Throne Usurpers

I'm currently reading "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. If you haven't read it, I strongly encourage you to. I haven't finished yet and that's because Chan usually gives some homework before he wants you to read further. His latest challenge was to read the four gospels and see with unfiltered eyes the high calling of Jesus.

I just finished Luke last night and it was...mind blowing. Even though I've read the gospels probably hundreds of times in my lifetime, I truly felt like I was reading Luke for the first time. I partially think it has something to do with the fact Luke was a doctor and therefore used more descriptives, not just in the physical sense but also emotionally. I felt more of the humanity of Jesus, His compassion, His anguish, His joy. And with everything I've experienced the last few years of my life, the words were more alive, more meaningful.

My largest soapbox is the issue of forgiveness. I've written essays, journal entries, blog entries, and had numerous conversations related to the topic. One of the passages that really struck me this time around was Luke 17:3,4. Now other gospels record this a bit differently and you're probably familiar with it too. Here'a paraphrase: "Lord, how often should I forgive? Up to seven times? And Jesus replies, "No, up to seventy times seven times." In essence, Jesus is saying you must always forgive. But here's how Luke writes it (taken from the ESV): "Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."

There are several noteworthy things here:
1) When Jesus says "if your brother sins against you," He means sin. Sin as in you better have a chapter and verse labeling the offense as sin and make sure that the offense is not just a violation of your personal preference. There is a BIG difference. A violation of one's personal preference is not necessarily sin so be careful when you are "rebuking" your brother.
2) Even if a person continually screws up and continually repents, Jesus commands us to forgive him. We cannot judge a man's heart. That is only God's doing. We can't say to a person, "Well, if you were really sorry then you wouldn't do it anymore" because then we make our forgiveness conditional: If you stop doing this, then I will forgive you. But that's not what Jesus is saying. Jesus is saying we must always forgive. That is our part. Our part is to forgive, GOD's part is to judge the heart.

A few chapters later, Jesus foretells Peter's denial. Luke 22:31,32 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like what, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." These verses nearly brought me to tears. Jesus told Peter before, "Peter, on this rock I shall build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail over it." And now we see Jesus foretelling this "rock", His friend, that he will deny Jesus three times. But here's what is so lovely. Jesus said, "but I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith will not fail. You will deny me as your friend and as your God and when the rooster crows, we will make eye contact. You will see my pain and I will see yours but Peter, I know you will repent. You will have remorse for what you've done and once our relationship is restored, you will strengthen your brothers for you, Peter, are my rock and on this rock I will build my church and not even the gates of hell will ever overcome it."

And sure enough, Peter denies Jesus three times, they make eye contact while the rooster crows (v51), Jesus is crucified, buried and three days later his empty grave is discovered by some women. They tell the disciples what the angel told them but they didn't believe. Except Peter..."Peter rose and ran to the tomb" (24:12). Can you imagine Peter's joy? Peter's relief? "Maybe it's not too late," he might've thought. "Maybe I can make things right with him again!" And sure enough, the gospel of John beautifully describes the restoration of their relationship. Jesus had already forgiven Him, as Jesus has already forgiven us all our sins, but that is why confession is important. It isn't for the Lord's benefit, it's for ours. And once we confess, "he is faithful and just to forgive us of all our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness."

Isn't it beautiful? Isn't it mind-numbing, that Jesus Christ, the God of the universe, has forgiven us our sins. And who do we think we are, holding forgiveness hostage from others? When we refuse to forgive, we kick God off His throne, essentially saying, "I am a better fit to rule than you, God." Furthermore, our refusal to forgive turns Christ's death into a mockery and our "faith" becomes meaningless.

Forgive, forgive, forgive, forgive, forgive, forgive, forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.