Why Do You Pass Judgment on Your Neighbor?

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

God, our source and our salvation, in love you made us and by love you have redeemed us. Make your love for us bear fruit in our forgiveness of others, that in this life we may know your all-embracing compassion and in the world to come receive the everlasting joy of fellowship you share with your Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us pray to the Lord, saying, Loving God, hear our prayer.

We pray for all who suffer the violence of war or natural disaster.

Bring an end to violence that destroys human flourishing; help us to

live in peace with our neighbor and enable us to dwell in harmony

with the earth.

Loving God, hear our prayer.

Loving God: We pray for those who are sick or in trouble. Heal their

disease, relieve their distress, and return to them the joy of salvation.

Loving God, hear our prayer.

We pray for all who depend upon the support of others. Protect the

vulnerable, shelter the weak, and give strength and wisdom to those

who care for them.

Loving God, hear our prayer.

We pray for elected officials and for civil servants. Stir up in them a

desire for justice, enable them to fulfill their responsibilities with

integrity, and drive from them any spirit of selfish gain.

Loving God, hear our prayer.

We pray for pastors, teachers, superintendents and bishops, and all

the saints who lead your church. Grant them wisdom to know your

truth and give them courage to live as faithful disciples of Jesus.

Loving God, hear our prayer.

Loving God, you have crowned us with steadfast love and mercy.

Receive our prayers and help us to trust your goodness;

through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Holy God, your Word is love and leads our feet to walk in your ways. Bless and guide us with your Word through the power of your Holy Spirit; in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Romans 14:1-12 1Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. ³ Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. ⁴ Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. ⁵ Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. ⁶ Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. ⁷ We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. ¹⁰ Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹ For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” ¹² So then, each of us will be accountable to God. Matthew 18:21-35 21Then 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. ²³“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24When 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. 28But 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. 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.”

Rev. Johan Dodge

Questions for Reflection: Rev. Johan Dodge

Why is it so easy for us to pass judgment upon those around us and

so difficult for us to look at our own lives self critically? How can we

experience forgiveness and allow our forgiveness to carry over into

how we live with those around us?

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING -— Virginia Olejnik

Let us give as God has so abundantly given to us.

Almighty God, receive these gifts that we offer with grateful hearts and use our lives for the ministry of your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

The blessing of God be with you as you go in peace. The love of Jesus be with you as you practice forgiveness. The power of the Holy Spirit be with you as you live the Gospel of Good News. Now and forevermore. Blessed Be the Tie that Binds Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen.