FORGIVENESS
Part 1
Mt. 18:21-35 PARABLE OF THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT
IN THIS PARABLE: King = God; Debt = Sin; Servant = Every Man
1. PETER'S HUMAN STANDARD = 7 TIMES vs.
JESUS' DIVINE STANDARD = 70 X 7
A. Not a problem of counting but of attitude
2. THE DEBT = 10,000 TALENTS
1 talent = 6,000 Denarii (Denarii = 1 day's wages)
6,000 X 10,000 = 60,000,000 day's wages
3. THE PAYMENT: SELL THE SERVANT
Ex. 22:3 JEWISH LAW STATED CONCERNING THE RESTITUTION OF A THIEF: "...He should make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft."
4. THE PLEA FOR MERCY - DEPENDENT ON GRACE
5. THE DEBT FORGIVEN - MERCY & GRACE DEMONSTRATED
6. THE UNMERCIFUL ACT OF INGRATITUDE
Mt. 7:1-5 UNJUST JUDGING - A BEAM OR A SPLINTER?
EXAMPLE: THE UNJUST SCRIBES & PHARISEES Jn. 8:1-11
GOD IS FULL OF MERCY - UNLIKE UNMERCIFUL MEN
Psm. 130:1-ff IF HE WERE NOT, WHO COULD STAND?
GOD SHOWS MERCY AS A FATHER TO HIS CHILDREN
Psm. 103:11-14 "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. [13] As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. [14] For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust."
GOD IS A JUST GOD. HE IS MERCIFUL, YET REQUIRES WE BE FORGIVING
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FORGIVENESS
NOTICE TWO PASSAGES FROM JESUS' SERMON ON THE MOUNT
1. Mt. 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ONE ANOTHER
Lk. 17:3-4 "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. [4] And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, "I repent,' you shall forgive him."
IMITATE GOD'S EXAMPLE OF MERCY AND FORGIVENESS
Eph. 4:32 "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you."
WE ARE NEVER MORE LIKE GOD THAN WHEN WE FORGIVE.
2. Mt. 6:12 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."
BOTH MERCY & FORGIVENESS ARE CONDITIONAL UPON OUR BEING SUCH.
TO BE LIKE OUR MASTER IS A PRINCIPLE THAT JESUS TAUGHT
Jn. 13:12-17 (VS. 15 especially) "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."
1 Pet. 1:15-16 "but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, [16] because it is written, "Be holy for I am holy.'"
WE ARE ALL GUILTY - AND IN DEBT BEYOND OUR ABILITY TO PAY
Rom. 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Isa. 53:6 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
WHAT CAN WE GIVE TO GOD TO PAY OUR DEBT?
CATTLE? Psm. 50:10 "For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills."
LIFELONG SERVICE?
Lk. 17:10 "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"
FORGIVENESS COSTS US NOTING - BUT DEMANDS OUR OBEDIENT SUBMISSION TO HIS EXAMPLE.
CHRIST DID WHAT WE COULDN'T DO - HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US.
HE SET THE PERFECT EXAMPLE FOR US
Lk. 23:34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do..."
FORGIVENESS IS AN ATTITUDE OF HEART THAT SEEKS TO FORGIVE.
Mt. 18:12-14 WOULD YOU LEAVE THE 99 TO SAVE THE ONE?
JESUS' ILLUSTRATION OF THE WILLINGNESS OF TRUE FORGIVENESS AS THE FATHER EAGERLY WATCHES FOR THE RETURN OF A PRODIGAL SON. Lk. 15:11-ff (The contrast of forgiveness & unforgiveness)
INVITATION
FORGIVENESS
part 2
Review
Mt. 18:21-35 PARABLE OF THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT
He owed 10,000 talents = 60 million days' wages
A DEBT THAT COULD NOT BE PAID. EARLIER, JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES HOW TO PRAY
Mt. 6:12 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."
WE LEARNED THAT WE ARE TO BE AS OUR MASTER & LORD
1 Pet. 1:15-16 "but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, [16] because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy.'"
JESUS GAVE HIS DISCIPLES A NEW COMMANDMENT: Love as I have loved you.
Jn. 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another, [35]By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
NOTICE JESUS' CLOSING WORDS IN HIS PARABLE OF THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT.
Mt. 18:32-35 ESPECIALLY vs. 35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from the heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
PAUL TAUGHT THAT ACTION WITHOUT LOVE IS USELESS
1 Cor. 13:1-3 The act of forgiveness cannot happen without first loving them.
1 Cor. 13:4-6 Love is patient, kind, is not (easily) provoked,thinks no evil
IN THESE DESCRIPTIONS OF LOVE, IS THERE ROOM FOR US TO ACT UNKINDLY TOWARD AN ERRING BROTHER? OR TO IGNORE HIM? OR, WHEN THEY LEAVE, TO "WRITE THEM OFF?"
REMEMBER, WE ARE TO FORGIVE "FROM THE HEART"(where love is to be.)
NOT AS THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES.
Mt. 15:8-9 "'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. [9] And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"
Mt. 23:23-24 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy, and faith.These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.[24] Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
NOTICE THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS: AGGRESSIVEFORGIVENESS
Mt. 18:10-14 DO WE LEAVE 99 TO SAVE ONE? The Importance of ONE.
DESPISE [kataphroneo] (kata, down; phren, the mind) To think down upon or against anyone, hence, to think slightly of, to despise.
WE NEED TO BE AGGRESSIVE & GO TO THE ERRING TO GAIN THEM BACK
Mt. 18:15-17 JESUS SAID THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING!
LET'S NOT JUST TALK ABOUT IT, BUT LET'S DO SOMETHINGABOUT IT.
Jas. 2:14-17 FAITH v/s WORKS = PHYSICAL v/s SPIRITUAL NEEDS
LET'S PRAY FOR THE ERRING
Jas. 5:13-16 PRAYER CAN ACCOMPLISH FORGIVENESS
Can we pray for the erring without loving them first?
LET'S GO AND SEEK THE ERRING TO BRING THEM BACK
Jas. 5:19-20 TO DO SO CAN COVER A MULTITUDE OF SINS.
FORGIVENESS IS AN ATTITUDE OF THE HEART. IT IS ACCOMPLISHED ONLY OUT OF LOVE FOR THE LOST AND DYING.
JESUS' ILLUSTRATION OF THE WILLINGNESS OF TRUE FORGIVENESS AS THE FATHER EAGERLY WATCHES FOR THE RETURN OF A PRODIGAL SON
Lk. 15:11-ff NOTE the contrast of forgiveness & unforgiveness)
INVITATION
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