Revenge and Forgiveness and God
Sunday's sermon was all about REVENGE and how to move past the need for it so that we can be free to forgive. Here's a link to the transcript.
Here are some highlights.
* It was a weird day in Bangkok. If you listened to some of the media outlets, Armageddon was upon us. The "redshirt" protesters had arrived in Bangkok and were planning to burn up the city. No one knows exactly who floats these rumors. Are they meant to warn or scare? There was definitely a sense of anxiety in the city.
* As a result, many Christians chose to stay home. But I was really encouraged by how many didn't. We were off about 20%-25% in attendance. I read a twitter post from a guy who owns a nightclub say that they were down 30%. So I guess we did better than the nightclubs (which given the religious commitment of many of the nightclub goers in BKK, that's pretty impressive! ;)
* I really enjoyed sitting and listening to the choir rehearse Sunday before church. It was beautiful.
* Heard a couple of really sad stories Sunday. I'll be praying hard this week for the people involved.
* Some key thoughts from the sermon.
"Revenge is forgivness' great nemesis."
"Forgiveness is not condoning"
"Forgiveness is not forgetting. In fact it requires remembering." (see Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa)
"Forgiveness does not always mean reconciling."
"Forgiveness is a separate issue from justice and consequences."
"Forgiveness is a process."
(thanks to Rob Bell for some of those)
Revenge escalates.
Revenge justifies stuff that otherwise couldn't be justified.
Revenge is terribly creative (in a bad way)
Revenge taps into our need for justice. So without confidence in justice we take things into our own hands. (That's revenge.)
One way out of this cycle is by having ultimate hope in God and God's justice. (see Romans 12:17-19)
Here are some highlights.
* It was a weird day in Bangkok. If you listened to some of the media outlets, Armageddon was upon us. The "redshirt" protesters had arrived in Bangkok and were planning to burn up the city. No one knows exactly who floats these rumors. Are they meant to warn or scare? There was definitely a sense of anxiety in the city.
* As a result, many Christians chose to stay home. But I was really encouraged by how many didn't. We were off about 20%-25% in attendance. I read a twitter post from a guy who owns a nightclub say that they were down 30%. So I guess we did better than the nightclubs (which given the religious commitment of many of the nightclub goers in BKK, that's pretty impressive! ;)
* I really enjoyed sitting and listening to the choir rehearse Sunday before church. It was beautiful.
* Heard a couple of really sad stories Sunday. I'll be praying hard this week for the people involved.
* Some key thoughts from the sermon.
"Revenge is forgivness' great nemesis."
"Forgiveness is not condoning"
"Forgiveness is not forgetting. In fact it requires remembering." (see Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa)
"Forgiveness does not always mean reconciling."
"Forgiveness is a separate issue from justice and consequences."
"Forgiveness is a process."
(thanks to Rob Bell for some of those)
Revenge escalates.
Revenge justifies stuff that otherwise couldn't be justified.
Revenge is terribly creative (in a bad way)
Revenge taps into our need for justice. So without confidence in justice we take things into our own hands. (That's revenge.)
One way out of this cycle is by having ultimate hope in God and God's justice. (see Romans 12:17-19)
