The Virtuous Kingdom: Evidence of the Reign of God in the Human Heart
The Virtue of Forgiveness
Mark 11: 20-25
Sermon Objective: To encourage those holding grudges to forgive.
Supporting Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35; Colossians 3:13; Hebrews 12:14-15
Series Intro:
We have been looking at Mark chapter 11 for the past few weeks. We have chosen to look at it from specific vantage points … to look at some of the Kingdom virtues God has imparted to the believer. The chapter shows our sovereign King making His way into his Holy City and temple for an official inspection. In doing so, He declares His reign.
“The Virtuous Kingdom: Evidence of the Reign of God in the Human Heart” is an appropriate title for such an event.
We have looked at four virtues already.
† In verses 11:1-11 we discovered the power and importance of living a lifestyle of worship
† In 11:15-17 we praised God for the great gift of prayer. There are so few parameters with prayer and so many blessings! We dare not neglect such a privilege.
† In 11:12-14 & 20-21 we sensed the need to take spiritual inventory and make sure that our spiritual fruit gives evidence of spiritual life.
† In 11:20-24 we discovered the power of living by faith. Trusting God to guide us brings strength, hope, and victory that faulty objects of faith cannot produce.
Next week we will look at the virtue of submission.
But today we will look at Mark 11:20-25:
12The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.
20In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
22"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ’Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
Sermon Intro:
My wife’s family lives in eastern Tennessee; in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. I have taken many motorcycle rides in these mountains and their foothills. They are unlike any other mountain range. There are places in these mountains that the locals call “hollers.” You know what a holler is? It is a place at the base of mountains that is so remote that it gets very little daylight. The mountains on each side of it block the light … things in a holler stay damp, and cold, and moist because of the lack of heat and sunlight.
There is something about an East Tennessee holler that informs Jesus’ words on forgiveness.
Remember, I told you last week that “removing mountains” was a rabbinical metaphor and had nothing to do with a mound of dirt?
Well, the biggest “mountain” in many people’s lives is a grudge. It is a “spiritual holler.” That big mountain blocks the life of God in their life.
The Bible says that holding grudges defiles us … makes us unclean … that speaks to the unresolved need for pardon that Jesus talks about in today’s text. Hebrews 12 says “Make every effort to live in peace with all men … See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Come to think of it, maybe “mound of dirt” is the appropriate imagery on many levels.
Is unforgiveness a great mountain in your life? Is it blocking the flow of the life of God to your faith?
Jesus’ words on forgiving those we hold grudges against takes on depth, deliverance, and empowerment when we look at them through the rubric of God’s reign in the human heart.
Colossians 3:13 says: Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Like the very person you are holding a grudge against, you need forgiveness also. God has offered it freely to you; give it just as freely to them.
You know, after twenty-four years of ministry, I can recite evidence by the yard that this is true. The one thing above all else which seems to block the flow of the life of God to an individual and to a church is this refusal to forgive, this holding of grudges, this desire to make somebody pay, this unwillingness to set these things aside and let God heal all the hurts of life.
From Mark 8:27 onward forgiving each other plays a big role in this Gospel. In fact, Mark is going to hit this topic again before he concludes his story.
Do you know why?
WELL, FOR ONE REASON GRUDGES WERE A REAL PROBLEM FOR THESE FIRST TWELVE DISCIPLES. Remember, Jesus and the disciples had just made a 21 mile trek together from Jericho during which the disciples continually and repeatedly bicker and jockey for power and prestige. They didn’t like each other much right now.
Jesus knew that their relationships with each other were key indicators that God had changed their heart and His reign had come. It might have been the litmus test of all litmus tests. Jesus knew that the entire atmosphere and their entire attitude in life could be transformed if they would forgive each other and let the grudges go.
If they were going to be a witness to the power of God it would begin in the most remote recesses of their own hearts. Forgiving others transforms the forgiver at least as much as it transforms anything else. Why would an on-looking world expect God’s power to work in them if it didn’t work in these disciples that walked with Jesus?
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER REASON THAT FORGIVENESS IS SO IMPORTANT IN MARK’S GOSPEL. HE WITNESSED ITS IMPACT IN A VERY PERSONAL WAY.
This man, Mark, was more fully known in the church by another name; John Mark. John Mark, this Gospel’s writer, was a companion of Paul on his first missionary journey. He is first introduced to us in Acts 12:25; “When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.”
But, John Mark was a youngster and, for whatever reasons, he went home in the middle of the missionary journey. He abandoned Paul and Barnabas.
But Barnabas was a compassionate guy (more so than Paul) and he saw the potential in John Mark. Paul did not. Barnabas wanted to give mark a second chance on the next journey. Paul would not. This was part of the reason these two missionaries (Paul and Barnabas) parted company. The split came in chapter 15 over this issue.
Mark knew he was the reason. He knew that Paul had “issues” with him.
Let me fast forward to the end of the matter. Mark’s relationship was restored with the Apostle Paul. Paul forgave him for leaving him in the lurch. Listen to Paul’s words as he later describes his relationship with Mark. You can sense the renewed fellowship.
