Forgive and You Will Be Forgiven

A little bit of background about myself. David Schreiber. I've been attending the Church of God since 1971. Some of you are probably my seniors in that regard. Others are probably newer. But it doesn't make really much difference, does it? God calls us when it's time. I'm actually serving three congregations in the United States, not four. Three congregations. One in southern Minnesota, one in Iowa, one in Wisconsin. And then I say we because my wife helps me so much with responsibilities overseas in Sri Lanka and in India, and also in Pakistan and Bangladesh. So I'll spend a little time talking with you about that, give you a little bit of background about your brothers and sisters that are around the world.

I started working with them, or we started working with them, back in about August of 2011, when I was hired in the ministry. And we, my wife and I, at first, you know, we just decided to go to Sri Lanka for the feast. There was a need over there to be able to serve. And the home office sent out a notice to some of the elders and said, hey, you know, we have some areas of the work, or every areas of the world, that are in need of assistance during the Feast of Tabernacles. And they listed several places, Jamaica, Canada, Sri Lanka. And I said, well, I said, my wife likes somewhere warm. She's not crazy about Canada. I said, I'd be willing to go to Canada. And our son, he said, well, you know, Sri Lanka, that looks like a nice area. And my daughter said, well, maybe Jamaica. And so, when the word came back, they said, your son is a genius. Sri Lanka is where he wanted to go. So, we ended up going to the feast in Sri Lanka in 2009. And, well, before the feast, we thought, well, we're going to be near India. We've never been there before. We'll go there, have a chance to, you know, to see some sights before we go to the feast in Sri Lanka. We'll never be in this part of the world again. This is a one-time shot here back in 2009. We'll never be there again. Never say never. So, I don't know how many, I've lost count now how many times we've been overseas to India, Sri Lanka. I think, to Linda, is it close to 20? Anyhow, we were counting for a while, but we've lost count. We try to get over there a couple of times a year. In COVID, that didn't happen. But anyhow, brethren, I'll tell you, God is doing a work there. I could talk a long time about what He is doing in this part of the world. And now it's expanded. I mean, initially, they said we'd like you to be what they call senior pastor over India and Sri Lanka. I didn't even know where Sri Lanka was when we went in 2009. Maybe some of you don't know where Sri Lanka is. I had to pull out a map. If you know the tip of India, that's Sri Lanka's little island nation just off the southeast tip of India. And, you know, India has got its own dynamics. If you can imagine this, okay, India is about one-third of the size of the United States. So if you can picture India over on the east coast, taking up about a third of our nation, okay, and then if you move all of the population of the United States to that one-third area, and then multiply that by over three times. Three times our population in one-third of our landmass. There are people everywhere.

And it's different than it is here in that sense. And so, and then, of course, because of the internet you know, ability and people to get online, brethren, we have members now for the first time in Bangladesh, husband and wife, that I baptized at the Feast of Tabernacles. And we have members in Pakistan, husband and wife, and they are baptized. I baptized them also at the Feast of Tabernacles. And now they are having Friday night Bible studies in their homes of people that are either Hindu or Muslim background that are beginning to want to know about the God of the Bible.

And I can tell you it's significant to come out of Hinduism in Islam to come to the truth of the God of the Bible. But if we know, as it says in the book of Revelation, that when God's kingdom begins, He's calling people from every land, every nation, every language. He's going to have people on the ground that are going to be able to work with those people that are still alive at that time, and then the countless billions with a B that are going to be raised from the dead in the second resurrection when they have their opportunity to have their minds open to the truth, like you and I right now. Then their accountability begins. Their calling begins. Their day of judgment begins, as ours is right now. And so God's going to have the ability to reach them. I can't reach an Indian or a Pakistani as well as an Indian or a Pakistani can. And to say, look, I know the language. I've been there. I went through the difficulties. And this journey, as you know, is straight and narrow and difficult to the kingdom of God. And so it's not easy. Firstfruits is a high calling, but it's also the most difficult one. And so here we are, being trained, being taught, learning every Sabbath. We not only come here to worship God, right? He's worthy of our worship. But we come before His presence in a holy convocation. He says, I want you to appear before me. Because I've got something also that I want you to learn. And so hopefully God, through me, and I pray this, and I imagine you other speakers do too, God use my mouth today. Let you and I be at one today. You use my mouth to be the mouthpiece. Because if I get in the way, it's not going to be good. But when God's involved, it's fantastic. And there's a blessing. And so I want to talk to you today about a very important topic. And it's something that I still had to learn, and I'm still learning. But I tell you what, it's absolutely vital for you and for me as firstfruits in training to begin to rule and reign with Jesus Christ in the kingdom of God. So to begin the sermon today, I'm going to begin with a question which I often like to do because it gets us to begin to think. And so here's the question here. If you're taking notes, you can write down your answer in your notebook, or your iPad, or your notepad, whatever you have. But the question is to get you to think, what are some of the three-word phrases that come to mind, three-word phrases that you can think of that are the hardest to express to another person? What are the a couple of three-word phrases that you can think of that are hardest to express to another person? Eh, we'll just keep it to a couple. Maybe your mind is already beginning to think, it's beginning to go into action here, the wheels are turning, and I'm sure if I were to ask you, there would be a variety of different answers. There may be answers such as, I was wrong. That's a tough one, isn't it? I was wrong. Or I love you. That can be a tough one. Or, it's my fault.

