Talk on Forgiveness

Travis and I were asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting about 5 weeks ago. With all the changes that have happened with the new Hewitt Ward and then the new Waco Stake, We finally got our chance yesterday. Here is the message I shared about Forgiveness.

Good afternoon, Brothers and Sisters. (insert personal information) I’m very excited to be a part of this new ward and the growth and changes that are happening. I pray that the Holy Ghost will be here as I speak to you today.
Doctrine & Covenants 88:33 reads, “For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.”
I would like to speak today about how forgiveness is like the gift spoken of in this verse. Christ has given us an amazing gift. Through the Atonement, he will forgive us of our mistakes and shortcomings. In order for us to receive this gift, and find joy in Him, we must not only repent of our sins, we must also forgive others.
In the Lord’s Prayer, Christ teaches us to pray, “...forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” He then adds, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”(St Matthew 6:12, 14-15) As we pray for our sins to be forgiven, we need to seek to forgive those who have trespassed against us.
This reminds me of the Parable of the unmerciful servant found in Matthew chapter 18. “Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
“But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”(Verse 23-35)
When we refuse to forgive we build a wall between ourselves and the blessings of the Atonement in our lives. We can become imprisoned by dwelling on the past and thinking only of how we were wronged, and how justice can best serve us. When we hold on to feelings of bitterness, resentment or anger we prevent ourselves from receiving the greater blessings Christ has in store for us. Our Heavenly Father will not forgive an unmerciful servant.
In Doctrine & Covenants 64:9 we read, “Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.”
To find fault with one another and become offended and angry is a sin. Those feelings keep us from feeling the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and separate us from our Savior’s mercy, and the blessings of the Atonement. When we don’t give the gift of forgiveness, we cannot receive it into our own lives.
The example of Laman and Lemuel in the Book of Mormon shows us just how dangerous holding onto resentment and anger can be. They hardened their hearts and would not forgive Lehi for leading their family out of Jerusalem. They would not forgive Nephi for obeying their father and the Lord. They chose to take offence each time they were given counsel and direction. They taught their children, by their words and actions, to hate also. This led to generation after generation of war and bloodshed between the Lamanites and the Nephites. The Lamanites were also cut off from the presence of the Lord and the blessings of the gospel.
“President Brigham Young once compared being offended to a poisonous snakebite. He said that ‘there are two courses of action to follow when one is bitten by a rattlesnake. One may, in anger, fear, or vengefulness, pursue the creature and kill it. Or he may make full haste to get the venom out of his system.’ He said, ‘If we pursue the latter course we will likely survive, but if we attempt to follow the former, we may not be around long enough to finish it.’”(David E. Sorensen, "Forgiveness Will Change Bitterness to Love", Ensign, May 2003, 10–12)
Becoming angry and unforgiving is like a poison that can seep through us, and take way our ability to feel compassion, mercy, love, and even the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Contrast the actions of Laman and Lemuel with the example of Joseph, sold into Egypt. Elder Sorenson of the Presidency of the Seventy described the account this way. “Joseph's brothers jealously hated him. They plotted to take his life and finally sold him as a slave. Joseph was carried into Egypt and struggled for years to rise from slavery. During these challenging times, Joseph might have condemned his brothers and sworn revenge. He might have soothed his pain by scheming to get even someday. But he did not. In time, Joseph became ruler over all of Egypt, second in command only to Pharaoh. During a devastating famine, Joseph's brothers traveled to Egypt for food. Not recognizing Joseph, they bowed down to him because of his high position. Surely at that moment Joseph had the power to exact revenge. He might have put his brethren in prison or sentenced them to death. Instead he confirmed his forgiveness. He said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither....And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity...and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God." ("Forgiveness Will Change Bitterness to Love", Ensign, May 2003, 10–12)
When we truly forgive others we are opening the door for God to work mighty miracles in our lives. Joseph could see, through his forgiveness, the hand of the Lord in his life, and in the saving of his family. When we don’t forgive others, dwelling upon the wrongs others have done to us, and expecting justice or punishments to come upon them, we are putting ourselves in God’s place as the judge. We are forgetting the changing power of the Atonement in their life as well as in our own. As we kneel before the Lord, and ask him for forgiveness for our own sin, we must also be willing to forgive others. This is one way we can develop that Christ like attribute of mercy.
