WEBVTT 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:04.080 Hello and welcome to the Redemption Church Podcast. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:12.560 We're a church in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada that exists to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission and the spirit of the Great Commandment. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:14.480 Thanks for joining us today. 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:15.919 Good morning. 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:22.640 So I want to start by sharing a familiar story to many of us. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:26.480 It is the story of Cori Temboom. 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:37.759 See, Corey and her family lived in Holland during the Nazis' invasion in World War II, and they worked actively against the Nazis by hiding Jewish people in their home. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:48.240 Eventually they did get caught and were sent to concentration camps, and that's where Corey and her sister Betsy were faced with the most inhumane conditions. 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:58.000 The camps were plagued with such diseases, they were forced to hard labor, all while being starved to death. 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:07.120 And I recognize, even as I describe this to you, I've done such a disservice to what really transpired in those camps. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:10.719 See, the Nazis just didn't neglect the prisoners. 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:16.640 The camps were designed to inflict the worst kind of evil to prisoners. 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:29.359 And yet, despite these conditions, Corey and her sister managed to smuggle a Bible into the camp where as best as they could, as best as they could, encourage people with the word of God. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:38.959 Betsy would later die in the camp, and it's only by God's sovereignty where Corey was accidentally released through a clerical error. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:52.560 And so she would go the rest of her life going through speaking engagements, and not just to talk about the horrific scene of these concentration camps, but to express the need for forgiveness. 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:06.640 And so he approached her after one of these engagements, and these are his words as he talked to her. 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:13.120 To think that, as you say, he has washed away my sins. 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:17.120 Wanting to shake her hand, Corey froze. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:20.639 Memories of the concentration camp rushed back into her. 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:23.439 Her body boiled with anger. 00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:34.000 She wrestled with preaching forgiveness and now stood face to face with the opportunity to exercise forgiveness. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:39.599 And so, saying a silent prayer, she asked God for help, help to forgive this man. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:46.319 And this is what Corey had to say about what she learned about this interaction with this former SS guard. 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:48.000 This is Corey's words. 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:58.719 And so I discovered that it is not our forgiveness any more than our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but his. 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:05.919 When he tells us to love our enemy, he gives along with that command the love itself. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:15.439 See, Corey understood that the ability to forgive others could only be possible by the love and compassion that God has forgiven us. 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:22.000 And I can't help but wonder when I hear stories like this, like, how would I react? 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:24.240 Like, how would you react? 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:28.960 Could you extend your hand and shake hands with a former enemy? 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:37.439 Could you extend forgiveness to someone who ultimately would be responsible for killing your father and your sister? 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:39.919 It seems impossible. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:46.719 How can forgiveness like this even be possible with such evil and injustice inflicted on somebody? 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:55.120 And yet, when we read our passage this morning, we'll see that although forgiveness is hard, it is necessary. 00:03:55.759 --> 00:04:03.360 That if we are a true follower of Christ, if the forgiveness of God is in us, we too must forgive. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:06.879 And that's really the main point of our passage this morning. 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:10.719 The main point is forgiven people forgive. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:13.840 That forgiven people forgive. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:20.959 And so I'll invite you to stand with me as we read Matthew chapter 18, starting at verse 21. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:27.839 If you don't have a Bible with you, ushers will be coming down the aisle and just raise your hand and they'll put a Bible into your hand. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:31.920 And if you don't own a copy of God's word, well, this is our gift to you. 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:42.160 Matthew 18, starting at verse 21. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:51.839 Then Peter came and said to him, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:54.160 As many as seven times? 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:59.759 And Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, seven times, but seventy-seven times. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:07.120 Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:12.720 And when he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:21.360 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold with his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:26.879 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, Have patience with me, I will pay you everything. