Rochester, MN UCC - "The Outpouring of Grace" - Matthew 18:21-35

I often peer over the bridge on Broadway Avenue that crosses Silver Lake and look at the dam attempting to stop the flow of the Zumbro River there. I say attempt because the dam slows down the flow of the river, but it doesn’t completely stop it- there is always excess water pouring over the top of the dam, refusing to be fully contained.

 In our text this week, Jesus tells the story of the ungrateful servant. This servant owed a large debt to his lord which he could not pay. To avoid being sold along with his entire family, the slave begged for forgiveness, “Have patience with me and I will pay you everything.” His lord felt pity for him and forgave all his debt. Yet as he was leaving his lord’s chamber, he ran into another servant that owed him a debt and he demanded payment. When this servant couldn’t pay, he refused to forgive him and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt.

 The story makes me think a little bit about that dam at Silver Lake. The Lord of the ungrateful servant has decided to shower him with grace, to forgive all his debts. This unbelievable good news, this new lease on life, has been poured out upon the servant. The recipient of grace and generosity and forgiveness this servant now has the opportunity to be a part of the continued flow of grace through the world. He has been made new and empowered to show grace and forgiveness himself, to be a part of what God is doing in the world, and instead he tries his very best to stop this outpouring of God’s grace, to dam up the flow of forgiveness. He refuses to show to another the grace he has received.

 Each week in our Sunday worship when praying the Lord’s Prayer together we say, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” We pray this to remind us all that God has forgiven us, to remind us of the grace we have received. And we pray it also to remind us that we are called to be conduits of this gracious love, to aid its flow through the world wherever and whenever we can. If you have an opportunity to show grace to someone in the coming days, welcome the opportunity, allow yourself to be a part of the flowing of God’s grace into the world. Amen.

 Pastor Andrew Greenhaw