Mercy triumphs over judgment — that’s what the Word of God says. And if we’re honest, every one of us here needs mercy. We’ve needed it before, we’ll need it again before the day’s over. If it weren’t for the mercy and compassion of God, where would we be? Utterly consumed. Gone. Done for. But His mercies are new every single morning.
That means every sunrise brings with it a fresh outpouring of God’s forgiveness and compassion — not because we deserve it, but because He’s merciful. We receive from Him mercy, and likewise, He calls us to give to others what He’s given to us. “Blessed are the merciful,” Jesus said, “for they shall obtain mercy.”
So here’s the question today: Are we becoming more merciful, or are we becoming hard-hearted?
We are called to be tender-hearted, having hearts of compassion — not quick to anger, not quick to criticize. And the only way that happens is when we realize how much mercy God has already given us just to keep us in fellowship with Him. If God didn’t continuously pour out mercy, none of us could get near Him. The only reason we can come into His presence at all is because of His mercy.
And I wonder sometimes — are we, as a church, really ready to face that truth? Because mercy isn’t about how we feel; it’s about who God is. We can’t give people what they deserve and still claim to be like Jesus. Nor can we give them what they give us — that’s just human nature. No, we’re called to take on the character of Christ.
All the hallelujahs and praise-the-Lords don’t mean much unless we’re walking the walk and showing the fruit of the Spirit.
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There are many issues facing the church today, but I’ll tell you one of the greatest practical challenges we face: judgmentalism. Right behind it come its traveling companions — accusations, gossip, slander, and faultfinding. Those aren’t fruits of the Spirit. They come from another source entirely.
Satan knows exactly what he’s doing. He knows that a house divided cannot stand. He knows that division weakens our witness and cripples our power.
And it starts with little things — rejection, bitterness, impatience, unforgiveness. When these things are nurtured in a congregation, the result will always be the same: division.
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In Matthew 24, Jesus warned that in the last days many — not a few, many — will be offended. Love will grow cold. Faith works by love, and when love grows cold, faith stops working. You can’t walk in faith when your heart is frozen with offense.
How many people today are trying to live a life of faith while quietly nursing grudges? Trying to pray big prayers while holding on to small wounds? It doesn’t work. Bitterness and faith cannot live in the same heart.
So let’s take inventory. Are you mad at somebody? Just a little? Irritated at someone in the pew across the aisle? Carrying a silent wall toward someone at work, or even in your family?
The devil knows where those cracks are. And so does God. But the good news is — God’s mercy can fill every crack if we let Him.
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Here’s the truth: There are no perfect people. None. Not a one in this room. And if we’re going to have healthy relationships — in our homes, in our friendships, or in the church — we have to get really good at forgiveness.
Forgiveness cannot be a one-time event. It has to become a lifestyle.
Jesus keeps forgiving us. Every day we live, He keeps covering, cleansing, and restoring. There’s no relationship with Jesus without ongoing forgiveness. The same is true in our relationships with each other.
You might say, “But people offend me!” Of course they do. They’re people! And we offend them too — half the time without even realizing it. Everyone’s walking around slightly wounded and not always sure why.
So forgiveness has to be immediate, instinctive, ready. The Bible says, “Resist the devil at the onset.” The minute you feel offense beginning to grow — that little irritation, that flare of anger, that hurt feeling — stop it right there. Nip it in the bud.
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Let’s be honest: How many of you have had the opportunity to be offended this past week? (I’d probably see every hand go up.) How about today? Maybe even this morning before church?
There are folks offended at the pastor, offended at the conference, offended at their spouse, their parents, their kids. We are letting little offenses divide God’s people — and if we can’t handle the little ones, how will we stand when the real test comes?
That’s why today’s message is titled “490 Times?”
Because Peter came to Jesus one day and said, “Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother? Seven times?”
And Jesus replied, “Not seven, Peter. Seventy times seven.”
That’s 490.
Now, let’s be clear — Jesus wasn’t giving us a math problem. He was giving us a lifestyle. If you’re keeping count, you’ve already missed the point. The principle is simple: forgive as many times as it takes.
This isn’t about counting offenses; it’s about living free. Because the moment you stop forgiving, you start imprisoning yourself.
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When someone hurts you, it’s like they owe you a debt. The Lord’s Prayer says, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
And if you refuse to forgive, that debt becomes your burden to carry. The other person might be out having a good time, unaware or unconcerned, but you’re the one lying awake, replaying the scene, getting bitter.
When you forgive, you’re doing yourself a favor.
You’re saying, “God, I release them into Your hands.” And when you do that, you hand the debt over to the only One who can truly bring justice.
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Some of us spend years trying to collect what’s owed to us — emotionally, relationally, spiritually. But friend, that account will never balance. Only God can do that.
He says, “Vengeance is Mine. I will repay.” Either He’ll do it, or you’ll try to do it — but both of you can’t.
If you keep collecting debts, God won’t move. But if you release them to Him, He will bring justice in His way, in His time.
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Now, let’s talk about what happens in our minds. You ever catch yourself going through the day, and suddenly you realize you’ve been replaying an old offense? Maybe a conversation from years ago, and you’re winning the argument this time.
That’s how the enemy keeps us trapped.
But Scripture says, “By beholding we are changed.” If we keep beholding bitterness, we become bitter. If we behold Christ, we become merciful.
Don’t let your thoughts roll around in the cesspool of offense. Lift your eyes to the cross. That’s where mercy lives.
