Debt: Part 2

You don't need little ladies you don't need your husband to come crawling on his hands and knees on broken glass and same. Please forgive me for you to say you forgive your need your brothers and sister Laura write you a long letter saying these are the things I've done wrong to you growing up with this is what happened to you lease forgive me for you say okay it's a solo decision you can make the decision right now the power of the Holy Spirit. Whatever happened growing up.

You know you can never share with anybody and that's perfectly you can make the decision to start a portion of the upcoming message title part two pastor of a gunshot Cleveland church in Henderson I Cleveland focuses on making Christ for the worship we serve the way we love one another.

Come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. visit us online at QVC. Join us for the rest of this week's message. Today's message is the part two of our message title yet were in our series on the parables of Christ and this one is about God's forgiveness of our sin debt through Jesus Christ and our forgiveness of the sin debt of others towards us. You have your Bibles with you, turn to Matthew chapter 18 starting in verse 23 we read this parable last time you should know it.

Let's all stand together for the reading of God's word. Matthew chapter 18 starting in verse 23 therefore the kingdom of heaven 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 10,000 talents maybe were here last weekend. 10,000 talents is equal to 60 million denarii.

That's a lot of money, but as he was not able to pay his master commander that he be sold with his wife and children and all that he had and that payment be made.

The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, master, have patience with me and I will pay you all. The master of that servant was moved with compassion released him and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him 100 denarii 60 million and hundred is a world of difference.

And he laid hands on him, took him by the throat, saying, pay me what you 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 it had what had been done. They were very grieved and came and told her master. All that had been done that his master after he had called him, said to him, you wicked servant, I forgive you all dead because you beg 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 not.

Here's the crux of the matter. So my heavenly father also will do to you if each of you from his heart, and you can say from her heart does not forgive his brother or his sister is trespasses. The question this morning for us is is there unforgiveness in your heart. I want to remember the struggle is okay to refuse is not there's a world of difference.

You can struggle with saying I forgive you and I still struggle with her but I'm forgiving. It is quite different to say I will never forgive you. Which means your lost this morning. Have you received God's forgiveness. And unless you have God's forgiveness in your heart for whatever but if you have God's forgiveness in your heart to Jesus Christ, you can's forgive whatever you're going through whatever someone has done to you can because the Holy Spirit will help you. So if you not safe today asked Jesus to come into your life and receive his forgiveness so you are now able to forgive.

Last weekend we answered the first question on this parable, which was why is sin described as a debt that remember all this is connected to the land when Jesus spoke those words.

He was talking to the first century Jewish people and they understood it in the context of the land, the people of God. The people of Israel disobeyed God and God raised up a Babylonian king by the name of Nebuchadnezzar, and he came against Judah and he drove the people out and he took them into exile. They lost the land not to Nebuchadnezzar but back to God. It was his land.

But then what happens God and his grace in his compassion. He told them 50 years later you can come back is not because the people were repentant. It was not because the mind had changed. It was because God was gracious God was compassionate. He allowed them to get back into the land, but it was on God's land, they were heavily indebted to God but God already knew, as the gracious landlord. He knew that those people couldn't never pay back the debt and so even before time began before the foundation of the world God had initiated a plan to pay for their sense, he sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to pay their sin debt and Jesus came and he died on the cross and all they have to do was to look to him and live. Listen to what is says in Colossians chapter 2 in verse 14, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us and he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross and what Jesus did. He took your past due your past due your past due notice of sin and when he was on the cross being mailed. It was as if those notices were being nailed to the cross. So that was the first question, but the second question one answer from this parable is what is the connection of our sin debt to God and others.

Sin debt to us again got a come back to the land.

All of the Jewish people.

The rich, the poor, the creditors and the debtors they were all living on God's land. So when Jesus came and said hey listen, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors what he was saying is, why are you going to your brother to your sister and taking them by the throat and sing pay open the land is mine. But Jesus was talking about something more.

