Offense & Freedom

Secular -

A pastor was preaching on Matthew 18 and got particularly fired up during the third point. He leaned over the pulpit and shouted, "Is there anyone here who can honestly say they have forgiven every single person who ever 'trespassed' against them?"

To his surprise, a 92-year-old man in the back named Earl slowly raised his hand.

The pastor was stunned. "That’s incredible, Earl! You’ve lived nine decades. Tell the congregation—how does a man live that long and manage to have no enemies to forgive?"

Earl stood up, leaned on his cane, and said, "Oh, it’s easy, Pastor... I outlived ‘em all."

Historical/Cultural Context -

This Gospel is written by Matthew, also known as Levi who was a former tax collector. It was most likely written between AD 50-60. Matthew left everything behind to follow Jesus. Matthew wrote primarily to Jewish believers—people who knew the Old Testament well. Matthew had one goal: to prove that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the King of Kings, and the fulfillment of God’s promises. Connecting the Old Testament prophecies to the life of Christ, proving that every word God spoke was coming true in Jesus. The key themes of the Gospel include Jesus as King, The Kingdom of Heaven, Fulfillment of Prophecy and discipleship.

Biblical Text -

Matthew 18:15–35 NKJV

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” 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.”

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - When Offenses Come We Can Have Freedom If We Have The courage To Confront Others In Grace, Practicing The Presence Of God & Living Out Forgiveness.

Life Point- The Courage To Confront

Exegetical -

Matthew 18:15–17 BSB

If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Homiletical -

This 3 verse instruction will absolutely and radically change a church. It will change people and create close bonds. If we would just do what it says.

Often times this is called the church discipline instructions, but it isn’t. It is a way of life.

If your brother sins, or does something against you. If someone, anyone causes offense notice what it says here.

It does not say that the person who caused the issue should go to the person who is upset, but the other way around.

If you are upset with someone then you go to the person who caused the offense.

It does not say keep it inside and let it fester.

It does not say to gossip about it.

It says to resolve the issue.

Someone is going to say, “But pastor you don’t know what they did to me.” Unless there is a high probability of physical harm, I don’t care what they did or didn’t do. Are we going to follow scripture or are we not?

Now I’ve gone from preaching meddlin.

So you go confront the brother or sister privately in humility and they ask forgiveness, all goes well and you don’t have to go any further.

What happens if all doesn’t go well.

Then you take 2 or 3 witnesses with you so that every word can be established. Meaning so neither side can get into embellishment. I have seen church splits happen because of this wasn’t followed.

You mean to tell me people can embellish stories? Yup. If you don’t believe ask any fisherman. That fish gets bigger every time they tell the story.

If in the presence of the witness they refuse to listen even to them, then you must take the matter to the church.

How does the church handle a situation like this?

Well you go to the elders of the church, including the pastor.

Who are the elders?

In southern baptist life that is the pastor and the deacons responsibility.

They will more than likely go to the individual and if there is no resolution then we have to talk about disfellowshipping from them.

It is very rare that issues between 2 believers will reach this far, but it does happen.

I was an associate at a church that followed this. The lady was a gossip and it caused no end to strife in the church. The church sent her a certified letter that she had officially been disfellowshipped until such a time that she came and repented to the entire church.

You know what happened to my shock? She did it. She confessed to the church and repented. She was immediately welcomed back with open arms. To my knowledge she didn’t gossip anymore.

So this process does work, even in today’s culture.

Life Point - The Presence In The Process

Exegetical -

Matthew 18:18–20 BSB

Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

Homiletical -

This verse about binding and loosing has been used in all sorts of unbiblical ways.

Well then, what is He talking about?

Remember that you can’t divorce a verse from its’ context.

In context this is talking about the Matthew 18 process. The church has the ability to bind sin and release forgiveness to an individual who has gone through church discipline.

If the church agrees on the matter of discipline then we have the spiritual authority from the Father to see it happen in the spiritual realm. Jesus says he is with us even in this. For we come to gather in His name.

Notice this part about staying close to Jesus is in between the disagreement section and the forgiveness section. Folks you can’t have forgiveness, true forgiveness for others until you have experienced forgiveness of your sins which can only be found in Jesus. You need Jesus to be close to have true forgiveness when conflict arises.

Just a side note about gathering in Jesus name. It says that if we ask the father and agree about anything that it will be done for us.

But Pastor, someone will say. I prayed to have so and so healed and we all agreed and it didn’t come to pass.

Notice it says that Jesus is in the midst. The closer to Jesus we get, the more aligned our prayers will be with the will of God and we will pray the will of God and see it happen. Sometimes, and for reasons that we don’t know, it is not God’s will to heal so and so. It His will that they go to be with him.

You mean to tell me it can be God’s will to not heal everyone? Yup. A great example is found in

2 Kings 20:1–6 BSB

In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’ ” Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will surely heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the house of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.’ ”

Life Point - Freedom In Forgiveness

Exegetical -

Matthew 18:21–35 BSB

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlements, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents. Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned. Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt. When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master. Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed. That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

Homiletical -

Peter is like, wait a minute if someone sins against me I got to forgive them?

Yup

So he is like OK Jesus I get what you mean about forgiveness but how many times do I forgive?

Jesus answer is not to be taken literal. He is using such large numbers that no one should keep track. In other words you forgive every time. Now that doesn’t mean being a doormat, it means in your heart you forgive. It doesn’t mean to put yourself in the same situation over and over.

You know what the definition of insanity is? Do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Jesus now tells the story of the wicked servant who was forgiven much and yet had no forgiveness for others and what the consequences of that kind of behavior would be.

The consequences aint good. I will tell you that.

If God has forgiven your sin, so should you forgive you Christian brothers and sisters.

I believe that if we get ahold of true Biblical forgiveness there would be a whole lot less drama in churches across the United States. If we would grab hold of the process and forgiveness of this part of Matthew 18 then I would dare say it would change the world.

Illustration -

In the midst of World War II, a German soldier confronted a Jewish prisoner. The soldier, tormented by guilt, admitted he had no choice but to fight and follow orders. The prisoner paused, looked him in the eye, and said, 'I forgive you, not for you, but for me. Holding onto anger only chains us both.' Freedom can be found in unconditional forgiveness, even amidst violence and hatred.

Life Principle– When Offenses Come We Can Have Freedom If We Have The courage To Confront Others In Grace, Practicing The Presence Of God & Living Out Forgiveness.

Call to Action – altar call….