A sermon for the Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity, by Fr. Jerome Leckband.
Jesus warns in the parable of the unforgiving servant that if we do not forgive others from the heart, our heavenly Father will not forgive us. These words are challenging because forgiving is hard. Holding grudges, imagining revenge, or hoping others get what they deserve comes naturally to us. Yet, Jesus calls us to something better.
The heart of the Christian life is forgiveness—God’s extravagant, endless forgiveness. Peter asked if he should forgive seven times, and Jesus answered, “seventy times seven,” meaning without limit. We live in the ongoing flow of Christ’s grace, poured out in Baptism and given in His body and blood in Holy Communion. This is the forgiveness that frees us, and this is the forgiveness we are called to share.
When forgiveness feels impossible, remember that Christ has already paid your unpayable debt. He invites you to place your anger and pain into His hands and live as one who is continually washed in His mercy. Listen to the entire sermon below.
All Saints Lutheran Church and School 