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:34.319 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:44.160 But when the same servant went out, he found one of the fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seized him, and began to choke him, saying, Pay what you owe. 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:49.279 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, Have patience with me, I will pay you. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:55.759 He refused, and he went and put him into prison until he should pay the debt. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:04.879 And when his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported it to their master all that had taken place. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:13.680 Then his master summoned him and said to him, You wicked servant, I forgave you all the debt because you pleaded with me. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:18.959 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you? 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:25.279 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers until he should pay all his debt. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:34.959 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:36.639 Please be seated. 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:50.480 This parable comes in the middle of Jesus instructing his disciples on the kind of community living we ought to experience. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:56.399 The kind of character qualities that each of followers of Christ should exhibit. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:02.319 See, in this chapter, in chapter 18, Jesus teaches on several things. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:10.720 He teaches on humility, how to deal with temptation, on repentance, on restoration. 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:17.199 And here in this parable, we see Jesus teaching on forgiveness. 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:22.399 And notice that the parable comes in response to a question Peter had. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:31.680 Peter asked a question, and Jesus had just gone through the process of what you should do when a Christian brother or sister sins against you. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:40.240 And we won't go into the detail, but Jesus essentially saying, hey, if a brother has sinned against you, you, you go and talk to him. 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:47.199 The person who's been offended, the person who's been sinned against should go to the sinner and talk to him. 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:58.959 And honestly, I would love to just really unpack what that really means and the benefit that would have on the individual and the person who was sinned again, actually even corporately, but we just don't have the time. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:07.680 And so to give you just context and summary, Jesus says, go to the brother that sins against you. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:12.720 And if he doesn't listen, take two or three witnesses. 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:17.920 And if he doesn't listen to two or three witnesses, take it before the church. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:26.879 And if he doesn't listen to the church, while you are to sever the fellowship from him entirely. 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:30.879 And so Peter asks a very logical question. 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:36.799 He says, Well, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:39.679 As many as seven times. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:44.559 Now Peter wasn't just taking a stab at the dark by saying seven. 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:51.840 The Jewish practices at the time, the rabbitic teachings at the time, said that you are to forgive someone three times. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:57.360 If a brother sins against you three times, well, you are to forgive him all three times. 00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:02.159 But but if he sins against you a fourth time, well, kind of out of luck at that point. 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:11.360 And so Peter, knowing this, offers up somewhat a more generous number and says seven. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:13.360 Now, why seven? 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:14.879 I'm not entirely sure. 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:22.000 Maybe it had to do with that seven represents the number of completion, but what I do know is seven is greater than three. 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:22.960 Right? 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:32.399 But the fact that Peter is counting the very number of times he's forgiving someone means Peter doesn't really know what forgiveness is. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:35.679 He hasn't quite understood what forgiveness is. 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:44.159 And so Jesus responds to Peter saying, no, not seven times, but 77 times. 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:47.120 Some translations say 70 times seven. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:58.000 Jesus is using a hyperbole hyperbole to emphasize that forgiveness is not tied to a quotient, it's not tied to a limit like three or seven or seventy-seven. 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:07.519 But rather, Jesus wants his disciples to practice forgiveness wholeheartedly and constantly. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:13.600 Jesus is saying that forgiveness is a heart posture. 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:15.600 That forgiveness is a heart posture. 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:30.799 And then he goes into this parable to illustrate where forgiveness comes from and how forgiveness looks like when delivered, and what forgiveness looks like when it's withheld, and the consequences when that occurs. 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:40.720 And so the first point I want to draw out from our text is that I am forgiven by God's compassion. 