Matthew 18:21-35
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When Jesus tells Peter he needs to keep practicing forgiveness, he’s trying to show that we practice our way into a whole new way of being.
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When Jesus talks about forgiveness, we tend to make the question about ourselves (how do I?) when it is about a relationship.
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Many people talk about forgiveness in terms of absolutes. You have to forgive. Or That’s unforgivable. But Jesus is focused on people.
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Our brains start with the wrong presumption. Forgiveness, not punishment, is the starting place for dealing with our neighbors.
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The problem with mercy is we don’t trust others with it. Which means, whether we like it or not, that we also don’t trust God with it.
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This week, we wrestle with the nature of forgiveness and mercy. We do so knowing we might not want to offer it. But we can so choose to.