Sermon Tone Analysis

What do I want them to know?

They are forgiven and are to forgive

Why? Forgiveness brings freedom

What do I want them to do? Forgive

Why? Forgiveness brings freedom and healing

ME/WE

Have you ever been offended, somebody said or did something that was very offensive to you?

Have you ever been?

Cut off or torn down or hurt by someone?

All of us right?

Everyone one of has been hurt, offended, cut down, slander by someone intentionally or not.

Some of us happen this morning driving to church someone offended you by cutting you off.

Some of us where offend by our spouse or significant other....they said something or did something that was offensive…

Others of us have family members or co-workers who you believer their middle name is offensive…it is not if they will offend you but when will they offend you.

THE REALITY is This side of heaven we live in a world because sin remains where people OFFEND PEOPEL INTENTIONALLY or UNINTENTIONALLY

Our best friends and significant others and spouse offend us many times not intentionally

The question for us is what do we do with the offense?

Now that we settled the matter that people will offend you, we cannot stop that, though we should try to as much as we can.

What do we do when we get offended?

What is our response to be?

Should we response as the world does?

Should we seek revenge?

Let get up our dukes, our verbal swords, Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.

oh you hurt me, offended me you just wait…I am going you back…it is on!...

2. Maybe should just cancel them out of our life, that’s popular today…I am offend you are a republicans, I am offended you are democrat, I am offend you wear masks, I am offended you don’t wear a mask, I am offend you like the Steelers…that one we can keep…

This mentality has crept into the church.

I saw this from a pastor recently say if someone offends you on Facebook just defriend them cancel them out of your life.....is that the heart of Jesus?

Is this what Jesus does, cancel everyone out who offends Him? Guess what would happen if he did that?

we all would be cancelled.

3. We should just hold a grudge or bitterness, stonewall them, do not open up to them or speak harsh words to them when we see them…this is what I did to my good friend in high school who dated the girl I was trying to date....I not only canceled him but also held a grudge against them and spoke mean things against him.

Is this what God has for the people of God, the Saints, the royal priesthood?When someone offends you, seek revenge, hold a grudge, cancel them out (which are all a manifestation of unforgiveness....at the root of revenge, bitterness, cancel culture is unforgivenss)???

NO

Does the scriptures say that those who have been forgiven much need not to forgive much?

Is that what scripture says???

No, what does the word of God say?

(Put off the old self....one of the main themes in Ephesians is to put off the old identity and put on our new identity....put off the ways of the world, put off bitterness, wrath, ungoldy anger, slandor, and put on the ways of the kingdom of God)

What we are to do when someone offends us is not to, pick up the offense, seek revenge, not to cancel them, not to be bitter, not forgive them, but to forgive them as Christ has forgiven us.

Here’s the big questions?

1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FORGIVE?

What does it mean to forgive as Christ has forgiven us?

2..

Why is it important?

3. How many times are we to forgive someone?

These are the questions that come up in a conversation the Apostle Peter has with Jesus.

Peter wants to know about forgiveness…Jesus teach me about forgiveness.

Peter opens up the conversation about forgiveness with a question.

Let’s read what Peter says to Jesus

Peter wants to know how many times he should forgive someone...

Anybody wonder that question?

IS there a limit?

at that time the religious leaders said there was a limit...

anybody know the limit?

the ways of the “righteous” was to forgive someone 3 times, 3 strikes and you are out..s

so Peter wanting to show how “righteous” he is doubling what they do and adding 1....look at me Jesus

Jesus I am going the extra mile…gold star

What does Jesus say?

What Jesus is saying Peter is not to keep a list for 77 times (BEN THAT WAS NUMBER #39 YOU HAVE 38 LEFT, YOU HAVE USED HALF OF THEM) RATHER JESUS is communicating that the giving of forgiveness is to be unlimited...

JESUS YOU MEAN THAT WE ARE TO FORGIVE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER

- You PROBABLY could just see the disciples have a look of shock on their face....

IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD There is no such UNFORGIVENESS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD…think about that

AS SAINTS, HOLY ONES, SET APART ONES, we are to freely give forgiveness out over and over…it is freely given though we are going to see in a minute it will cost us something.

Jesus doesn’t stop there

Then Jesus shows what it means to forgiveness in a parable…let me show you what forgiveness looks like

IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE WAY OF THE WORLDS FORGIVENESS

HOW DOES THE WORLDS VERSION OF FORGIVENESS LOOK?

in that day and in our day so often forgiven is strings attached…all different strings

AS LONG AS YOU DO WHAT I WANT, OBEY ME, WORSHIP ME, I WILL FORGIVE YOU, BUT IF YOU DON’T UNFORGIVENESS COMES BACK

OR I’ll forgive you as long as you forgive me

OR I’ll forgive you as long as you pay the debt of offense against me you owe

GET OUT OF DEBTERS PRISON

Some people like to charge interest and like to be in control/power so the interest is always greater than the payment.

Is this how forgiveness looks in the kingdom of God? Strings attached, pay a debt?

NO

forgiveness in the kingdom of God is given freely but it does cost the forgiver something

forgiveness in the kingdom of God is given freely but it does cost the forgiver something

Let’s see what Jesus says about forgiveness in a parable

20 years of wages…insurmountable debt....Jesus point is not the amount 20 year wages but an amount that is unpayable

What does will this KING do with this insurmountable debt?

He first does what would be expected

THE king says you are going to work until you can pay this off....your whole family is going to be affected by your debt

How does this servant respond to this sentencing?

Does he say ok?

No he response how you and I would respond

How does the king respond?

Get up and act like a man, you are embarrassing yourself

NO

Splanchnizomai

the master was moved with great compassion....

to experience great affection and compassion for someone—‘to feel compassion for, to have great affection for, love, compassion.’

How does this king have splanchizomai?

How can he have compassion when he has been offended so greatly???....he does so by humbling himself and put himself in the servants shoes...

he sees this debt is going to ruin the servant and his family.

He seeks humility over my needs over me over pride.

What is humility?

is this often how we respond when someone offends us?

We considered them more significant?

We have splanchnizomia on them?

Compassion of them???

No, we are thinking about me, what you did to me....

PRIDE SAYS WHAT ABOUT ME....PRIDE GETS IN THE WAY OF SPLANCHNIZOMAI

HUMILITY SAYS WHAT ABOUT YOU