WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:00.719 Gate. 00:00:01.280 --> 00:00:02.240 But good morning. 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:04.080 Good morning, CCW. 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:11.039 Why don't you turn your Bibles to Matthew as we can continue our series, Investing in Eternity? 00:00:11.199 --> 00:00:16.160 And it is my privilege to be in this sacred desk this morning before you. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:18.879 And uh I appreciate the opportunity. 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:21.120 Uh we want to continue this week. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:25.679 Pastor Danny gave me one that uh that's a tough one. 00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:27.120 Mercy. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:28.480 Mercy. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:29.839 Here we go. 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:32.079 Matthew chapter 5, verse 7. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:36.479 We're gonna read it, and then uh we're gonna jump in a little bit about it. 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:43.520 Matthew 5, 7, it says, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:44.320 Let me pray. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:49.039 Father, we're thankful to have already been in your presence this morning. 00:00:49.359 --> 00:01:00.079 God, you're in this place, and I pray, Lord, as we were singing, I could just picture you reigning, just in a throne behind us, just pleased at your children worshiping you. 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:02.399 And Lord, I pray that would just continue. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:05.519 That all this would be is an extension of worship. 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:09.680 And God, help us to respond to the word that you've given us this morning. 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:12.640 Thank you for every person that's in this place. 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:17.519 I pray that you would touch their heart, draw their hearts to what you want to say. 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:18.959 In Jesus' name. 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:19.920 Amen. 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:29.280 And so uh as we kind of look back through investing in eternity, what we've learned, Jesus came to give the great sermon on the mountain. 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:33.359 And uh, don't forget the audience that he was speaking to. 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:44.400 He was looking into the eyes of his disciples with Christians around, and then probably a lot of lost people in the background, and he was telling them this great sermon. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:49.040 But what he was discussing was what it looks like to be a Christian. 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:52.879 He was talking to the disciples and saying, these are the markers. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:57.599 And just to recap with some of them, he said, you've got to be poor in spirit. 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:01.200 He said, you have to mourn over our own sins. 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:05.359 He said we had to be meek and lowly of heart. 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:10.240 And last week, Pastor Danny preached on how to hunger and thirst for the right things. 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:14.240 And all of that I would say up to that point was probably okay. 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:18.479 But now he says, you gotta have mercy. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:22.960 It was all hard, but mercy, I want you to understand in the time frame. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:39.039 There was a Roman philosopher named Lucius Seneca who was dated to be alive the same season that Jesus was, and he was quoted as to saying, mercy is the great disease of the human soul. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:44.719 It wasn't real popular to be merciful in these times. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:53.759 I want you to listen to some statements that fast forward to 2021, some statements that we make, and let me know if you agree with them. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:57.680 Statements like, you get what you deserve. 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:01.919 Statements like, you know, they had it coming. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:06.400 What goes around comes around. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:10.479 He made his bed and now he's gonna lie in it. 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:15.919 And my personal favorite, if you lie down with dogs, you're gonna rise up with fleas. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:21.199 Say, Pastor, that those don't really seem all that untrue to me. 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:24.479 But I can tell you this, they're not very merciful. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:34.159 If I define mercy for you this morning, in terms that we understand, it's a withholding punishment that is deserved. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:37.360 Withholding punishment that somebody has deserved. 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:44.240 The Hebrew word is Hesed, and it pertains to God's steadfast loyalty. 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:50.960 The Greek word is ilios, and in the Greek it means compassion and moved by pity. 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:52.319 So marry them together. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:56.560 God is loyal to have compassion and pity. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:09.439 In a time when mercy was seen as ultimate weakness, Jesus looks at the disciples and Christians around and says, This, my friends, is a marker of your Christianity. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:10.960 He says, blessed. 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:19.680 And again, that word blessed, we saw divine congratulations to those of you Christians who can be merciful. 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:23.519 Congratulations to have the mercy capacity. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:27.439 And he says, so be merciful, and then we'll obtain mercy. 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:36.000 So, point number one this morning, I want you in your outline right there to write down this to be merciful, number one, you have to remedy your own hurts. 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:37.839 What does that mean, Pastor? 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:39.199 Remedy your own hurts. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:43.439 You can't give of something that you have not first attained. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:56.959 My son Wyatt, uh, about a week ago was talking to Heather, and for whatever reason, I can't remember if he had off school, but she was alone with Heather and they were going for a ride somewhere, and he said, Mama, why don't we go to Five Below? 