Nehemiah 9:17 says, “…thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness….”
The Lord stands ready to forgive us; we need only seek to be merciful, kind, and slow to become angry or offended by others. We can become like Christ and receive His great gift of forgiveness through the Atonement. As we seek to forgive those who have truly hurt us we can come to know our Savior, Jesus Christ, on a more intimate level.
After Alma and Amulek taught the people of Ammonihah, the more wicked people were angry, and took them to the chief judge. They then cast out the men who believed the words of Alma and Amulek, and threw stones at these men. Then they brought their wives and children, and cast them into a fire to destroy them and their holy scriptures also. Then Amulek, “…said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames. But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.”
Then they were bound and cast into prison, and striped of their clothing and left without food or water. Then their lawyers and their judges and their priests and their teachers and the chief judge came and slapped them and ridiculed them, and Alma and Amulek said nothing, until all these men had taken a turn.
I can just imagine Amulek’s thoughts through this whole ordeal, “Why don’t we smite them? Why don’t we use the power of the priesthood to exact justice upon them?” But he held his tongue because he had been taught by Alma that the Lord will be the judge and that his consequences will be just.
Then “…Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them. And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof. And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ….”(See Alma 14, Verses 10-11, 26-28 quoted)
When we put our trust in the Lord, in His Atonement, in the justice of God and the mercy of our Savior, we will see the miracles in our life. The walls of resentment and hatred will fall, and we will be free. In giving the burden of judgment to the Lord, we can take upon us His mercy, and extend that mercy to others.
There is a freedom that comes with laying our pains and sorrows and the feet of our Savior. In the Beatitudes Christ said, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”(St Matthew 5:7) This mercy can only come through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He not only commanded us to forgive, but extends to us the ability and power to do so. He has carried our grief and felt our sorrows. As we come to Him in prayer, He will show us how to forgive.
The gift of forgiveness is not only for after this life as we stand before the Judgment bar of God. The gift of forgiveness will bring peace and joy to our lives today.
This past week I made a batch of cookies, and while they were baking, I sat down and discovered this scripture in Luke 6:35-38 “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
I realized that a good batch of cookies must be made with good measure. The right combination of ingredients was essential. The brown sugar was pressed down, the flour, salt and baking soda where shaken together, and the vanilla should be running over a little. But even the very best cookies are not finished until they are shared with someone else. So it is with the gift of forgiveness. As we are patient, and kind, and understanding with others, we will feel that same gift of forgiveness coming back to us.
“Nowhere does this principle apply more than in our families.”(Elder Sorenson) In a revelation to Emma Smith the Lord said, “And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid forgive my servant Joseph his trespasses; and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me; and I, the Lord thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to rejoice.”(Doctrine & Covenants 132:56)
The greatest blessing of the gift of forgiveness is finding joy, in our families and in our lives, in our homes and with our friends and neighbors. We will see miracles, and the changing power of the Atonement will fill us with a greater measure of mercy, forgiveness, and the pure love of Christ.
In the last General Relief Society Meeting, our dear Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson taught, “I consider charity—or ‘the pure love of Christ’—to be the opposite of criticism and judging….I have in mind the charity that manifests itself when we are tolerant of others and lenient toward their actions, the kind of charity that forgives, the kind of charity that is patient. I have in mind the charity that impels us to be sympathetic, compassionate, and merciful, not only in times of sickness and affliction and distress but also in times of weakness or error on the part of others. True charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere. Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are.”("Charity Never Faileth", Ensign, Nov. 2010, 122–25)
This is the gift of forgiveness, the gift that can change our lives, and our thoughts and our feelings towards others; the gift that, if given freely, will be returned to us. It will cultivate our mercy, compassion, kindness, and charity towards others. It will bring us closer to our Savior, and increase or understanding and appreciation for the Atonement.
I know this church is true. I know that as we strive to live the principles of the gospel we will be truly blessed. (Insert Testimony) I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.