“Seventy Times Seven” | Sunday AM | Tyler Moss

Matthew eighteen, twenty-one through twenty-two.

Peter came to Jesus and asked him a question.

Sometimes this question.

If we deal with someone who can be troublesome, someone, maybe something we're dealing with.

And we ask the Lord, probably not really liking the answer he may tell us, but it's the truth.

He said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me?

And I forgive him.

That I have to do it.

Till seven times?

And Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times.

But until seventy times seven.

That's what I want to talk about today.

Seventy times seven.

Seventy times seven.

God, we just ask that your spirit of mercy and grace, of forgiveness, restoration, healing, strength.

Whatever someone is in need of, God, you're the one who can supply it.

Let your words speak truth today.

God help us receive what you wish to give us this morning.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

You may sit down.

When we look at forgiveness, his forgiveness, and we understand how many times we must forgive.

We must first understand who he is and where he comes from and how he shows us forgiveness and why.

First of all, we have to understand that God is eternal.

From the very beginning, he existed and was.

I don't want to get into a debate to what that means, but I just know that he is.

Because Job said in 36 26, Behold, God is exalted.

And we do not know him.

The number of his years is unsearchable.

He is eternal.

Isaiah 40, 28 says, Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

He is the eternal God.

And we will never be able to fully grasp and understand him.

But all knowledge and understanding are only found in him and in his word.

So we cannot look at forgiveness through our own experiences and knowledge.

Pastor said, I had no idea what he was going to talk about this morning.

But he said it so clearly about forgiveness this morning.

We cannot see it in our own experiences and knowledge as the pattern of how we forgive others or how we see others forgive, or how the world says that we must treat others who do us wrong.

We must look at the example of how he forgives us.

Because his ways are higher than ours, greater than we can possibly understand.

Isaiah 55, 8 through 9 says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts.

Neither are my ways, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.

And my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

It's greater than your way of doing things.

He's greater than your understanding.

But yet I fully put my trust and faith in him, because he is the eternal God who knows all things, and those things are unsearchable to us.

But yet he graciously pours himself into us because he's eternal, and yet his forgiveness is eternal.

Micah 7, 18 through 19 says, Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?

He does not retain his anger forever, thank God.

Because he delights in steadfast love.

Amen.

He will tread our iniquities underfoot.

You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Hallelujah.

Amen.

We will not fully understand how and why God tells us to do the things we must do, especially forgiveness.

In this scripture of Micah, he pardons the iniquity, he passes over our transgression.

He doesn't retain his anger forever.

And he delights his steadfast love in us.

His compassion will be upon us.

He cast our sin into the depths of the sea.

The deepest part of the sea upon this earth is a trench.

It starts with the letter M.

I tried to say it.

I mess it up every time.

But it's a trench that is seven miles deep.

To them, it seemed impossible.

It seems impossible for anything to survive that deep.

And yet it has a limit.

Does that mean that we have a limit?

No.

What it means is with him, his forgiveness is eternal.

To us, it is unsearchable, it's unreachable.

We cannot fathom such a place where something can be gone forever and cannot return.

And our own mind and our own understanding and our own thinking today.

Hebrews 8:12 says, For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, I will remember their sins no more.

Hebrews 8:12

I thank God that when I mess up, he remembers my sins no more.

Why?

Because he loves us.

Why?

Because he desires nothing more than to be reconciled with his people, to be with us, to dwell with us.

He knows that we're not perfect.

He knows that we will continue to make mistakes.

So he will forever pour out his never-ending love.

His eternal love and is an eternal forgiveness towards us always.

As he says, I remember your sin no more.

It doesn't matter how many times you've done it, it doesn't matter how far you have run, his forgiveness is there waiting for you to turn to him.

The moment you turn, he is already there with you, meeting with you.

As soon as you begin to think about turning from this world and turning from your sin, he is already right there ministering to you.

Amen.

He won't bring it up in conversation like we may do in our human flesh.

He won't change his attitude towards us because you may mess up again.