00:04:57.279 --> 00:05:02.480 And she looked at him and said, Five Below is like the dollar store on steroids, in case you don't know. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:04.399 It's four more dollars. 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:04.879 Okay. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:08.800 So, and he says, She says, Well, what do you want at Five Below? 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:12.240 And he said, Uh, I want to get Callie and Weston something. 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:15.040 And she looked at him and said, With what? 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:18.639 He said, Your money. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:25.519 I thought it was kind of sweet that he wanted to buy them something, but it wasn't with what he had anyway. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:33.279 And so, understand this: in order to give mercy is something that we first have to have obtained. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:37.439 Letter A is this receive mercy from God. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:39.519 Receive mercy from God. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:44.720 Again, he says, Blessed are those, blessed are the merciful, they'll receive mercy. 00:05:44.879 --> 00:05:54.399 2 Peter 3, 9 says this, the Lord's not slack concerning his promises, but is merciful toward us, not willing that any should perish. 00:05:54.639 --> 00:06:00.959 How many of you in the room, if you had to uplift your hand, would say, I have received the mercy of God in my life? 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:03.199 Absolutely, right? 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:14.319 And if you understand what that is, I want you to turn to a passage and just kind of get a glimpse, Philippians chapter 2, what was involved in that mercy? 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:19.680 Look at Philippians 2, verses 5 through 8, if you want to go there with us. 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:36.639 It says, Paul was writing to the church at Philippi, and he says, Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus, and hear this, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation. 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:50.800 He took on the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as man, listen here, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:56.560 In this scripture, there's a there's a real uh deep theological word here called the kenosis. 00:06:56.639 --> 00:07:01.839 And the kenosis is the literal emptying of himself. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:14.319 Jesus left heaven's glory, emptied all of his self, of his divinity, came to earth in the flesh, and he was obedient and the most merciful act one could be obedient to. 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:48.160 And so you can reciprocate what you've been given. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:50.160 You can deliver what you have received. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:52.800 And he says, receive this relationship. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:54.240 He's looking at this crowd. 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:56.560 You have received, so now you can do. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:58.240 It's not salvation. 00:07:58.399 --> 00:08:06.959 Or Ephesians 2, 8, and 9 would be all wrong, which says, For by grace are you saved through faith, not of yourselves, not of works, lest any man should boast. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:13.839 Now don't miss the next word, the verse, verse 10 says, But we are his workmanship created for good works. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:18.399 So it is a byproduct of salvation to have fruit. 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:21.920 And so he says, You will have mercy if you're a Christian, guys. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:22.879 You'll have it. 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:24.160 It's a fruit of it. 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:28.560 So my question there this morning, are you a Christian? 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:34.879 Mercy is a marker of the membership of the saints. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:38.080 Are you a member of Christianity? 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:40.879 Um, and so letter B this morning is just that. 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:43.679 Recognize the membership of the godly. 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:46.480 I want you to think about a question this morning. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:49.919 Are you a part of any club? 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:52.480 I'm a part of a few clubs. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:54.480 If you had to think about it, you might hit some. 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:56.879 I'm a part of the Anytime Fitness Club. 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:02.000 You can find me there about 7:35 most mornings, and I'm a part of that club. 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:06.799 And because I'm a part of that club, I have certain benefits, and I can go in there and work out. 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:10.080 Um, maybe you're a part of certain clubs. 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:13.279 There is one club that is elite. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:20.720 This club that I'm talking about charges you money so that you can go spend more of your money. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:27.120 It lets you walk around in its club with some of the grandest supplies known to man. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:32.960 This club, in fact, gets me access to 14 packages of butter at one time. 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:38.080 125-ounce containers of sour cream. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:43.679 In fact, at this club, I was hoping some OCD people would notice this back here. 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:47.120 At this club, you can get things such as this. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:52.320 My wife right now is getting excited. 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:57.759 When she sees me carrying, how cool can you look walking around the store with this, by the way? 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:02.639 When I walk around with this, Heather goes, uh, well, you look bulky. 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:06.080 It's a good dad joke, right? 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:10.320 And so, Ben, wherever you are, I know you're gonna come get this. 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:16.639 And so, at that club, I'm able to get things like that, right? 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:17.840 That's the dream. 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:22.080 In fact, Heather will say a full pantry makes her feel safe and secure. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:27.200 And so I know that you think it's a joke, but when she sees me walk with that, she goes, Oh, I like that. