Sermons

Kevin Germer’s sermon on Luke 17:1–6 reflects on Jesus’ challenging call to forgiveness within the reality of a flawed church. He begins by noting that scandals and stumbling blocks are inevitable in Christian community, and Jesus’ first instruction is self-examination—considering how we ourselves may contribute to the mess. Because the church is imperfect, it must also be a forgiving church, where rebuke and forgiveness go hand in hand, with rebuke serving restoration rather than punishment. Forgiveness, Kevin explains, is not based on the other person’s perfect repentance or our warm feelings toward them, but on an ongoing refusal to seek payback—absorbing hurt instead of retaliating. The disciples’ sense that such forgiveness requires “more faith” is met by Jesus’ reassurance that even mustard-seed faith is enough; God desires real, humble trust, not impressive displays of spiritual strength. We forgive because we ourselves stand in profound need of forgiveness and have received it fully through Christ’s death and resurrection. The cross, he says, is both the ultimate rebuke—revealing the depth of our sin—and the ultimate act of forgiveness—showing God’s love and willingness to bear our wrongs. Remembering this grace enables us, by the Spirit’s help, to extend forgiveness to others in the same way it has been given to us. 

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