Renewing Your Maturity 3

Forgiving God’s Children

Text: Matthew 18:21-35

Introduction

Illustration — A Sunday School teacher had just concluded her lesson and wanted to make sure she had made her point. She said, “Can anyone tell me what you must do before you can obtain forgiveness of sin?”

There was a short pause and then, from the back of the room, a small boy spoke up. “Sin,” he said.

There are several statements within this chapter that have become more preverbal than practised in it’s context.

This chapter is one great speech, one great doctrinal discourse.

For this chapter to come alive, it must be understood in it’s proper context.

Life in the kingdom among God’s children.

Before Jesus ever gives the great commission of what we must do, He gives them instruction on who they should become.

How you live gives a validation to your message.

Illustration: How many would think highly of your physician if you still appear to be sick?

The most important thing for the church is to BE THE CHURCH GOD WANTS US TO BE!

Jesus has just unpacked a loving and protective process of restoration for those who have sinfully offended one another.

He concluded that a fellow believer should always be met with forgiveness when genuine repentance is presented either in the private meeting, the team meeting, or before the entire congregation.

Jesus emphasizes that all things agreed on toward a fellow believer must be in harmony with God’s perspective; God must agree with them.

It is from this point, Peter presents his question.

PLEASE NOTE — This is not teaching about soul salvation. It is a teaching about forgiveness between two brothers, not between lost sinners and God.

1) Jesus Defines Gospel Forgiveness

Question: How often have you considered your response as a generous one? That is exactly what Peter believed about his clarifying question.

Peter really believed he was going far beyond the call of duty when asking whether or not 7 times was enough.

Where did this paradigm come from?

As we have already read, it didn’t come from Jesus!

This question came from pride.

He knew his brothers would sin against him, but he did not consider he would offend them.

When someone has continually offended you and has sought forgiveness, how does pride instruct you?

Pride postures your heart to “self preservation.”

Question: Anybody here consider themselves as hoarders?

On a spiritual and emotional level, pride will try to convince you to hoard your forgiveness.

How does Jesus respond?

70 x 7 / Does this mean that after the 490th time we can cut them off and out of our life? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

1 Corinthians 13:5 “5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;”

Jesus is presenting an example of an impossible number to keep track of and therefore teaching how every believer should always be ready to forgive at all times.

Jesus was reminding them how He forgives!

Ephesians 3:17–19 “17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

Philippians 1:9–10 “9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;”

2) Jesus Illustrates Gospel Forgiveness

Illustration — A young boy in Korea was a houseboy for some American soldiers. Sometimes they thought it was funny to play harmless jokes on him. They would tease him. They would tie his shoe strings together. They would lock him out of the house.

Eventually they realized that their practical jokes were not viewed as funny by the boy so they apologized. He said, “That’s okay, I will stop spitting in your soup now.” — Source: The Outlaws of Success, Scott McKain

A. Characters and synopsis of Jesus’ story:

There is a kingdom with a King, the King’s servants, a servant who has an un-payable debt, the King’s forgiveness, the attitude and actions of the forgiven servant, the punishment from the King.

King = God

Servants = God’s children

B. What can we learn about forgiveness from this story?

It begins with JUSTICE — “Pay your debt or be punished”

Honesty, humility, and repentance were offered.

A compassionate forgiveness was granted.

talent n. — a large monetary measurement (of varying weights) equal to 6000 drachmas or denarii; may never have been minted as physical currency. (750 ounces of silver)

7.5 million ounces of silver = 10,000 talents

The king knew well that his servant could never pay his debt within his lifetime.

Forgiveness was the only options to free the king from bitterness and free the servant from destruction.

Let’s examine the servants STEWARDSHIP.

He left with an ambition to poor his wrath on the one who he felt humiliated him in front of the entire kingdom; self preservation ruled his heart.

This servant cared more about avenging his reputation than extending the same grace his had been given by the king.

DON’T MISS THIS — What the servant was not willing to forgive his fellow servant for was a far less amount than what the king forgave him for!!!

denarius (coin) n. — a Roman coin called a “denarius” equal to a day’s wage (or 16 “assaria”); could be either silver or copper.

He cared more about his reputation than sharing with others the gracious integrity of the king.

The servant displayed his fake repentance (the king found out!)

The King held his forgiveness out of reach until the servant could pay it in debtors’ prison…he never would.

Un-forgiveness will always be a two-fold prison for all of God’s children!

It is a prison of hatred and bitterness.

It is a prison that separates you from the Father’s forgiveness!

C. Notice the warning Jesus gives in verse 35!!!

3) Are You Displaying Gospel Forgiveness?

A. How does grace operate?

Forgiveness is waiting to be given.

It grants forgiveness to the undeserving.

It cuts ties with the memory/power of the sinful offense.

It reinstates someone to a needful relationship.

It remains faithful to repeat when called upon.

B. What does this look like?

Show Grace when words hurt.

Show Grace when there is silence.

Show Grace toward false judgement.

Show Grace toward those who don’t rise to your standards.

Show Grace

C. Grace will bring the best out of someone

Quote: “If we condemn a brother, we bring out the worst in him. But if we create an atmosphere of love and forgiveness, we can help God bring out the best in him.” (Warren W. Wiersbe)

Conclusion

Illustration — Someone asked an elderly Christian lady, “Does the devil ever trouble you about your past sins?” She answered, “Yes.” When the inquirer asked what she did then, she replied, “Oh, I just tell him to go east.”

“What do you do if he comes back?”

“I tell him to go west.”

“And when he comes back from the west, what do you do then?”

She said, “I just keep him going from the east to the west.”

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12