Unforgiveness is a Road Block

13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.

14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

Unforgiveness is a Road Block

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, the prayer that he prayed included these words:

Matthew 6:12 (NLT)

12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

At the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer, Jesus told his disciples:

Matthew 6:14–15 (NLT)

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Unforgiveness is a costly burden to carry.

A quote often attributed to both Carrie Fischer and Nelson Mandela says:

“Bitterness is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for the other person to die.”

Unforgiveness can impede God’s work in you.

Ephesians 4:30–32 (NLT)

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.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

My bitterness, my anger, my speaking evil of someone or losing my temper with someone grieves the Holy Spirit. Why?

It’s not that God says, “Anger and evil speaking cause My ears to burn,”

There’s not a curse word God hasn’t heard. There is nothing that shocks Him.

God is not grieved by how our speech, anger, or malice affects Him, but by how it affects us.

He’s grieved because it hinders Him from doing His work in, through, and for us.

Just before Leonardo da Vinci started to work on his famous painting, The Last Supper, he had a violent argument with a fellow painter.

He was so enraged and bitter that he decided that he’d paint the face of his enemy, this other artist, in the face of Judas, the disciple that betrayed Jesus.

Judas was one of the first faces in the painting that he finished, and everyone could easily recognize it as the face of the painter with whom he had quarreled.

When it came time for da Vinci to paint the face of Jesus, he couldn’t make any progress.

A writer would call this Writer’s Block. So perhaps for da Vinci it was Painter’s Block.

Something seemed to be baffling him, holding him back, and frustrating his best efforts.

He came to realize that the what was blocking his progress was the painted face of his enemy into the face of Judas.

So, he painted out the face of Judas, resumed work on Jesus, and this time he was successful.

You cannot color your life with the features and character of Christ while you’re painting someone else in your mind with the colors of bitterness.

Conclusion

As we continue our time of worship and prayer together, I want to invite you to consider what you brought in here today, and what you’re ready to leave at the foot of the cross this morning.

Are you bitter towards someone?

Do you have a sea of rage churning inside you?

Have you let angry or harsh words escape your lips this week?

Are you speaking well of the people around you?

Do you need to hand that over to God and exercise with others the same kindness, compassion, and forgiveness that God demonstrates toward you?

Colossians 3:12–14 (NLT)

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.