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:43.360 I am forgiven by God's compassion. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:47.840 The parable starts with a king who wants to settle accounts. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:53.679 And so brought to him was a servant who owed 10,000 talents. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:59.200 Now, there's a lot of debate over what the modern day equivalent of 10,000 talents was. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:04.720 And a lot of that has to do with the fact that a talent is not a currency, it's more like a weight. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:06.559 Think of it like pounds and kilos. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:15.600 And so the parable, the parable doesn't really say if it is 10,000 talents of gold or 10,000 talents of silver or whatever other metal or precious metal there is. 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:20.960 But they estimated that a talent was worth about 20 years of labor. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:27.039 And so 10,000 talents is 200,000 years of labor. 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:32.879 Some commentary suggested this is in the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:35.120 Some even said trillions. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.480 But the exact amount is not important. 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:42.799 The point is this was no small amount. 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:46.159 This was not a debt that could be paid now or ever. 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:54.080 And unable to pay, the king ordered him to be sold. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:57.360 His wife, his kids, and all that he had. 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:04.159 And don't think of this as a settlement, like now that's washed away the 10,000 talents. 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:09.360 This wasn't settlement, this was punishment for a debt that could not be paid. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:19.840 So in desperation, the servant falls on his knees and says, Have patience, I promise I will pay everything. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:23.279 Now notice notice the absurdity. 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:33.279 This is 10,000 talents, hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars, and the servant says, I'll pay, I'll pay it all. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:38.559 He had the wrong understanding of the magnitude of his debt. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:45.120 One who is bankrupt had no possible way of paying such an enormous debt ever. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:54.799 And the only appropriate response should have been the servant falling on his knees and begging and begging the king for forgiveness. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:59.440 And so just look at look at verse 27. 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:05.360 The king's response to his absurd comment about patience to pay it all. 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:07.360 It says this. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:15.919 And out of pity for him, the master of the servant released him and forgave him the debt. 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.879 The king could have done anything. 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:24.320 It was within his rights to sell him and his wife and his kids, as crazy as that sounds to us. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:25.840 That was his right. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:29.679 He could have thrown him in prison until the debt was paid. 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:31.039 That was his right. 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:42.240 And yet, moved with compassion, the king forgave him of his debt entirely, canceling a debt he could not pay. 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:49.440 See, what we're witnessing here, what we're witnessing here is the king's forgiveness. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:53.759 The servant had an insurmountable debt. 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:56.799 Hundreds and billions of dollars. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:01.120 Not being able to pay, but but make no mistake, payment was made. 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:06.080 The debt was paid, loss was incurred, and that was the king's. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:10.159 The king paid the debt, the king incurred the loss. 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:14.399 And this is the picture of forgiveness. 00:14:14.639 --> 00:14:18.480 See, forgiveness is the cancellation of debt. 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:21.840 Forgiveness is the cancellation of debt. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:26.799 And although the debt of the servant was cancelled, the king ultimately bore the loss. 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:37.840 And what the Lord is doing, what Jesus is doing, is as he's saying this parable, what he's doing is he pointing forward to the cross and what would occur by the work of the cross. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:41.679 So let's look at Colossians 2, 12, uh 13 with me. 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:43.039 It'll be behind me on the screen. 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:44.559 Let's read it together. 00:14:48.080 --> 00:15:09.600 And you who were dead in trespasses, in your trespasses, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. 00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:15.360 This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:18.799 See, we Christians, we were dead to our sins. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:26.240 We sinned against God, severing a relationship, creating a debt that we could not pay, and it was God who forgave us. 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:29.600 It was God who paid the debt that we couldn't pay. 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:42.879 And we read here in Colossians that the payment for the penalty of our sins, the cancellation of our debt, was nailed to the cross when a holy God poured out his judgment on his perfect son for our sins. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:52.159 See, like the servant who incurred such a massive debt, the king incurred a loss to cancel that debt. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:54.559 And the question we must ask is why? 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:55.440 Why? 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:57.360 Why did God forgive us? 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:00.960 Why did the king cancel such a massive debt? 00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:05.200 And in verse 27, it says, out of pity. 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:06.799 Out of pity for him. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:13.440 And don't think of the word pity the way we use it today, like, ah, I felt sorry for him, so I just wiped it clean. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:17.600 The word pity here means to have your heart go out to someone. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:21.679 It means to have compassion, an act of tender mercy. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:29.679 And I'm hoping you're seeing right now the common theme that's being strung together as we go through the series of the parable. 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:35.440 It's God's compassion that draws him to forgive us. 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:44.639 The same compassion that the Father showed to the prodigal son when he ran out to the prodigal son and fell on him, embraced him and kissed him, a sign of compassion. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:53.200 The same compassion that the good Samaritan went over and bound the wounds of a half-beaten death, half-beaten person on the side of the road by death. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:54.879 I think you understood that one. 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:06.799 And now we are seeing God's compassion through the lens of a king who forgives a servant of an unpayable debt. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:14.319 See, the king demonstrates the same compassion that Mike read over this morning. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:19.519 The same passage demonstrates the compassion of our Lord, and let's reread it together. 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:22.160 Micah 7, 18 and 19. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.680 Again, it'll be behind me. 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:26.960 Who is a God like you? 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:32.799 Pardoning iniquity and passing over transgressions from the remnant of his inheritance. 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:39.680 He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:42.240 He will again have compassion on us. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:45.279 He will tread our iniquity underfoot. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:51.200 You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:53.279 And this is so foundational. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:57.920 See, we read of the driving force behind why God forgives us. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:03.839 God forgives us because he delights in steadfast love for us. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:07.599 It is his love that drives him to pardon our iniquity. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.599 It's his love that drives him to pass over the transgressions of his people. 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:16.480 And it is his love that casts our sin into the depths of the sea. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.079 And he does so. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:24.480 He does so because he delights in steadfast love for us. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:32.160 And what's so incredible here is when you stitch together this passage in Micah with the passage we just read in Colossians. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:35.920 Both passages point to forgiveness. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:46.400 While we were dead in our trespasses, while we were dead to our sin in our sins, while we were spiritually bankrupt, he forgave us. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:51.200 He canceled our debt, nailing it to the cross, and he did so. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:55.680 He did so because he delights in steadfast love for us. 00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:59.759 See, God moved with love, forgave us. 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:09.119 See, there's no sin in this world that we haven't already committed against God, and yet God demonstrates his love by forgiving us. 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:13.440 See, this is true, this is why, church, that we are to forgive. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:19.279 See, we being forgiven by God, we must forgive others. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:24.480 Our forgiveness towards others demonstrates our love towards not only God, but God's people. 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:27.680 It could be said this way that love is of evidence. 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:31.359 Love is the evidence of a forgiven heart. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:36.319 Love is the evidence of a forgiven heart, and so guess what? 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:38.000 It's it's heart check time. 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:41.920 How is your affection to God's people? 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:49.599 Is it like the compassion described in Micah 7 that pardons iniquities and passes over transgressions? 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:56.480 Is it like the compassion shown by the king who forgives his servant of an unforgivable debt? 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:02.559 Is your life indicative of such love and compassion? 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:06.240 Because you know it is. 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:10.160 You know it is when someone sins against you. 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:13.839 And upon being asked for forgiveness, you forgive. 