Forgive One Another
1. There is only one burden I can think of that is worse than the burden of sin and guilt. It is the burden of unforgiveness - otherwise known as bitterness.
2. The Pharisees of Jesus' day had a problem. They did not know how to forgive! Their greatest sages said no one could be expected (or required), to forgive anyone more than three times in one day. (Evidently after that you could just go ahead and haul off and hit them back and get even.) But that is not what God said.
3. Peter also had a problem with forgiving (don't we all?). But he did the right thing. He brought his problem to Jesus. He phrased a question. "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Matthew 18:21
note: If you have a problem forgiving someone, just ask Jesus to help you, and He will. You will find grace to help in time of need.
4. Peter was trying to be generous. The sages of the Pharisees had said only three times. Peter suggested seven. But Jesus knew God's heart. He said, "I do not say to you seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Matthew 18:22 Seventy times seven would be four hundred and ninety! (In other words limitless) Peter was stunned!
5. Then Jesus told this story...
Therefore the kingdom of heaven (grace) is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents (several million dollars). But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded him to be sold; with his wife and children, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down before him saying, "Master have patience with me, and I will pay you all." Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave (legally dismissed) him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred dinarii (about one hundred day's wages): And he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, "Pay me what you owe." So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him saying, "Have patience with me, and I will pay you all." And he would not, but went and threw him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, "You wicked servant. I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?" And his master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. Matthew 18:23-34
6. Jesus ended the story with this warning...
So My heavenly Father also will do to you, if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses. Matthew 18:35
7. Here's a terrible story, sad, but true... (Taken from Phillip Yancey's excellent book "What's So Amazing About Grace?")
A Texas man remained married to his wife but did not speak to her for over forty years, after a fight over how much money she spent on sugar. One day he took out a lumber saw and sawed their house exactly in half. He nailed up planks to cover the raw sides and moved one of the halves behind a copse of scruffy pine trees on the same acre of ground. There the two, husband and wife, lived out the rest of their days in separate half-houses.
8. Forgiveness may be difficult, but the alternative is unthinkable. The alternative is to live in a state of ungrace, where there is no love, no reconciliation, no pity, no peace, and no mercy - a prison worse than any other.
9. Forgiveness carries a message. It is the message of God's redeeming love. Forgiveness is the one issue where the rubber meets the road. Do you really believe what you say you believe? Forgiveness says that you love the other person, and care about the person. You want relationship. I believe that forgiveness is one of the best form of evangelism there is. People see Christ in you.
10. Funny thing. Everyone wants to be forgiven, but no one wants to forgive. Here's a question. What if God had never forgiven you? Where would you be? How would you know God? What would you think of Him? God said,
...do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice (intent to do evil), and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, in Christ, forgave you. Ephesians 4:30-32
11. Here's another true story: (Adapted from Catherine Marshall's book "Beyond Ourselves.")
One young college student had been stabbed five times in the back with a long knife. The knife penetrated his lungs, grazed his heart, and almost killed him. The attacker was his room mate; a homeless man he had been trying to help. Hospitalized for five months, he finally recovered. But did he really? He was having a hard time forgiving the attacker. How could he find the grace to forgive? He took his problem to the Lord. Then God reminded him of Christ. He saw Jesus bleeding and dying on the cross. "Look what your sins did to My Son," He heard the Father say. It was enough. He fell upon his knees with weeping and said aloud, "Oh Lord, I forgive." He felt immediate release from his prison. Yet...every once in a while the old bitterness tried to come back. But when it did, he would immediately repeat the words, "Father, I forgive him." He stayed free, and was able to live rejoicing in the presence of God.
12. How can we say we know Christ, if we cannot forgive those who have wronged us? The whole world is starving for grace. It is the one thing the Church has to offer that the world really wants. It is the wine they have never tasted, the food they have never eaten, and the love they have never known. There is nothing that shouts grace more than forgiveness.