Luke 11:4b

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-If you would, please turn back to Luke 11.

We’ve been looking at...

....what is most often referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer” . . .

…for a couple of weeks, now.

And I know that that’s been...

…really slow progress for just four verses...

But, the components of this model prayer...

…are so foundational for the Christian life...

…that I just couldn’t stand the thought...

…of truncating them for the sake of progress.

And so we’ve basically been covering...

…about two or three components per week.

And in so doing, we’ve now come to the final two.

And once again… They are formative and foundational.

-Alright, let’s read the entire thing together again...

…and ask for the Lord’s help.

Luke 11:1–4 (ESV)

1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread,

4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

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Pray

-Let’s begin with a quick review...

…of what we’ve seen in the prayer so far.

Jesus had begun by telling his disciples...

…to approach God in prayer...

NOT as slaves, approaching a despotic master...

But as sons, approaching their Father!

(We’ll see that emphasized more...

…in the verses that follow next week)

-After that, he taught them to pray (above everything else)...

That:

God’s name would be hallowed (treated with appropriate reverence) on the earth

God’s will would be obeyed...

On the whole earth

As it is perfectly obeyed in heaven.

And my premise to you was...

…that these two desires...

The Glory of God

The Reign of God

…are to overshadow all other desires.

-But...

…Jesus also taught them (and us by extension)...

…that we SHOULD...

Look to the Father...

Approach him with our own needs.

Both physical and spiritual.

And that’s what we focused on last week.

Our request for daily bread...

i.e., physical sustenance...

…And more importantly...

…our need of, and desire for...

The forgiveness of our sins!

-Now, the first of the two remaining components in Verse 4...

…is connected to that fourth petition.

But, it really isn’t its own petition (technically speaking).

Let’s read Verses 3-4 again:

Luke 11:3–4 (ESV)

3 Give us each day our daily bread,

4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us...

Now, we talked about that analogy some last week.

How the Bible often compares our sin to debt.

And we saw how that, in the Sermon on the Mount...

…Jesus had actually said it that way...

…in the petition, itself.

And there too, he made...

…a similar connecting statement.

He said:

Matthew 6:11–12 (ESV)

11 Give us this day our daily bread,

12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Now technically, he hasn’t yet said...

…that our forgiveness from God...

…is contingent upon...

…our forgiveness of others.

He’s just told us to make a statement...

…that asserts the reality of our forgiveness of others.

Again, like the “when you pray” of Verse 2...

…it appears to be simply assumed...

…that God’s people...

…will be a forgiving people.

-However, in the Sermon on the Mount...

…Jesus actually went on to say:

Matthew 6:14–15 (ESV)

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.

Now, before we dive into this...

…I want you to think about something:

If you’re the one being sinned against...

…and being called upon to forgive...

This verse is probably going to be pretty daunting to you.

But, now pretend that you’re the one...

…who has done the sinning...

…and you’re the one in debt to someone else.

If you’re in that position...

…these verses will give you great hope!

Why?

Because they command mercy

And mercy is your only hope!

And, it’s easy to overlook its beauty...

…until you’re the one in need of it.

-But, either way...

…this is a statement, and a truth...

…that we really need to try to come to terms with.

-I think the best place to start...

…would be Matthew 18.

Remember that, prior to...

…Peter asking Jesus this question...

…Jesus had given that instruction...

…on how to pursue broken relationships in the church:

Matthew 18:15–16 (ESV)

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you...

After that...

Matthew 18:21 (ESV)

21 ...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?”

So, he has Verse 15 in mind, doesn’t he.

He’s asking, at what point...

…if he just keeps sinning against me...

…can I cut off his forgiveness...

…and make him live with the consequences of his offense?

(Can we relate to that?)

-Now, Peter probably thought...

…that he was being magnanimous...

…by suggesting that we forgive...

SEVEN Times!

For the SAME offense!

(Again, if we’ll be honest...

…even that wouldn’t be easy to do)

Most of us (myself included)...

…are much more geared toward something like...

“fool me once, shame on me...

…fool me twice, shame on you!”

Or, maybe even, we would be so gracious...

…as to say...

“I’ll give you three strikes...

…then you’re out, buddy!”

-But, Jesus turns the whole thing on its head.

Matthew 18:22 (ESV)

22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Some translations: “Seventy times Seven”

Now, to ensure that Peter (and we ourselves)...

…aren’t able to say...

“all I have to do is make it to 78, or 491” . . .

Jesus gives a parable...

…to illustrate what he’s getting at.

Matthew 18:23 (ESV)

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

So, the picture of sin, here...

…is once again financial debt.

Matthew 18:24 (ESV)

24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

Remember, that ONE talent was about 20 years worth of wages.

This is an insurmountable debt.

The number itself is hyperbolic.

It would take 200,000 years of working...

…to pay off this debt!

Is he going to even live that long?

Can this be made right?

Can the man make restitution for his wrong?

Does he even have the capacity to?

That’s what we see in Verse 25.

Matthew 18:25 (ESV)

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.

Even if he had a hundred children working...

…would this debt ever be fully satisfied?

No! That would still be 2,000 years a piece!

This debt against the King...

…is essentially eternal.

There’s no getting out of it.

He’ll be enslaved and working until he dies...

…and he’ll pass on the debt to...

His children

Their children

Their children

etc.

This is the bleakest of pictures.

-So, the man does this:

Matthew 18:26 (ESV)

26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’

Is he telling the truth?

Is this man really repentant?

Can he EVER repay this debt against the king?

