FORGIVENESS#1. MAT. 18: 21-35 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
(This was Millions of Dollars I read)
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.
(This was only a few dollars I read)
He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured (Tormented) , until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
This one passage of the Bible is going to set someone free tonight because it answers lots of questions for us about our life today!!!!!!!
So what’s going on in this passage? Peter asked a question, but wants to be especially HOLY. The Rabbis taught that we should forgive 3 times, so Peter says I’m going to impress the Lord. And asked if it should be 7 times.
So Jesus said..no no no no no. Seventy times Seven. Meaning we don’t keep track, we need to lose count. We don’t keep numbers!
We need a case of amnesia when it comes to people offending us and sinning against us.
Sometimes we forgive BIG sins but we hold small grudges, small debts against people, on the road when someone pulls out in front of us, we over hear someone make a comment about us, the worker gives us a parking ticket. No God want’s you free, WE want you free. But you can’t be free if you keep that grudge..................
You know what’s important to God? Everything - those tiny tiny matters that you might give a second thought.
Unforgiveness prevents God from forgiving our sins
#2. Mat 6:14-15 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Unforgiveness hinders our prayers
#6. MARK 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
Unforgiveness can give Satan an advantage
2 Corinthians 2:10-11, 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
What is our example in the bible
#1. Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
#2. Psalm 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
#3. ACT 7:59-60 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Then we all remember Jesus on the Cross - “Father forgive them for they know no what they are doing”
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