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:19.119 You forgive regardless of the number of times that they've sinned against you in the past. 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:29.440 You know it is when upon extending forgiveness, get this, get this, you truly, you truly forgive. 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:38.319 Not harboring resentment or anger or bitterness towards them, not avoiding them in the future, not acting unloving towards them. 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:48.079 You know it is when someone sins against you, and you don't rehash all the times that they sinned against you in the past. 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:53.920 See, when you've truly forgiven someone, the debt is canceled. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:55.200 The debt is canceled. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:21:00.240 But if you recount all the number of times they've sinned in the past, well, you truly haven't forgiven them, have you? 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:07.359 All you've done is weaponized it, using it like a loaded gun, ready to go, ready to fire the next time they mess up. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:24.079 You know your life is indicative of such love and compassion when you're able to uh reconcile the forgiveness of God has shown you with the way you are to extend forgiveness towards others. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:31.680 See, if if this is if this is not how forgiveness is characterized in your life. 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:32.319 Thank you. 00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:35.039 Then can I encourage you just to meditate on scripture? 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:46.480 Scripture like we've read here in Colossians, scripture like Micah, scriptures like Romans 5 8, but God shows his love for us, and while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:47.119 Think about that. 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:49.359 While we're yet sinners, Christ died for us. 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:59.759 While we were enemies of God, while we weren't even sorry yet, while we were hostile to God, while we still hated God, God forgave us. 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:03.440 Christ died for our sins. 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:18.160 See, I can't think of any other verse that demonstrates the unconditional love God has for us, that sums up the depravity of our sinful nature and the incredible magnitude of God's compassion expressed through his forgiveness. 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:22.400 And so when Peter says, How often should I sin against my brother? 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:27.039 We aren't to forgive because they haven't reached a forgiveness quotient. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:34.319 The reason we are to forgive others is because we are recipients of incredible forgiveness ourselves. 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:39.279 We are debtors to it to God when we could not pay a debt to him. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:43.119 And yet God grants us forgiveness in Jesus Christ. 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:51.599 See, this is so important to understand that we aren't forgiving people because we are kind, loving people. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:53.440 That wasn't in us. 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:56.480 We forgive because God loves and forgave us. 00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:04.799 It could be said like this: God's forgiveness towards us fuels our forgiveness towards others. 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:18.240 And until we truly understand that, church, until we truly understand that, we will fail to show the compassion and love required to extend forgiveness to others. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:23.279 See, the reality is the servant completely missed that. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:30.400 The parable continues with a focus on what the servant does next. 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:39.279 And this brings us to our second point, and that is if I am truly forgiven, I will become forgiving. 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:42.880 If I am truly forgiven, I will become forgiving. 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:56.160 You would expect a servant who just got forgiven 10,000 talents, millions, if not billions, of dollars, be just full of joy, like just being like his day was made, right? 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:02.799 But look how the servant responds to the incredible compassion that the king showed him. 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:06.720 In verse 28, look at with look at it with me. 00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:21.839 But when the same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii and seized him and began to choke him, saying, Pay what you owe. 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:29.039 We have someone who's just been forgiven millions upon millions upon millions upon millions of dollars. 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:35.920 Approach a fellow servant who owed a hundred denai. 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:38.640 Now, this was no small amount. 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:43.119 A hundred denarii, uh, one denarii is about uh a day's worth of labor. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:47.200 And so a hundred denarii would be a hundred days of labor. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:52.880 But in comparison, in comparison, this was so, so insignificant. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:57.839 Though the debt was large, it certainly would have been manageable. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:05.680 And the servant seized him and took him by the throat and began to choke him, demanding for uh payment. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:11.680 And pleading with him for patience, the servant declined and threw him into prison. 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:17.759 And so when the word got back to the king, you can imagine how angry the king would have been. 