God Gives and Forgives

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God Gives and Forgives Bible Text: Exodus 12, 16; Matthew18:23–34; Luke 6:35–36; 22:14–23 Lesson Focus: God gives us gifts of daily bread and forgiveness. Big Question: I'm doing okay. What do I need God for? Key Words: MANNA, SIN, FORGIVENESS

Prepare QUICK PREP • In the Small Catechism, Luther expands and deepens the definitions of daily bread and sin. • Daily bread includes whatever we need for daily existence, such as food, clothing, family, work, and so forth. • When we see those who do not have enough "daily bread," we may be tempted to think that God has withheld the necessities, but God desires all to have enough. • As God's hands in the world, this prayer calls us to be sure all can participate in God's abundance. • The petition on forgiveness invites us to a deeper level of understanding what sin is. We damage each other and the creation in ways we don't intend. • The popular idea of sin focuses on things we do wrong—it doesn't usually acknowledge the deeper level of sin that rises from our human limitedness. • We pray for what we need: daily necessities to sustain this life and necessary forgiveness for freedom in this life and the next. • As we are assured of God's forgiveness, God invites us to forgive others. As we are assured of our daily bread, God invites us to share our daily bread with others.

DEEP PREP The Lord's Prayer begins with our most basic needs: daily bread, which is everything we need to survive in this world, and forgiveness, which we need to be free in this world and the next. How can we accomplish anything if we're anxious about the basics? The challenge is, in our contemporary world, that there are many who do not have even the basics. There are far too many people on this planet who go hungry and far too many who live in fear of war and violence. For some, the famine in which they live, whether a lack of food or of peace, costs them life itself. If we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," why do some have and some have not? If we pray, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us," why does the cycle of vengeance and violence continue? Why do people live in despair, unable to believe they are loved and forgiven? And if we are ones who have—food, peace, assurance of forgiveness—how shall we understand our relationship with God and with our neighbors? Does God only answer this prayer on behalf of those with whom God is pleased? Is material well-being a sign of God's particular favor, and conversely, is poverty a sign of God's disdain? It's easy to lean this way, especially if we have enough. Even the people of Israel, as they

God's Kingdom and Will. Here We Stand ©2010 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use provided every copy carries this notice.

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languished in exile, interpreted their misfortune as a result of their sin. The Prophets preached God's conditional favor. If they were obedient, blessing followed. If they were not, they could expect disaster. This interpretation of God's movement in the world is different than the one that lives behind this appeal for daily bread and forgiveness of sins. Psalm 145:15–16 reveals the foundation. God's abundance is for everyone. Yet if this is true, why are some hungry? Why do many live in fear? These petitions invite us to consider our role in the provision of daily bread and the promotion of reconciliation. If God provides for us all, we are responsible to see that God's abundance is available to all. If we are called to bring God's will and way to bear in our time, then we are called to be sure all have daily bread sufficient for their well-being. Daily bread is not simply calories. Daily bread is whatever we need to sustain our lives. So we could include under this umbrella not just food, but good, nutritious food; safe homes and neighborhoods; healthy families; stimulating schools; ample play and leisure time; good and adequate work; living wages; vital communities; and a responsive government. The image of a peaceful world reveals that forgiveness of sins—reconciliation with God and neighbor—is also a basic human need. Many sins are malicious, pointed, and vindictive. Each of us would be able to name a time when we were less than gracious in our dealings with others and the creation, when we may have, with intention, hurt another person or squandered the creation. Surely we ask God's forgiveness for these sins. We also ask God's wisdom and courage to help us forgive others when they have wronged us. Often a good solid apology is all that's needed to help clear the air and start again. But there is an additional layer of sin that is part of being human. We are limited, unlike God. Our vision, our wisdom, and our sense of scope are cut short by our humanity. Being limited is not our fault per se, but it does cause trouble in our own lives and across generations. When we damage ourselves, each other, and the creation in ignorance, can we call it sin? Yes! When we hoard our daily bread, consuming mass quantities while our neighbors cannot meet their basic needs, is this a sin? Absolutely. This kind of sin is much more complicated to forgive. Can we forgive our forebears for their unthinking misuse of natural resources and pollution of the environment? Can we forgive our children when they act out sexually, and can we forgive ourselves for not intervening more effectively? Can youth forgive us for our sins against them and their generation? This kind of sin is much harder to pinpoint and forgive. The "who" to forgive can be complex. The "what" to forgive can be difficult to discern. And the "how" to forgive can be nearly impossible if the perpetrators are a whole generation or a cultural mind-set. Without reflection, it's easy to get on a high horse and complain about the damage you've sustained because of someone else's blind spots. With this kind of sin, it's easy to create enemies out of brothers and sisters in Christ. But if you think about it at all, it's hard to be self-righteous and judgmental in the face of this kind of sin. We all have missed the mark in one way or another. We all have unknowingly inflicted damage on one another.