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:30.159 I like those big, bulky packages of things. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:37.200 And not only that, but when you're at that club, you get to drive a 14-foot-long cart, which is really cool. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:39.679 And I've only ever seen two employees, right? 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:48.960 The one at the front looking at you suspiciously for coming in, and the one at the gate when you leave looking at you even more suspiciously over your receipt. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:51.679 I am a card-carrying member of a club. 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:53.279 You can see I really care. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:56.399 I'm a part of that club. 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:00.799 But that club gets me certain privileges. 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:02.960 One might say blessings. 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:09.759 Mercy, Jesus says, is a marker of membership in Christianity. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:12.480 You receive blessings because you're a part of that. 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:13.279 It's a marker. 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:21.120 And all of these things, these beatitudes that he's gone through, poor in spirit, mourn, meek, he says, is a part of that membership. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:24.399 Ephesians 2, 4, I want you to hear this. 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:32.480 But God, rich in mercy, because of his great love for us, even when we were dead in our trespasses and sin, made us alive together. 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:36.000 God brings us into membership of this club. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:41.440 When we become Christians, we are Christians through the blood of Jesus Christ. 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:43.759 Now, here's an interesting question. 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:47.600 Can a non-member get the benefits? 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:53.039 Can a non-Christian exhibit spiritual fruits like mercy? 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:54.480 It's an interesting question. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:56.639 Well, I want you to think about a verse that I know. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:02.240 Hebrews 11:6 says, Without faith, it is impossible to please God. 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:07.440 And so asking, can a non-member exhibit this merciful act? 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:10.000 Well, you have to start at the right starting point. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:13.440 God first, church, wants your heart. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:15.360 God wants your heart first. 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:18.080 He wants to wash you deep in his mercy. 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:22.559 And I don't believe that any lost person can do it this way. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:26.799 He wants a godly reciprocation of mercy. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:35.360 And today, there will be an opportunity at the end of this service for every person that hasn't received his mercy to receive it and wash in it. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:39.200 And my prayer is that every hurt would be washed away. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:42.000 Well, that's the easy part. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:47.039 So I want you to look at the person next to you and I want you to say, we're gonna make it through the next part. 00:12:47.440 --> 00:12:49.120 I promise we're gonna make it. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:51.039 But that was the easy part. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:54.720 I want you to turn your Bible over to Matthew chapter 18. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:03.440 To be a practicing participant of mercy, you have to be in the restoration business. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:06.960 Point number two this morning is restore your herders. 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:09.840 You have to be in the restoration business. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:19.120 Now listen, church, it is not lost on me that there are some people here this morning that have been dealt some major hurt in your life. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:24.559 There's people in this room that have had major abuse in your life. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:28.720 And I don't take for a second that lightly in the way that I studied. 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:37.360 And I know there's people here that you have life pain that it seems like there is no reason that it ever happened. 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:45.360 There's people in here that have questioned why God did I come into this life and have this happen. 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:50.159 And I and I want to say as a pastor that I'm sorry. 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:54.240 I'm sorry that you have the hurts that you have. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:14:02.240 And so when we go on to this next portion of scripture, I don't want you to think that it's it's just cast to the side, that you can just do this. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:05.360 I know that this is heavy for many. 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:07.759 But listen to Matthew 18. 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:12.080 We're gonna read verse 21 and 22, and then we'll move forward. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:19.039 Peter came to Jesus and he said to him, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:20.799 Up to seven times? 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:27.120 And Jesus said to him, I do not say to you to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:32.960 And so, letter A this morning, is this the reality of forgiveness, the realities of forgiveness? 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:35.279 Peter asked this interesting question. 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:39.279 He says, Jesus, when is enough enough? 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:43.519 When is enough enough when somebody has offended me? 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:48.080 How many times should I forgive and move on? 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:50.480 And and what I read this week was interesting. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:56.000 He said the market rate on something like this, the market value was about three times. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:59.840 If someone offended, and you would probably say, that sounds about right. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:06.000 If I'm offended three times, the same exact thing, forgive three times, but fourth time, I mean, come on. 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:08.240 That's getting a little much. 