Fasting and Feasting for Lent, Part 4

Fasting & Feasting for Lent,

Part 5

Sermon Notes

March 29 2009

Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church

9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, Arizona 85248

(480) 895-8766

Matthew 18:21-22 NRSV

²¹Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” ²²Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

Romans 12:17-21 NRSV

¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. ¹⁸If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

A. Introduction

1. Willie Mays

a. A reporter once asked baseball great Willie Mays, “What is the secret of your success?” Mays replied, “When they throw it, I hit it. When they hit it, I catch it.” Mays clearly understood what was most basic to be successful in the game of baseball.

b. Do you not see that life is like that? For us to have a rewarding and fulfilling life it’s as simple as this: “What Jesus said to do: DO! And what Jesus said not to do: DON’T DO!”

2. Today’s Scripture Lessons

a. Today’s Scripture lessons list some of the things that Jesus and His follower Paul said to fast and feast on. Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel tells Peter not to hang on to bitterness, but to forgive. Paul in his Letter to the Romans, remembering the words of Jesus as recorded in the fifth chapter of Matthew and the sixth chapter of Luke, tells us not to take vengeance, but to forgive. We are called to follow Jesus’ example of not allowing evil to overcome us, but to overcome evil with good.

b. Today, I lift up another negative conduct to “fast from” and a positive behavior to “feast on.”

B. Fast from bitterness and feast on forgiveness!

1. Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin

a. Mickey Mantle liked to hunt and he often did just that on a friend’s big ranch in Texas. One year Billy Martin begged to be included. The two men flew down to Texas and then drove out to the ranch. Now the old rancher was always glad to let Mantle hunt on his property, but he did not like strangers poking around his place. So when they got to the ranch, Mantle told Billy to sit in the car while he checked in with the old cowpoke. On the way out of the house the old “fella” asked Mickey to do him a favor. His favorite mule was ailing and he asked Mantle to put the animal out of her misery. Mickey agreed and walked out to the car.

b. With a chuckle to himself, Mantle decided to play a trick on Billy. Mantle pretended to be furious. He ranted and raved about how the rancher after inviting them down had changed his mind, and now would not let them hunt. Mickey said, and not exactly in these words, “I’m so mad that I’m going to kill one of his mules!” Mantle popped the trunk, got out his rifle, marched off to the barn, and shot the ailing animal. When he came out of the barn, he saw a horrible sight: Billy Martin was standing there with a smoking gun. In a panic, Mickey yelled, “What are you doing, Martin?” Billy yelled back, and I’ve slightly altered the diatribe: “That son of a tumbleweed, I killed two of his cows!” In his book “Number 1”, Billy Martin tells how the offences of others led him to bitterness and then to angry outbursts of temper that got him into trouble. Is bitterness getting you into trouble?

2. Two Sisters

a. Emma and Cora inherited their parent’s house after the death of their widowed mother. Both of the sisters had gone through several failed marriages and had become rather bitter toward life. Neither had done well financially so they both moved into their parent’s old home. Immediately disagreements broke out. Both wanted the master bedroom. Both wanted the old china and mom’s antique hutch. Finally they hired a contractor who remodeled the house and built a wall right down the middle dividing the house in two!

b. One night Cora had a stroke and fell out of the chair right by that dividing wall. Emma was just a few feet away on the other side watching TV, but she never heard her sister’s pitiful cries for help. Later when the body was found everyone noticed the pitiful scratch marks on the wall. With her un-paralyzed hand, she had tried to get her sister’s attention. Emma was filled with deep pain and guilt. Over and over again Emma kept saying. “If only I had not been so stubborn. If only I had forgiven my sister, we would still be living in the house together and she would not have died.” The doctor blamed heart failure, but most were convinced that Emma had grieved herself to death. Bitterness can exact a heavy toll. It destroys relationships. It hurts others. But mostly it hurts the one harboring the bitter venom within them self.

3. John Greene and his most unusual request!

(Guideposts Magazine, November 1993)

a. John Greene lives in White Plains, New York, and he is a devout Christian. A few years back, when he was 62 years of age, he had driven to the Bethel Baptist Church to pray for some fellow members. A delegation from his Church was going to a Convention and they had asked people to come and pray for them before they left. The delegates’ bus did not leave until late that evening, and so it was after midnight when John headed home. The streets were quiet and nearly deserted. At a light two men stopped their car next to John’s vehicle. They glared at John. They shouted racial insults. They were white and John is black. The bigger fellow shouted, “Let’s get the n-----!” John tried to drive away. Several times they forced his car off the road, but somehow John found a way to drive back onto the pavement. John drove to the Police Station, stopped just outside the entrance, and ran up to the front doors. They were locked. A sign said, “Use back entrance.” The two men now had John cornered. He smelled the booze on their breaths. He tried to fight them off with his umbrella. But they were bigger, stronger, and younger. They beat John senseless there on the steps of the Police Station.

b. John spent a week in the hospital. Eventually his assailants were caught. Months went by and then a year and the case had still not gone to court. John became quite bitter. Still he prayed, but the prayers were filled with wrath and anger. Finally, John paused one day in his prayers and listened. The voice of God said, “How will you handle this, John? My way or your way?” John thought of his grandson and what he had been teaching him about love and forgiveness. He remembered the two Scripture texts that we read today. He recalled how Jesus told us to forgive others as some translations put it, seventy times seven. And he remembered Paul’s words about doing good to those who have done you wrong.

c. Finally a trial date was set. Several people expressed their contempt for the legal system. And several people, both white and black suggested to John that if he gave the word they would deliver street justice to the two men. John said, “No I’m not after vengeance. I’m after justice.” At the pretrial hearing the defense attorneys tried to make John out as the bad guy, who taunted the others first. This was a lie and John stood firm on what actually happened. The two men pleaded guilty. John Greene then called the judge. He explained how he wanted some good to come out of the situation. John said, “Is it possible for you to sentence the men to community service instead of jail?” There was a long silence. Then the judge said, “Yours is a most unusual request. I’ve never heard of anyone asking leniency for his assailants. But if you’re sure this is what you want, I will consider it.” John replied, “I’m sure, your honor.”

d. At the sentencing hearing the judge said to the two men: “At the request of the plaintiff, Mr. John Greene, and only because of that, I sentence you, in lieu of prison, to 250 hours each of community service to the homeless, the specifics of which will be determined at a later date.”

As Mr. Greene was leaving the bigger fellow cried out begging for John’s forgiveness and thanking him for his mercy. The man said, “I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me.” As John left the courthouse there was a smile on his face. Possibly one of his assailants had changed. One man’s heart at least for the moment was no longer filled with hate, but with gratitude. John smiled again as he walked out into the warm afternoon sun. That’s because he thought of another man and the man he thought of was himself. He was no longer a man filled with bitterness. He was free from the poison of hatred. His heart was filled with the joy of the love of Jesus. Friends, learn from John Greene’s example. Embrace and follow the Biblical truth: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21 NRSV) And you too can be free of bitterness and know the inward joy that comes to a forgiving heart. This Lent let go of your anger toward another, forgive them, and ask the Lord’s blessing upon them.

C. Conclusion

1. Lenten Prescription

How are you preparing for Holy Week 2009? My prescription is to fast and feast. “What Jesus said to do: DO! And what Jesus said not to do: DON’T DO!” Specifically, this day:

2. Recap: Fast from bitterness and feast on forgiveness!

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Fasting & Feasting for Lent,

Part 5

Fast from bitterness and feast on forgiveness!

Matthew 18:21-22 NRSV

Romans 12:17-21 NRSV