Offering Forgiveness

Psalm 103 NKJV

A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them. The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Matthew 18:21-35 35

Matthew 18:21–35 NKJV

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

INTRO:

AG: A driver placed a note under the windshield wiper of his illegally parked car..... which read:

"I have circled the block for 20 minutes.

I'm late for an appointment,..... and if I don't park here .....I'll lose my job. ..........'Forgive us our trespasses'."

When he came back .....he found a parking ticket .....and a note from a policeman: ......."I've circled the block for 20 years, .....and if I do not give you a ticket, ......I will lose my job. .......'Lead us not into temptation'."

TS: Last week, we discussed the value of love in the family. Our love should be indestructible and invincible.

Today we look at a value which grows naturally out of love. That value is forgiveness.

Today Jesus tells a story to demonstrate our very best motivation to forgive. He has been teaching the disciples about how to hold each other accountable in Christian love.

Then Peter asks a question about the minimum number of times one must forgive. Peter probably thinks he is being generous in offering to forgive someone seven times, since most rabbis taught that three times were sufficient. But Jesus replies, “Not seven times, but 70 times 7= 490!” Jesus is not attempting to quantify forgiveness, but to say it’s uncountable. Then he tells a story to illustrate why.

RS:

I. Question about Forgiveness

Matthew 18:21–22 NKJV

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Peter thought he was being magnanimous at 7.

At least he went above the Rabis.

Amos 1:3 NKJV

Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron.

Amos 1:6 NKJV

Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they took captive the whole captivity To deliver them up to Edom.

etc (Amos 1:9, 11, 13)

Rabis taught that 3 was the number of times to forgive.

He knew Jesus was far greater at forgiveness.

He asked a generous 7 times!

The Answer

70 times 7!

Innumerable times is the point

MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)

no matter how many times he sins and repents.

The number 7 was not to set a limit on the number of times to forgive (cf. Psalm 119:164), but precisely the opposite. Christ meant that forgiveness should be granted unendingly (cf. Eph 4:32; Col 3:13).

Colossians 3:13 NKJV

bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

In the area of forgiveness, Jesus calls us to a higher standard than the world’s and even beyond what we could imagine.

The model for forgiveness is Jesus Himself

Psalm 103:11–12 NKJV

For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Anything less is NOT true forgiveness.

The most marvelous ingredient in the forgiveness of God is that he also forgets, the one thing a human being can never do. Forgetting with God is a divine attribute; God’s forgiveness forgets.

Oswald Chambers

We must try our best to put that same forgetfulness into practice

II. Reasons to Forgive

a. Forgive because we are Forgiven

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Ephesians 4:32 NKJV

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

IL: C.S. Lewis once said, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”

b. Forgiveness allows wounds to start healing

An open wound which keeps getting opened won’t heal. It stays wounded. It keeps being an opening in the skin for irritants and germs to enter. The skin never closes and can fester.

That is what happens when we withhold forgiveness.

c. Forgiveness brings Freedom

When bearing a grudge, we are the ones being hurt.

We think and torture them, yet we are the ones really being tortured.

We carry a weight of bitterness as we withhold forgiveness

d. Forgiving others leads to our forgiveness

Not forgiving is SIN

Jesus’ story made that clear.

The model prayer did as well!

AP: Our families need our forgiveness

Sometimes they need it more than others!

You can walk away from some people, but family is forever!

Our church needs our forgiveness

We won’t always agree.

Sometimes that disagreement goes to far and hurts

We should always forgive

III. Steps to Forgiveness

a. You must be Truthful

You must Acknowledge that you have been hurt.

Don’t sweep it under the rug and ignore it.

Be honest with God and yourself that you feel wronged.

b. Surrender your right to get even

IL: A mother ran into the bedroom when she heard her seven-year-old son scream.

She found his two-year-old sister ......pulling his hair.

She gently released the little girl's grip and said to the boy

"There, there. She didn't mean it. She doesn't know that hurts."

He nodded his acknowledgement, and the mother left the room.

As she started down the hall she heard the little girl intensely scream.

Rushing back in, she asked, "What happened?"

The little boy replied, "She knows now." (Pause)

As much as we may want to handle revenge ourselves, it isn’t our place

Vengeance belongs to God alone!

Romans 12:17–19 NKJV

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

God and God alone has the right to hand out justice upon them.

Paul goes on to say:

Romans 12:20 NKJV

Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Romans 12:21 NKJV

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

c. Search for the person behind the mask

See them as a fellow image bearer of God

Value them as a neighbor here on the third rock from the sun.

See past the actions and look at the motive

Are they hurting?

Are they screaming for attention?

Are they ignorant of godly behavior?

d. Desire good things happen to them and do good things if it is in your power.

AP: These steps are even more critical when applying it to our family and church!

10  You forgive me, and I forgive you, and we forgive them, and they forgive us, and so a circle of unlimited forbearance and love goes round the world.

Charles Spurgeon

“Forgiveness Made Easy” sermon (1878)

Charles Spurgeon

Conclusion:

Jesus teaches His disciples to forgive

It is commanded

It takes a commitment