Matthew 18:21-35
“The Great Debt”
“There is a great debt that we owe, but forgiveness is offered freely.”
Sunday Morning Sermon -- Southaven
01.14.07
Intro:
VIDEO “Crazy Women” – Youtube.com
(Start with Text and Title)
Discussion:
That’s a crazy video isn’t it? I can’t help but think how crazy they are – both of them are NUTS – if you added just a hint of self-control, a touch of common sense or a bit of compassion the whole situation wouldn’t have escalated at all. I’m also haunted by the fact that I can relate to that video more than I care to admit. Take away the cars and the parking lot situation and add a different formula – a work environment, a softball field, a shopping experience, and I know that I relate more to that video, than I should. The thing is – if you were honest, given the right situation, you could possibly see yourself doing the same thing – a harsh word, a bad attitude, a small dent here, a small ding there – be honest, none of us are perfect.
It’s so foreign to the human mind to think that someone could do something to you or say something about you or even at you – and you could rise about and not fight back. Here’s the thing church – If God has set inside your heart an image that looks like him, that has the same character that he has – it includes forgiveness. It includes rising above, not because you are better than everyone else, but because you understand how much God has had to overcome in seeking a relationship with you.
Turn with me – if you have your Bibles to (Advance) Matthew 18:21-35 (read)
You have all heard this story – I’m sure of it. Let me set it up some of the back ground for you –
Jesus and his disciples are in Capernaum – surrounded by large crowds of people. The disciples hit Jesus with a couple of good question – “Who’s the greatest in the kingdom?” “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?” From that question comes a teaching moment where Jesus really turns the kingdom thinking upside down – Greatness is completely different in heaven than it is here.
Jesus and Peter are involved in this dialogue – and from that we get our text – Peter asks Jesus a really good question.
How many times shall I forgive my brother – I think a deeper question in the mind of Peter –
(Advance)
I. When Can I Stop? (21-22)
a. When am I justified?
i. Still considered righteous
ii. Still in line with God’s will for my life
iii. Still in tune with the faith that I profess
Is there a point where I can be alright with God, and not forgive my brother?
b. Peter offers a number
i. Seven Times? (Lord, Can I stop after 7 times?)
1. He’s being generous
3 was the limit according to the law. In the Old Testament, in some situations God made three the limit, the Jews took those few occasions and made universal law out of it.
Hey, that seems fair – 3 times – off with your head, these boots are made for walking – kind of mentality.
c. Jesus says – NOT 7 times but 70 times 7 – 490 (so there is a limit?)
i. The idea – there isn’t a limit.
Amanda is my wife – but she’s also my sister in Christ. If I take this simple principle and apply it to my marriage: work with me for a minute. In August we’ll be married 12 years (assuming we make it) – that’s 624 weeks. I’m a pretty good husband so say she only needs to forgive me twice a week that 1048 times – which is MORE than double the amount that Jesus says. There is not a time you can stop forgiving.
d. You will always get to forgive
i. Co-workers for the things they say – maybe their attitudes
ii. Your parents – maybe they made some mistakes
iii. Friends – maybe they say things that aren’t always uplifting.
iv. Marriage relationships –
v. People in the parking lot…
vi. Maybe even people you don’t like – try forgiving them.
e. You were not intended for un-forgiveness –
I have a 98 Ford Explorer – it’s good for city streets, maybe pulling a light trailer. If I took my Ford Explorer and ran it around the track a Daytona – it wouldn’t last very long. Not because it’s a piece of junk or that it’s a Ford (that’s not it at all). It was not intended for the race track at Daytona. It would not perform at it’s highest.
i. You were created for works of service – which assumes unity and togetherness – both are impossible if we don’t forgive each other when it needs to take place.
ii. You are not at your Christian best when you allow un-forgiveness and resentment/revenge into your life.
f. Forgive because you need forgiveness
It’s so easy to see ourselves – WAY UP HERE and everyone else way down there – Someone said in a group of 10,000 people you will have every sin imaginable – Murderers, rapists, adultery, alcoholics, homosexuals – Everything.
i. It’s comfortable to see myself – WAY UP HERE (Close to GOD)
ii. My sin – isn’t that bad – I don’t smoke, drink or chew – or hang with girls that do….
I wonder if this isn’t the idea Peter had – there has to be a limit to forgiveness…
Reality says – God had to overcome some pretty huge obstacles to have a relationship with me – he’s had to be pretty patient with me – here’s the most important – I’m not done. I’m still growing and learning and he’s still patient with me. While there is some pretty huge sin that I’m not guilty of, what I have done that separates me from my creator if I look at it through his eyes – Is pretty HUGE. Yet, he offers me forgiveness, if I repent and turn from my sin, back to him – regardless. He doesn’t stop forgiving me, or you. I can’t justify a time limit or a number that would allow me to stop forgiving those who sin against me – again it’s not that Christians are the perfect source of forgiveness – the opposite is true – sometimes we are the ones willing to grab on to the forgiveness from God, but unwilling to give that to our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we are going to reach out into our community, and seek after God’s desire to grow ourselves – we must forgive.