God's Kingdom and Will. Here We Stand ©2010 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use provided every copy carries this notice.

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And now try to imagine this from God's point of view. God's vision is limitless. God's wisdom is deeper and more inclusive than we could ever understand. God is capable of knowing all of our needs at once. When we ask God to forgive us, we ask to be forgiven for these less definable sins—the legacy of damage that we will leave for our children and our children's children. When we ask God to give us our daily bread, we ask to be made able to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our neighbors near and far. If only we could see as God does! Yet it is clear in Jesus that God does not hold our limits against us. When we are clueless, God works to redeem our failings and turn us back toward the mark we missed. God does not abandon us because we cannot see clearly. God loves us all the more. God releases us from the burden we owe—to ourselves, to one another, to the creation, and to God. In these petitions we ask God to help us be so gracious and generous that we forgive as we are forgiven and that we feed others as we have been fed.

ADOLESCENT CONNECTION I'm doing okay. What do I need God for? Your students may ask you this question; it's even more likely they've heard it said or implied by their parents. When things are going well, it's uncommon to stop and think about how the blessings we've "earned" all came from God. In the United States it is much more common to promote individualism, independence, and self-sufficiency. In this culture, what does it mean to be interdependent with all creation? To really need God? How do we rely on God, even when we don't realize it?

BAPTISMAL CONNECTION In the Rite of Affirmation of Baptism, a five-part question addresses each confirmand's intent to continue in the covenant God made with them in Holy Baptism. Here We Stand resources help students—with support from parents, leaders, and the entire congregation—prepare to answer this question as they continue in their lifelong faith journey. Today's lesson focuses on the clause "to hear the word of God and share in the Lord's supper" (Lutheran Book of Worship, page 201; Evangelical Lutheran Worship, page 236). In Holy Communion, our prayer for forgiveness and our prayer for daily bread are answered in one sacrament and sign. Communion food is both an example and a reminder of the ways that God meets all our spiritual and physical needs. Fed, forgiven, and strengthened by this meal, we are sent out into the world to go and do likewise: forgive others ourselves and reassure them of God's forgiveness, and share our daily bread so that all may be clothed, housed, and fed.

God's Kingdom and Will. Here We Stand ©2010 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use provided every copy carries this notice.

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Lord’s Prayer: Part Three Fourth Petition “Give us this day our daily bread.” 

Read Exodus 16:2-4, 13-15, 21 - God provided food (bread specifically), daily, to the Israelites wandering in the desert. He provided for their needs. o The phrase “daily bread” would be immediately understood by Jews in Jesus’ time to be a reference to God providing for his people when they needed it most. o What does God provide for you? Certainly more than just bread… When you pray this, you are not only asking for God to continue blessing you, but also acknowledging that he does.

Fifth Petition “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” 

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Read Matthew 17:21-22, 23-25, 26-27, 28-30, 31-35 - Jesus tells a parable of an unforgiving man, and relates it to the God’s forgiving relationship with us. o Clearly the slave did wrong when he didn’t forgive his debtor after his debts were forgiven. God has forgiven our sin… so we do wrong when we don’t forgive those who sin against us. Knowing that God has forgiven us, we ought to forgive others. o “forgive as we forgive” should give us pause. We’re asking for God to forgive our sins in the same manner that we forgive others sins against us. How well do you forgive others? Do you hold grudges or get revenge? Do you want God to treat you that way? Jesus’ last phrase in this parable serves as a warning that we should freely forgive those that sin against us. Read Luke 6:31-36 - Jesus even commands us to love our enemies. o Anyone can love someone that loves them already. It is much harder to love someone that hates you. But God does just that for us. We are called to be like God.

God's Kingdom and Will. Here We Stand ©2010 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use provided every copy carries this notice.

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Small Group Discussion Recall the lesson. Open the Bible. Summarize Exodus 16 and ask if the students have ever

grumbled against God. Did they feel justified in doing so? Do they now? What happened? Then read Luke 6:35-36. What is mercy? Is it easy or hard to do what this passage tells us to? Instill value to the topic and life application.

Ask the following questions: • What do you provide for yourself? What do your parents provide for you? What does God provide for you? • As you go through a typical day at school, how often do you let God know that you are grateful for the things in your life? • On a scale from 1 to 10, how well do you forgive others? Does it matter if it is a stranger or a friend? • Are you holding any grudges right now? Why? • Reread Matthew 18:34-35. What does this mean today? Where is the grace that we always talk about the gospels having? Encourage trying life application. Recap last week’s life application of having them look

for opportunities to reach out to their friends who need Jesus. Then challenge them to let go of a grudge that they may be holding against someone. Ask whether that may be hard for them to do or if they feel confident that they can. Remind them that you will be following up with them next week. Pray. Take prayer requests and have a student close the group in prayer.

God's Kingdom and Will. Here We Stand ©2010 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use provided every copy carries this notice.

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