Seventy times seven
Matthew 18:21-18:35
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. ’Be patient with me,’ he begged, ’and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go.
28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ’Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ’Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 "Then the master called the servant in. ’You wicked servant,’ he said, ’I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
I am sure if most of us gathering here this morning were to put a label on yourselves, it would be that you are a Christian.
Many churches this morning have met and broke bread as we have also done and in many churches this service as advertised as the breaking of bread service or a ‘service of thanks giving’
But what are we thanking God for? Is the main theme of service of thanks giving to thank God for all the material wealth that you have
no it is to thank God for dieing on the cross and forgiving us of our sins.
When we ask God to forgives us from our sins and come into our are heart we get lot more than we ask for
We are brought out of the darkness and into the light, into the family of God we are given so much power through Christ to lay hands on the sick and they will recover
God picks us up and forms us into the people He had made us to be.
God has given us so much power that when the demons see us coming the tremble with fear
This morning ask yourself is there a gap in your armour?
When I was preparing this message I was spending time thinking God what would you have me speak on
Then I came across a song from a group Whiteheart they were a Christian Band from the 90s they sang a song called ‘Seventy times seven’ you can get it on youtube. The song Got me thinking.
God has given us so much power and we throw it all away through unforgivness and bitterness and pride
the devil many times does not have to make us fall we can throw it all away ourselves because someone has done something to us or talked about us.
Our reading this morning tells us that if we don’t forgive others God will not forgive us.
Jesus says it in a number of places:
in Matthew 7:2
For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
in Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.’’
Paul says it in Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
James says it in James 2:13
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
There are times in our life were we find it very easy to forgive people.
What if someone pulls your heart out jumps all over it and walks away, you are alone hurting you done nothing wrong you have been wronged
im sure many people have experienced it you feel dead you cry out to God but when you cry out to God this person comes between you and God you lift up your Bible and every time you read the person comes up
God tells you must forgive them but you can thinks of 101 reasons why not to forgive them
Unforgivenss will ruin relationships
will stop the move of God in your life in our church
it will stop the plan of God for your life and only you have the power to stop it in its tracks.
According to our reading this morning we have no right to hold unforgiveness against any one I don’t care what they have done to us as a Christian we don’t not have the right to say to someone I will never forgive you for what you have done on me.
It sounds very harsh statement but you can start out being the victim and then become the aggressor.
The amazing thing is that when some one does wrong to us we will always be able to get people to see it from our point of view mostly the will confirm to us how much the other person was wrong they will give us council usually on how they see it not how the Bible sees it before you not it they don’t like the person that has wronged you and they gave birth to hate in there own life.
My advice to you is run away from people who give you’re their council and not Godly council,
Godly council will be what you don’t want to hear when you have been wronged
Matt 5 43
43"You have heard that it was said, ’Love your neighbour[ and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you: Love your enemies] and pray for those who persecute you
Romans 12
Love
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d]says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[e] 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Unforgiveness will turn to hate you will become a person that you don’t recognise
You will loose your joy your peace the call of God on your life .
We need to over come pride in our lives to be able to forgive
Im sure many husbands and wives have had to odd fight and boyfriends and girlfriends too you get all picture and no sound
Its not a great feeling im told someone needs to back down before the past gets pulled up
noone whats to say sorry because that means your in the wrong
That is pride
When Jesus died on the cross he tool all our shame and guilt on His shoulders but still we let pride stop us form forgiving others
We need to say sorry even when we are not in the wrong trust me you will feel better after it
Forgiveing people is not going up to people and saying a list of what they have done and say to them but im going to forgive them even though they don’t deserve it
In closing
We need to forgive in order to be forgiven unforgivness in our life will ruin our lives
19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d]says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[e] 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
