Sermon Central
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Spiderman: Revenge Series
Contributed by Ken Hubbard on Feb 11, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: A sermon on unforgiveness, revenge and bitterness and how they destroy the human heart.
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INTRO Notice the word as in verse 12
We are praying that God will treat us like we treat others
Former President Gerald Ford, in his book, "A Time to Heal", focused on the confusing and tragic twilight of the Nixon presidency. Clearly, Nixon was guilty of a cover-up in the Watergate case, but he refused to admit it. His pride kept him from doing so. If he had been willing to confess his guilt and ask the American people for forgiveness, he would probably have received it.
President Ford then faced a grievous dilemma, Should he let the legal charges run their course and allow Nixon to be indicted and tried? Should he pardon him? If he decided on justice, the process would probably have taken years and would have blotted out everything else in the country until it was over. He therefore decided to pardon the former president, feeling it was the best for the nation.
He explained his decision: "America needed recovery, not revenge. The hate had to be drained and the healing begun."
* I proclaim to some here today
* It's time for hate to be drained
* And time for healing to begin
* We all at one time or another face the choice...
o Revenge or Recovery
* People hurt us
o Wrong us
o Offend us
o Lie about us
o Abuse us
o Mistreat us
o Leave us
* Because of sinful nature
* It becomes a natural response to become...
...bitter
...resentful
...vengeful
* The world is full of broken relationships...
...wounded spirits
...unresolved issues
* People who have been truly hurt
* And never forgive that person
* The unforgiveness grows into bitterness and hatred
* Hatred is one of the most destructive forces in life
o It's like cancer
o It tears down emotions
o It destroys your true personality
o It's poison to the body
o It not only destroys others
o But also destroys you
Shakespeare: "Heat not the furnace so hot that
you singe yourself."
Matthew 18:21-35
We've talked a lot about Peter lately
Honestly, if it wasn't for Peter...
I wouldn't have scripture for half my issues
"And Peter"
Here he asked a question that I am grateful for
Because I had been wronged
And needed God's counsel on how to forgive
The question is not if people will do you wrong
The question is how will you respond
Peter wants to know:
1. How many times do I have to forgive someone before I get revenge
I believe Peter had an anger problem
Peter chose 7 because
The Jewish law required you forgive someone 3 times
So Peter doubled that and added one as a bonus!
He thought he had a bargain!
Peter's issue here is not if he'll forgive the person
He just doesn't want to over forgive
Jesus is not giving a math lesson here
Nor is He giving you a number chart to check off your forgiveness to offenses
70x7 -- every time is like the first time
490 1xweek -- take 9 ½ years
To illustrate this Jesus gives a parable:
I want to break it down into three points:
1. A Debt
2. A Deal
3. A Dungeon
1. A Debt -- vs 23-25
* 10 thousand talents
* The entire tax on Galilee for one year was 200 talents
* The man owed an equivalent of 50 years of taxes on the entire region of Galilee
* The average working man would have to work 20 years in order to earn one talent
* This man would have had to work 500 years to pay back the debt
* In our money it would equate to 10 million dollars
* The point is that it was an un-payable debt
Expand salvation story
2. A Deal -- vs 26-30
He paid a debt He did not owe
Exactly what Jesus did on the cross
o The slate is lean
o The debt is canceled
o All we have to do is ask
o Redeemed...financial word
This man who had just been forgiven
Throws another man into prison
I proposed he really didn't want payment, he wanted punishment
There are some whose offender has apologized
But you think that you are punishing them by holding a grudge
And not letting them off the hook
The man only owed him 100 Denari
Which is about 100 days wages
o In today's money that's about $15
He puts the man in jail until he can repay
Not only is the man ungrateful he is unreasonable!
