Forgiveness: Beginning the Process
Forgiveness: The Pathway To Freedom • Sermon • Submitted
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· 9 viewsThis message points out facts about forgiveness that we need to remember.
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Matthew 18:23-35
23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.
24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.
25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.
26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’
27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded.
30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.
32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.
33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’
34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
INTRODUCTION:
A- What we have discussed so far:
1- We have defined forgiveness.
a- Forgiveness is the act of setting someone free from an obligation to you that is a result of a wrong done against you. The debt is forgiven when you free your debtor of his or her obligation to pay back what is owed to you (or perceived to be owed to you).
Forgiveness involves three elements:
injury
a debt resulting from the injury
a cancellation of the debt
2- We discussed the negative consequences of unforgiveness.
3- We did some myth-busting by discussing “what forgiveness is not.”
B- Today, we are going to begin our discussion of the process of forgiveness.
1- The Beginning of the process involves some key facts that must be kept in mind as we work through forgiving someone who wrongs us.
I- FORGIVENESS INVOLVES MORE THAN SELF. (Matthew 18:23).
I- FORGIVENESS INVOLVES MORE THAN SELF. (Matthew 18:23).
A- Forgiveness is a Kingdom issue.
A- Forgiveness is a Kingdom issue.
1- This is way larger than a personal issue.
a- Peter asks a question focused on self. (Matthew 18:21-22)
21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
(1) Peter expressed what many of us feel about the issue of forgiveness.
(a) Forgiving someone who has hurt us is inconvenient.
(b) Forgiving someone who has hurt us is incongruous with our normal fleshly emotions.
b- Jesus answers Peter by pointing out that he issue is a whole lot bigger than Peter. (Matthew 18:23)
23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.
(1) Jesus steers the focus from Peter’s feelings to the real issue…
(a) Forgiveness is a kingdom issue!
Notice that Jesus points out “the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to.”
Jesus constantly points to the Kingdom in His teachings.
He uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” 33 times in the Gospels.
He uses the phrase “Kingdom of God” 54 times in the Gospels.
Our willingness to forgive (as Jesus taught) demonstrates kingdom living in the middle of a lost world.
It opens the hearts of the lost to the gospel.
It enhances relationships with other believers.
(b) Forgiveness is an obedience issue!
Jesus says, “the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king.”
It is clear that the king (ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ) in Jesus’ story represents God (the ultimate king!), by what follows in Matthew 18:35.
35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
Forgiving as Christ taught is obedience to our heavenly Father.
Unforgiveness as Christ taught is disobedience to our heavenly Father!
II- FORGIVENESS ENTAILS MAKING A SOBERING REALIZATION (Matthew 18:24-27).
II- FORGIVENESS ENTAILS MAKING A SOBERING REALIZATION (Matthew 18:24-27).
24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.
25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.
26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’
27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
A- Each of us will face an accounting for our lives. (Matthew 18:24a)
A- Each of us will face an accounting for our lives. (Matthew 18:24a)
1- The scriptures are clear that each of us will give an accounting of our lives to God.
(Romans 14:10)
10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
(Romans 14:12)
12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
B- Each of us owes a debt that we can not pay. (Matthew 18:24b-25)
B- Each of us owes a debt that we can not pay. (Matthew 18:24b-25)
24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.
25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.
1- The man in Jesus’s story owed a sum of money that he could never repay. Even with the harsh rules of his day.
2- You and I owe a debt that we cannot repay because of our sin.
(Romans 3:23)
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
(Romans 6:23)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
C- Each of us has received forgiveness that we can never deserve. (Matthew 18:26-27)
C- Each of us has received forgiveness that we can never deserve. (Matthew 18:26-27)
26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’
27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
1- The man in the story knew that he did not deserve forgiveness.
(a) He appealed to the king for mercy.
2- An honest assessment of our lives will lead us to the same conclusion about ourselves.
(a) The Apostle Paul made the same confession about his own live.
(1 Corinthians 15: 9-10)
9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.
3- God forgave us when we deserved judgment.
(Romans 5:6-8)
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
III- FORGIVENESS ENABLES MOVING GRACIOUSLY WITH OTHERS. (Matthew 18:28-35).
III- FORGIVENESS ENABLES MOVING GRACIOUSLY WITH OTHERS. (Matthew 18:28-35).
28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded.
30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.
32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.
33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’
34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
A- Each of us have people who need to be forgiven by us. (Matthew 18: 28-29)
A- Each of us have people who need to be forgiven by us. (Matthew 18: 28-29)
28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded.
1- The man in this story faced the issue of extending forgiveness soon after he was granted forgiveness.
2- Peter had been granted forgiveness and now is being instructed to forgive.
(Luke 5:8)
8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”
(Matthew 18:21)
21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
3- Who is in need of your forgiveness today?
a- Have you have received forgiveness from God for all of your rebellion against Him?
b- Is there anything that anyone could do to you that can compare to what you have done to God?
(1) Your sin cost Jesus his life on the cross!
B- Each of us face the choice about how we will respond to their debt. (Matthew 18:30)
B- Each of us face the choice about how we will respond to their debt. (Matthew 18:30)
30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
1- The man in the story gives us a negative example … one that we do not want to emulate!
a- His reaction flew in the face of the grace that he had received!
b- He chose the path of unforgiveness. He insisted that the debt be paid!
2- You and I are faced with a choice:
a- React in the flesh and act in unforgiveness
b- Respond in the Spirit and grant forgiveness
C- Each of us will be held accountable for how we respond to those who need our forgiveness.
C- Each of us will be held accountable for how we respond to those who need our forgiveness.
(Matthew 18:31-35)
31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.
32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.
33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’
34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
1- The man in Jesus’ story incurred the consequences of his unforgiveness.
a- His actions hurt other people.
(1) The man who owed him money.
(2) The family of the man who owed him money.
(3) Those who observed the man’s actions.
b- His actions grieved the King - who had forgiven him.
c- His actions led to his own hurt.
2- There are inevitable consequences to choosing the path of unforgiveness.
a- Other people are hurt by our unforgiveness.
(1) The person or people who we refuse to forgive.
(2) Lost people who need Christ wind-up rejecting Christ because of our example.
(3) Other Christians are hurt by our unforgiveness - resulting in damage to their walk with Christ.
b- God is grieved by our unforgiveness.
(1) We are admonished not to grieve him.
(Ephesians 4:30)
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
c- We suffer the consequences of our unforgiveness.
(1) In this life- bitterness, seething anger, destroyed relationships, physical illness, etc.
(2) In the life to come - loss of rewards (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)
10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.
13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.
14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.
15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
CONCLUSION:
Now What?
Ask yourself some hard questions.
Who am I harboring unforgiveness toward?
Who else stands to be hurt by my unforgiveness?
Why would I hold onto my unforgiveness, knowing the negative consequences?
Answer honestly.
Make the wise and godly choice to forgive.