True story:  A man living in L.A. decided to greet his neighbors in a unique way.  He bought huge balloons and filled them with helium.  Attaching them to his chaise lounge chair, he wanted to float over his neighbors and wave to them from above.  He took along a BB gun so he could pop the balloons to come down, and he also took a 6-pack of something strong to drink.  When he was spotted, he was 7,000 feet over the L.A. airport, and was later coaxed to the ground by a helicopter.  When asked why he did it, he said, "A man just can sit there!"

          It's certainly true there are some things a person just can sit and wait for, and one of them is reconciliation.  Today we begin a series, "God's Family Values", with new twists on old-fashioned ideas like reconciliation, commitment, humility and honesty.  May God bless these messages and may He find open hearts to His Word.

          Everyone today talks about family values, but few know that they are.  Let me tell you what God values most of all -- PEOPLE!  You and I are the most valued of all His creation.  He cares nothing for gold or jewels - He knows they have no value except what we put on them.  He doesn't value ideas, because He knows all.  He doesn't value social programs or education or intelligence or theology--He values people.

          God sent His only Son Jesus to die for people, not for ideas or social programs.  He values us, and wants each one of us in His Kingdom.  Christ died and rose again to pave our way to heaven.  We've done nothing to earn this.  He does it because He loves us.  There's no issue in life today as important as God's value on human life.

          Speaking of issues, I'm sure you're aware that in a recent convention, ELCA Lutherans are uniting with the Episcopalians.  And, yes, I have an opinion or two on that issue.  You see, it's so tempting to preach on the issues rather than preach Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  But issues don't save us -- only Christ does.

          People have often told me pastors don't preach enough about abortion or homosexuality -- powerful issues.  It's easy to preach on things that are wrong, but that won't solve them.  Pointing fingers usually leads us away from what's really wrong.  We'd rather hear about what's wrong with someone else than what's wrong with us.

          It's like the wayward parishioner.  His pastor really wanted him to change, so one Sunday he preached right to the man.  Afterwards, the man said, "Boy, you really told them people, pastor."  The next time it was raining and only a handful came.  Again the pastor preached right at the guy, and again he said, "Way to go, pastor, you really told them."  Finally, in a snowstorm, that man was the only one to come, so the pastor let him have it.  Afterwards he said, "That was the best sermon you've preached.  You really told them.  Too bad they weren't here."  It's always easier when the pastor's talking about others.

          Reconciliation is one of God's great Family Values.  Because we're sinful, we need forgiveness.  And if we're a Christian, we must be reconciled to others.  Sometimes we forget Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."  He couldn't say it any plainer.

          In today's Gospel, Jesus spells out a method for reconciliation.  To reconcile means to mend a break, to bring people back together.  Forgiveness is the necessary catalyst to make it happen.  In Matthew 5, Jesus had said, "If you are offering your gift at the altar and remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift there.  First be reconciled to your brother;  then come and offer your gift."

          God doesn't want hard feelings to get in the way.  If we're to worship Him, to invite Him into our life, we need to clean it up first.  Actually, He's already done that for us.  Calvary has cleansed us.  His blood has washed us clean.  The open grave has given us a new lease on life.  Now we need to put His cleansing to work in our daily life.

          Look at the text again.  One could say these steps are only for gross sin or for the church to follow.  And rightly the church must follow them as it deals with open and obvious sin.  The congregation must take sin seriously, because if it doesn't, then Christ is not taken seriously.  But I want to give you three other steps in dealing with reconciliation in your person life.  This is not a 12-step program, but a 3-step program.  I don't know about you, but three steps is all I can remember of anything.

          First step:  we need to CONFRONT THE PROBLEM.  Several years ago a man called me and said, "Pastor, I need someone to help me with my Fifth Step.  Will you hear my confession?"  The AA Fourth and Fifth Steps are to make a fearless and searching inventory of our wrongs and then admit them to God, to self and to another human being.  He had lived for years in denial, but had entered the AA program and was ready for reconciliation.  A lot of our troubles come from denial.  It's easy to believe it's someone else's fault, not our own.  Too many of us turn our backs on obvious sin.  Jesus says confront it.  Be honest about it.  It usually won't go away, and may get worse, so confront it.

          When we've confronted it, looked it squarely in the eye, we need to FORGIVE IT.  Sometimes that means forgiving what others have done to us, and sometimes it means forgiving ourselves.  We don't run into this often these days, because it's fashionable to blame others.  But when a person owns up to a past he's never faced, it's so very cleansing.  It's like what God says in Isaiah 1:  "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow;  though they are crimson red, they will be like lamb's wool."  Or Psalm 103, "As far as the east is from the west, so far are your sins removed from you."  CONFRONT IT, and FORGIVE IT.  Two steps of this simple 3-step program.

          The third step seems easy, yet is very difficult:  LET IT GO.  To forgive has many definitions, but the one I like most is, "giving up all right to hurt back."  We've all been hurt, but it's the way of God not to hurt back.  What a blessing it is to let it go.

          The RM News carried a story a few years ago of a very old man who finally owned up to his past.  Some 23 years before he had assaulted and nearly killed an 11 year-old boy.  He did brutal things but the boy survived.  Now, on his deathbed, he confessed his past.  The wonder of this story is that the 11 year old boy was now at his bedside, praying with Him, reading him the Bible.  The boy turned man had forgiven him and was helping his tormenter to know God had forgiven him too.  He confronted it, forgave it, and now he's letting go of it.  When he died, he was cleansed by Christ and ready for heaven.

          You and I have the privilege to forgive.  Jesus says in the Gospel, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  That means Christians have the right and responsibility to forgive.  As pastor, I announce your forgiveness in worship because Jesus has given me the right.  And you have the right to forgive others, too.  It's a gift to you from God.

          Here Jesus also means we can tell someone they are not forgiven.  It's in this step we often stumble, because we're afraid of the mote that's in our own eye.  Or we fear confrontation.  But if someone we warn goes on sinning, we're not helping him by turning a blind eye.  It's hard, but if we don't warn them, who will?  Certainly not our world that thinks any judgment is wrong.  People need to know the truth about sin.  We need forgiveness, but we must look at ourselves first.

          Jesus concludes this passage with this assurance:  "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."  Jesus doesn't make empty promises.  If He says He'll be there for us, He will.

          This doesn't mean He'll automatically grant our desire.  Some will say if we pray for it and don't get it, then we don't have enough faith.  They miss the point.  This is not a foolproof method of problem solving.  It's a directive to trust Him that He'll give us what's right, in His own way, in His own time.

          CONFRONT IT -- FORGIVE IT -- LET IT GO.  Three small steps to follow that make a big difference.  Next week we'll look at God's Family Value of Commitment.  Thanks be to God for sending His Son Jesus.  It's only in Him that we have our existence.  And it's only through Him that we're acceptable to the Father.  It is God's will that all of us be with Him in heaven, so let's trust in His Son.  Let Him be your Lord.  He's given His life for us.  Now He just wants our trust.  Be reconciled to Him, and to others too.  Let's pray:  O God of new beginnings and second chances, here we are again.  Forgive us and help us be forgiving.  Thank you for Jesus our Lord.  Amen

Copyright © 1999 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.