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:28.319 In verse 32, look at it with me, it says, You wicked servant, I forgave you all the debt because you pleaded with me. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:34.480 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you? 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:40.559 See, the actions of the unforgiven servant demonstrates his wickedness. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:46.160 At the very core of it, his heart was not transformed by the forgiveness that the king had showed him. 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:50.240 See, the English language kind of dilutes verse 33. 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:55.440 It almost comes across like a mere suggestion, like, oh, shouldn't you have forgiven uh shown him mercy? 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:56.480 Like, shouldn't you have? 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:59.920 But in the original Greek, it's it's far more assertive. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:06.960 It says, it was necessary, it was necessary for you to have had mercy as have I had mercy on you. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:12.079 See, a transformed heart must result in changed life. 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:18.160 One who has been truly forgiven by God must then display that same forgiveness to others. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:30.079 Those who are recipients of extraordinary mercy should act in accordance with the mercy that they themselves have received. 00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:37.759 And the very action of the unforgiving servant demonstrated, was evidence that his heart was not transformed. 00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:42.400 He was not changed by the forgiveness shown by the king. 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:54.079 And so, of course, as a result of that, his master takes the unforgiving servant and throws him into prison and says, You will stay there until you pay the debt, all of it. 00:26:54.319 --> 00:27:01.039 Otherwise known as a life sentence, because this debt would never be paid back for all of eternity. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:15.519 And so, examining our own life, examining our own life, or are there people in our life that we withhold forgiveness from? 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:22.240 Has there been people in our lives that hurt us one too many times that we're like, alright, enough's enough? 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:28.720 That you've cut off, that you're not gonna deal with them anymore because they've messed up one too many times. 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:37.119 Or perhaps you don't even realize that you're holding a grudge against someone, or you lack forgiveness. 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:40.079 You just kind of decide to cut them off and ignore them. 00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:41.920 That's the easier path. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:46.160 Just avoid interacting with them. 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:54.880 Where just thinking about them brings thoughts of bitterness or resentment, where you choose to avoid rather than confront. 00:27:57.599 --> 00:28:04.799 Are there people in your life where your interactions with them or your opinions of them are unloving? 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:10.720 Listen, unforgiveness is so destructive. 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:16.640 You you you would have heard the saying before, it's like drinking poison and hoping the other person would die. 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:21.680 It's costly, it leads to anger and bitterness and resentment. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:26.880 It chokes the love within you that only allows things to fester and grow. 00:28:28.720 --> 00:28:32.240 It's costly, leading to anger, bitterness. 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:33.839 It weighs on you. 00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:40.079 See, whether you realize it or not, like a lack of forgiveness is like carrying a backpack of bricks. 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:45.519 Anytime you think of that relationship, it just it just weighs on you a little a little bit more. 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:49.519 It's a prison for your soul. 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:57.599 Where you're being controlled by the lack of forgiveness, what you do or what you say depends on if that person's around. 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:01.920 Or perhaps you just try to ignore it. 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:06.240 Or try to sweep things, sweep it under the rug. 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:08.079 Hopefully it'll go away. 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:09.119 Like, have you ever tried that? 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:11.359 Like sweeping things under the rug? 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:13.039 Like it eventually comes out, right? 00:29:13.119 --> 00:29:17.359 And and when it does, when it does, it's it's so much worse, isn't it? 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:19.599 It's so much worse. 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:25.279 You just blow up over something small, but it had nothing to do with something small, it had everything to do with that other thing. 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:39.119 I remember when my wife and I and the kids were um having dinner one evening, and I should preface that this makes me look horrible, but um I am a loving husband that puts his family first in all aspects of life. 00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:41.440 You don't have to fact check that, just believe me. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:42.160 All right? 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:47.519 And so uh we're at the dinner table, and I noticed that I was the only one without water. 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:49.200 Like, I know, could you believe that? 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:50.559 And so I just blew up. 00:29:50.640 --> 00:29:53.680 Like I could not believe I hear it, I know, okay? 00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:55.119 But I just blew up. 00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:58.240 And I just remember Beth just looking over and it's like, really? 