Forgiveness

Even I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and remembers your sin no more.

Psalm 103. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, if we don't know these verses.

Abounding in love, he will not always accuse, nor will he harbour his anger forever.

He does not treat us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

1 John.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.

And the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin.

As I said, we've covered all this already this morning.

And we've been flowing through the beauty of that forgiveness.

Forgiveness flows through the very essence of our relationship with our God.

God sent his son.

God sent his son.

His son to shed his blood so our sins could be forgiven.

Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

The heart of our relationship with God is based on who he is and what he has done for us.

Without his forgiveness, we have no relationship.

We have peace though, through Christ Jesus our Lord.

As a coming to preach to you this morning, you can't escape the fact that we've just come through Easter.

And on Easter, I happened to be in Italy, in Naples, where we sent Aoife Bevel.

And we're supporting Aoife to help in a church plant there.

And I sat in the first meeting of that church plant, which was a great blessing to be there.

But because my Italian is very weak and the service was in Italian, I was really picking up every maybe third sentence.

I was able to follow.

But because of that, one particular sentence, and I'm not going to try and repeat it in Italian.

And the preacher said,

We are blessed to know that Jesus said,

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

That is the message of God to us in forgiveness.

He forgives us.

Because behind it all, he knows that when it gets right down to it,

we, as clever as we may think we are,

most of the time don't even understand what we're doing when we're doing it.

And the treasure we have in the gospel is that Jesus went on the cross

and said,

Father, forgive.

And he has shed his blood so that we can have that forgiveness.

And therefore, since we have been justified through faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

It's worth repeating that over and over and over again to ourselves.

We have access to that.

As we have been reminded this morning,

through song and prayer,

and how Johnny reminded us even as we looked at those verses from Colossians first thing this morning.

We have access to that forgiveness if we are born again,

if we are saved,

if we are in Christ Jesus,

if the grace of God has gifted us the faith to understand that,

to know that we have been rescued

and brought from the kingdom of darkness

into the kingdom of light,

the kingdom of the sun.

So if you're not,

hear the voice of God talking to you now.

And if you are,

lift your hearts

and thank Jesus.

Thank Jesus for his shed blood

so that you know the truth of this forgiveness.

I was glad that we had that emphasis this morning

and I wanted to emphasize all those things as we come

because from here on,

I'm going to be talking about

how that forgiveness reflects in our hearts

and how we live our life out amongst each other.

Because not only are we forgiven,

but we are told that we must forgive.

Matthew chapter 6 verse 14

Matthew 6:14

For if you forgive other people

when they sin against you,

your heavenly Father will also

forgive you.

But if you do not forgive others their sins,

your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18, 35

This is how my heavenly Father

will treat each of you

unless you forgive your brother

or sister from your heart.

Mark 11, 25

And when you stand praying,

if you hold anything against anyone,

forgive them so that your Father in heaven

may forgive you and your sins.

The picture of forgiveness

flowing from God to us

and from us out to each other

and out into the world

to me is beautiful.

When I was driving down this morning,

I had an opportunity to do something

on a Sunday morning

I normally don't do.

I was flicking through radio stations,

seeing what the world is talking about

on a Sunday morning

because I'm currently blessed

to live two minutes away

from where I fellowship.

So there's no time to listen to anything in the car.

It's a nice thing on a Sunday morning.

But this morning I heard

poets talking about

the life of poetry.

I heard songwriters talking about songwriting.

I heard,

and I'm not going to get into it now,

but I heard a very well-known celebrity

talking about their decadent lifestyle.

And I asked the Lord

to show me how to love that person

as they gloried in their rebellion.

And then I flicked on

and I heard opera.

And I like opera.

Sorry.

I'm not a huge buff,

but I heard Renata Tabaldi.

And if you're into it,

what a beautiful voice.

And she was singing Puccini.

And as I drove along,

that voice and that music

lifted my heart

and made my soul sing.

And I thought to myself,

does my soul still sing like that

when I consider how much God has forgiven me?

Listening to Renata Tabaldi this morning

was like having my ears washed with liquid gold.

That's how it felt like to me.

