Sermon: August 11, 2024
Readings: Ephesians 4:25-5:2 / John 6:35, 41-51
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he encourages us to embrace and demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ by showing kindness to one another, tenderheartedness, and forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven us. It’s exactly what we pray when we say the Lord’s Prayer, that God may forgive us as we forgive others. Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting what happened, and it doesn’t mean that you’re okay with being hurt. And forgiveness certainly doesn’t mean that you should allow someone to continue hurting you. Forgiveness recognizes the hurt and that we are all flawed and make mistakes. More importantly, forgiveness invites Jesus into the relationship, shining the light of his love into the hurt and giving us the chance to heal.
Every human being is a child of God, and as Paul points out, we need to act like it because our words and actions have consequences far more reaching than we realize. Most recently, we can see this on full display at the Olympics as one woman was falsely targeted because of people’s intolerance and lack of knowledge of the transgender community.
We can see the evidence of what happens when a light is shined upon systemic racism in our world, and attitudes that were previously marked as acceptable are now unacceptable. 1985 was the first time I heard of a sundown town. A Marine I served with was from a town that had a sign posted that read, “If you are black, be gone by sundown.” These towns still exist today, but primarily through people’s words, actions, and political and social attitudes.
Actions and words cannot only hurt the people involved but spread to other relationships. The pain caused can be carried for years and passed down through several generations. But it doesn’t have to go that far. If we are mindful and recognize the path we were on, we can repent and invite God back into the relationship by embracing his love, mercy, and justice.
As Paul points out, we have been given a gift from God: the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. He is our example of how to live in peace and harmony with all of God’s creation, demonstrating kindness, tenderheartedness, forgiveness, and bearing one another in the love Jesus shows us.