00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:00.319 Like, over over water? 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:07.759 But but but the real the reality is it had had nothing to do with water, and it had everything to do with what happened the day prior. 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:14.480 But but what I'm trying to illustrate to you is what occurs when you try to sweep issues under the rug. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:22.799 Hidden sin is growing sin, and when sin is not addressed, it grows and it festers and it turns into bitterness and resentment. 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:28.319 And when it comes out, because it always, it always comes out, it's just so much uglier. 00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:33.359 Sweeping it under the rug only makes it worse. 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:48.720 See, if you are truly understanding the depravity of our sinfulness and God's lavish grace, who forgave you of your sins, and being recipients of this, you too would extend such forgiveness towards others. 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:54.640 And maybe perhaps it's not an individual that comes to mind. 00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:59.119 Maybe it's the church as a whole. 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:01.599 Like, can we be honest with ourselves? 00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:03.759 Church hurt, church hurt, it's a real thing. 00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:05.200 It's a real thing. 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:11.759 You expect the most from Christians, and yet it seems like Christians seem to do the most damages to damage to other Christians. 00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:21.200 Like, God has called us to be a community of believers, to do life with one another, to be in constant living with one another, and it seems like every time we try that, we get hurt, doesn't it? 00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:26.000 And and uh can I say, like, if that's you, if that's you, like, fantastic. 00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:27.200 That's amazing. 00:31:27.519 --> 00:31:28.559 That is incredible. 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:37.119 I would say, as much as if if you are not being hurt by God's people, I don't believe you are living the way God has intended us to live. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:47.839 See, we live in a broken world amongst broken people, and when broken people do broke a life together with other broken people, the outcome is not perfection. 00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:49.759 It's often messy. 00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:53.759 So we shouldn't stop, we should stop it expecting perfection in our relationships. 00:31:53.920 --> 00:32:14.400 See, when when we do life together, when we go beyond service level conversations, when we serve side by side in ministries, when we are vulnerable during small groups, when we actually do life together, then these stress factors of these situations will require something from us. 00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:24.960 There's a reason why God instructs us to extend forgiveness and compassion and for us to forbear with one another and forgive one another. 00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:27.279 Think of it this way. 00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:38.640 If you and I, if you and I never move past the hi, how are you on a Sunday morning, the odds are, the odds are, I'm hoping, I will I probably won't offend you. 00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:40.720 I'm probably not gonna hurt you. 00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:48.160 But if we move past being strangers to one another and live life like God intends us to live, then I'm then I'm gonna hurt you. 00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:49.039 I'm gonna offend you. 00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:51.920 Not because I take joy in it, because you know why? 00:32:52.079 --> 00:32:58.000 You and I are both sinners and our relationship will be broken, hence why we need God's grace and mercy and compassion. 00:33:00.640 --> 00:33:07.920 So instead of expecting perfection in the relationship, we should expect to extend forgiveness. 00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:12.640 Expect to extend mercy, expect to extend compassion. 00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:22.799 See, God demonstrates his love by forgiving his people, and we demonstrate our love to God by forgiving God's people. 00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:30.319 So forgiveness is the only way we are gonna have meaningful relationships with one another. 00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:34.559 Where there is love, where there is forgiveness, there is a depth relationally. 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:41.759 Where there's a lack of love, where there's a lack of forgiveness, well, we rob ourselves of the gift of community. 00:33:41.839 --> 00:33:45.119 We we rob ourselves of friendship. 00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:51.359 And so I ask you, have you been hurt? 00:33:51.759 --> 00:33:56.480 Have you allowed church hurt to prevent you from getting plugged into church? 00:33:56.720 --> 00:34:02.000 Prevent you from getting plugged into ministries, prevent you from joining ministries like small group? 00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:07.920 Have you allowed church hurt to prevent you from going deeper relationally with others? 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:11.280 See, what walls, what walls have we put up? 00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:16.239 What excuses have we have we rised to avoid getting close to God's people? 00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:21.280 From deepening relationships with God and his people. 00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:24.480 And listen, I'm not just talking about like Christian friends, right? 00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:32.239 Like Christian friends outside of our local church is a fantastic community to have, but I am talking here, locally. 