The Lord's Prayer Part 6 Series

THE LORD’S PRAYER PART 6

SERMON ON THE MOUNT

MATTHEW 6:12 FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS.

MATTHEW 6:14–15 FOR IF YOU FORGIVE MEN WHEN THEY SIN AGAINST YOU, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU.

15BUT IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE MEN THEIR SINS, YOUR FATHER WILL NOT FORGIVE YOUR SINS.

INTRODUCTION: WELL WITH THIS MESSAGE TODAY, WE WILL NEED TO TAKE A SMALL BREAK IN ORDER TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT AT THANKSGIVING. AFTER ALL, WE ARE QUICKLY APPROACHING THE HOLIDAY WHERE WE ARE PAUSE, BEFORE A FEAST TO PONDER, THANK AND CONCLUDE WHAT WE ARE TO BE THANKFUL FOR IN OUR PAST, AND HOPEFUL FOR IN OUR FUTURE.

BUT THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT THE CONCEPT OF FORGIVENESS AS PRESENTED BY JESUS IN HIS MODEL SERMON FOR HIS DISCIPLES.

OPENING ILLUSTRATION: THE WHOLE TOWN HAD GATHERED IN THE COURTHOUSE FOR THE TRIAL. THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY CALLED HIS FIRST WITNESS, AN ELDERLY WOMAN, TO THE STAND. HE APPROACHED HER AND ASKED, “MRS. JONES, DO YOU KNOW ME?” SHE RESPONDED, “WHY, YES, I DO KNOW YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. I’VE KNOWN YOU SINCE YOU WERE A YOUNG BOY. AND, FRANKLY, YOU’VE BEEN A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT TO ME. YOU LIE, YOU CHEAT ON YOUR WIFE, YOU MANIPULATE PEOPLE AND TALK ABOUT THEM BEHIND THEIR BACKS. YOU THINK YOU’RE A RISING BIG SHOT, BUT YOU HAVEN’T THE BRAINS TO REALIZE YOU WILL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING MORE THAN A TWO-BIT PAPER PUSHER. YES, I KNOW YOU.”

THE LAWYER WAS STUNNED. NOT KNOWING WHAT ELSE TO DO, HE POINTED ACROSS THE ROOM AND ASKED, “MRS. JONES, DO YOU KNOW THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY?” SHE REPLIED, “WHY, OF COURSE I DO. I’VE KNOWN MR. BRADLEY SINCE HE WAS A YOUNGSTER, TOO. I USED TO BABY-SIT HIM. AND HE, TOO, HAS BEEN A REAL DISAPPOINTMENT TO ME. HE’S LAZY, BIGOTED, AND HAS A DRINKING PROBLEM. THE MAN CAN’T BUILD A NORMAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ANYONE, AND HIS LAW PRACTICE IS ONE OF THE SHODDIEST IN THE ENTIRE STATE. YES, I KNOW HIM.”

AT THIS POINT, THE JUDGE RAPPED THE COURTROOM TO SILENCE AND CALLED BOTH COUNSELORS TO THE BENCH. IN A VERY QUIET VOICE, HE SAID WITH MENACE, “IF EITHER OF YOU ASK HER IF SHE KNOWS ME, I’LL HOLD YOU BOTH IN CONTEMPT OF COURT!”

TRANSITION: GOD NOT ONLY KNOWS WHAT WE THINK, HE KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR HEARTS. OUR HEARTS ARE THE PLACE WHERE WE PROCESS OUR THOUGHTS AND THEY THEN AND UP SPILLING OUT INTO OUR ACTIONS.

SO, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD IDEA TO GET A FULL PICTURE OF SIN IN THE SCRIPTURE. THIS WILL HELP US TO DEFINE SIN A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY, UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF FORGIVENESS AND SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF MODELING JESUS IN FORGIVENESS.

I. GETTING THE BIG PICTURE ABOUT SIN

a. WHEN WE TAKE THE TIME TO SCAN THROUGH OUR BIBLES, WE WILL FIND THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST FIVE WORDS THAT ARE USED TO DESCRIBE SIN IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS AND ATTRIBUTES

b. SIN – HAMARTIA

i. THIS IS THE MOST COMON WORD FOR SIN

ii. MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT THIS IS S SHOOTING WORD MEANING TO MISS THE MARK

1. TO FAIL TO HIT THE TARGET WAS A HARMARTIA

iii. SO IN THIS CASE, SIN IS A FAILURE TO BE WHAT MIGHT OR COULD HAVE BEEN IF WE HAD HIT THE TARGET

iv. THE TARGET THOUGH IS GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

1. REDEMPTIVELY, ORIGINAL SIN KEEPS US BY OUR NATURE FROM HITTING THE TARGET

2. BUT EVEN AFTER WE ARE SAVED, WE HAVE A HARD TIME HITTING THE TARGET

v. HOW DO WE MISS THE TARGET

1. WE GET OUR EYES OFF THE LORD

2. WE PUT OUR EYES ON OTHER THINGS

3. WE DO NOT INTENTIONALLY PRACTICE OUR DAILY WALK WITH THE LORD

HEBREWS 12:2 LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, SCORNING ITS SHAME, AND SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD.

a. WHEN WE CONSIDER JESUS WE WILL NATURALLY FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF JESUS

b. RIGHT MODEL = RIGHT RESULT

c. TRANSGRESSION – PARABASIS

i. ALTHOUGH NOT USED AS MANY TIMES AS HAMARTIA, IT IS STILL SIGNIFICANT

ii. IT MEANS TO STEP ACROSS

1. TO STEP ACROSS A LINE THAT HAS BEEN DRAWN BETWEEN RIGHT OR WRONG

2. GOING OUT OF BOUNDS IN A BALL GAME, OR COMMITTING AN INFRACTION

3. GAIN PLAY IS HALTED AND PENALTIES ARE ACCESSED

1 TIMOTHY 2:14 AND ADAM WAS NOT THE ONE DECEIVED; IT WAS THE WOMAN WHO WAS DECEIVED AND BECAME A SINNER.

iii. IT IS A MORE CONSCIOUS AND INTENTIONAL ACT

iv. HAMARTIA INCLUDES THE ACCIDENTAL SIN OR THE UNCONSCIOUS SIN