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Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg
The Relationship Keys: Forgiveness
Forgiveness comes with a promise: forgive and be forgiven.
Having the right keys is important isn’t it?
Just talk to someone who has been locked out of their house or who locked their keys in their car.
Throughout the month of February we are focusing on relationships.
What is the key to healthy, life-giving, God honoring relationships?
We’re not talking about car keys or house keys, but rather, “relationship keys”.
Today’s focus is forgiveness.
Jesus had some very poignant and very powerful things to say about forgiveness.
As we read these words today, the question is: Are we willing to do what Jesus says?
Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
There is an obvious and crazy disparity in the story. To those listening, it would have been obvious.
The master forgave the servant in such a remarkable way. A debt so great it is incomprehensible.
And yet the servant was unwilling to forgive someone else. Someone else with an offense that pales in comparison.1. Forgiveness will heal your heart.
-“Unforgiveness is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for the other person to die.”
-The person who has hurt you deserves your vengeance. But vengeance doesn’t belong to you anyway.
-God really places no limits on His command to forgive.
-When we choose to no longer hold onto an offense any longer, it frees us to truly live.
2. This forgiveness leads to your forgiveness.
-Our own willingness to forgive dictates the level at which we will be forgiven. That’s what Jesus said!
-Many of us read these words of Jesus about forgiveness and yet live as if they aren’t true.
-It’s as if we know this is true, We know Jesus said this. But we live our lives filled with unforgiveness anyways.
The bottom line:
Forgiveness comes with a promise: forgive and be forgiven.
Matthew 6:12-15
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. ’ 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.
Scriptures for Further Study/Reflection:
Ephesians 4:32
Mark 11:25
Matthew 18:21-22
Colossians 3:13
Luke 17:3-4
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Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!
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