22) Lead Us Not Into Temptation! Series

22) LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION

TEXT: Matthew 6:13

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Today, as we continue our journey into the Word of God,

Our focus remains firmly fixed on discovering...

“...those things most surely believed among us” (Luke 1:1).

In our previous lessons, we have already looked to some of the things

We believe about God, and about God’s Word,

While today, we will again look towards our firm belief in Prayer.

More specifically, it will be our continued study of “The Lord’s Prayer”

That we will seek to gain learning and inspiration from.

Remember in Luke 11:1 – we find one of Christ’s disciples coming to Him

And saying: ...Lord, teach us to Pray.

And it’s through the example of “the Lord’s Prayer”

That Jesus has begun to reveal to us – the kind of heart we should pray with,

And the kinds of things we should actively be praying for.

On that note, I want you to return with me to Matthew Chapter 6.

Lets pick up our reading now in verse number 9:

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: - Jesus says,

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

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Now it was really the topic of Forgiveness

That we all left off from a week ago in verse 12.

Here Jesus openly demonstrated to His disciples

The types of things they should be praying for,

Forgiveness – being specifically named among of them.

Remember of course, there were two distinct aspects

To the type of forgiveness Jesus is talking about.

Firstly, there is God’s forgiveness of us, - ...forgive us our debts – Jesus says,

And Secondly, there is Our forgiveness of others - ...as we forgive our debtors.

Now most of us readily understand that we are sinners

And that we have need for God’s Forgiveness in our lives.

And we covered all that in previous lessons.

But what we have more difficulty coming to terms with

Is our need before God – to forgive others.

And make no mistake - there is a clear mandate given here by God

That we will be doing this in our lives.

The inference here in The Lord’s Prayer is simple.

Jesus said: “Pray like this saying – Father, forgive us…

As we, in the same way look to, forgive others.”

Of course, as we saw in our last message

The notion of forgiving others – can be problematic for some.

And the reason for that is simple…

Our feelings and misnomers about why we should forgive get in the way.

One of the most common misconceptions people have...

And we covered this last week,

Is that there needs to be a just cause or reason to forgive.

In other words – we feel forgiveness must be earned.

We think - perhaps if someone is genuinely remorseful or apologetic,

Then our forgiveness would be justified to them.

But is this the criteria Jesus placed around the Forgiveness of others?

Let’s not forget that when Christ Himself was being crucified on the cross

He prayed: “Father forgive them – for they know not what they do”

You see, Jesus was openly willing to forgive others who wronged Him,

And it wasn’t because they showed any remorse...

Or somehow earned His forgiveness.

And do you know what – in the same way...Jesus forgave you and I.

We didn’t earn it, and we certainly didn’t deserve it...

But our sins and the eternal debt we owe the Lord has been forgiven by Christ Jesus

Remember, in Matthew 18:21 Peter came to Jesus and said:

Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Again, What kind of criteria does Jesus place around the forgiveness of others?

Do we forgive once, do we forgive twice – do we forgive seven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times:

but, Until seventy times seven.

You see, there is no set conditions around when we forgive, what we forgive...

Or around how much we should be forgiving others.

Jesus simply prayed - And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Let’s not forget that this whole principle of forgiveness

Was then taught rather effectively through the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.

In fact, Jesus likened the Kingdom of Heaven as being like...

A servant that owed an impossible debt to the king,

A dept so large, he would never have been able to repay it.