He was talking about unforgiveness. Among the people, folks, all of us are standing on the ground of God's grace we believe that all of us. All of us are standing on God's grace. What right do we have to say I will never forgive you for what you've done to me. But then Jesus made a statement that was very shocking. Listen again to verse 35 so all my heavenly father also will do to each of you.

If each of you from his heart does not forgive his brother, his trespasses all this time was great. Yeah, I need to forgive you as good to forgive. Get off your chest, you don't want to be a prisoner to someone's heart and offense letter, but now Jesus raise the ante when he said if you don't forgive, neither will God forgive you folks what does that mean you will applaud much systematic theology because I believe in eternal security. So do I believe in the perseverance of the saints believe the one saved all the 602. What is the passage say it says exactly what it says, which is this. If you refuse to forgive others for what they've done to you, God the father will not forgive you which means what if God is in forgive you where you going to go to hell. I don't try to mitigate this. Don't try to dilute what the word of God has said if you refuse to forgive God will not forgive you, that will lead them and let me find another passageway. Let's deal with that passage first to answer that question we have to first understand how God forgives us our debt. We need to see how God forgives us and what is that forgiveness and what is not forcing me to understand this forgiveness is a solo decision is not a joint agreement who did God consult regarding the plan of salvation did God come to Adam and Eve and Saddam it out. We got us a problem buddy now you you and Eve ate that fruit on me and I will burger thinking about this Adam the Holy Spirit and Jesus and us were were thinking about maybe Jesus can come and die and what would you think about that American forgive that way if you take that. Is that what happened in the secret and the sacred chambers of the Trinity. The plan of salvation was already in the works. Even before the foundation of the world. God already decided what could happen in amazing. He did not consult with a single human being. You have no part to play in the plan of salvation except receive it. Listen to what Peter says in first Peter chapter 1 verse 18. Knowing this, that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold, from your nameless conduct.

That's what we were doing aimlessly rip living in this life received by tradition from your fathers talk about the Jewish people, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Listen to this verse 20 he indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

Hey listen even before time began. Jesus had already given his life. It just had to be carried out. Listen folks, when it comes to God's plan of forgiveness. It was a solo decision. God did not need our cooperation to initiate the plan of redemption and listen, you don't need your offender's cooperation to cancel their debt. It's a solo decision you can make the decision right now in the power of the Holy Spirit. Whatever's happened to you growing up. You know you can never share with anybody and that's perfectly fine you can make the decision to forgive someone step something else. Forgiveness is not for getting people talk to me sometimes and they'll say something like pastor I know what you gonna say. But it's hard for me to forget I can forgive but I cannot forget it. What I tell them that's fine.

Who says you have to forget Wyoming. That's how God forgives, as does any dozen they bury our sins in the CO forgetfulness, by the way, that phrase is not found in the Bible that comes out of a song is based on several verses in the Bible. Micah 719, he will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. It's a metaphor figure of speech. Psalm 103 verse 12. As far as the east is from the West so far has he removed our transgressions from us in Jeremiah 3134 problem, forgive their iniquity and their sin.

I will remember no more. So people say hey there you go. God does not remember me to come.heard some great messages on that. But let me ask you question. Do you think God has amnesia that you come to Gaza.remember what I did is that what we talk about an article can get it Can process how they remembers everything he remembers where every blade of grass was since the beginning of time and will be what it means when it says God is a remember, it means that he doesn't bring it up and throw it in your face what's the point I'm making.

If we are to forgive like God has forgiven us. It does not mean that we have to forget. Furthermore, God's forgiveness does not mean condoning we think sometimes if I would've forgive.I have to forgive the way God so I have to condone well he did it because of the way he grew what Dunkin' Donuts and don't be dismissive is how I didn't bother me anymore because dismissive nor legally pardoning sin poses in a lost person.

