Rev. Brian Johnson
Scripture: Luke 7:36-50; Isaiah 53:4-6
In today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus teaches us that forgiveness, fundamentally, is like the relieving of a large debt. We all carry the weight of sin in some capacity, and forgiveness is a gift God gives to us and encourages us to give to others. Forgiveness is not the same thing as forgetfulness or foolishness. It’s not saying that what someone did is OK – God is not OK with sin, God has simply said, in Jesus, that sin no longer gets to have the last word on our story. Human forgiveness is simply a reflection of what God has already offered to us in the cross and resurrection of Jesus – as Isaiah prophesies.