Jesus and Peter are talking – and Jesus tells a story: (Advance)
II. There was a man who did stop (23-34)
a. There was a king
i. He wanted to settle accounts with his servants
b. A servant owed him Millions of dollars – was brought in front of him
i. It was ordered that the servant’s family be sold to pay for that debt
ii. The man begged for a chance –
c. The king
i. Took pity on him
ii. Cancelled his debts
iii. Let him go
This man – the servant – had an incredible thing happen. He owed a debt which in all honesty he couldn’t pay back. If his whole family was sold into slavery and worked all their lives the king is still losing money. So the king cancels the debt – forgives the man. What an amazing thing! He never has to worry about the debt again. If you came along and paid all my debt, it would be easy to be gracious to those who owe me – If I truly accept the forgiveness.
d. This man – we’ll call him “Mr. Forgiven”
i. Goes out –
1. Finds a fellow servant (someone on the same level)
2. He is owed a few dollars – CHANGE
“Mr. Forgiven” takes his new found forgiven status and grabs and chokes a fellow servant for a debt many times smaller than the one he was forgiven of.
e. The servant
i. Begs and asks for patience
ii. He promises to repay – does that sound familiar?
“Mr. Forgiven” refuses to listen, instead he has the man thrown into prison until he could repay the debt. I’ve never been to prison, but my guess is, there’s not a lot of money making opportunities. He was being sentenced to a lifetime of labor over a few bucks.
Other servants heard what was going on – they told the king everything. The king called “Mr. Forgiven” back into his office – reminded him of his forgiven status, and then punished him for his lack of mercy.
How crazy it is – that forgiven people won’t forgive those around them for smaller things. How unlike God it is – that sometimes his very people – the ones who call on his name – the ones who should know forgiveness the most are the ones who take ownership of it the least.
Jesus Continues and says: (Advance)
III. Here’s why you shouldn’t stop (35)
(Advance)
Matthew 18:35 (NIV) "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
a. The Kingdom of heaven suffers
i. When we are given normal everyday chances to forgive and we don’t.
ii. When we are given chances to reach out with forgiveness and refuse, or miss the opportunity.
I think the key is something not related to the acts done against you. Or the amount of things you must forgive from any one person. I think the key is very simple, and yet often over looked.
b. Taking ownership of the forgiveness that has been given to you..
c. Understanding the great debt that you owe – and the debt that you can’t pay, realizing there are many – MILLIONS of people on the same level.
Conclusion:
Years ago – When I was still in high school we had this yellow Labrador, Charlie. He was the best dog. My dad took him everywhere. He would chase rabbits, and cats, and freebies – just your all around good dog. My dad took him to the farm with him – totally normal thing. My uncle – my dad’s brother-in-law – and my dad were not happy with each other – for years arguments about property lines and petty disputes plagued our family. My uncle apparently carried a 9MM loaded gun on his tractor – and to make a long story short – he shot my dog, Charlie died the same day.
For several years I had nothing to do with my aunt or my uncle – and justifiably so. All this time – I was attending church, dedicating myself to preaching ministry, making excellent choices – expect for one. I didn’t offer forgiveness for this horrible act. For many years I didn’t really believe I needed to, almost convincing myself that I had already forgiven him, but I didn’t need to tell him about it.
Several years later my aunt retired from teaching – went to the doctor because she wasn’t feeling good – realized that she had 3 months to live, and would die from cancer. Before she died my dad called me and told me she had just a few hours to live – knowing the un-forgiveness, mistrust and burned bridges I told my dad, “You need to go and tell her you love her and say good-bye.” He didn’t want to but went anyway. The day of the funeral was the hardest for me – not because of my aunt, she had a good life, and didn’t suffer too much. The hard part was facing my uncle. It was with tears and trembling that I shook his hand, and gave him a warm, “I love you, and I’m sorry”.
It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever wanted to do. Left up to just me – self says, I am better than he is, because his sin puts him way down there, and somehow – I’m way up here. But here’s the truth – All of us have fallen short of God’s glory. All of us have had chances, opportunities and even choices we’ve done something different than what God desires. All of those things still separate us from God, and a barrier is built between the creation and the creator, between the redeemer and the redeemed.
We have an opportunity, a chance this morning to set things right between us and God and possibly offer forgiveness to someone in our lives. Maybe we are the offending party, maybe we are the ones who acted quickly, harshly, and without thought. God wants us to get it right – He wants us to make good choices this morning, and this coming week, this coming year when it comes to the area of forgiveness. It starts with accepting the forgiveness that God offers freely. The Bible says – “You will find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Maybe you have never accepted God’s forgiveness, please take the time the morning to accept his forgiveness – Perhaps you’ve accepted his forgiveness and you’ve had chance after chance, reason after reason to forgive people – maybe things you didn’t ask for, and you’ve allowed that un-forgiveness to build up, through distance and justification. I encourage you this morning to make things right – if you want to make a public decision – for accountability, we will lovingly encourage you.
We’re going to sing a decision song this morning – come if you have a decision to make.
We are going to stand and sing.
The video can be downloaded from youtube.come and is very effective, it’s a scene from Malcom in the middle.