† In Colossians 4:10 the Apostle Paul says: “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)”
† In 2 Timothy 4:10-11 the Apostle says: “For Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
Mark had seen firsthand the power and wisdom of forgiving and being forgiven. It is essential if Christ’s people are to serve as His body. It is essential if individual believers want to experience the fullness of life.
Paul and Mark both proved to be “heavy weights” in the early church! Both wrote books of the Bible! Forgiveness is essential for everyone - even “super Christians.”
Wrap-Up
The demand to forgive those who have sinned against you bends to no one. No one is exempt and many will be surprised on judgment day because God does not grade on the curve. It bends to no one – but it has much to offer everyone.
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
THERE IS ANOTHER REASON FORGIVESS IS STRESSED IN MARK’S GOSPEL. IT IS EVIDENCE THAT GOD’S REIGN HAS COME TO THE HUMAN HEART … THE TEMPLE.
It is a sign of transformation. Only Christ’s Spirit can give some people to power to forgive. Some people have been hurt very, very deeply.
Some say, “You do not know what “X” did to me! You do not know how deep they hurt me. This is true. But Jesus knows and Jesus offers you the power to forgive.
Forgiveness does not make light of your pain or of the offense. In fact, forgiveness requires you to own the pain and admit it is real.
Jesus wants us to be free from the power and oppression that anger and grudges carry.
A while back I found myself in a state of depression. Somebody offended me. They hurt me deeply. I didn’t feel I was capable of letting it go. Some of the offense came in the form of emails I received. They were accusative, hurtful and wrong … but they stung! I printed those emails and read them over and over. I rehearsed the hurt in my mind. I nursed it. I developed complex arguments to refute the offender. I didn’t mean to do this but I did. I didn’t mean to memorize those emails line for line but I did. I didn’t mean to carry them around but I did.
I kept asking God to cleanse me of the anger and to remove the hurt but it just grew. It seemed that no matter what I did the offense just sort of hung over my head -- and one day I looked up and it literally was. I had taken the emails, after reading them, and placed them in the visor of my truck. They stuck out readily accessible for me to grab and read and wallow in.
Once the reality of the situation came to me I did a very odd thing … I left them there! I did not remove the offense. But I kept praying for God to heal my hurt. Ironic isn’t it? Finally, I saw the connection. I went out to my truck, removed the emails and shredded them. I told God I would release the offender from the “debt” to me. I would let it all go.
Was the offense real? Yes. But God gives the power to remove the ongoing influence that the offense brings.
Did you know the Greek word used by Jesus for “forgive” means “To no longer be held to a punishment or penalty; to be released from a debt; to send away; to let go?” It is an accounting term. It means somebody owes you big time and you choose to release them of the debt. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Did you know faith in God gives one the power and the strength to forgive? It can remove the mountain!
That is how strong the reign of God is when it comes to a human heart … it can heal anything.
Even you.
He who has ears to hear
Let him hear.
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam (New York) Church of the Nazarene
www.potsdam-naz.org
Children’s Sermon
Forgiving One Another
I’m going teach to you something this morning. I’m going to show you how to catch a monkey! Do any of you have wild monkeys running around your neighborhood? Well, in case there ever is one, this will show you how to catch it.
n Southeast Asia many years ago someone developed an ingenious method to catch monkeys alive and unharmed. The “Monkey Trap” which was developed was very simple, the hunter would take a pot with a wide bottom and narrow opening and bury the pot in the ground to where the opening of the pot was just above the ground. In the pot the hunter would place pieces of fruit or nuts. Curiosity and hunger attract the monkey. The monkey reaches down into the narrow opening of the pot to grab hold of the treat, as the monkey attempts to extract the treat from the pot, he finds that his fist full of food will not fit through the narrow opening. The monkey excited and frustrated will scream as he continues to hold on to his food. This is a sign for the hunter to walk over to the monkey and throw a net over it to capture it. The monkey sees the hunter approaching but instead of letting go of the food the monkey holds on tighter and tries harder to dislodge its arm and fist of food from the pot.
Let me show you … for our purposes today we’ll pretend I’m the monkey and we will place this apple in here!
Just like the monkey, I could release the food and free my hand from the jar. But as long as I keep a grip on this apple, I have to walk around with this vase on my hand.
Did you know that sometimes people act like monkeys? They get caught in a spiritual trap. That trap is called bitterness or grudges. Someone hurts their feelings and instead of letting go of the pain they hold on to it tightly.
This is a trap of the Devil because the grudge that we hold actually hurts us and our loved ones. God knows that we can be free if we will just unclench our fist.
The Bible says in Colossians 3:13 to “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
That word forgive is a very specific word. It means “To be released from a debt; to send away; to let go.”
When we forgive someone for hurting our feelings we are saying “I will act like Jesus and no will longer hold you accountable for your actions. I will ‘let go’ of the pain and release you from guilt.”
So listen guys … don’t be a monkey! Let go of what you’re holding onto and watch Jesus bless you. Okay?
Let’s pray together.