Now these are among the three top, reoccurring phrases that are the most difficult to express to another person. These can be some of the top, but here's some that are really at the top here. All right? I am sorry.

And I forgive you.

Now I think nearly every parent knows how tough it is to teach their children to say, I am sorry to another sibling that has hurt that sibling's feelings. And then it's also just as difficult for the other sibling to say, I forgive you.

Now, surprisingly, this is where God's taking you and me. We're his kids. We're his children. And this, surprisingly, is exactly what he's trying to do with us. And sometimes we parents try to do with our children, where one sibling is willing to say, I am sorry, and the other sibling is willing to say, I forgive you, and they both really mean it. Now that is tough to teach your children or grandchildren. Well, I think God is just as challenged with you and me. And yet, remarkably, he is teaching us now how to forgive. How to forgive others. Now, perhaps some of you wrote down a moment ago, I am sorry, or I forgive you. And again, both of those are hard. Why are they hard?

Because our pride gets in the way. Our pride keeps us from admitting that we are wrong and saying, I'm sorry. And we're also slow to forgive, or to grant forgiveness to someone who has offended us. Choosing rather to not forgive, because then we've got some leverage, don't we? We've got some leverage over that person, that person that wronged us, that person that hurt us, that person that treated us unjustly or unkindly. Rather than forgiveness is not a little thing in a Christian's life. It is not a little thing that God is trying to just, oh, this is just something that you might want to know about. It's not a small dimension in our spiritual walk, but it is at the very heart of a follower and a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Now, we are all in need of forgiveness, aren't we? Aren't we? And we so much appreciate that when God forgives us of our sins. We're all in need of for God's forgiveness, but too often, interestingly, and this is a human trait, not a godly one, we are unwilling or unable to forgive others. And yet, we so much appreciate God's forgiveness. The title of the message today is very simply put, forgive, and you will be forgiven. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. I think most of us here probably know God's annual festivals. They outline his plan of salvation in order for you and I to be a part of his eternal family. And when it comes to the first festival, the Passover, we might say it's not only a festival of faith, but it's also a festival of forgiveness, our forgiveness. And we rehearse that what God has done for us, don't we? When we examine ourselves before we partake of the Passover and ask for his forgiveness for the sins that we have committed, we do this every spring. A festival of faith, but also a festival of forgiveness, a festival of redemption, a festival of reconciliation, and a festival of restoration. It's the beginning of God's plan, and it's where God's mind is, and it's also at the end of God's plan. It's where his mind is, and it surrounds the subject of forgiveness. Now, at that time of the year, we focus on becoming a new unleavened lump before God the Father and Jesus Christ. We focus on what God has done for us and the sacrifice that his Son made, the complete sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us. I would suggest that there is no greater assignment for a child of God than to do or know or begin to address the homework of forgiveness. And we're going to talk more about that as we go along. And it's not just something that's past or present. It's something also that's going to be future. As we think about forgiveness, as God speaks about forgiveness today, some may be saying in their mind, well, you know, I've got no animosity towards anyone. I've got no bitterness towards anyone. I have forgiven all individuals who have sinned against me a long time ago, and that's good if you're in that situation. Some of you might be unsure. Maybe you can't even think of being in a situation where you needed to forgive someone, and that's good too. But I would suggest before your life is over that you and I, all of us, are going to have to go through the assignment of forgiveness. So we're going to talk about that today, because there are some important truths and some important lessons that God wants to reach out to us today, to teach us today. Now, maybe you thought you had your mind wrapped around this, but brethren, if you haven't, or even so, if you haven't, it's time for review. Let's do a little deeper dive into what God has to share with us on this topic today. Because some, if you've been unable to forgive, you have been paralyzed by it. You've been paralyzed by it. It affects you emotionally. It affects me emotionally. It can affect us not only emotionally, but it can affect us physically. It can affect us spiritually, in a sense. In fact, it can stymie our growth, and it can short-circuit our ability to grow into the spiritual creation that God wants you and I to be. Because he sees the end from the beginning, doesn't he? Let's understand not only how important forgiveness is to God, but also what a forgiving God we have. Let's begin with our first scriptural reference to Psalm chapter 86. Let's go over to Psalm chapter 86 and verse number five. And we're going to notice something here as we begin to understand forgiveness, that we begin to understand God. And we begin to understand his nature. We begin to understand a character trait that he has.