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:15.440 And so Peter, I like what Peter does here, being uh spiritually aware of his audience, Jesus says, you know what? 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:18.639 I'm just gonna double the market rate and add one. 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:21.919 Three plus, I'm gonna say, Jesus, how many times? 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:24.720 Maybe, maybe, uh maybe seven? 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:27.440 Look at me. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:29.679 Jesus, seven? 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:31.200 Who would really do seven? 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:32.399 But I'm going with seven. 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:35.919 And Peter says, How about seven times, Jesus? 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:38.799 And Jesus just blows him out of the water. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:40.559 I want you to look at this picture. 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:44.159 You'll you'll recognize these couple of guys that are up here on this screen. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:46.559 And it made me think of what he said. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:49.279 You know what Jesus says? 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:53.759 To infinity and beyond is how you need to forgive. 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:54.720 That's the famous statement. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:57.440 If you haven't seen Toy Story, go home and watch that this afternoon. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:15:57.759 Okay. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:05.120 To infinity and beyond, he says, is how we forgive, and we say, man, that's tough. 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:12.720 And I think if there's ever a time that Peter started scratching his head and said, I, you know, I don't know if I can be a Christian anymore. 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:16.000 I don't know if I can maintain being a Christian. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:21.279 Maybe it was at this point, because Jesus says, you just gotta forgive. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:22.960 You just gotta forgive. 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:23.840 Why? 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:26.399 Because of what was coming. 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:34.720 Jesus was going to perform this act on a cross to forgive all of sin for all mankind forever. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:40.480 And he understood there was a need in the heart of every human to be forgiven and to forgive. 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:42.720 And so he says, in infinity. 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:47.919 But listen to what happens in Matthew 18, verse 23 through 27. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:58.799 Jesus goes on to explain a parable after he says, 70 times seven, he says, Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, in verse 23, who wanted to settle accounts with his servant. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:04.799 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents. 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:13.039 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold with his wife, children, and all that he had, and the payment be made. 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:20.480 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:25.839 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:27.839 We're going to pause there and get back to the scripture. 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:35.680 But I want you to understand the situation, the plight that we see is a man has a big debt, and every debt has a collector. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.319 Am I right? 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:42.640 Any of your credit cards just call you one day and say, hey, we're running a special free of debt this month, right? 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:44.000 Doesn't happen. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:45.839 And this is a major debt. 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:46.880 I want you to understand. 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:49.279 I went back and tried to understand the amount. 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:56.000 One talent, it says, was worth$456,700 in modern time. 00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:56.480 Okay? 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:57.279 One talent. 00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:59.359 He owed 10,000 talents. 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:03.440 Over$4 billion, it would look like in today's terms, in debt. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.559 And they were about to take him and his whole family. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:07.279 Right? 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:09.039 That's a major problem. 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:11.359 Just look at your neighbor and say, he's in a mess. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:14.799 He has a mess in his life. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:16.880 Anybody ever feel like that? 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:21.200 Notice his posture at his mess. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:24.480 Immediately, he throws himself to the feet of his master. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:26.240 This meant something, church. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:28.240 This meant it was serious. 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:31.920 At the feet of his master, he proposes a plea. 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:35.279 He says, please be patient with me. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:39.039 And notice, he doesn't say, be patient with me and forgive my debt. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:42.640 He says, be patient with me and I'll repay it. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:45.759 Be patient with me and I will repay the debt. 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:47.599 Just give me a chance. 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:49.359 Don't sell off my family. 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:51.680 Don't give away all that I am. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:54.960 Give me patience was really his plea. 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:56.319 And I'll keep working. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:19:01.200 And then we see the master, the pardon, he was moved with compassion. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:07.279 The very source, the heart of mercy, is that moved with compassion. 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:15.680 Nine times in the New Testament, it mentions Jesus' name and the next words that follow were moved with compassion. 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:19.359 Jesus saw a blind man, he was moved with compassion. 