Preached by Rev. Erik Kindem.
Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35
Summary
Some of Jesus’ parables teach us the way we’re supposed to act, the way we’re called to act as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Other parables, like this one, serve as a warning. Unforgiveness imprisons both the offender and the offended, the sinner and the one sinned against, and at its worst leads to a downward spiral of feuding and reprisals and becomes a living hell for everyone in the entire community.
There is an alternative. The life of Jesus teaches us that we don’t have to go on hurting each other, extracting our revenge; that our relationship can be transformed instead. Laura Blumenfeld tells the story of how she discovered the power of transformative forgive-ness in her book: REVENGE: A STORY OF HOPE.