And I said to myself,

do I still consider

how my soul has been washed

with something more precious than liquid gold?

the blood of Jesus?

And do I respond

in the right way

to Him

and to all of you

and to all of my brothers and sisters?

Do you

still

want to respond that way?

Do you still

look at yourself

full in the glory

of the grace of God

and recognize

how far you've come

and lift your heart

and say,

thank you Jesus.

Thank you God.

Thank you Lord Holy Spirit

for working in my life

to make these things known to me.

In that moment

of recognizing that forgiveness

and what we are to do,

we see the beauty

of the love of God.

And in the quantity

that that forgiveness

is lavished on us,

we should lavish

that forgiveness

on one another,

our brothers and sisters.

Luke chapter 6,

Luke 6:36

verse 36.

Be merciful

just as your Father

is merciful.

Luke 11

and Luke 17.

Forgive us our sins

for we also forgive everyone

who sins against us

and lead us not into temptation.

Even if they sin against you

seven times in a day

and seven times come back to you

saying,

I repent,

you must forgive them.

Forgiveness is central

to our peace with God

but forgiveness

is also central

to our peace

in general.

In the verses

that we've just looked at

and the thoughts

we've been just bringing out,

God has made it clear

that it is His desire

that we be at peace

with Him

and with all men

as much as we are able.

To forgive freely

as we have been forgiven.

to forgive

without limits.

That's really easy,

isn't it?

So easy to forgive

without limits.

I have no problem

with that.

Liar.

It's really hard

for us

as people

to forgive

without limits

especially when

the same things

seem to be happening

around us.

but we have to

fight in that struggle

to seek to do it

in God's way

not our own way.

In our lives

forgiveness

it serves

the most obvious things

to resolve conflicts

to remove

resentments

and forgiveness

is

an expression

of our righteousness

through Christ Jesus

lived out.

and whether we like it

or not

and it's been said

several times already

we are told

to forgive.

We can have no real hope

of resolving conflicts

if we have no heart

to forgive.

And we cannot set limits

on what we are willing

to forgive

or how many times

we are willing

to forgive.

in as much

as God's

boundless love

has covered

our boundless sin

we are to forgive

our brothers and sisters

in Christ

endlessly.

Everybody knows

this verse I think

if you've spent

any time in church.

Matthew 18

Matthew 18:21

verse 21

Then Peter came

to Jesus

and asked

Lord

how many times

shall I forgive

my brother

when he sins

against me?

Up to seven times?

Yeah

good man.

And Jesus answered

I tell you

not seven times

but 77 times.

We know what Jesus

was saying there.

Don't put a limit on it.

And just as we live

in our life in general

don't limit it

to your brothers and sisters.

Our heart is to be

of love and forgiveness

for those

not outside the church

as well.

How can we hope

to want to love them?

But I tell you

love your enemies

and pray for those

who persecute you.

What's an enemy?

An enemy is not

somebody who's just

mildly upsetting you

causing you a little

discomfort.

An enemy is somebody

who's totally opposed

to everything you are

and everything you want

and everything you hope for.

How are you going

to love an enemy?

Unless you have the heart

to forgive.

Now I don't want

anyone to misunderstand

either.

I did not

and I am not saying

that you must

ignore the sin

that is done to you.

I'm not saying

that you have to

blithely go by

and say

ignore it.

The wrongs

that are done

may be dealt with

if you wish.

If you wish

the wrongs

may be dealt with.

But our pattern

has to be the one

that we're given.

Matthew 18

15 to 17

again

I'm sure I'm not

sharing anything

new with you

if you are in the

fellowship for any

length of time.

If you are in the

church of Christ

for any length of time

you will know

that Jesus said

if your brother

sins against you

go and show him

his fault

just between

the two of you.

If he listens to you

you have won

your brother over.

But if he will

not listen

take one or two

others along

so that

every matter

may be established

by the testimony

of two or three

witnesses.

If he refuses

to listen to them

tell it to the church

and if he refuses

to listen even

to the church

treat him

as you would

a pagan

or a tax collector.

You do not

have to suffer

in silence

but neither

do you have

the right

to add further

sin and injury

on top of

a previous

injury.