In this context of Psalm 86, it begins to describe what our God is like. It talks about his character and his character attributes. Let's notice here Isaiah chapter 86 and verse number five. It says, For you, Lord, are good. Now you and I may already agree with that, that God is good, but why is he good? Let's notice part of the reason here. For you, Lord, are good, ready to forgive. Notice our God is ready to forgive. That's part of his nature. That's one of his characteristics. That is ultimately what he wishes. Let's continue. And abundant in mercy to all of those who call upon you. God is ready, ready to forgive. That's his proclivity. That's his natural state, that he desires to forgive all who have sinned. What a remarkable thing.

But God only speaks about, not only speaks about forgiveness in the scriptures, as he speaks about it here in Psalm chapter 86, but he also shows us how to do it. As we'll go through the scriptures today. Let's go now to the New Testament, Luke chapter 23.

Luke chapter 23 and verse number 34 is where we'll start. But before we begin, let's set some of the context here. In Luke chapter 23, we have an older brother. We have God in the flesh, and we're going to see the reality of this character trait in action. So let's set the stage a little bit before we read. It says, you know, as we sometimes bring out just prior to Passover, the first festival of God, we rehearse the complete sacrifice that Jesus gave on our behalf. Not only his death, but also his suffering. I think many of you know that the suffering was a part of the sacrifice. The suffering that he went through for our healing was a part of the sacrifice, not only his death. So it was a complete sacrifice. But at this point, in the context here, Jesus has endured remarkable circumstances. There has been an illegal trial. There has been an illegal sentencing. He has been rushed from hall to hall, from palace to palace. He's been placed in front of one false accuser after another. We know that he had this crown of thorns that were just stamped upon his head. We know that he was flagellated in his back, on his sides, in his legs, with rods, with whips. You may remember that there had been a cat of nine tails, in a sense, that was composed of a whip of strings, of cord, of metal and bone, in a sense, that would tear flesh from the body, that would lacerate the skin. He'd been mocked. He'd been disrespected. He had been falsely accused. He had been spit on. And now he's been nailed to a piece of wood. So we see some of the context here, brother, of what he went through. And it is in this context that Jesus Christ says the following in Luke chapter 23 and verse 34. He said, Father, forgive them, because they don't know what they're doing.

This was one of the last things that Jesus said in his earthly ministry, as he's nailed to a wooden stake. He says, Father, forgive them.

Now, how does this correspond to what we just read in Psalm chapter 86? Remember, it said, God is good. Why? Because he is ready. Some translations say he's prepared to forgive. He's looking for an opportunity to forgive. This is a remarkable characteristic here. And this is a remarkable example to you and me, brethren, of an older brother that's gone before us in the flesh. Our Messiah, our Savior, who did no wrong. He sets a remarkable example of love and forgiveness, even as he is dying a criminal's death. Now, with this background, and having looked at Psalm 86, and also having looked at Luke chapter 23, let's add one more section of Scripture here to lay a foundation of what we might say is a biblical imperative that God is not asking you and me to do anything that his own son wasn't willing to do. He's not asking us to do something that his own son wasn't willing to do while he walked on the earth as a human being. Let's go over to Psalm 103, back to the Old Testament now. Psalm chapter 103. And let's take a moment to remember what our God has done for us. Psalm chapter 103, we're going to pick it up right in verse number one. How he has been there for you and for me, and how he has been ready to forgive. Psalm chapter 103, and let's pick it up here in verse number one. Psalm 103 in verse number one. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all of his benefits. And what are some of those benefits? Who forgives? Notice all of your iniquities. Who heals all of your diseases. Who redeems. Which means to buy back, to recover, to buy back and recover our life from destruction. And notice, who crowns you with loving kindness and notice tender mercies. You know, just a thought. There's certainly a tie-in to the parable or the story of the prodigal son. Most of you know that story. It's pretty well known about a father was just waiting for a son to come back, longing for a son to come back into the fold, longing for the son to come back, hoping for the son to come back into the family. And then when he does come back, how the father accepts him. You remember this story. Puts on his own robe, puts his signet ring on him, in a sense basically accepting him back totally into the family, reconciling, restoring him from the station which he had fallen from. Let's pick it up here in verse number five. Who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.