A murderer can walk to the door, sit down to hear the gospel get saved. Where is he going is going to heaven a man with a policeman still coming taken in custody. The consequences still stand something else. Forgiveness listen carefully is not is not reconciliation go back again to what God did for us through Jesus Christ, from God's perspective.

When Jesus died on the cross.

The ransom was paid. Forgiveness was offered. He is not up there sitting and holding a grudge and saying I don't know what I'm to do with these these horrible, sinful, depraved humans know on the cross, forgiveness was given its offer, but you have to take his hand you have to receive it for reconciliation to take place in or the Bible says in second Corinthians 519. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. It's an ongoing act. Forgiveness is offered when you take it. That's when you are reconciled with God. How do you take it a few moments ago and when you prayed to receive Jesus as your Savior. That's when reconciliation was happening. You are reconciled back to God.

But folks what happened.

What happens when you truly prayed to receive Christ were you saying you saying Jesus forgive me of my sins come into my life and take over. I submit to you. I humble myself before you is no longer my will but your will be done, folks. That's when reconciliation happens. Reconciliation is not just for God's forgiven my sins so I can go out there and since a more is that what you think. Now, reconciliation is a complex process that's conversion. That's what happens when you are saved so also reconciliation can only happen if the offender is willing to go through the appropriate process.

If not, they can only be forgiveness but no reconciliation. Listen carefully to me to reconciliation is a complex process.

I did some study online and and through the Journal of psychology and theology. Did you know they found as many as 16 models of forgiveness is a complex of reconciliation so much we don't understand exactly how everything works out.

But true reconciliation is a complex process that requires dialogue you talk to the person it requires time.

It is based on the offensive is a minor offense in it in a marriage relationship where you forgot to put a mint on his pillow, or some like them you can you you'll need a big complex dialogue right. The muscle due to why you don't it doesn't require all that. But listen, if his deep hurt. That has been caused you can say hey you told me you forgive me.

Then we go back to being like we were dialogue time admittance of guilt. Many times the person who has offended has never actually said I really hurt you and I'm so sorry for what I've done hasn't happened on the work and you have reconciliation forgiveness.

Yeah hold that against her anymore reconciliation with his work were back to normal effect better than ever. How can you do that is impossible.

Not only that but there's has to be rebuilding of trust if that person has abused you.

How in the working to bring the person back into your life and say is back to normal. Guess was gonna happen. Folks if true repentance has not happened in abuse again and sometime churches and Christians who are well-meaning but stupid say go ahead and go ahead and get get back together. It's okay. When we get that from a biblical has not reconciliation true reconciliation is a process is a complex process that requires dialogue in time and admittance of guilt and rebuilding of trust so very different thing nonevent for a moment to where you have a choice you have to hear many ways as a pastor you went when you have issues that you never really resolved. You never took care of your problems, your unforgiveness and what somebody did to you and whatever whatever. Well, you can always take it on the pastor he's blessed Jesus, meek and mild right have had people like that. They commented now I'm going what what what just happened, why did you slap me physically that won't happen. I grew up watching Bonanza when I was shooter as other half, and trust me on that but but but but hatefulness mean angry note email unsigned letter and I'm going why it was happening because he never resolved that issue we find someone who is helping who looks helpless and retake it on the person and many of y'all have done that, and there's no place for folks you never can reconciled that way.

Taking in what we say is you know hey I told you I'm sorry people have told me that. Please forgive me and then to write me a long email, but what you did to me really hurt me but but please forgive me for all the harder because you think going to forgive you but you give me a long list of all the things that I've done wrong, trust me already forgiven you, you will reconciliation you want us to go go and pick out curtains together something were not going to give the lustration to help you understand if you let certain people back into your life under the guise of forgiveness what they're asking for is reconciliation without proper admittance of guilt and there is no trust, you are setting yourself up for more hurt real with me.