Oh, yeah, you're gonna come to me, but I already know what you're gonna do.

How would you like it?

How do you how many of you know someone like that?

Who you go and you and you you you go to them time after time again and and and you mess up or or they do something against you, and and in your human flesh, I want to forgive them, but I know their nature, they're just gonna do it again.

That's our human flesh talking.

God doesn't do it like that.

You could come to him and you can repent to him.

Years will go by, something will happen, and you turn to him again, he's already right there with you.

He doesn't remember what you've done before because it's covered under the blood of Jesus.

That's how powerful his forgiveness is.

Amen.

Amen.

He won't talk about you behind your back because of the mistakes you have made.

He won't ruin your character, he won't ruin your nature, he won't ruin your reputation.

It is done, it is finished.

You are forgiven.

So, how can we, not perfect, flawed, filled with sin, learn to forgive others the same way that God has shown us?

How can we do that?

How can we reconcile past mistakes or relationships and situations in our own life?

Because if we cannot learn to forgive, if we cannot allow ourselves to heal, can I tell you that don't allow the burdens and the sin that Jesus took upon himself on the cross be placed on your shoulders?

He already did that, he already took upon himself.

Cast your cares upon me.

I will care for you.

Don't take upon the weight and the burden and the sin that he already took upon himself.

That is not your responsibility to carry that burden anymore.

It's gonna ruin your relationship with God, it's gonna ruin your relationship with people.

We have to look to Jesus.

1 John 1 9 says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins.

Amen.

And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, amen.

No matter how far you sin or how dirty your sin is, he will cleanse you from all unrighteousness when you turn to him and you give your sin over to him.

Amen.

That's why it's so important that you need to be baptized in Jesus' name, covered under the blood of Jesus, because you repent.

That blood covers you as white as snow as if you've been born again right then.

Hallelujah.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

But he's not a liar because he's eternal and and and his ways are unknowable to us and unsearchable.

So how would we know that he is a liar or not?

Who are we to speak truth from the mouth of Jesus saying that he's gonna condemn us?

That's the flesh, that's the enemy saying that that he's gonna condemn us.

Every time we sin, every time we make a mistake, we put ourselves in an expectation that God's never gonna hear our voice again because of how bad or how far we have drifted away from him.

And if we're not careful, we take that same attitude on other people.

We begin to mistreat people in that way, and we begin to create a gap, and there's no barrier for people to come and restore themselves or you restore yourself to them because of guilt and shame.

But he's faithful and just to forgive us because through Jesus alone we we have the true way of learning forgiveness and having access to it for ourselves.

We have to understand that we cannot come to him for forgiveness at all times and in return accept what he did by receiving the freedom from sin by not allowing our past hurts to pull us back.

Otherwise, we call him a liar, and we're not living the way that he desires for us.

We have to accept and receive these words because he will never turn away from you, and because he will always be there to help and forgive you, you always have an opportunity and a chance to reconcile to God.

77 times seven.

His love and forgiveness is shown even in the moment of death, even in the moment of pain, even in the moment of those who are close to him rebuked him, turned away from him, denied him.

Luke 23, 34 says it like this, and said, Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

They don't understand, they can't comprehend my love to them.

So please, forgive them.

And said they parted his raiment and cast lots.

Even in the moment of pain, nails in his hand, his recognition unrecognizable.

The Bible says that he was beaten to unrecognition.

We see pictures and paintings and shows of that you still they said you could not recognize who he was.

And at that time he was still in a moment of pain and distress, he was still able to forgive.

We become bitter and we become angry for not careful, and we so quickly become rash and hateful and put up a wall and push people away from us, or we don't receive forgiveness from others because we hold what they have done to them, and we forget as Christians that God will also hold that same and return to us.

Even when his own disciples betrayed him and persecuted him, people who shouted Hosanna, only Jesus could say, Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

So what should we do then?

James 5, 16 says, Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

This is a way that we are to receive and understand his forgiveness towards us and towards each other.

