S ESSION 2: GO...L EARN W HAT T HIS M EANS M ERCY AND N OT S ACRIFICE

GO RLC’s theme for the coming year We continue to CONNECT and GROW through reflection on what it means to be a Christian servant. As God’s baptized children we experience the new FREEDOM we have in Christ to love and serve all of God’s children and all of God’s creation. Empowered by the Risen Christ, we are SENT into the world to baptize and teach in Christ’s name and with Christ’s presence.

Session 1: September 14: “Go…in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” Promise and power for Christian discipleship in the name of God Session 2: September 21: “Go..and Learn what this Means: Mercy and not Sacrifice” We Go with God’s message of mercy and forgiveness Session 3: September 28: “Go…as Trustworthy and Wise Servants” Faithful and wise Service makes good use of the resources we have been given Session 4: October 5: “Go…and I am with you to the end” Responsible service tests our creativity and faithfulness in our use of God’s gifts Overview of Sessions

The Christian Life: A Journey and a Center CONNECT – in Christ, with one another and the world GROW–in Christ, with one another and the world SERVE–in Christ, through serving one another and our world GO–in Christ’s name, in mission to one another and our world

CONNECT GROWSERVE GO

GO…and Learn what this means.. Mercy and not Sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13) “ Matthew says that “Jesus had compassion on the crowds” and sends his disciples out as laborers into his harvest. But it is important that disciple laborers know what they are about. The command to GO brings with it God’s message and promise of “mercy” and “forgiveness.”

G O M AKES D ISCIPLES … T HE G REAT C OMMISSION A T HEME FOR RLC Y EAR OF “G O ” M ATTHEW 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

W ITNESSES TO THE R ISEN L ORD : I T ’ S A BOUT R EPENTANCE AND F ORGIVENESS Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:45-49)

A N EW R IGHTEOUSNESS "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:38-48)

A T THE C ENTER IS P RAYER : W HAT ’ S WORTH P RAYING A BOUT ? "Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:9-15)

L EARNING W HAT G OD IS A BOUT As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. 10 And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.“ (Matthew 9:9-13; cf. also Matthew 12:7)

The Lutheran study Bible comments: “If Jesus’ authority to forgive sins now has such power, what difference would that make for how we live and think of others?”

T EACHING A BOUT F ORGIVENESS : I T IS NOT E ASY, BUT THIS IS K INGDOM W ORK (M ATTHEW 18) God’s Concern for the Lost "Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Working at Restoration: Wherever two or three are gathered 15 "If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."

But How far shall we Go? 21 Then 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?" 22 Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. Compare Luke Jesus said to his disciples, "Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! 2 It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. 4 And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive." 5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. (Luke 17:1-6)

Let me tell you a story…it’s about God’s kingdom … 23 "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.

and a new heart 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You Wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart." (Matthew 18:10-35)