He’s an arrogant man

He’s a prideful man

He’s a man who doesn’t see the gravity of his own sin

Yet…

Matthew 18:27 (ESV)

27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

Was it because he thought the man...

…had really learned his lesson this time?

It was simply because the master was compassionate.

He was willing to eat the loss...

To take it upon himself...

…and let the man and his family be free of its burden!

He showed the man mercy...

He gave the man grace!

But...

Matthew 18:28–30 (ESV)

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.’

No small sum

100 days worth of wages.

He sure enough owed the man

He was genuinely indebted to him

29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’

Is this possible?

Is this man’s debt manageable?

30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

He refuses to release his fellow servant.

His debt is too great!

The man’s dignity too offended!

He can’t let it go...

He will demand that satisfaction be made.

-We all know what happened:

Matthew 18:31–34 (ESV)

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?’

What is this slaves debt to another slave...

…in comparison to the 10,000 talents owed to the king?!?

So, what right does the man have...

…to withhold forgiveness from anyone else?

…to demand satisfaction from anyone else?

34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.

3 things:

1.) The Compassion has now turned to wrath

2.) Is he ever going to render satisfaction for his debt?

3.) Is he ever getting out?

And Jesus warns:

(And remember Peter’s question)

Matthew 18:35 (ESV)

35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Not just with your words

But truly, in your heart.

Can anything that anyone could ever do to you and me...

…compare to our sin against a thrice-holy God???

So, how can we accept his forgiveness...

…for our 10,000 talents...

…and demand satisfaction...

…from those who owe us a hundred denarii!

We CAN’T!

And the warning of these passages this morning...

…is that, if we’ve truly been forgiven of God...

…and we properly understand...

...the weight of that forgiveness...

We WON’T!

-Brethren, has anyone ever been so mistreated as our King?

Was anyone ever so deserving of good treatment as he was?

How did he respond when ill treated?

With Compassion

With Forgiveness

Luke 23:34 (ESV)

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” . . .

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To be a disciple of Christ...

…means to imitate Christ.

So, when we forgive others...

…we’re just doing what he has done...

Just to a much lesser degree.

Paul gave us this command, in...

Colossians 3:12–13 (ESV)

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

He wrote similarly to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 4:30–5:1 (ESV)

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

Brethren, this is so important.

Our society today, has become so angry and so bitter.

We mustn’t follow after them.

That bitterness and unforgiveness...

…will destroy our souls like a cancer.

We have to let it go.

We have to follow after Christ.

And when we struggle to let it go...

(to release the debts of our fellow servants)

We need to stop and think...

...about our own sins against God...

Then what men have done to us...

Won’t seem near as bad

Will be much easier to forgive.

Let’s read verse 4 again...

…and we’ll move on:

Luke 11:4 (ESV)

4 ...forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us...

-Alright, we’re 3/4 of the way done.

We have one final petition.

It’s at the end of Verse 4:

Luke 11:4 (ESV)

4 ...And lead us not into temptation.”

In the Sermon on the Mount, He added:

Matthew 6:13 (ESV)

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

-This is a sobering reminder to us...

…that we live in the already and the not yet.

We have received justification and forgiveness...

And our inner man has been given new life...

But our salvation is not yet complete.

Our bodies have not yet been fully redeemed.

It is often the case, that...

…what Jesus said to the Eleven...

…is true for us as well:

Mark 14:38 (ESV)

38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We are vulnerable on this side of glory.

We must take sin seriously.

We must take the temptation to sin very seriously

Remember what Jesus said about it before:

Mark 9:42–48 (ESV)

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.

45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.

47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,

48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

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Do you see how serious a matter it is?

That should drive us back to the final petition.

-You see, the final petition...

…is similar to the last two.

It assumes our dependence upon God.

It recognizes and confesses our great need of Him.

It stems from a heart...

…that has been humbled by its own failures...

…and clings to God in hope...

…to supply power outside of itself...

…to avoid falling back into transgression.

Brethren, I don’t think we’ll ever move on from that dependence...

…so long as we’re on this side of glory.

And, I don’t think we need to!

Remember Paul’s warning to the Church at Corinth?

1 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV)

12 ...let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

Then he gives this corrective:

1 Corinthians 10:13–14 (ESV)

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Do you remember what Jesus prayed on our behalf?

John 17:15 (ESV)

15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

You see, that’s our hope.

Not our own strength:

Our hope is that...

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (ESV)

3 ...the Lord is faithful. He will establish (us) and guard (us) against the evil one.

Our hope is that...

2 Timothy 4:18 (ESV)

18 The Lord will rescue (us) from every evil deed and bring (us) safely into his heavenly kingdom...

Amen?

Calvin summarized this final petition like this:

We showed from the former petition, that no man can be reckoned a Christian, who does not acknowledge himself to be a sinner;

and in the same manner, we conclude from this petition, that we have no strength for living a holy life, except so far as we obtain it from God.

Whoever implores the assistance of God to overcome temptations, acknowledges that, unless God deliver him, he will be constantly falling. — Calvin

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Let me leave you with this.

I think it embodies the essence of this final petition...

And I think it will be a gift that keeps on giving:

When I fear my faith will fail...

Christ will hold me fast

When the tempter would prevail...

He will hold me fast

I could never keep my hold

Through life's fearful path

For my love is often cold...

He must hold me fast

Let’s remember why:

For my life He bled and died

Christ will hold me fast

Justice has been satisfied

He will hold me fast

Raised with Him to endless life

He will hold me fast

'Til our faith is turned to sight

When He comes at last!

He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast

For my Saviour loves me so

He will hold me fast — Ada R. Habershon

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This is our hope! He is our hope!

Let’s pray.