Untitled Sermon (2)

Buying a new car is a big decision!

‌ Imagine though, you walked into the dealership,

‌ Jason and Milayah, would obviously go to a VW dealer…

‌

You guys were eyeing up the new VW Jetta,

obviously Jason would make sure it was a diesel…

‌

But you guys were unsure…

‌ I mean… $40,000 is a lot of money!

‌If you don’t end up liking the car, you will be stuck with the payments till it’s paid off.

‌

But then the salesman tells you...

‌ “We have a new promotion going on!

If you buy it today, and don’t like it, for any reason, over the 5 years of payments

‌ you can bring it back… AND YOU’LL GET ALL YOUR MONEY BACK!!

‌

Well now it becomes a much easier decision to make,

‌ because all the risk is gone!

‌ If you don’t like it,

‌ you can just return it

‌ get your money back

‌ and get a different one.

‌

The Pharisees wanted to have a way out of marriage so they could avoid the risk.

‌ If they didn’t end up liking their wife,

‌ they would just divorce her and

‌ get another one.

‌

But Jesus taught them that this wasn’t God’s design.

‌ God’s plan from the beginning of creation was:

‌ one man and one woman…

‌ who come together,

‌ and become one flesh…

‌ for life!

‌

Then the Pharisees said to Jesus…

‌

Matthew 19:7–9 (ESV)

‌

7 “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?”

‌

8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

‌

9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

‌

‌

Moses had not actually COMMANDED divorce, but ALLOWED it…

‌ because of the hardness of people’s hearts.

‌ But Jesus makes it clear that this was not God’s original plan.

‌ Remember, God’s plan is:

‌ one man and one woman…

‌ who come together

‌ and become one flesh,

‌ for life!

This is why marriage is so hard…

‌ because no matter how hard it gets,

‌ you stay together,

‌ because you are ONE FLESH.

‌

The disciples also understood the gravity of what Jesus was saying…

Matthew 19:10 (ESV)

10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

‌

‌

What the disciples were saying was…

‌ If there’s no way out, then it’s better not to marry!

‌ We should not take their statement to mean that marriage is not good…

‌rather we see that they rightly understood the binding nature of marriage before God.

‌

Transition to Forgiveness

‌

So… Jason and Milayah…

‌ We know from Jesus’ words that:

‌ divorce is not an option!

‌

So what are you to do when the other person

‌ disappoints you…

‌ hurts you… OR

‌ sins against you?

‌

Jesus gives us the answer!

‌ Right before this confrontation with the Pharisees,

‌ Jesus, teaching his disciples, said…

Matthew 18:15 (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.

‌

When one of you sins against the other,

‌ you should lovingly, and graciously bring it up.

‌

Since you are both Christians, and

‌ both have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you,

‌ you need to help one another strive for holiness,

‌ by confessing and repenting of your sin!

‌

And then…

‌ you forgive!

‌

How many times?

‌ This is the question Peter asked Jesus…

Matthew 18:21–22 (ESV)

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.

‌

‌

Peter’s question gets at the heart of our problem…

‌ we are willing to forgive…

‌ up to a certain point,

and then I’m done!

‌

But Jesus makes the point that forgiveness should be limitless!

‌ “You mean if they sin over and over and over again,

‌ I just have to keep forgiving them?

‌ Why would I do that?”

‌

Jesus tells a parable to explain…

Matthew 18:23–35 (ESV)

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.”

‌

‌

The reason that we ought to forgive one another,

‌ is because of God’s incredible forgiveness toward us!

‌

The king at the beginning of the parable forgives his servants debt,

‌ which could have been as much as $2.5 billion dollars in today’s terms.

‌ The point is:

‌ he owed a debt he could never pay it back!

‌

When we consider the immensity of our sin before God,

‌ we can’t even number it all,

‌ let alone try to pay God back!

‌

Yet, through our faith in the sacrifice of Christ,

‌ our debt is paid, it is paid in full,

‌ by the precious blood that our Jesus spilled.

‌

God continues to offer us forgiveness,

‌ because we are one with Him!

‌ We are united with Him in Christ,

‌ through the Spirit who dwells in us.

‌

In light of God’s incredible forgiveness toward us,

‌ we are to forgive one another!

‌

CLOSING

‌

Jason and Milayah,

‌ you are about to become ONE FLESH...

‌ united together through the bond of marriage.

‌

God’s plan for you both,

‌ is that you remain together for life.

‌

Your relationship will be a blessing and joy,

‌ as you learn to confess your sins to one another,

‌ and forgive one another,

‌ as God in Christ has forgiven you!

‌

Then you will continue to grow in your relationship,

‌ as you grow more and more like your Saviour, Jesus Christ, every day!