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This message isn’t for someone else; it’s for you. For me. For every heart that has ever been hurt.
Unforgiveness blocks your relationship with God. It weakens your faith. It steals your joy.
You might say, “But what they did wasn’t right!” You’re right — it wasn’t. But neither is what we’ve done, and yet God forgives us daily.
We expect grace for our mistakes but justice for everyone else’s.
Can we not give just a little mercy? Can we not let people be human without writing them off?
Love, Scripture says, is not easily offended. Yet we’ve become experts in taking offense.
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When Jesus said “seventy times seven,” He wasn’t talking about tally marks. He was teaching the rhythm of grace.
Forgiveness isn’t weakness; it’s strength under control. It’s choosing peace over pride.
If we’re going to walk in power, we have to walk in forgiveness.
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Let’s talk about pride for a moment. Pride says, “I’ll forgive when they apologize.” Mercy says, “I’ll forgive because Jesus forgave me.”
Philippians 2 says that Jesus humbled Himself. And if we’re going to follow Him, we’ll have to humble ourselves, too.
Sometimes, even when we’re right, God says, “Zip your lips.” You ever had that happen? You had the perfect comeback ready — and the Holy Spirit whispered, Don’t.
Why? Because it’s not about justice; it’s about obedience. Pride always wants the last word, but mercy walks away in peace.
We don’t need to prove we’re right when we already know we’re right with God.
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Unforgiveness doesn’t just wound the soul — it shuts down your faith.
Mark 11 says, “Have faith in God… and whoever shall say to this mountain, be thou removed… and shall not doubt in his heart, it shall be done.”
We love that part. But Jesus goes on: “And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone.”
Forgive, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you.
Faith won’t move mountains when there’s a wall of unforgiveness between you and God.
You can’t pick verses 22 through 24 and skip 25 and 26. The same Jesus who promised power also commanded mercy.
If you want mountains to move, make sure your heart is clear.
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Now let’s look at Paul. The man who wrote half the New Testament — beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, betrayed. Yet in 2 Timothy 4:16, he said, “At my first defense no one stood with me… may it not be charged against them.”
That’s forgiveness talking. That’s spiritual maturity.
No wonder Paul walked in such power — his heart was free of offense. You can’t be filled with grace and full of grudges at the same time.
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And what about Jesus? Hanging on the cross, the crowd mocking, the soldiers gambling for His robe — and He says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
That’s the heart of God.
And here’s something to think about: Jesus cared more about what sin was doing to them than what it was doing to Him. He wasn’t obsessed with being hurt; He was concerned for their souls.
If we could ever make that shift — to care more about what people are doing to themselves than what they’re doing to us — forgiveness would come easy.
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In John 20, after His resurrection, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain them, they are retained.”
That means if you hold on to an offense, it stays with you. But if you release it, it’s gone.
You don’t want to hold on to what God wants to take away.
And if you don’t release it, you risk becoming like the very thing you hate. By beholding you become changed.
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So pray this way: “Lord, breathe on me. Fill me with Your Spirit. Help me to be quick to forgive.”
Don’t wait until you’re offended to start forgiving — pray ahead of time. Jesus said, “Pray that you enter not into temptation.”
Before you step out each morning, ask God, “If anyone hurts me today, help me be merciful. Help me to release quickly.”
That prayer will save your peace, your relationships, maybe even your health.
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Because unforgiveness is poison. It clogs the soul. It weighs you down. Proverbs says bitterness dries the bones. Some people are physically sick because they’re spiritually bitter.
When you let go, healing can begin.
Unforgiveness is spiritual dirt. It dulls the heart and steals the joy.
But joy comes when the inside is clean.
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Let’s go back to Joseph. Thirteen years in prison for something he didn’t do. Betrayed by his brothers. Lied about. Forgotten. If anyone had a reason to be bitter, it was Joseph.
Then one day his brothers stood before him — trembling, guilty, desperate. They said, “We’ll be your slaves.”
Joseph could have said, “You remember that pit? You remember selling me? You remember what you did?”
But he didn’t.
He said, “Am I in the place of God? You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”
That’s forgiveness with power.
When you can look your offenders in the eye and bless them, you are walking in divine strength.
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Unforgiveness is spiritual bondage. Forgiveness sets the prisoner free — and then you discover the prisoner was you.
You can live in peace again. You can laugh again. You can worship again.
You don’t have to carry yesterday’s pain into tomorrow’s promise.
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Maybe you’ve said, “I’ve forgiven, but I’ll never forget.”
Friend, real forgiveness doesn’t mean amnesia; it means no longer collecting interest on the debt. You can remember the story without reliving the pain.
So cancel the debt. Release the punishment due. Let the record go.
It’s not about them; it’s about you being free.
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And maybe, as we close, you realize you need forgiveness from God. You’ve carried guilt and shame for too long. You’ve thought, “I’ll get myself together first, then come to Him.”
No, friend. Come now. God doesn’t ask you to do what He’s not willing to do Himself. If He commands us to forgive freely, it’s because He’s already forgiving freely.
He’s ready to cancel your debt, release your past, and cleanse your heart completely.
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Whatever He says to you, do it. Don’t reason, don’t argue — just do it.
Forgive. Let go. Breathe again.
And as you do, you’ll feel the power of God rise up inside you, because forgiveness unlocks faith, restores peace, and multiplies joy.
That’s why Jesus said seventy times seven.
Because mercy never runs out.
