God Forgives the Guilt of Our Tragic Mistakes; Luke 24:36-45

 

Rev. George Miller

April 18, 2021

Luke 24:36-45

 

Have you ever sinned?  Have you ever made a tragic mistake so major that you cringe every time you think about it? 

 

Have you ever broken any of the 10 Commandments?

 

If you are human, and if you have the privilege to make it into your sunset years, the answer is “yes.”

 

We all have sinned, from Pope to President, priest to patriot.

 

To sin is to be human; to be human is to make tragic mistakes, to “oops!”, to Left Shark again and again and again.

 

…to be human is to also know- we are only human, and that God our Mother, Father, Abba, Mommy fully gets it and fully forgives.

 

Scripture gives this assurance over and over, even though we have trouble believing it.

 

God forgives, even when we cannot. 

 

God forgives us, even as we allow guilt to chip us away.

 

...Have you ever made a tragic mistake so major that you cringe every time you think about it? 

 

Have you ever broken any of the 10 Commandments?

 

And even though you worship each and every week you still have a hard time forgiving yourself?

 

The guilt is too much.  The inability to undo what’s been done is too great.

 

So that guilt takes over, spirals into shame, self-hate, feeling frozen in place and eternally undeserving.

 

God forgives us, but can we?

 

Thank God there is a scripture that addresses this very topic- Psalm 32. 

 

Hear the words of someone who was once so tormented by their guilt but has found the joy of forgiving oneself-

 

“Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
² Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³ While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
⁴ For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not hide my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

⁶ Therefore let all who are faithful
    offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters
    shall not reach them.
⁷ You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
⁹ Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.

¹⁰ Many are the torments of the wicked,
    but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
¹¹ Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”

 

We hope you heard what the singer proclaims- God has not just forgiven their tragic mistake-

 

God has forgiven the guilt they have been carrying around.

 

It is not the sin that has made the person ill, it is the psychological warfare they have placed upon themselves, feeling so guilty about what they’ve done that they have become ill.

 

Eventually they can’t take it anymore.  In great meekness they find the strength to call out to God, to own up to their behavior, to voice what they’ve tried to silence.

 

As a result, their guilt is removed, erased, and because of their humilty, they rejoice, they shout, and they share their story with others.

 

Forgiveness.  Grace.  Mercy.

 

Resurrection.

 

Today we come to the end of our journey through the Gospel of Luke, and what a journey it has been.

 

Step by step, from the manger to the shores, from treetops and tombs.

 

Through it all Jesus has been praying, preaching, speaking words of peace. 

 

He’s gone to where the outsiders are.  He’s been buddies with bold women.  He’s welcomed back the lost.

 

He’s warmed hearts, ruffled feathers, and he’s eaten more gourmet meals than we can count.

 

He faced betrayal.  He did not run away from the challenges of the Cross.  As a result, the triumph of God is made known in the resurrection of Emmanuel.

 

And how does Luke want us to remember Jesus?

 

On the road heading west where Christ meets us in sadness and breaks bread.

 

In community where we stand together in wonder as he eats a piece of fish.

 

If there is any doubt how important food is to Jesus, Luke makes it clear.

 

Christ eats, Christ utters words of peace, and still there’s something else so key here.

 

In verses 46-47, he reminds us about the scriptures and that his purpose, his journey was not just a magic show or a way to divide and dessimate.

 

Christ says “Repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed…to all the nations…”

 

Repentance- to turn back.

 

Forgiveness- to let go of debts and to release the guilt of our sins.

 

Here we have Christ who eats, who speaks words of peace, who uses his final teaching to proclaim a new beginning.

 

How beautiful.

 

How amazing.

 

How simple.

 

The Resurrection is meant to bring healing and hope into the world.  It is meant to restore and unite.

 

As the author of Psalm 32 would say, the season of Easter is the season in which we all can-

 

^“11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”

 

The Easter Season is one in which we can join in with Psalm 32 and say-

 

“Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
² Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

 

Jesus has done the work.

 

God has raised him from the dead.

 

The Holy Spirit has inspired.

 

People like Luke have written it down.

 

Are we willing to believe?  Are we willing to trust that in Christ we have truly been forgiven?

 

And if so, how do we respond?  What do we do?

 

How do we live and how do we do ministry knowing that peace, joy, the forgiveness of guilt, and some really, really good food are all part of what our faith is about?

 

Amen and amen.