In all things

we are to be

biblically

minded.

We are to be

faithful to the

desires of

Jesus

in our lives.

He wants

us

plainly speaking

to be

peacemakers

not

troublemakers.

Verse 15

If your brother

sins against you

go and show

him his fault

just between

the two of you.

If he listens

to you

you have won

your brother

over.

There is the

first part

of the model

of how we are

to deal

with these

issues

if we feel

wronged.

It dictates

our attitude

too.

It's so easy

to feel

aggrieved.

It really

is so easy

to feel

aggrieved.

How many

times have

you felt

aggrieved

and had

that feeling

of hurt

that you've

been wronged?

And it

builds up

a head of

steam

inside you.

And you

can get to

the point

of rather

than really

wanting

restoration

and

reconciliation

you really

just wanted

the other

person

put in

their

place.

To show

them how

wrong they

are.

Even if

you let

it stew

for too

long

building up

that momentum

that you

just want

to ring

from their

mouth

an apology

so that

you can

say yes

I was

right.

You

were

wrong.

And if

you do

that

sometimes

before you

even get

to that

point

you've

told this

person

or you've

told another

person.

Sometimes

we can

even be

very clever

and dress

it up

saying I'm

looking for

prayer.

I just

want to

pray about

this.

And we're

avoiding the

fact that

what we

should have

done is

gone to

the person.

Building

ourselves up

getting ready

to put the

other person

in their

place.

setting them

straight.

Letting them

know what

they need

to know.

And forgetting

that what

we're supposed

to do is

pray and

then go to

the person.

Pray then

say to

the person.

Just between

the two of

you.

And it

means just

that.

Speak

to the

person.

Speak

to them.

What happens

next is a

different

matter.

Only if

the person

refuses to

resolve are

we to do

anything else.

And still

what's the

purpose of

it?

Not to

show the

other person

how wrong

they were.

The real

purpose is

reconciliation

restoration.

And restoration.

We have the

have to have

the heart

to want

to say

something,

to fix

something.

a gentle

answer turns

away

wrath,

but a

harsh word

stirs up

anger.

We have

to be

careful.

And even

if we have

been wronged,

it doesn't

mean we have

to actually

seek out

the person.

We can

choose to

forgive

and let

it go.

You don't

have to

correct

everybody,

you know.

you can

choose to

analyze the

thing and

go,

that can

be left.

I can

choose to

forgive.

It certainly

doesn't mean

you seek

revenge or

retribution.

That seems

fairly basic.

That's God's

job anyway.

It's mine to

avenge, I

will repay,

says the

Lord.

So if you

have been

grievously

hurt, you

can still

forgive and

trust that God

will deal with

somebody else's

sin.

We're not

told to

overcome evil

with evil.

We're told to

overcome evil

with good.

It's not an

eye for a

nine.

Jesus said,

turn the

other cheek.

Be careful in

your responses.

If somebody

forces you to

go one mile,

dig in your

heels and

refuse to go

the second.

That's what it

says, isn't

it?

No, it

says, go

two.

But we

have fallen

so often

and so

easily into

the counsel

of what the

world says,

stand your

corner,

fight your

ground,

don't be a

doormat.

That's one

that I hear

all the time,

but we're not

meant to be

doormats.

And people

use that as

going, well,

I am going

to stand up

for myself and

I am going

to show that

person that I'm

the one who's

right here.

And straight

away we're in

dangerous territory,

we're on

dangerous ground.

Even Christ

corrected,

even Christ

scolded.

Read what he

said to the

Pharisees.

Look what he

did in the

temple.

But,

they were

particular groups.

Look how he

dealt with his

own when he

had to

correct.

He was,

for the

most part,

so gentle

with his

own.

And he

covers us in

his forgiving

love and he

tells us,

well, we

must do the

same or else

we're just

like the rest

of the world.

We must act

out in love.

We know

these verses

too.

What is love?

Well, love is

not rude, it

is not

self-seeking,

it is not

easily angered,

it keeps no

records of

wrongs.

Love does

not delight

in evil,

but rejoices

with the

truth.