That we do not hold on to things, but yet we quickly forgive each other.

Because the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

It availeth much, as King James says.

Luke 6.37 says, Do not judge or you will, do not judge, or you will not be judged.

Do not condemn, for you will not be condemned.

Forgive and you will be forgiven.

So if we don't judge others, if we don't hold the world to an expectation that they don't understand, it gives them the freedom and the ability to come to us because we so quickly judge others that don't believe like us or have done us wrong.

But yeah, us who knows the truth, we know the love of God, and we experience the love of God, and we've experienced the restoration and the forgiveness of Him.

How quickly should we must return and show that same forgiveness to others?

That same reconciliation to others.

Someone here, this should be pointed at me myself, because there's times where my relationship has not been able to move on with God because I have not been able to forgive.

I have not been able to restore myself to a friend, a family member, a neighbor, a coworker.

Because I'm filled with guilt.

I put the wall up.

But how much more would God does God desire us to be reconciled to him, but yet we can't because we're not able to reconcile with our brother or sister?

And he says, This is what you must do.

If you want to be reconciled to me, you must repeat this to your brothers and your sisters, and to allow them to ask for forgiveness from you, to reciprocate that back to them.

Because our heart would become hard against those who've done us stronger or made us cold towards somebody else.

And we have to make sure that our relationship with God does not suffer, but because we cannot move forward, because we're too prideful to ask for forgiveness or to forgive others.

This can become dangerous because we're not showing that same love, that same forgiveness that Jesus has showed us.

We have to remember that that human being that we're sitting next to, that you live with in your house, your neighbor, your family member, your co-workers, they're not the enemy.

They're not the enemy.

If you're angry and you're hurt and you're bitter, don't allow your anger and bitterness and hurt to be poured out onto that soul that needs to be won.

You need to pray and ask God to help you and to pray for that individual so that the enemy does not get in the way of the work of God because we know that God the work of God will come to pass.

But it has to take a vessel who's willing to allow that forgiveness to happen or to give that forgiveness to somebody else.

That barrier is you.

God's eternal, he's ready to give it out to everybody, but he's looking for a vessel who's ready to pour that forgiveness into somebody else.

To show that forgiveness to somebody else, to help them understand what that is.

And the only way the world can see that is by us.

77 times seven.

Because we're all creatures made from his image, and we all deserve that same love, that same grace, that same forgiveness that he gave you when you were sinned, and you were crying, and you were desperate, and you were covered in all kinds of filth and sin and dirt and muck, and yet God still came and met you right where you were.

You've got to meet them right where they are too.

You've got to go to them, and you've got to meet them where they are.

Amen.

Matthew 18, 23 through 35 gives a very clear picture of a king and a servant.

It says, Therefore is the kingdom of heaven like a certain king which would take account of his servants.

And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought to him which owed him ten thousand talents.

But for as much as he had not to pay, he didn't have the money, his Lord commanded him to be sold, his wife, his children, all that he had, and payment to be made.

Everything had to be sold.

The servant therefore fell down.

Can you imagine that individual that had the weight, his family, his life, his livelihood, his house possessions taken away from you?

Because he had a payment to be made.

But he fell down and worshiped the Lord and said, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, loosed him and forgave him the debt.

We have come much like this servant and come before God with all this weight, all this debt, and yet he paid it all.

He paid it all.

Every sin that you've done and will do, he paid it all.

He didn't have to pay it.

Some of us maybe say, no, you got yourself into this mess.

And there's some lessons to be learned in life that God allows us to go through.

For sure.

Or would you want him to feel, would anybody want to feel that pain of debt?

Well, you were in debt.

You got to feel that pain.

You got to feel that weight.

Or would you want them to experience, would you want them to experience that hardship, the trial?

We're all going to go through that.

But because this servant humbled himself, worshiped God, and acknowledged his ever-loving patience and kindness to him, he had compassion upon him.

He removed the bondage and forgave him of everything.

