Mumford and Sons is one of my favorite bands. Check out these lyrics and you’ll see why:
I came home like a stone
And I fell heavy into your arms
These days of dust which we’ve known
Will blow away with this new sun
And I’ll kneel down
Wait for now
And I’ll kneel down
Wait for now
So break my step and relent
You forgave and I won’t forget
Forgiveness lives on and on. We never, ever forget when someone forgives us. The gift of forgiveness that we receive lives forever. “You forgave and I won’t forget.”
Yes, it is true that we remember all too well the times and experiences when we goofed and messed up, erred and strayed. They say that God takes our confessed sins and tosses them far out into the ocean, and then posts a sign that reads, “No fishing.”
The promise of Easter is that death has lost its sting, as has sin. There is life after life, and there is life after the errors of our ways. Neither death nor sin shall have the last word, the last say, or make the last point. Being a victim or victimizer does not mean all is lost or that life is over and done. The Good News is that no matter what our past, God and God’s people are fully committed to changing our present for the sake of the future.
Consider what Lewis Grizzard witnessed in church. The late Grizzard is one of many great southern writers. Go ahead and talk about the books of William Faulkner and Alex Hailey; share with a friend what you think of the plays by Tennessee Williams and the poetry of Maya Angelou. When you list fine writers of the south, please be sure to remember the columns and books of Lewis Grizzard. He often wrote about his years of growing up in Moreland, Georgia. In one of his columns he shared that one day he found himself standing outside the church which was so dear to his childhood. He said:
“Church was about all we had. Sunday School was at 10, but preaching was only twice a month. We shared sermons and preachers with another flock down the road. Sunday evening was MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship).
“We had a couple of rowdy brothers in town that broke into a store. They were juvenile offenders. Their punishment by the judge was to attend MYF for six months. First night they were there, they beat up two fifth graders and threw a Cokesbury Hymnal at the lady who met us and always brought us cookies. She ducked in time and then looked them squarely in their devilish eyes. Soft as the angel she was, she said, ‘I don’t approve of what you boys did here tonight and neither does Jesus. But if he can forgive you, I guess I’ll have to.’ She handed them a plate of cookies. And the last I heard, both are daddies with steady jobs and rarely miss a Sunday.”
In the everyday patterns of life, the need for forgiveness is always present. Here at First Christian Church of Decatur we recognize that our call to a life of love is a call away from certain kinds of behavior. It is a call out of darkness and into light. This call to new life in Christ is both urgent and powerful. This call is urgent because every moment counts; it’s powerful because it connects us to the holy and one another. Why wait for tomorrow to forgive your neighbor? Why put off committing yourself to Jesus Christ and his Church? Don’t delay! Love those in your midst today. Your act of forgiveness will not be forgotten.
As always, First Christian Church of Decatur, I am delighted to be your pastor. Shalom, James Brewer-Calvert