And when

we're looking

at these

things that

we have to

deal with

in our

heart of

forgiveness

and in

our

troubles

and our

challenges,

do we

really want

the truth

to come

out,

or do

we just

want our

version of

the truth

to be

accepted?

It's so

easy to

get into

the mindset

of

rebuking

rather than

reconciliation.

As

brothers and

sisters,

we have a

responsibility

to mind

each other.

So if

somebody's

going wrong,

yes,

we should

get alongside

somebody and

help them to

return.

But rebuking,

that may not

be your

job.

It's your

elder's job,

maybe at

times.

It's

definitely

God's

job.

And trust

God.

Protecting

somebody from

sin is not

the same thing

as putting

them in

their place.

It's not.

Look at

David.

He's been

pursued by

King Saul.

Look at

1 Samuel 24.

David had

the opportunity

to take his

revenge on

Saul.

But he

didn't.

He showed

him respect

and honour.

Revenge is

mine, says

the Lord.

And here,

I think,

is the part

that I have

had to talk

to people

about on

so many

occasions.

And here's

the part that

can really

tick us off,

folks.

There is

no limit

to the

number of

times we

are meant

to forgive.

that is

hard for

us to

accept as

people.

Because we

don't like

being hurt

repeatedly.

It hurts

us.

It makes

us feel

rotten

and brow

beaten

and low

and sad.

It makes

us cry.

I put my

hand up.

I've cried.

I've cried

in my

fellowship.

at some

of the

things that

have been

said to

me.

But that

doesn't give

me the

right to

do anything

else other

than what

Christ Jesus

has done

for me

and forgive.

When Peter

comes to the

Lord, he

says, Lord,

how many

times?

And the

Lord says,

not seven,

but seven

times seventy.

in the

measure that

we are

forgiven,

we must

forgive.

Now that

verse is

taken out of

a much

longer passage

in Matthew

Matthew 18 · chapter mention

chapter 18.

verse 23.

And he

says,

therefore,

the kingdom

of heaven

is like a

king who

wants to

settle accounts

with his

servants.

And he

goes on to

tell the

parable of

the servant

who is

forgiven

much.

And what

is his

response?

He goes

out and

he seeks

retribution,

let's use

that word,

against those

who owe

him.

And the

king is

furious.

And the

king says,

in the

measure,

paraphrasing

it, that

you have

been forgiven,

you should

have forgiven

others.

You can

read that

later to

remind

yourself.

In the

measure that

we are

forgiven,

we need

to forgive.

We have

to guard

our hearts

against

developing a

spirit of

unforgiveness

and resentment.

It seems

obvious to

say it, but

resentment is

the enemy

of forgiveness.

Resentment

leads to

unforgiveness.

And both

of those

things are

poisonous

instruments

that the

devil uses

in our

lives.

Resentment

is poison.

Augustine

said many,

many,

many,

many,

many,

many,

many,

centuries

ago,

resentment

is like

drinking

poison

and

expecting

the

other

person

to

die.

That

has been

used

many

times

by

different

people.

About

three years

ago,

I actually

heard Peter

Andre say

it,

believe it

or not.

But it

has its

original

use in

terms of

our spirit

of forgiveness

that flows

from God

to us

and us

out.

But resentment

is like

drinking

poison

and expecting

somebody else

to die.

Satan loves

unforgiveness

because it

wraps up

individuals

in anger

and hate

and strife.

It destroys

fellowships.

It splits

churches.

God

loves

forgiveness.

Forgiveness

breaks

chains.

We were

chained

in sin.

What broke

the chains?

Forgiveness.

God

loves

forgiveness.

Forgiveness

breaks

chains.

Unforgiveness

binds

chains

around us.

Unforgiveness

towards

other people,

brothers and

sisters,

those outside

our fellowship.

Unforgiveness

puts

chains

of their

sin

back

around us.

When we

don't

forgive,

we are

taking the

sin of

somebody else,

tying it

to ourselves

and carrying

it on.

And often

that person

is completely

unaware

that you've

loaded yourself

with their

sin and

are dragging

it around.

unforgiveness.

And that's

when we're

defeated in

unforgiveness.

