Matthew talks about forgiveness in today’s reading. In it, Jesus says that forgiveness is not a question of how much to forgive but of who can forgive. The answer is: the One who forgives from his heart.

For the early Jewish Christians this teaching meant that they owed fellow members of the church forgiveness since each of them served the same all-forgiving Lord. In our own day, when we go to “settle accounts” with our neighbors, we must remember that all debts are owed to God.

Christ is the merciful king who forgives us from his heart. Knowing our neighbor’s debt has been forgiven we must forgive our neighbor, for we cannot remember what God has chosen to forget.

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Readings from 15 Pentecost, Proper 19, Year A, Track 2. Genesis 50:15-21; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35.

Preached by the Rev. Jake Dell on September 17, 2017 at Holy Trinity Church Inwood.

Today’s reading from Matthew talks about handling cases of abuse and other wrongdoing among the followers of Jesus. It in Jesus is saying that it’s okay to apply the Law of Moses to resolve disputes, but that the assembly of believers has final authority to judge the matter.

For the early Jewish Christians this teaching liberated them from the authority of the Council (the Sanhedrin) establishing the rag-tag group of disciples headed by Peter as an autonomous “church,” and promising divine ratification of its judgments. In our own day, we must remember that justice is not finished until it achieves reconciliation.

Christ paid the just penalty for sin when he died on the cross, but the work of reconciliation continues. Our primary task as Christians is not to punish the wicked, but to seek reconciliation and healing from the effects of sin.

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Readings from 14 Pentecost, Proper 18, Year A, Track 2. Ezekiel 33:7-11; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20.

Preached by the Rev. Jake Dell on September 10, 2017 at Holy Trinity Church Inwood.

Today’s readings speak about the nature of faith. They tell us that faith often appears insignificant compared to the obstacles it overcomes: the still small voice, the believer’s confession, and Peter’s obedience all seem trivial compared to wind, earthquake, fire, the rigor of the law, and the raging of a storm at sea.

The Jews reading 1 Kings were reminded that keeping faith with God was as simple as not bowing to or kissing an idol. Paul’s readers were given a straightforward catchphrase that anyone (either Jew or Greek) could say to prove his or her faith. Matthew’s readers learned to obey the call of Jesus and to ignore the call of the world. In our own day, it is still through simple, straightforward acts that we show our faith.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God whom God raised from the dead. If we believe this and say it we are saved. It’s so easy anyone can do it. The hard part of saving the world belongs to God. Knowing this means we’re “off the hook” — sort of (but not really). We still need to respond to God’s salvation in humble obedience, and to each other in simple acts of love.

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Readings from 10 Pentecost, Proper 14, Year A, Track 2. 1 Kings 19:9-18; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33.

Preached by the Rev. Jake Dell on August 13, 2017 at Holy Trinity Church Inwood.