Forgiveness is saying I will no longer seek your deal will not here to hurt you back. There is no anger and and bitterness in my heart, but to bring you back in and says all 11 and in kindness when that person has not truly changed, especially women have to go through that. There's no place for. They will often bring bring up him first John 420 I received many first John 420s ago like this if someone says I love God and Jesus brother, he is a liar, for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has is a pastor got forgive me because if that if you don't then that God is God is not in your heart, say hey, wait a minute hate is not the same as it reconciliation.

I don't hate you but you not read reconciled by him to give you my personal example because many times it will be people in your life, family members, friends, even church family who will try to reconciled just to hurt you more. Don't fall for that and people walk away saying I didn't God's way and it did not work. No, you didn't do it God's way. You heard some foolish person trying to counsel you and give you wrong advice you can forgive but reconciliation is a complex process that requires so much more.

You can be lost in reconciled, you can begin by emotional forgiveness and you can empathize with the person and maybe had two words reconciliation but with God's help, it can happen and I believe it should happen. Reconciliation is possible and it should happen, but requires both people living talk about marriage in a marriage, setting the husband and wife. Things have happened.

Forgiveness should be immediate reconciliation can take time and not always forgiveness is immediate because that brings us to the last point forgiveness is a journey. Forgiveness is a journey some things we can forgive immediately, but many things it takes time. Now we talk about God for giving us four hits him.

It's not a journey through Jesus Christ forgiveness is given immediately. How long does it take for us to get saved moment you pray your safe.

God does not say why need you take a class I need you to walk through the steps and then I will save you know it's immediate but where not God. For us it still sometimes requires a process two things have to happen. The first is found in second Corinthians 418 which says while we do not look at the things which are seen by the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

There has to be a change in perspective now forgetting to put men on someone's pillow does not require a big change in perspective. A man of folks when there is lack of trust. Trust has been broken. Crazy things have happened. It takes time to retrain and see things from God's perspective to look at the heard that you went through maybe was divorce maybe was abuse.

Maybe it was that somebody stabbed you in the backs all these things have happened. It takes time to say, God, would you help me see things as you see it because this is all for what happened, but you're doing something much bigger in my life was about to say God will work all things together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his work. God help me to see that because I'm not seeing it right now. It takes time. Forgiveness is a journey, but a journey listen is not taken alone. God has given someone to the believer who is that someone the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to not only forgive but if there is a potential for reconciliation to help you reconcile this in Romans chapter 5 verse three and not only that, but we also glory in tribulations been through a tough time. You can see things in a different way you can glory in your tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance, character, and character, hope is because of the mess that you went through.

It has made you who you are, but only the Holy Spirit can help you do that now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit was given to us, who can help you with this. The Holy Spirit folks he can do something that no preacher, no counselor, no psychiatrist or psychologist can ever do.

He can work in you from the inside out. A man he can strengthen you. He can allow you to be ready for reconciliation. If the other person is what is forgiveness is a solar decision. You can forgive right now.

Some things happen to you. You can mark that person.

They can talk trash about them you get even, you trivialize a problem or you can make a decision right knows that God if you help me I will forgive them right now.

Forgiveness is not forgetting the scars are there to remind us to warn us in the future.

That's okay.

Forgiveness is not reconciliation. Two very different things. Forgiveness you better reconciliation. A complex process that requires the other person to also follow the same path that may or may not happen in forgiveness is a journey, some of you have been sitting back in guilt and shame and grudging resentment, refusing to forgive if that's you folks listen again struggling to forgive is understandable, refusing to forgive. Please listen carefully you could be lost, refusing to forgive. You could be lost is because the Holy Spirit will always lead you to words, forgiveness, and maybe reconciliation our young forgiving toward somebody today. Somebody did something and I refusing you're not willing to forgive them today that only all have been forgiven by God, thank you so much for joining us for this message. Just as God forgave us need to show forgiveness to other people that understand the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation reconciliation with a person might not always be possible, but forgiveness is always available extend forgiveness in your life today, just as God in Christ forgave you for more information visit us online@clearviewb.org and for this sermon's notes. Check out Pastor Shah's blog@allbutonshop.com