Sermon/message: September 10, 1999
ICM Monterrey, Pastor: David Pettitt
Translated from Spanish by Rev. David Pettitt

First Reading: Romans 14:1-12
Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 18:21-35

This Wednesday, when the clock strikes 11:00 p.m., you will be able to hear the bells of freedom ringing all over Mexico. This year, President Zedillo will be in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, where the original document of Independence was signed in 1810.

He along with the governors of each state, will be reminding their citizens of the freedom they won, by ringing the palace bells in each capital, along with the mayors in all the other city halls. There is no doubt, that this one holiday, is the single most important day of the year here in Mexico.

The two men who initiated this opportunity for freedom here in Mexico, were Catholic Priests. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla organized the people to fight for their freedom and their rights. As the father of Independence, he raised the level of consciousness of the people. He replaced ignorance with information and he gave the people HOPE.

Another priest, José Maria Morelos y Pavon – wrote the first constitution, "Sentimientos de la Nacion (Sentiments of the Nation)". And yet, freedom has it’s price... Eventually, both paid the ultimate price for what they believed in... both gave their lives so others could enjoy their individual freedom.

And there were other freedom fighters... Fray Servando (Padre Mier), Clavijero, and Tata Vasco, all members of a religious order... each had a dream... each played a major role in helping to free their sisters and brothers... and each contributed to making significant social changes.

Throughout history, all social changes were first initiated by churches. And our church is no different. Last week I mentioned that Troy Perry started our fellowship 9 months before the Stonewall Riots in New York.

Stonewall may be the event which is credited for birthing the gay movement, but the fact is that MCC and Troy Perry organized and conducted the first marches as they protested the unfairness of employment rules plus local and state laws... eventually contesting the federal legislation.

Paul’s letter to the Romans and the gospel reading of Matthew for tonight, both really goes right to the heart of helping us to understanding one form of freedom. Paul wrote in verse 10, "Why do you pass judgement on your sisters and brothers? Or why do you despise your sisters and brothers? We will all stand before the judgment of God."

In a similar message, Jesus spoke in a parable about the "Unforgiving Servant". The example He used, was about a servant who had been forgiven an incredible debt. And yet, the very next thing this person does, is goes and demands a debt owed to him by a friend.

This is all about fairness... treating each other fairly begins with not judging their individual actions... how someone thinks or what they do... nor treating others unfairly, when we are treated with fairness.

Not judging others, is one of the most liberating feelings I have ever personally experienced! This did not come easy for me... in fact, there are still times when I find myself regressing in this behavior.

- This takes a lot of intentional work...
- A lot of intentional patience...
- A whole lot of intentional prayer...
- Most of all, this takes a whole lot of intentional forgiveness.

However, in the end, it will be possible to experience freedom! All things are possible if you have faith in God – Mark 9:23

When I was learning how to drive a car, my dad told me not to focus on the street just in front of the car. My dad said, look down the road... see the bigger view. This is basically what the apostle Paul was saying to the church in Rome, in his letter we heard read tonight. He was encouraging them to extend the focus of their spiritual eyes, so they could see the bigger picture.

The members of the church in Rome [like most churches] were comprised of groups of very diverse people. People argued about their personal opinions... when, how, and which holy days to observe... they argued about what people should and should not eat... An inhospitable and judgmental climate prevailed.

Paul was suggesting that they lift their eyes... extend their vision beyond their disagreements about how we live and even how we worship God. Paul could have been writing this letter to most any church... including ours. Accepting diversity within any family... any group, including a church, is not always easy.

Paul’s letter is an excellent guide to helping us to understand, accept, and appreciate each other. Our spiritual tunnel vision, can corrode our spirits... this weakens our witness or our usefulness to being effective disciples... In the end, this undermines our personal and church missions.

Paul’s advice for each of us to expand our vision [or take a bigger view], was meant to help us to realize that just because we do not all think alike nor act alike, we all seek to worship and serve the same God through the same Jesus Christ. This was Paul’s central point – we should all be rooted and grounded in God. Nothing... Nothing, in this life should ever distract us from this fact.

Paul points out that their disputes [which were generated by their judgmental attitudes], were threatening to unravel and destroy their community – a community which they worked so very hard to build. He was trying to help them see how insignificant these behaviors were in contrast to the bigger vision of keeping Jesus as the center of their lives. Paul’s concerns and sound advice were true then, and can serve as a gentle reminder for us today.

In tonight’s gospel, we hear Peter putting the Rabbi to the test... He wants to know an exact number of times we are suppose to forgive someone. Is seven enough, Peter asks. You could almost hear Jesus thinking, "He really doesn’t get it!"

I really don’t think Jesus was offering some precise mathematical formula... but rather He was trying to get Peter to realize he shouldn’t be counting to begin with. After all, if we have to keep count, have we really forgiven someone? Forgiveness means not only agreeing to forgive someone’s fault, but also to put the matter out of our minds.

If we count, we certainly must be retaining some form of suspicion of the other person. To truly forgive, involves reestablishing a new relationship of trust. It means being fully open and vulnerable to others who have hurt us [or disappointed] us in the past.

In verses thirty-four and thirty-five of the gospel reading, we hear the King showing mercy on someone who owed him a great deal of money. So great, that it would have been impossible to repay the debt in his lifetime.

The king became furious when he found out that this individual did not show the same mercy on someone who owed him a debt. Jesus proposes that we act mercifully and compassionately, not because this will earn any favor with God... But we should do this as a small response to the grace and mercy which God shows each of us.

Jesus taught us this in the Lord’s Prayer... as we pray, "Forgive us our trespasses, just as we are forgive others." There really is freedom in forgiveness! Until and unless we are able and willing to forgive others, we ourselves can never expect God’s Forgiveness.

This Independence Day, try truly forgiving someone whom you have found it really difficult or almost impossible to forgive. Give yourself the gift of freedom.

I want to close with the words of Benito Juarez which are written in the lobby of State Congressional Building here in Monterrey: "Entre los individuos como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz. (Among individuals as among nations, respect for rights of others is peace.)"

The author of this material is Rev. David Pettitt, pastor of the MCC in Monterrey, Mexico.