Reading Mark 11:20-26, we find the second part of a story. The first part of the story has Jesus and His disciples walking along and Jesus, seeing a baron fig tree, makes the statement, “may no one eat fruit from this tree again”. The second part of the story has them passing the tree again, and it was withering to die. This may seem cruel on Jesus’ part, but there is a message here. Though Jesus is teaching about prayer, theologians believe the tree is representative of Israel’s demise as a world leader, or the leaders themselves. But holding on to the prayer theme of our scripture reading, we find Jesus using this as a teaching lesson. In essence, He is saying PRAY – and do so without any doubt for what you’re praying for; “If you say to this mountain, go throw yourself into the sea, and you do not doubt that it can be done, it will happen”. Now the question is, why would anyone tell a mountain to throw itself into a sea? The mountain to the sea is not the point. The point is to believe in your prayer. Now, that’s all fine and dandy until Jesus throws in a kicker. September 26, 1944: Ray Hamley is a 21 year old B-25 bombardier. Targets: RR Station and nazi factories in Kleve. Not a target: the church and people around. He felt the sting of guilt, but “war is war…right?” Following the war, he went home to England, married his childhood sweetheart, became the head of an elementary school. In 1983 a newspaper article showed the townspeople of Kleve making plans to rebuild their church of St. Mary. Sparking an old memory, Ray went home, dug out his log book and found they were rebuilding the church he had bombed in 1944. That sting returned to his heart, but then that old “devil cat” (tom and jerry cartoon) jumped up on his shoulder and told him to forget it, war is war. The “angel cat” told Ray to not let it go, so he wrote to the mayor of Kleve asking forgiveness from the townspeople. Ray received a letter, asking for he and his family come see the church. Ray couldn’t reply. Another letter came, this time from the priest, with 500 signatures of people offering their forgiveness in Jesus’ name. After relenting, Ray said this healed wounds he had been carrying for 40 years. I tell this story because Prayer is a powerful tool God has given us to overcome anything life throws at us. And forgiveness is one of the most important responses to prayer. Sometimes, that forgiveness has to come from where? WITHIN our own heart! Forgiveness is one of the most powerful blessings God commands. In fact, skeptics who counter Jesus’ healing miracles, tell us Jesus used nothing more than power-of-suggestion. He healed by telling people they were forgiven of their sins and that "suggestion" of forgiveness healed them from their own heart and mind! What do you think? I think they have a point, however they are still missing the point of God’s Grace. The devil uses our sin against us, to kill us off and separate us from God, but forgiveness is powerful medicine, that cures the ills of life. Now, here’s the kicker I referenced a while ago from our scripture reading: Forgiveness doesn’t have anything to do with “Loving your neighbor as yourself” or “doing unto others as you would have others do to you”. Forgiveness has everything to do with, Jesus telling us, “When you pray IF you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, SO THAT your Father in heaven may forgive YOU of your sins”! But Preacher, you don’t know what ol’ so-and-so has done / taken / lied / swindled from me. And you’re right, I may not know, but I can tell you what I do know; There’s no grudge on this earth worth losing your own forgiveness, unless, of course, you want to hang on a cross beaten to death, and before dying utter, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. But preacher, if forgiveness is so important, why didn’t Jesus forgive the fig tree? Because Jesus’ point, found in John 15, was, if the branch does not produce fruit, what good is it to the kingdom of God? None – and therefore is removed “and thrown into the fire”. Forgiveness is just one of the fruits that gives us life, and If holding a grudge is something eating at your heart, look for Peace in a church near you… but You have to want it! Just so you’ll know, the only thing greater than having “the Peace that passes ALL understanding”, is having a heart forgiven by a God willing to die because He loves you so. Love Him back!
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 12:27:05 +0000
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