Forgiveness: If You Don't Give It...you Don't Get It Series

WARNING: This Sermon Contains Material That May Overcome Offense Series

Based on John Benere’s book, The Bait of Satan

Forgiveness: If You Don’t Give It...You Don’t Get It

Oct. 28, 2007 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor

Introduction

A

B The paragraph is not about salvation, it’s about forgiveness.

1 Your salvation is wholly because of God’s grace, & He gives you His love without condition.

a To make God’s love a losable/temporary/conditional/ earnable thing is a violation of Scripture.

aa But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NASB) He loved me before I loved Him

bb For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph 2:8-9 (NASB) Saved by grace

cc For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7 (NASB)

b We’re not saved by our works, actions, or deeds, but by grace.

2 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said* to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matt 18:21-22 (NASB)

a We say, "Offend me once, shame on you; offend me twice, shame on me."

aa Peter’s giving them seven offenses maximum

bb Rabbis at the time had a strict three strikes & you’re out.

cc Jesus said 70 x7...490 x’s. Imagine Peter’s face!

b Who keeps track of that many offenses?

aa That’s the point. "Love keeps no records of wrongs." (1 Cor. 13:5b)

bb By the time we forgive another person 490 x’s, we are in the habit of forgiving them!

c The theme of this paragraph is forgiveness between brothers, not salvation for lost sinners.

3 "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 "When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 "But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26 "So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ’Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 "And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28 "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ’Pay back what you owe.’ 29 "So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ’Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 "But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31 "So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32 "Then summoning him, his lord said* to him, ’You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 ’Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34 "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." Matt 18:23-35 (NASB)

C Let’s pray before we discover about forgiveness: you don’t give it, you don’t get it.

I The landscape of the parable.

A The first servant had a debt to his master that was impossible for him to pay in this life (10,000 talents. Talent was approximately 75 lbs., 375 tons. In gold we’re talking $4.5 to 5 billion).

1 The master forgave him his debt, erased the amount owed, released him from his punishment, & the servant received forgiveness (of $4.5 to 5 billion).