00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:34.559 Redemption New Market. 00:34:36.480 --> 00:34:40.480 And maybe it's not as obvious as like the need to extend forgiveness. 00:34:40.800 --> 00:34:54.480 And as I go through this, as you're thinking through whether it's church or if you're if you're uh preventing or withholding forgiveness, don't think of it as someone like begging you forgive uh forgive me, forgive me, and you're like, nah, I'm not done with it. 00:34:54.639 --> 00:34:59.280 It could look as simple as just like, you know, there's a lack of love in that relationship. 00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:04.000 Or or maybe this, maybe this, like you feel like there's something off with that relationship. 00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:07.920 You can't put your finger quite on it, but you know something's a bit off. 00:35:08.079 --> 00:35:10.239 You feel the tension, but you don't really know why. 00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:12.559 Like, here's this the crazy advice here. 00:35:12.719 --> 00:35:13.599 Go talk to them. 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:14.559 Go talk to them. 00:35:14.719 --> 00:35:26.079 You will find out so quickly whether or not there, you know, there's something wrong and you have to appropriately address it, or we just conjured up some story in our head that prevented us from having a real relationship with God's people. 00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:35.599 The enemy wants nothing more to convince us that we're right, they're wrong, they've messed up, they're not worth our time. 00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:36.639 Let's just avoid it. 00:35:36.719 --> 00:35:37.599 It's easier that way. 00:35:37.760 --> 00:35:40.800 Hey, like five times forgiveness, let's let's call it quits there. 00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:46.559 The enemy wants nothing more to drive wedges between God's people. 00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:53.920 And listen, the effect, the effect is not just between you and another individual, the effect affects the entire church body. 00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:59.760 There's a reason in Corinthians, it says if one member suffers, they all suffer. 00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:03.679 We are joined, very fabric together. 00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:15.360 So the final point I want to bring up to you as we come to a close, and I'm hoping it's not a shocker to you. 00:36:15.519 --> 00:36:19.119 I've been weaving it in through point to point, and this is it. 00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:25.440 If I refuse to forgive, I reveal an unforgiving heart. 00:36:25.679 --> 00:36:29.440 If I refuse to forgive, I reveal an unforgiving heart. 00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:39.440 See, the parable comes to an end with Jesus' sobering words, applying the same metaphoric punishment of the unforgiving servant to eternal punishment. 00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:42.719 Look at verse 35 with me. 00:36:43.920 --> 00:36:53.280 And so my heavenly Father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. 00:36:53.920 --> 00:37:00.800 See, Jesus is saying, the lack of a forgiving heart reveals the wickedness of your own heart. 00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:08.800 And like the unforgiving servant, he was rejected from the king's presence and thrown in eternal punishment. 00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:17.280 And Jesus is saying, if you refuse to forgive one another, then the evidence of the forgiveness of the Father is not in you. 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:22.079 And I wanna be so crystal clear here and to put it so bluntly. 00:37:22.960 --> 00:37:40.559 One who does not have a heart posture of forgiveness, one whose life is demonst demonstrates a pattern of lack of forgiveness towards others, one who does not demonstrate the same compassion and love by the king, who refuses to extend forgiveness. 00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:45.199 Well, they can't be a true follower of Christ. 00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:52.960 See if you if you refuse to forgive one another, then the forgiveness of the Father is in you, is not in you. 00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:56.239 And that that is the point of the parable. 00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:58.639 Forgiven people, forgive. 00:38:00.960 --> 00:38:05.280 We need to understand the seriousness of a heart that lacks forgiveness. 00:38:06.960 --> 00:38:14.320 This is exactly what Jesus has taught a few chapters before, and I'll read it to you before we transition into communion. 00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:17.039 Matthew 6, he says this. 00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:37.440 Being forgiven by God must mean we extend forgiveness to others. 00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:42.960 Someone who does not extend forgiveness to others demonstrates the forgiveness of the Father is not in him. 00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:47.360 It is the evidence of a heart not transformed. 00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:51.920 And so this morning we're going to be taking communion together. 00:38:52.559 --> 00:38:57.360 If you don't have the elements with you, ushers will be walking down the aisle. 00:38:58.000 --> 00:39:01.599 And then just raise your hand and they'll put it into your hands. 00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:10.960 And as we take this meal together, if you are here and you are not a follower of Christ, I just ask that you allow this meal to pass. 00:39:11.679 --> 00:39:18.480 The Bible warns us of taking this cup unworthily, and if we do so, it invites God's wrath into our own life. 00:39:18.719 --> 00:39:24.719 And so I ask that you just spend some time to reflect and consider Christ's invitation to yourself. 00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:32.000 But if you have put your faith in Christ, then this meal is for you. 00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:35.199 Paul asks us to examine ourselves. 00:39:35.599 --> 00:39:42.880 And as we go through or as we went through the parable of the unforgiven servant, I ask that you examine yourself. 00:39:43.199 --> 00:39:45.599 I ask that you examine your relationships. 00:39:45.840 --> 00:39:52.480