Satan has

the victory

there.

Here's an

idea.

Let's put

one over

on Satan.

Let's forgive

each other

quickly and

not give him

even the

slightest

foothold in

our relationships

with one

another.

And always

listen to

Jesus and

remember that's

the truth

that sets

us free.

Corrie Ten Boom

said of

forgiveness.

Forgiveness is

the key that

unlocks the

door of

resentment and

the handcuffs

of hate.

It is a

power that

breaks the

chains of

bitterness and

the shackles

of selfishness.

I talk to

people about

this a lot

in my role.

And I

keep getting

asked,

but what

about my

apology?

But what

about them

making it

right?

Well, yeah,

that should

happen where

it is possible.

But in some

cases, that's

never going to

happen.

There are

cases where

there are

hurts and

sin, wrong

doing, where

you're never

going to get

an apology.

You're going

to hang on

and hang on

and hang on

carrying the

weight of

that other

person's

wrongdoing

around with

you.

What if the

person has

died?

You can't

ring an

apology from

a dead

person.

What if the

person lives

12,000 miles

away and you

have no

contact with

them?

It's my

personal

experience,

folks.

Somebody did

something

absolutely

horrendous to

me.

Sorry, I was

just looking

around at the

profile.

I want you to

know this because

I'm not speaking

from a point of

going, I've

not looked at

these issues and

had to deal with

them myself.

before I was a

Christian, I was

a complete and

utter basket

case.

When I was a

child, I was

abused by a

woman.

It caused me

huge problems all

through my teenage

years into my

adulthood.

I went for

secular counseling

in my 20s.

Thankfully,

somebody dragged

me there because

at that point I

was in a bad

way.

The secular

counselor helped

me to deal

with the

anger.

So I

stopped being

angry.

But I can

tell you now

that every

morning I

woke up and

I opened my

eyes, the

first thing I

thought about

every day,

every day,

was what that

person had done

to me.

And then I

became a

Christian and I

learned about

forgiveness.

And I learned

about what I'd

been forgiven.

And over

time, I

realized that I

had to forgive

people.

And it

hit me straight

in the face

one day that

whether I liked

it or not,

for me to be

free of what

that person had

done, I had to

forgive.

That person was

living 12,000

miles away.

I couldn't walk

up to the door

and say,

hey, I want a

word.

There's no point

in arguing with

me.

What you've done

is wrong.

There's no

point in,

there's no need

for me to lay

it out.

There's no

excuse for what

you did.

What you did

is wrong.

It can't be

excused.

There's no

argument.

Irrelevant.

What I had to

do was get

on my knees

and pray to

God for the

strength to

forgive.

I know that

some of these

things that are

in our lives

are not easy

to forgive.

And I prayed

and I prayed

and I prayed

and I prayed.

I can even

remember one

morning I got

on my knees

and I said,

I forgive,

name to the

person.

I forgive you

for what you've

done.

I forgive you

for the damage

it's caused.

I forgive you.

And I stopped,

I lifted my

head and I

went,

oh well God,

you and I both

know that that

was a joke.

Because I wasn't

there yet.

But I got there

and I stopped

waking up every

morning with it

being the first

thing.

and it set

me free

from what

they had

done.

Now that's

a heavy story

but I am

just sharing

it at this

moment.

I had no

intention of

doing that

when I stood

up here this

morning.

But as I

read the

sentence I

said I

must share

this.

I'm not

talking to

you from

a position

where I've

not had to

deal with

tough stuff.

But as I've

looked through

too,

I've realized

that as I

saw what I

needed to

forgive,

I also saw

what I needed

to seek

forgiveness for

because shock,

surprise,

none of us

are perfect.

You don't

need an apology

to forgive

someone.

As long as

you don't

forgive them,

their sin

will continue

to hurt you.

It doesn't

matter what it

is.

I had

somebody who

was counseled

by a secular

counselor to

write a long

letter to

somebody who

had hurt

them detailing

all the

hurts and

then send

it to the

person.

It destroyed

that relationship

forever.

The person

had done this

before they

came to me

and I asked

them to go

back to the

person and

ask for

forgiveness for

sending that

list of things

that happened

20 years ago.

