Extravagant Forgiveness

I continue my reflections on forgiveness from the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew6:9-13). Access others on this blog site.

In the Prodigal Father story Jesus gives us a dramatic picture of forgiveness by telling us of the father who ran to his son (Lk 15:20). Prodigal means extravagant. My title for the story would be The Extravagant Forgiver. This picture leaves an indelible mark on our hearts with its joyous refrain of forgiveness. Extravagant forgiveness is the heart of the Lord’s prayer and our faith.

Day after day for three years running, Jesus forgave generously. He did what John could only announce. He walked the via dolorosa (Latin for the way of pain). There the Sinless One shed tears and blood for our sinfulness, forgiving the respectable and the despicable. From the cross he summed up his life’s mission: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Every year, The Arabic-speaking Christians in the Middle East reenact the journey of King Jesus to the cross. it’s termed “the Road of Suffering”. The journey of the Lamb to the altar to take away the sin of the world. The march of forgiveness. It’s a solemn occasion in full regalia. This is the  holiest pageant of the year. Quieted souls who know we are lavishly forgiven!

The people Jesus evangelized with the Gospel of the Kingdom were ready to shake off the evils of Rome, which overtaxed, forced social distancing (no group gatherings), crushed with servitude, ruled by dictatorship, and viewed non Romans as secondhand citizens. Coins reminded of Caesar’s claim to deity, anathema to the Jews. The figs and olives of their own labor consumed by hateful strangers. In sum: They were exiled in their own country.

For centuries, Israel’s prophets warned: repent, quit injustice, walk in obedience, worship God alone. But the pride of life, the lust of the eye and flesh trapped God’s people in evil’s snare. The same prophets also promised the Son of Man (Jesus the Messiah) would come and take away their sins and the world’s. He forgave profusely!

His cousin, John, immersed repentant sinners at the Jordan reenacting the Exodus, anticipating the King’s coming. King Jesus came, saw, and forgave, reconciling humanity to God and one another. He stormed the prison of sin setting its captives free (Matthew 12:29).

John’s sermons and the Temple Priests sacrifices promised forgiveness. But Jesus offered forgiveness and actually removed the sin. Not at the Jordan or in the temple, mind you, but in the street, in the public square, in houses. He forgave the adulterous woman: “Where are your accusers?... Nor do I condemn you!” (John 8). He forgave the tax collector, Zacchaeus: “Today salvation has come to your home,” (Luke 19) He forgave the paraplegic under the torn roof of Peter’s house: “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2). Such extravagance! Exodus for all. Guilty “sinners plunging beneath the flood of forgiveness losing all their guilty stains”.

He lived to forgive. He died to forgive. He taught to forgive. He prayed to forgive. Let’s also live, teach and pray to forgive. Most of all let’s forgive extravagantly.