March 8, 2015
Morning Worship
Text: Matthew 18:21-35
Subject: Forgiveness
Title: Gaining Freedom Through Forgiveness
One night last week I was awakened, I assume by the Holy Spirit, and I got out of bed to write down these words; “Unforgiveness is bondage”.
So I took the Lord’s lead and began to prepare the sermon for this week on forgiveness – or really on unforgiveness…
Then I read the devotional for Friday morning.
Let me read it for you in case you didn’t have a chance.
Power of Forgiveness
Here are four things you need to know about forgiveness: (1) Forgiveness doesn’t make what happened to you right, it means you’ve made a decision not to let it control your life. By forgiving and attempting to restore the relationship, you reclaim your peace of mind. If the other person refuses to acknowledge what happened or that it was wrong, the offense can and should still be forgiven. Forgiveness doesn’t depend on the other person; it depends on you. (2) Forgiveness matters, even when the offending party refuses to admit guilt. When you wait for someone to admit he or she was wrong, you’re placing your future in that person’s hands. Forgiveness is first and foremost for your own benefit, not the benefit of others. By forgiving, you’re letting the pain and hurt go and moving forward. (3) Your willingness to forgive can move the other person to seek forgiveness. Perhaps the person who hurt you doesn’t feel they deserve to be forgiven. Or they may know what they did was wrong, but lack the courage to step forward and ask for forgiveness. When you make the first move, it opens the door and allows them to reach out and find mercy and understanding. (4) Forgiveness is easier when you accept that we all need it. When you refuse to forgive because you think someone’s offenses are greater than your own, that’s pride. And “God opposes the proud but favors the humble” (1Pe 5:5 NLT). The Bible says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Once you realize the depth of God’s grace toward you, it’s easier to extend grace to others.
I want to read a passage to you from Matthew 18. I want to focus on verse 21-22; and 35.
Matthew 18:21-35 (NKJV)
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'
29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'
34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
I believe this is God’s word…
I believe it is for me…
I accept it as mine…
I appropriate it to my life today…
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
In Matthew’s gospel we see that Jesus had just finished teaching about how to deal with someone who has sinned against you. Step 1) go directly to him… 2) take others with you… 3) take it to the church… Matthew 18:17 (NKJV) … But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
How interesting it is to me to see that Jesus gives the proper procedure to be followed and then answers Peter’s question by saying, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Even if someone does not repent when you approach them Jesus says it is your responsibility to forgive them anyhow.
The number 7 is the number of perfection or completeness in the bible. So Jesus says we must continue to forgive until we are perfected or complete… or until He returns.
Do you understand what unforgiveness does to you?
Unforgiveness is bondage… how many time have you said, “I can forgive them but I will never forget?” And we think that somehow we have met the requirements for forgiving others. It’s not true… I said it’s just not true. When you cannot forgive you place yourself into bondage to the one who has harmed you. You allow them to control you – not just spiritually, but emotionally and physically.
Matthew 6:9-12 (NKJV) …Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
So when we consider what true forgiveness is we have to look at the way God forgives us.
Isaiah 43:25 (KJV)
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
You see, when you say you have forgiven, but continue to hold on to the memories you set yourself up for bitterness to control you. In Genesis we read the story of Jacob’s 12 sons and how the older 10 sons were jealous of Joseph because he was his father’s favorite. Granted, Joseph was young and foolish in how he shared the dreams God had given him. But for his brothers there was no forgiveness in them. And they allowed that bitterness to rise up in them to the point where they were first of all ready to kill him, and then ended selling him into slavery.
Joseph on the other hand, forgave and walked with the Lord all the while he was in Egypt. And we never read about Joseph holding a grudge against his brothers. What we do see though is the manifestation of the work of God continually in his life. Even though throughout his whole life he was falsely accused and was wronged he never gave up trusting the Lord.
I remember hearing on The Focus on the Family radio program years ago that, “forgiving means giving up your right to get even”.
So if we are to forgive others the way God forgives us what are we supposed to do? Not only say we forgive, but to actually give up the bitterness that dwells in us because someone hurt us. If you cannot allow those things to fade from your life, if you continue to harbor anger, I want you to listen to this… you are allowing that anger and unforgiveness to become idols in your life. If you can’t forgive the same way that God forgives you have set yourself up for bondage.
Romans 6:16 (NKJV)
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
Is unforgiveness sin? What does it lead to? Death… Not just spiritual death.
A recent nationwide survey revealed that 97% of doctors believe that positive emotions can affect the body's ability to fight disease.
Heart rates and blood pressures were 2 1/2 times lower when participants forgave than when they held grudges. Holding a grudge also made them sweat, a sign that their nervous systems were on high alert. Forgiveness left them feeling calm and in control. "Participants felt significantly more negative, angry, and sad during the unforgiving condition than during the forgiving condition,''
gentleness and forgiveness prevent those toxins which the anger tends to create, and the sum result is health instead of illness.
From Charisma Magazine,
In all this, the Bible simply says, "I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." (Psalm 139:14 NKJV). The body is God's masterpiece.
More and more the world is becoming "conscious" of the need to care for the human body so that we can live healthy and longer, which is good. As a believer in Christ Jesus, we need to praise and worship God for His marvelous creation.
God made man an intellectual, moral and physical creature with spiritual responsibility and integrity. Man was created to express God's own nature of love, to receive His love and to share His love. Man did not evolve or arrive on earth by accident; but as we read, he is fearfully and wonderfully made for a purpose.
What's in your heart affects everything you do. Are you full of bitterness, hate, jealousy or unforgiveness? These are some of the issues of life that cause addictions. We are looking for a way of escape instead of facing the truth and taking responsibility for our actions.
A healthy physical heart comes from a healthy spiritual heart. Lack of care for our physical heart comes from a lack of care of our spiritual heart. That is the heart of the matter.
"The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit (heart)?" (Proverbs 18:14 NKJV). "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit (heart) is like a city broken down, without walls" (Proverbs 25:28 NKJV). You do have an enemy and he has one goal: to steal, kill and destroy. You, child of God, have a big God and He desires to give you abundant life (John 10:10 NKJV).
How do you truly forgive? Well let me say this, “it may not be easy…” But holding on to bitterness opens the door for the enemy to have his way in you…
That person did you wrong… go ahead and get even!
You can forgive but you don’t have to forget…
Forgetting just opens the door for you to be hurt again…
Listen to me; those are all lies from your adversary. He wants you to stay stirred up. He wants you to carry that anger with you. Because he knows that if you do, you are opening a door for him to bring sickness into your body and a broken relationship with the Father.
So what do you do?
First, understand that this is a spiritual battle being fought for your mind and thoughts, because the enemy knows that if he can control your thoughts he can control everything about you.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (NKJV)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Second, understand that the devil is trying to set up strongholds in your mind. He is constantly trying to block the Holy Spirit from getting through to your spirit to move you in the right direction. But you have what it takes to pull down those strongholds…
Thirdly, …bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ… Every time you think about that person who has wronged you, take that thought into captivity and tell the devil, “No, I have forgiven them. I love them with the love of Christ. I may not approve of what they have done but I will not allow it to control me. I am in control. My spirit-man is receiving confirmation by the Holy Spirit that I am a child of God and if I am a child of God then I am able to forgive the same way my Father has forgiven me – completely and forever.
35 So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
I can forgive because I am forgiven…
I will not remain in bondage…
I am set free from bondage because I am able to truly forgive…
