.  Living Hope Fellowship Church...Sermons by the Pastor

Forgive and You Shall Be Forgiven

by  Richard Bundren, Associate Pastor    

          Matthew 18:21 says, “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?”  Peter thought that was a big number, but Verse 22 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” 

          Seventy times seven equals 490.  Jesus said we should forgive our brother 490 times - daily!  Forgiving that many times is a pretty steep hill to walk.  Sometimes it gets you out of breath before you get half way there, for just the seven times.

          Matthew 18:23-25 says, “Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.”

          Back then, they sold you into slavery to pay your debt, and many went to debtor’s prisons.  They couldn’t work while in prison.  Some of them starved to death because they didn’t have any money to buy food while they were in the prison.  They sold the wife and kids and all that the man had, even if it didn’t come close to paying the whole debt.

          Matthew 18:26 says, “The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.”  The man was desperate, so he would promise everything he had.  Verse 27 says, “Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.”

          Verse 28-30 says, “But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.”

          The debt was due; you paid it or you went to jail.  We have a sin debt; we pay it (which we can’t do), or we receive judgment, or we get God’s forgiveness!  Jesus took our place and paid the debt for whosoever will accept it. 

          Verse 31 says the fellowservants went and told on him.  Verse 32-34 tells us that the lord was wroth with the wicked servant, and “delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.”  Verse 35 says, “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

          It is talking about physical tormentors; it isn’t talking about hell here.  Have you ever been tormented by something that just wouldn’t leave your mind?  That is an evil spirit sent from God.  If you don’t forgive, God will send a tormenting spirit to you.  It could be in bad dreams, depression, or other ways.  It could be just never having a good day.  It could be just looking at things always negatively. 

          God is still in control.  Tormenting spirits don’t come without a cause.  God can send them, or their master can send them to see if they can find any wicked way in you.  When they came to Jesus they couldn’t find anything in Him (John 14:30).  The devil will find something in you if you have sin in your heart.  You must repent, or you won’t forgive!  The tormentors will follow you around until you forgive, or they will follow you to the grave!

          The Lord spoke to me one time and told me to forgive a person that hurt me.  I said that I had forgiven them, but I had only gone through the motions.  The Lord said, You didn’t ask ME to forgive them.  On the cross, when Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,” He was talking about the whole world!

          Will you forgive those who have offended you?  I decided years ago to follow Jesus.  I have to forgive.  That leaves me vulnerable, but Christ was vulnerable.  He decided to obey the will of the Father and go to the cross. I have already decided to forgive you for anything you do to me; it is a done deal. I learned that hard lesson years ago when I almost died.  Having to deal with torment will change your outlook. 

          Sometimes the Spirit of God will speak to you, because you’ve ignored God’s Word.  It was by His grace that He even came to talk to me.  He had turned me over to the tormentors, and heaven was as brass, because I had not forgiven someone.  I was crying out to God for things, but He said, You need to forgive them.

          People have to realize that they have made a mistake, and whether purposely or intentionally, the principle is the same.  Then they have to ask forgiveness.  If you have ought against someone, you haven’t forgiven them!

          Matthew 6:14-15 and Mark 11:25-26 tell us, if we don’t forgive, God won’t forgive us!  Follow Jesus, keep your eyes on Him, and you won’t fall into repetitive sin.

          John 3:20-22 says, “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”

          Does God only speak to you for correction?  He might want to speak to you to go pray for one who is sick.  When we have confidence in God, He will honor what we say.

          Jesus says in Luke 6:27, “. . . Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you.”  Verse 28 says, “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”  Pray they don’t get what they deserve.  Christians can’t lead others away from the pitfalls and snares of the devil if they have blinders on because of unforgiveness! (See Luke 6:39.)

           Luke 6:31 says, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”  I want everybody to treat me real fine, so naturally I’m going to treat everybody else real fine.  Right?  Only if we are following Jesus Christ do we have the ability to do that. 

          We’re to forgive those who don’t even know Christ.  Luke 6:35 tells us that God is, “. . . kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”  We were like that before we got saved!

            Jesus forgave those who crucified Him!  If they deserved forgiveness, should not I deserve forgiveness if I offend you? Yet, your forgiving me does not mean that I receive forgiveness.  Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, yet they have not all received that forgiveness! 

          About 50 years ago I received Jesus in my life.  How happily I received forgiveness for myself!  I ought to be thrilled to forgive others!  I acknowledged that I was a sinner, I repented, and He saved me.  He has forgiven me more than 490 times since then!  He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins if we will confess them to Him.  (See 1 John 1:9.)  

          Hosea 14:2 says, “Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. . . .” 

          Let God have His way in your heart.  Forgive.

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