And that's us at the very beginning when we receive that mercy and grace from God.

But then what happens after that?

When we have to return the same thing to somebody else.

But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants.

Someone just like him.

He wasn't a master over him.

He was the same.

He owed him a hundred pence.

And he laid hands on him, and he's not praying.

And he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me with thou owe.

And his fellow servant fell down at his feet and beside him.

Have patience with me.

Does that sound familiar?

I will pay thee all.

And he would not.

But went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt.

It's easy to seek forgiveness when you are not the one in need of it.

But in return, you do show the same compassion and love forgiveness to those who come against you.

You won't do it.

I want you to think about this for one moment.

In order for God to forgive us, we have to forgive others.

So moving on, it says, So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their Lord all that was done.

Then his Lord, after that he had called him, said to him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because you desirest me.

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?

And as his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors, don't know what that is, but it sounds pretty bad.

Till he should pay all that was due to him, ten thousand and his whole family.

Everything was laid back on him, because he would not have compassion on his fellow servant.

Going on says, So likewise shall my heavenly father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not everyone, his neighbor, their trespasses.

What measure has forgiveness been shown to you by God?

There is no measure to him.

It's unsearchable, it's eternal.

Do you withhold because you got hurt?

Is your relationship with God suffering because you won't allow that forgiveness to come to pass and heal your life, heal their life?

Do you hesitate because they deserve to be in a spot that they are in to feel the pain?

Would you like to go back to where you were before He forgave you?

To be tormented by the same torment you had when you filled with sin, when you felt like your life was worthless, you felt like your sin was too far.

Like there's some kind of count to God that, oh, you've you've already reached the peak, you've already reached the pinnacle of your sin jar.

No, we must show forgiveness at that same measure.

The same amount that Jesus shows us every day.

We cannot measure it from person to person.

Matthew 18, 21 through 22 says, Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me?

And I forgive him, till seven times.

Jesus said to him, No, until seven times, but seventy times seven.

That word, until, in Greek means heos, probably butchering the word.

But in other words, it means until this stops.

It's an adverb, it's an action.

But see, that has a limit.

But that means until that sin has been forgiven.

But since we his forgiveness is eternal, that means our forgiveness will never stop.

That means it takes action from us to go and give forgiveness and receive it from somebody else.

Because at any point of our lives when we find ourselves back where we were and we mess up and leave slip up, we need to know that when we come to that altar, or in your you're in your your office, or you're in your bedroom, or you're in your closet, or wherever you are, you need to know that when I see God and ask for forgiveness, it is already there.

Amen.

There's been situations that I've had that in my own life where I've had to ask for forgiveness, and it's amazing the healing that has come from that.

There's been situations where I had to ask someone to forgive me that I didn't do any wrong, felt like I didn't do any wrong too in the situation.

But then what that did was it restored their relationship with me.

It allowed them to heal and allowed them to receive that forgiveness, to heal that relationship between me and them.

Because they now understand and feel what it means to receive that forgiveness from God.

But in return, my relationship with God is now becoming restored because I'm able to pass on that same forgiveness to somebody else.

Ephesians 4.32 says this, and I'm coming to a close.

Forgiving each other, just as Christ God has forgiven you.

Have you felt the need to forgive someone today?

Is your relationship with God suffering because you haven't allowed that forgiveness to take place?

You haven't been able to move forward in your relationship with others because of bitterness and anger.

You haven't been able to heal properly because you're afraid of how they might view you or what you might say.

There's some regret in your life.

This isn't some fictional story where you can go back in time and close up some loose ends and tell people that you love them about the regrets that you've had.

You only have one opportunity for that.

This is the time in your life where you can reconcile yourself to your brother, to your family member, to your parent, father, sister, brother?

Is there an opportunity that you see in your own life that needs to be corrected so that there can be forgiveness to take place?

Or perhaps receive forgiveness from somebody else?

Because if we don't, how can God forgive you?

How can God forgive me?

Amen.

Can we stand this morning?