Forgiveness

Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiveness we need to give it

1. Forgiveness is a Christian virtue

• October 2006, a gunman took hostages in a one-room Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. In an act of horrifying violence, he shot 10 children, killing five, and then he committed suicide.

• The Amish community responded in a way that surprised many, by offering forgiveness to the murderer and his family. A Amish man said , “How can we expect forgiveness if we can’t give”

2. Forgiveness to the Amish is rooted in Jesus

• One scholar Tim Keller, said this is not what our society does our secular culture is not likely to produce people who can respond as the Amish did.

• This scholar saw that the Amish ability to forgive was grounded in the fact that “at the heart of their faith was a man dying for his enemies.”

• The Amish followed Jesus, a man who gave his life and forgave his tormentors in an act of love and spiritual strength.

• In the Amish world, “this self-sacrificing figure Jesus was seen, sung, believed, rehearsed, and celebrated constantly. “One man said, “We have to forgive,” “Jesus forgave us of our sins. How can we expect forgiveness if we can’t give it?”

• Forgiveness was understood to be “the greatest gift and virtue.”

3. The greatest example of forgiveness is Jesus

• For the Amish, Jesus is always on center stage.

• They follow and know the meaning of the question that Peter asked Jesus: “Lord … how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Not “seven times,” said Jesus, “but, I tell you, seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22). Jesus is about forgiving

4. Forgiveness is giving up your right to pay back a person who hurt you

• Scripture teach us that’s what Jesus did he could have called 10,000 angels Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels Matthew 26:53

• There is a song by Ray Overbolt 1959 “He could have called ten thousand angels To destroy the world and set Him free. He could have called ten thousand angels, But He died alone, for you and me.” Forgiveness is giving up your right to pay back

5. Jesus talks about forgiveness in the text

• Jesus said, “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves” (v. 23). This person owed a tremendous debt in the text.

• The king decides to sell the slave, his wife, his children and all his possessions. In response, the slave falls on his knees before the king, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything” (v. 26). Then the king takes pity on him, releases him and forgives the debt.

6. The first slave is forgiven a tremendous debt

• yet he demands payment for what another slave owes him

• The first slave, who is now free of grabs the second slave by the throat and says, “Pay what you owe” (v. 28).

• The second slave falls down and pleads with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you” (v. 29). But the first slave refuses and takes action to throw the second slave into debtors’ prison.

• The community of slaves in the kingdom sees what is taking place, and they are greatly distressed. They go to the king and file a report.

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7. Response of the King

• Then the king summons the first slave and rebukes him for not having mercy on his fellow slave, in the manner of the king showing mercy toward him.

• Then he hands the unforgiving slave over to be tortured, until he pays his entire debt.

• “So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you,” concludes Jesus, “if you do not forgive your brother or your sister from your heart” (v. 35).

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8. Finally, what can we learn about forgiveness

• Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian faith we need to keep Jesus at the center.

• Let Jesus be the center In our church. Let him be the center of our personal lives

• Let Jesus be the center of thoughts and actions follow his teachings remember the one who gave his life and forgave his tormentors in an act of love and spiritual strength.

• This means that Jesus is the center of our songs, our beliefs and our celebrations. When we maintain this focus, forgiveness remains our greatest gift and virtue.

• Jesus has forgiven us. Jesus expected the first slave to forgive after he was forgiven

• Jesus says for us to forgive as we have been forgiven

• Remember the Amish man said, “We have to forgive,” “Jesus forgave us of our sins. How can we expect forgiveness if we can’t give it?”