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:22.799 He saw a need and he was moved with compassion. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:24.400 That's the mercy with him. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:26.720 He was moved with compassion. 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:28.559 Jesus did that. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:33.279 Mercy saved the man in this story, church. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.480 Mercy saved the man. 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:37.759 Oh, CCW, isn't that your story? 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:40.480 Weren't you in a mess too? 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:47.119 And did not our hurts and sins have us feeling like we had a grip in this world that wouldn't release us? 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:53.440 And Jesus came down into that my repit and said, I moved with compassion for you and you. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:59.599 And he came from infinity and beyond with his matchless mercy and grace. 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:01.839 The story doesn't stop there. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:03.279 I kind of wish it did. 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:07.200 I want you to read with me, verse 28 on. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:12.720 We see the realities of forgiveness, but what stops that mercy? 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:19.359 But the servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:21.680 And he laid his hands on him. 00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:30.240 This is the same servant who was given mercy, laid hands on him, took him by the throat, choking him, saying, Pay me what you owe. 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:37.519 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, Have patience with me, and I'll pay you all. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:39.359 And he would not. 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:44.319 But he went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:53.359 When his servants saw what had happened, they told their master, then his master, after all, had called him, said, You wicked servant, I forgave you all of that debt. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:55.039 Because you begged me. 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:59.920 Should you not also have compassion on your fellow servant as I had pity on you? 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:02.880 He was angry and delivered him to the tortures. 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:08.559 And so we see what holds back mercy often is this. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:12.400 Two words I want you to write down, let it be resentment and frustration. 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:19.759 Church, how can we be forgiven so much? 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:26.799 We are forgiven so great a sin, but be unforgiving to others. 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:29.920 How can we be forgiven so much? 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:32.799 How can we do that? 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:35.839 Two words resentment and frustration. 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:39.759 Now I want you to understand 100 denarii was not a small debt. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:44.960 It wasn't near the billions, but it was about four months' wages. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:52.559 Uh I started doing some multiplication, looking at some things, and I want you, I want to show you a slide of what was going through my mind about this. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:54.160 I want you to look up here. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.920 It's coming. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:58.000 A slide about sin. 00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.440 So one sin. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:03.920 When it comes to the need for mercy, it equals Jesus' life. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:04.559 Okay? 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:08.559 It took one sin for Jesus to need to give his life. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:11.440 I started to calculate, I'm almost 40 years old. 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:19.920 At 365 days a year, one year, that's 40 years, 14,600 days I've lived. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:27.039 If I manage to sin 10 times per day, that makes me pretty holy, I'm thinking. 00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:35.680 If I manage to have those good days, at 40 years I have sinned 146,000 sins. 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:39.920 But I want you to understand something. 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:43.920 Jesus, given his mercy, not to one man. 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:49.119 There's been 107 billion people who have come to the face of this earth. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:51.200 I want you to see the next slide. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.599 That equals a whole lot of mercy. 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:56.640 Can we clap for his mercy? 00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:59.759 That's a whole lot of mercy. 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:11.519 This man was forgiven a$4 billion debt and what was equal to less than$10,000 debt. 00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:14.079 He said, No, I'll have none of it. 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:15.759 Throw him into prison. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:17.200 Why? 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:21.200 Why could something like that happen? 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.599 Why could somebody treat someone like that? 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:29.200 When you think about your own life, Jesus' mercy on the cross covered hurt and sins. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:34.079 The Bible says, He who knew no sin became sin for us. 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:40.720 And then his forgiveness, it said, as far as East is from West, he covered it all up. 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:42.640 All of those sins. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:50.880 I tried to calculate that 107 billion times the 146,000 sins. 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:54.160 And my calculator started getting angry with me. 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:58.079 Small pieces of smoke started shooting out the calculator. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:00.799 I think it muttered, What is he doing to us? 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:04.319 And a package of letters came out. 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:06.640 It was 156 E12 something. 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:07.920 I'm like, what does that mean? 