Costly and Complete Forgiveness

Matthew 18:21–35 “21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Dawn Smith Jordan learned about forgiveness the hard way. In 1985 her seventeen-year-old sister, Sherrie, was abducted and murdered. After her body was found, the killer phoned the family several times and described in detail how he had killed Sherrie. In time, the murderer was caught and sentenced to death. Dawn and her family thought the story was finally over.

The story wasn’t over, however. A few years later the convicted murderer wrote Dawn’s family a letter and told them he had become a Christian. His next question was the hard one: “Will you ever forgive me for what I’ve done?”

I cannot really ask you all to put yourself into this families place can I? We usually know right away if the family are Christians don’t we? How would you respond to the killer’s letter? This is only a thought provoking question.

The fifth request in the Lord’s Prayer is for forgiveness.

Matthew 6:12 “12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Jesus knew that we would stand in need of forgiveness every day. And so we pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Jesus is making sure we know to forgive, not just because its the right thing to do, it is commanded of us to forgive because we are forgiven. Forgiving goes way deeper that this dosen’t it? the murderer story I started with, forgiveness, HHHHHHMMMMMMM

Matthew 18:21–22 “21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

EXPLAIN

So, when do you find it hard or impossible to forgive?

Examples: Cheating, stealing, gossiping, adultery, backstabbing, procrastination, lying, deception, the list can go on and on can’t it?

When you ask God to forgive you for a sin or failure in your life, are you confident of his cleansing or do you have doubts?

So what makes you feel secure or insecure. Faith, because you are forgiven, .........

Christians believe that we receive forgiveness from God by grace alone. Why, in this request in the Lords Prayer does Jesus make it sound like our forgiveness of others is a condition for our forgiveness from God?

Matthew 6:14–15 “14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

What price did God pay to forgive us?

What price do we pay when we forgive others?

Looking back at MT 18:21-35 again, we see Peter in action don’t we? Peter tried to impress Jesus one day with his willingness to forgive other people up to seven times. Jesus wasn’t impressed. Genuine forgiveness doesn’t keep a record, and genuine forgivers don’t keep count.

OK, test time?

Who is the easiest person for you to forgive? Why?

Who is the hardest person for you to forgive and why? I’m not going to get into the parable of Jesus’ concerning billionaire.

If you were to rewrite the words in verses 28-30,

Matthew 18:28–29 “28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’

Matthew 18:34–35 “34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Some of us find it is better to address strained relationships after they have had some time to calm down and reflect, that ususlly comes from our hard hearts, we know when we “cool” off don’t we? Other people like to deal with the problem right away. What methods have you found helpful in dealing with problems in your relationships at church, family, neighbors, “

So.....what do you do or how do you act when you are sure you are forgiven? What are some specific ways that you can demonstrate that you are a forgiven person? BY FORGIVING, NOT HOLDING A GRUDGE, BY NOT SENDING MEAN TEXT MESSAGES, WRITING A KIND NOTE, ETC ARE YOU GETTING THIS CHURCH?

Are you getting the focus on why Jesus has included this in the Lords Prayer, we cannot function as Christians are to function when we are mad at someone, when we are jealous, envious, insecure, .........

OK, you are sitting there thinking, Pastor Greg, you don’t know this person, you didn’t hear how they talked to me, you don’t know what they said behind my back, .....this can go on and on.

Confess any area of sin or disobedience to God, and receive his forgiveness. Ask God to help you remember this week how much he has forgiven you.

RIGHT NOW, i WANT YOU ALL TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS FROM YOUR SINS, TO REPENT AND TURN FROM YOUR SINFUL WAYS.

NOW ASK GOD TO HELP YOU FORGIVE THE UNFORGIVABLE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO YOU. (SILENCE-------TAKE TIME FOR THE CONGREGATION TO PRAY).....

Paul Harvey, AND NOW THE REST OF THE STORY.....

Dawn’s family eventually did come to the place of forgiveness. She gave this testimony: “It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t overnight. But God gave the answer that I needed. We are to forgive just as Jesus forgave us. I was finally able to sit down and write the man who murdered my sister a letter telling him that only because of the grace I have received in my life could I let him know that he was forgiven.”

Think of a person in your family or church fellowship who models a forgiving spirit. Take that person to lunch or out for coffee and ask them how they have cultivated that spirit. If the person is reluctant to talk about it, share some of your own struggles with forgiveness and then ask them for insight and direction.