At the beginning of December, I encouraged the church to begin a study of the Book of Luke. Luke has twenty-four chapters and will lead you through the life of Jesus up to the day we wake up to celebrate the Birth of Jesus on Christmas Morning. Today we reach chapter 17 in the Book of Luke that gives us ALL a great reminder of how much we are loved by our Savior. Chapter 17 details sin, faith, and duty. It is also a great reminder that many times we will struggle, have issues, and face challenging people.
Take a look at verses 3 and 4, “3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
The Bible reminds us of the importance of our relationships with each other. Life is challenging alone in this world, and as Christians we must stand in unity. With the whole world against us, honestly, we need each other. You will never win spiritual battles against the enemy in your life, if you cannot work through differences with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord”. It is still amazing to me that God proved His love in while we were still sinners… Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). We’re not always as innocent as we would like to think we are, and too we are not always the victim. As a true Christian, we cannot consider ourselves a victim of the circumstances but as an overcomer of the obstacles that we face. And the truth is, yes, it is hard to forgive from time to time. Mostly, because we just don’t want to, not that we can’t, we would just personally rather hold onto the grudge, continue to talk with others about it and how it makes us feel, and not truly go to that person and say, I am so sorry that I have felt this way or done this or done that, and let bitterness move into my heart. Luke reminds us here; we must forgive without question or argument. And each time they come to us and seek forgiveness, the Bible here says forgive them each and every single time.
Furthermore, Matthew tells us in chapter five that “anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment” (Matthew 5:22). And that “if you are offering a gift at the alter and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the alter. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). The truth is, you cannot serve God in a position of leadership if your heart is carrying this burden. You also cannot serve in unity within the body of Christ if you cannot settle your differences and truly worship together in Spirit and Truth. The Bible tells us here to set our gift down at the altar and focus on reconciling the relationship with our bother and sister and until this is done leave your gift at the altar. God wants us to serve, however God also wants us in unity. We all have faults, we all have differences, and we all make mistakes. I am just so thankful Jesus chose to forgive each of us anyway. If we cannot forgive as He has fist forgiven us, we have missed the main message of God’s demonstration of love for us. After all, that is why God sent His son for each of us, “For God So Loved the World…”.
If your heart is burdened, heavy, or if you have fault with your brother or sister leave your gift at the alter and “first go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift”.
I am so thankful that God did love us in spite of ourselves and forgave us. You know, it is amazing how Jesus was “oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth, He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). We are called to become Christlike. Jesus invites us to follow Him, and we have His example of obedience, sacrificial love, and patient suffering.
Becoming more Christlike is the result of surrendering to God. Romans 12:1-2 says that worship involves a total self-dedication to God. We volunteer our bodies as “living sacrifices,” and our minds are renewed and transformed.
When Jesus said, “Follow me,” Levi left his money tables immediately (Mark 2:14); so do we freely surrender all we have for the sake of following the Lord. As John the Baptist said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30), so we focus more and more on Jesus and His glory, losing ourselves in His will. You see, it is not about us at all… It is all about Him. That is why we do what we do, that is why we serve, that is why we love, and that is why we worship… Just to bring Him glory, and to be more like Him. That is what matters.
This Christmas season, I am thankful for a Savior God sent to this world so we could be reconciled with Him.
You are Loved.
Blessings,
Pastor Jonathan W. Pannell
Rev. Jonathan W. Pannell III 