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:10.559 I've never seen letters in a calculator, right? 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:12.880 It's so many sins. 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:15.359 So many sins. 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:17.200 Church, scripture is riddled. 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:18.240 Listen to me. 00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:22.640 If we don't forgive, it messes us up. 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:29.759 Forgiving relieves the space in your head that resentment tries to poison. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:32.160 It relieves you. 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:37.039 It relieves you of all that thought, all that holding in. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:42.960 Listen to what happens scripturally if you don't act or if you act like this servant. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:48.079 Mark 11, 25 says, if you don't forgive, that your prayers will be hindered. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:53.599 It says that we can't really worship right if we won't forgive. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:59.039 Scripture says, it says, leave your gift at the altar and go get your situation right. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:01.039 It says, Don't even come and worship. 00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:02.400 Don't try to worship me. 00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:03.680 Don't come and bring something. 00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:09.279 Don't pay a tithe and be wrong with somebody out there that I made and created and loved. 00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:12.319 He says, get your situation right. 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:18.720 Matthew 5, 24 says, bless and pray for those who despitefully hurt and use you. 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:22.799 That's hard. 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:29.039 Finally, Matthew 6.14 says, if you don't forgive, God will not forgive you. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:31.200 That's so important. 00:25:31.680 --> 00:25:32.720 How do I do that? 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:35.680 Well, how in the world, Pastor, then, can I do that? 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:51.440 Well, I'm glad that you asked that question because back in Matthew 18, before the parable, in verses 15 through 17, Jesus goes on record to the disciples and tells them, how do we, let her see, restore fellowship? 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:54.720 I want you to see how do we restore fellowship? 00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:08.000 This is tough, but if the church understood this and did this, Brother Adrian prayed this morning, how good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:13.519 We would be such a unified group of people if we went by this word right here. 00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:15.279 How do we exhibit mercy? 00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:19.039 We gotta remember I said the restoration business. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:22.000 We gotta be about this fellowship. 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:24.400 Look at what it says, Matthew 18, 15. 00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:29.119 It says, moreover, if your brother sins against you, go. 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:31.359 What'd that say? 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:33.839 What'd that say, Church? 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:34.480 Go. 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:40.400 Okay, I want now you said it, not me, because we're gonna go back in a second and say what it didn't say. 00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:44.960 It says, go and tell him his fault between who? 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:47.519 You and him alone. 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:51.119 If he hears you, you've gained a brother. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:53.759 Restoration, a fellowship, gain. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:57.440 This isn't a bad thing, but we when we hear this, we think this is a bad scripture. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:59.839 I gotta go confront somebody. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:06.000 But it says, no, it's not about confrontation of a wrong, it's about gaining a fellowship. 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:08.240 And he says, Go and you've gained a brother. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:14.480 But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by mouth of two or three every word may be established. 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:20.400 In case there's any confusion about what happened, I go again, if there wasn't restoration the first time. 00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:23.440 And then it says, if they refuse, then you bring it before the church. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:26.000 And so this is what Jesus is saying. 00:27:26.240 --> 00:27:31.279 If, now hear me, if a serious offense occurs. 00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:34.480 Now I'm not talking about a serious preference. 00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:37.599 I'm talking about a serious offense. 00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:41.680 Like, not I just disagree with you about a football team. 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:45.039 I'm not going there today, but we'll just say I just disagree with you. 00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:46.079 Go blue hands. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:47.039 I'm from Delaware. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:53.119 So we just disagree about a preference, a serious offense. 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:58.319 You can see biblically why what was done was wrong. 00:27:58.559 --> 00:28:00.079 Then you go to your brother. 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:00.559 Okay. 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:04.640 And and hear me, because y'all said, you said, not me. 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.759 You said go. 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:08.319 I want to tell you how you don't handle it. 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:10.000 You don't avoid them. 00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:16.000 Nothing scriptural about avoiding a person that you've had an offense with. 00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:18.160 You don't ignore their phone calls. 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:19.920 Church. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:23.599 You don't wall up emotionally and get cold. 00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:29.839 You don't give nonverbal signals when you're across the room and you hear them speaking and you start eye rolling. 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:31.920 Oh, there she goes again. 00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:33.920