Forgiveness in a Pandemic Pt 2 (Mark 11:25)
Gary McManus, 08/16/2020Part of the Sermons for a Pandemic series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
August 16, 2020 Forgiveness in a pandemic.
Why? Because a pandemic presents the followers
of Jesus with a whole different set of situations in
need of forgiveness.
Media are providing you and I with plenty of examples of what we need to talk about.
Last time: basics on forgiveness
--forgiveness is essential to the Good News of Jesus
because God forgave us in Jesus (God’s grace)
(Ephesians 2:4-8, 1 Corinthians 15:3-7)
We were told that in Jesus’ birth (Matthew 1 and 2)
“. . . give him the name Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
Luke 23:32-34
This same Jesus calls us to forgive one another. . .
MORE THAN ONCE (Matthew 8:21-22)
Jesus told US more than once that we are
to forgive others MORE THAN ONCE.
This pandemic by its very nature requires us
(Jesus’ followers) to exercise forgiveness.
The Coronavirus is thought to spread mainly
from person-to-person. Person-to-person!
Someone or someones are to blame.
Let’s look at another area of public health
to understand our own dilemma.
Alcohol, alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse
are a public health problem. [It’s already been
decided.] Laws are to protect us (or try) from injury or death from those who use alcohol.
But every year is the same (in America): 10,000 die
from drunk drivers.
Still more than 1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
BUT 111 million people admitted that they did drive drunk (2016). Some go to jail or not. Some drunk drivers didn’t kill anyone THE FIRST TIME they had an accident.
There are stories, some dramatic, of the family members who are called to forgive the drunk driver that killed their family member. Do you see the similarity to the pandemic?
Like an impaired driver—they are risky—risking their health and life with the alcohol and or drugs, then they get in a vehicle and begin to risk your life and health on our streets and highways.
We Americans have decided that this is a public health issue.
There are already lawsuits across our nation—people and institutions being sued for not being careful enough/risking others’ health.
Examples?
The Warrior Creek Missionary Baptist Church near Strawberry, Alabama.
[Sometimes it can be hard to forgive a Pastor.]
Can we forgive them?
In the case of people who take a lot of risks.
Many are not going to ask for forgiveness.
School?
There is no sign of the pandemic letting up in our country. [Remember Matthew 5:43-45, Mark 11:25, Luke 23:34]
--Pittsboro, N.C
We love to talk about this! Why?
We love to play the blame game.
Book 1, Genesis, chapter 3!
--Aug. 3, 2020, New York City. . .
--Los Angeles. . .
Let’s get to work practicing forgiveness. . .
--Jesus, Mark 11:25. Amen.
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