And then I

said to the

person,

now you go

and pray to

forgive them

and try and

forget about

that list.

They're still

working through

it.

We need to

break the

chain of

hurt.

Break the

chain, the

anchor of

unforgiveness

that is

keeping us

locked in

the past.

As Christ

hung on the

cross, he

cried out,

Father,

forgive them

for they do

not know what

they are

doing.

Most people

don't even

realize they're

doing things

to hurt us.

sinless.

It's the

sad reality

of our

fallen and

broken nature

that most

of the time

we don't

even realize

we're doing

things that

hurt one

another.

But we

need to look

to heaven

to see what

we do next.

And although

it can be

said that

Christ and

his perfect

sinlessness

was able to

do these

things and

we're just

people,

we have

the power

of God

with us.

And we

are to be

ruled by

the Spirit

of God.

And we

know what

the fruit

of the

Spirit is.

And the

Spirit should

dictate how

we react in

each situation.

It should

rule our

every response

in every

situation.

And one

thing that

should tell

us that we

have no

right to

withhold

forgiveness

from anybody

comes from

Christ.

Psalm 25

Psalms 25:11

verse 11

tells us,

For the

sake of

your name

O Lord,

forgive my

iniquity

though it

is great.

Forgive my

iniquity.

Forgive my

sin.

Not one of

us gets in

here clean.

Jonathan

Edwards said,

Christ will

forgive any

sinner.

Christ will

not refuse

to save the

greatest sinners

who in a

right manner

come to God

for mercy.

This is his

work.

It is the

honor of

Christ to

save the

greatest

sinners when

they come

to him,

just as it

is the

honor of

a physician

to cure

the most

desperate

disease or

wounds.

Christ will

forgive any

sinner.

We have

no right

to withhold

forgiveness

from anybody,

but especially

not our

brothers and

sisters.

Colossians

Colossians 3:13

chapter 3

verse 13.

Bear with

each other

and forgive

whatever grievances

you may have

against one

another.

Forgive as

the Lord

forgave you.

As in all

things,

Christ is our

example.

He is the

perfect example

to us.

He has

redeemed us

and he is the

one we are to

model.

When they hurled

their insults at

him, he didn't

retaliate.

When he suffered,

he made no

threats.

We have to

have the

attitude of

Christ.

And we,

in this,

as in all

things, are

more than

conquerors,

because we

can do all

things through

Christ.

It doesn't

mean it's

easy to get

there.

And that's

why we need

to live in

the power of

the Spirit

of God.

And we

need to

recognize to

live like

this will

take commitment

and faithfulness

on our

part.

we're given

all we need

for a life

of holiness,

for a life

of godliness,

but we'll

never fully

experience it

unless we

make the

effort to

be entirely

entwined

with Jesus.

You can't

have a

casual

attitude

to Jesus

and to

the Word

of God

and really

expect to

lay hold

of the

treasures of

heaven.

God has

expressed

his love

to us

through

forgiveness

and we

know this

because while

we were still

sinners,

Christ died

for us.

It's an

expression of

his unending,

unshakable,

unbreakable,

never fading,

always faithful

love to us.

And we know

that we have

the righteousness

of Christ

when we live

as he intended.

inasmuch as

God's

boundless love

covers our

boundless sin,

we are to

forgive our

brothers and

sisters as

we seek to

love them as

Christ did.

Whoever claims

to live in him

must walk as

Jesus did.

Whoever loves

his brother

lives in the

light and there

is nothing in

him to make

him stumble.

But whoever

hates his

brother is in

the darkness

and walks

around in the

darkness.

He does not

know where he

is going because

the darkness

has blinded

him.

I write to

you, dear

children,

because your

sins have

been forgiven

on account

of his

name.

Luke chapter

Luke 6:36

6, verse

36.

Be merciful

just as

your father

is merciful.

And never

forget, in

forgiving others

you are set

free, free

from the

chain of

others'

sin.

and free

to love

as fully

intended.

In

conclusion,

forgive.

It sets

you free.

It

confounds

Satan.

And it

pleases the

Lord.

Amen.