Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.
31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.
35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
The Color of Lent is Sometimes Purple.
Did you ever wonder why, and mostly, until this year,
I thought it was the Royalty of Jesus
and the Palm Sunday, the acknowledgement
of God's Son.
We have had so many tress opening buds and remaining buds this year
our forest trees are Purple, purple purple like this:
Violets emerge in early spring
Redbuds are purple before they even bloom!
Redbuds and Maples are Purple!
Oak buds put out a white leave fuzz encased in Purple
Poplar Buds are Purple and remaining in Bud stage,
waiting for more warmth
Put all the White Oaks together and you have purple and purple.
1 Thessalonians 2 ~ the Word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe
The Talmud explains the Word of God is Not punctuated. Men use paragraphs pauses and capitalization. The Word of God is the Holy Spirit breathing out truth and transcribed by men. One complete thought of God - the entire Scripture is One Thought of God.
Papyrus 46 does not have punctuation.
One of the debates in dating the 104 pages of this collection of Scripture is the debate over Nomina Sacra - special abbreviations which appear in New Testament texts. There is Nomina Sacra in these documents. And yet. Nomina Sacra occurs in the coveted 1st century papyrus. At the present time, most scholars think this is the second or third generation after Christ died and places these Scriptures in the second century. There is a debate, some of the scholars think this is first century.
104 pages of early Scripture!!!
1 Thessalonians 2
You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.
3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.
We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children among you.
Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.
Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.
9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.
19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?
Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.
19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?
Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
Let's do another visual.
And we will consider the faces of the Disciples
and of the Prodigal Father and Son.
The Prodigal Father has learned that after all of his hard work, his son wants to move on and go.
What do you see at the Grocery Store since Pandemic years.
Since masks are off.
New Treatments in 2020, began to give
Hospitals time to appreciate new hope.
Jesus heals the blind and lame.
The Disciples learn that Jesus met a party of Nazareth people
at the edge of Nazareth.
Jesus has healed them all.
Incredible things have been seen.
Deaf hear, blind see, lame walk.
The multitudes have seen Jesus heal for a year.
People who have had loved ones healed
are called to the Sanhedrin
to explain the miracle.
Jesus heals the widow of Nain's son and they rejoice.
The Prodigal Father's family finds out the Son has
returned.
Jesus had the Temple Police show up.
And then the Temple Police left to tell
the Temple officials that
Jesus has the whole world going after Him.
The crowds seek Jesus
and find unbelievable Strength
Love
and Help.
Jesus goes to Lunch and takes comments.
Jesus reads the Scriptures and people are offended.
Jesus heals the sick and counsels are called up to comment.
Days of the week are studied and there is hostility.
3 years have gone by.
Phairisees have a daily comment on Jesus eating,
where He eats, how He eats, Healing, Days of the week.
Samaritans try to keep Jesus, smarties.
Disciples are fearful.
Children are asked to move aside.
Jesus heals Lazarus after 3 days.
Jesus waits to see Lazarus.
Jesus is I am What I am.
Thomas tells the Disciples
Jesus is now in big trouble for
letting people know He
heals the dead, dead, dead.
Thursday Late Evening and Good Friday
Multitudes of women attend to mourn Jesus
What people look like when
not knowing they are observed:
Dear Child of Jesus,
You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results.
We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel
in the face of strong opposition.
For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,
For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,
nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.
We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.
You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.
Instead, we were like young children among you.
Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you.
Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.
Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
Jesus open Hands, Heart
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us,
you accepted it not as a human word,
but as it actually is, the word of God,
which is indeed at work in you who believe.
For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.
For what is our hope, our joy,
or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus
when He comes?
Is it not you?
Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
forgive your brother from your heart
often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him
Abba, Father,
The times have emotions.
The news isn't entertaining.
And You are our Strength to Press On
and our Joy.
You make all things New.
And we will ask You
to dwell in us.
Yes we will.
We will ask You to dwell in those we Love.
Yes we will.
We will ask You to help us Seek You First.
Yes we will.
We will finish well in Jesus Christ,
in His Love and Mercy.
Yes we will.
We do not know how
to cover all we should cover in prayer.
Yes true
We cannot hold up the Universe.
We trust in Jesus, Your Son,
to keep the Universe
and Your Good Creation by Your Word.
You have the whole world in Your plan.
We will raise up tired knees
and drooping cares
and Hope again
in Jesus Christ.
Yes we will
Because Your Word is True.
Your Plan and Promises are Good.
And You alone are God.
Yes thank God
Your Kingdom come
Your Good Will be done
on earth,
and the fullness thereof
as in
Your Perfect Kingdom,
Jesus Christ.
Bless those we know and pray for.
Bless those far away we remember and pray for.
Bless what is Tender and Good.
Thank You for what is Strong and Enduring.
And care for what is beyond us and we hope for.
And the Body of Christ
Rebuilds
again
in
Your Love.
Amen Amen Amen
in Jesus Christ
Amen.
Yes Amen.
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