Tony Campolo tells the story of when he was a young boy, an evangelist came to their church, and told them that on Judgment Day they would pull down a movie screen and run a film (or in today's terminology a video), and flashed up on the screen would be pictures of every dirty, filthy thing we had ever done. Then, the evangelist looked at Tony and said, "And your mother will be there!" Tony said he shuddered at the thought!
During the Watergate hearings, prosecutors produced a cassette tape alleged to be an actual recording of Richard Nixon ordering two staff members to proceed with the cover-up of the whole Watergate affair. During the hearings they put Rosemary Woods, Nixon s private secretary, on the stand as they played the tape for all to hear. A good part of the American public watched the whole thing on live television.
The tape played to the point where the crime was allegedly recorded, then suddenly the tape went dead. America watched and listened for eighteen and a half minutes while the tape played but they heard nothing. Rosemary Woods had erased the tape
Tony Campolo writes: "The reason I like to tell that story at this point is to let people know that there probably isn't a video tape with all of my sins recorded on it. And there probably isn't a videotape with your sin recorded on it. But if there were, here's the good news of the gospel: JESUS HAS ERASED YOUR TAPE!
That's what we're called to remember. That's what Jesus was telling Peter. "If you have to keep count, Peter, then you aren't really forgiving. Throw away your calculator. Your forgiveness is to be limitless. The name of the game from this point on is forgiveness and resurrection, not bookkeeping." In the Kingdom of God, nobody needs to live in a "Spite House."
WE'RE CALLED TO LUXURIATE IN THE GRACE OF GOD BY TAKING IT IN, SOAKING IT UP, LIVING IT OUT AND PASSING IT ON.
JESUS HAS ERASED YOUR TAPE! JESUS HAS ERASED YOUR DEBT! WE'RE CALLED TO LUXURIATE IN THE GRACE OF OUR FORGIVENESS.
AND NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS FOR US TO DO, WE'RE CALLED TO PASS IT ON!
1. Adapted from various sermons and sources.
2. The Houston Post, September 2, 1992, p. D3, Autoillustrator
3. Shared by Bill Harley on National Public Radio's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, July 11, 1995. Cited by Michael Yaconelli, DANGEROUS WONDER (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1998), pp. 58-60.
4. Told by Tony Campolo in Let Me Tell You A Story Word Publishing , Nashville 2000
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