Forgive Our Debts Just As (Part Two) Series

“Forgive Us Our Debts As...”

Dismiss Grove KIDZ

OKAY – let’s do this...

AND MGCC – I want to let you know right out of the gate, THAT - we are going to be diving into some serious truth this morning. TRUTHS - that many of us would rather not deal with. TRUTHS - that most of us would prefer were not true and would rather ignore all together.

BUT LISTEN – ignoring the truth does not make it go away.

IN FACT – it only make it more difficult to deal with when we no longer can run from it.

NOW – Isaiah 55 says that just as the rain and snow comes down and accomplishes God purpose to water the ground and cause things to grow and flourish.

SO IT IS – with His word... AMEN?!

UNDERSTAND – God has a purpose for His Word this morning, and I am confident that it will accomplish the purpose that He has for it this very day.

OKAY – we read the following in Matthew 18...

Peter came to Jesus and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” “I tell you, not seven times,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.

For this reason,

(because I am calling my followers to such: radical, outrageous, unreasonable and seemingly impossible forgiveness)

the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began to settle accounts, one who owed 10,000 talents was brought before him.

(which as I said last week, would take someone over 200,000 years to earn)

Since he had no way to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt.

“At this, the slave fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!’ Then the master of that slave had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan.

“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’

(this would take someone... about 4 months to earn)

“At this, his fellow slave fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he wasn’t willing. On the contrary, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed.

When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened.

“Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’

And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” - Matthew 18:21-35

Prayer

MGCC - welcome to our verse by verse study of the Gospel of Matthew...

NOW – last Sunday we began unpacking the following 12 words from the Lord’s prayer.

and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

AND ALSO – these words of Jesus that gives us additional commentary on those 12 tough words in the Lord’s prayer.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. – Matthew 6:14,15

NOW – in order to more fully understand what Jesus meant when He told us to pray...and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

We began to answer a few extremely important questions

Why should be ask God for forgiveness?

Because of what sin does

Sin separates us from God

Sin makes us an object of God’s wrath (Romans 6:23)

Because the debt we owe is unpayable (in fact the only thing that can pay it, is the blood of Jesus)

Because God loves to forgive us (John 3:16; Luke 15)

When does God forgive our debts?

WHEN - He says that He forgives our debt.

REMEMBER – He is the offended party and therefore it is up to Him alone when we are forgiven.

AND MGCC – where do we find what God says?

ANSWER – in His Holy Spirit inspired, God breathed, living and active Word.

When does God forgive our debts?

When a Jesus-follower confesses (1 John 1:9)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9