Trinity 15/A - Genesis 50:15-21; Matthew 18:21-35 & Romans 14:1-12

You might have seen, Norwich Prison featuring on the local news this week, which reminded me of the time I spent in Norwich prison, as a visitor I hasten to add!

Whilst I was there, I got to meet several of the men who attended the prison alpha courses and one of the chapel assistants. As we sat and chatted, he told me about how he had come to faith whilst in prison, and it was a profound story of hope, he told me about how the Holy Spirit had completely transformed his life, and how it felt to him to know the forgiveness of God.

He told me a little of his story, but of course, he told me nothing of why he was in prison in the first place, just that he was a ‘lifer’ and so clearly, whatever it was it was significant.

But what struck me and has always remained with me, is his comment, that although he knew he was forgiven by God, he could never forgive himself, he would live with the guilt for the rest of his life.

And that challenged me, because I could see a man, who although he had accepted Jesus into his life, was still trapped, not just by the four walls of the prison, which was justice, but by his guilt.

And it made me wonder about what being forgiven looks like, how does it, how should it change us, if know that we have been forgiven?

Now of course, this is an extreme example, but in our bible readings today, this is something that crops up a couple of times.

Let us look again at our passage from Genesis.

In our reading, it said that when the brothers sent their message to Joseph saying ‘your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they have committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of God of your father.’

Joseph wept.

Joseph wept … why … because he had already shown his brothers forgiveness, he had already forgiven them, but had the brothers ever fully recognised the forgiveness they had received, or as it appears, did they believe it was only conditional on their father Jacob still being around, and so when he died, they panicked and thought Joseph would know exact his revenge … no wonder Joseph wept and in his compassion, reassures them, that they are forgiven, and assures them of his ongoing provision for them and their families.

To know you are forgiven is to be freed from the bondage of fear and doubt, wondering when the person that has forgiven you might just change their mind? In psalm 103 we are reminded, ‘as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.’

When we consider the forgiveness of God, our sins are forgiven and forgotten … so that we might be set free, or as we will be singing later

‘Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature’s night, thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; my chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth and followed thee.’

So to know that you are forgiven is to be freed from the bondage of fear and doubt, but what about our reading from Matthews gospel this morning.

It is a familiar parable, told in response of course to the question, how many times should I forgive my brother when he sins against me and so the bedrock, I am sure for many sermons on forgiving others.

But what about what it looks like to know you are forgiven.

Because as I was reading and reflecting on this parable this week, I wondered did the unmerciful servant really know that he was forgiven … certainly his actions didn’t match the forgiveness he had been shown.

And so of course, he is freed from a huge debt by his master, only to then not forgive one of his fellow servants who owed him a small debt, having him thrown into prison.

I wonder if that really looks like the actions of someone who knows that they are forgiven … and in the light of our reading from Genesis, I think he looks a little like the brothers, anxious that his masters generosity may not be sustained, there is fear.

And perhaps he was right to be anxious, after all when his master hears word of what he has done, he is handed over to the jailors to be tortured until he paid back what was owed … an impossible amount.

But only because …. He didn’t show the same amount of mercy as he himself had been shown.

Being forgiven, knowing that we are forgiven, should lead to a change in our hearts a change which leads to action, as you see the world with fresh eyes.

With compassion and with love.

Mercy, love, justice, kindness and forgiveness are all gifts from God. These are the signs and symbols of God’s living presence with us. God is calling us today to live a life of forgiveness.

Over and over we are forgiven by God. Not seven times seventy, but endlessly. God’s love precedes us, is beside us, surrounds us and leads us home. Our call, our response is to live as forgiven people, forgiving others and ourselves.

Paul in Romans reminds us ‘We do not live to ourselves and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord’ so then, whether we live or whether we did, we are the Lords (Romans 14:8).

Such forgiveness is not something we do alone, but in community. As we model forgiveness, we receive abundant forgiveness and help others see God’s mercy working in their lives.

So how do we become the people of forgiveness and mercy in this fractured world? We start by forgiving ourselves. God forgives you, so forgive yourself. And when we accept our own flawed humanity, we notice that others around us are human too – and as prone to failing as we are – and compassion grows.

To know we are forgiven ourselves, frees us to be people of forgiveness, forgiving others and ushering in God’s kingdom of mercy and justice.

So as we leave our worship later today, may we live into the freedom of the forgiveness we have received. Amen.