Forgiveness empowers. It renews. It restores. It invigorates. It builds up. Verse number six. The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He may known his ways to Moses, his acts to the children of Israel, that the Lord is merciful. He is gracious. He is slow to anger. And notice he is abounding in mercy. Dropping down to verse 10. He has not dealt with us according to our sins. We've all sinned, haven't we? We've all fallen short of the glory of God, which he's trying to build in us. Verse 10 continues, he's not dealt with us according to our sins, nor has he punished us according to our iniquities, with which we can be very, very grateful for. Verse number 12. We drop down to verse 12. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. What an unbelievable promise from God that he forgives, he removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. And, brethren, don't we rejoice in that? Don't we rejoice in that each Passover as we begin to rehearse God's plan of salvation every year? And as remember the baptismal covenant that many of us made, and our humbled brethren, really, at the insurmountable price, the insurmountable cost that was paid on our behalf in order for our sins to be forgiven. Christ paid for our sins, and of his willingness to completely forgive all of our iniquities.

When we consider this kind of forgiveness that God has towards others, I believe it's something that he says, you know what? You are a God being in the making. I want you to be like me. I want you to be like your older brother, Jesus Christ. This is the way the God family is. And if you're going to be a part of it, you're going to have to have these characteristics that I have. You're going to have to be a chip off of the old block, just like me. Now, brethren, that's not an easy character trait to begin to develop, is it? God says you can do it, but you're going to need my help. But you have to be a participant. It's the way that it is. It's the way God's always done it. We can't do it without him, but we also have to be a participant in the process. That's God's way. He's hit by his design. He knows what he's doing.

So he says, I want you to think about this. The kind of forgiveness that I have towards others, I want you to begin to have that forgiveness towards others. And it's something that I want you to keep in the core of your mind, in a sense. I don't want you to lose sight of this. That I want it to become a part of your nature as well.

Brethren, when you went under the waters of baptism, for those of you that have been baptized, you became buried, wet, and forgiven. Do you remember how you felt when you came out of the waters of baptism and someone said, the minister said to you, you now stand spiritually clean. Totally forgiven of any sin that you have ever committed. Do you remember how you felt?

I think if we remind ourselves of that from time to time, that may change our outlook on other people. To remind ourselves of being in the baptismal pool of what it was like to be forgiven, what it was like to be clean, to be redeemed, to be reconciled, to be restored with an identity and a dignity. And as we address forgiveness, I would suggest there are a few essential realities that God desires each of us to have. We are reminded as Christians that we have our own imperfections, even as we strive to emulate a perfect God. Even after baptism, we will sin. And we do. And we will be at fault. And we will make mistakes, either unwittingly, or worse yet, in a sense otherwise, wittingly, if you will, will make mistakes, either unwittingly or wittingly towards others. And yet God is there despite our weaknesses, and He is ready to forgive.

And because He forgives us, He says to you and me, I want you to forgive others. And this is an area now I want to begin to focus on as we proceed along the way in the message here. Because we have been forgiven. And we renew our covenant of forgiveness in the spring. Because we have been forgiven. God is telling you and me that you and I must forgive. We don't have an option if we're going to be in His family.

We see the example of Christ who has changed our lives by His forgiveness with His forgiveness. And His disciples were supposed to imitate Him, aren't we? Follow Me. Imitate Me. Now, as a pastor, I've seen some real family challenges, even in my own family. I've listened to some terrible stories. I've listened to some really difficult situations in members' personal lives where I've been told, well, He did this to me.

Or she did that. Or He didn't pay me what He owed. Or she said this about me. And those words were cruel and difficult and mean. Or I was falsely accused. Or she lied. And long after the circumstances have ended, and there's really nothing else that can be done, persons are holding on. They're holding on to the complaint. They're holding on to the hurt. They're holding on to the injustice. And the feud, which should have ended a long time ago, continues.

Sadly, in a sense, these individuals are never, ever to let go of the circumstances. They become annoyed. They become bitter. They are unwilling or unable to resolve the matter. Unable to reconcile. And even worse, unable to forgive. They are enchained. And they're enslaved. If you find yourself, and I don't know any of you very, very well, but if you find yourself in a sense in an unforgiving relationship, then you are actually chained and enslaved. We've touched on this already, but God is calling you and I to a very high calling. And it's a high calling of forgiveness. We have received forgiveness from God.

And we have our marching orders to follow the example of God and his Son Jesus Christ, and to follow the teaching that they give. So let's begin to look at some additional teaching. Let's go to Matthew, chapter 18. Matthew chapter 18. We're going to pick it up here in verse number 21. And let's notice and listen to these instructions that come straight from an older brother to his younger siblings. Spiritual sons and daughters in the making. Let's look at these, straight from Jesus Christ. Peter in this context has asked Christ a question on the matter of forgiveness.

Pretty well known verse, but let's see if there's any jewels that God can share with us today. Verse number 21 of Matthew 18 is where we're going to pick this up. It said, then Peter came to him, referring to Jesus, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? You know, Peter probably thought this was a good question. But I wonder if Peter perhaps wanted a little bit pat on the back, a little speculation here. You know, Peter often spoke up. He was the first one to speak up and say what was on his mind.

And sometimes he didn't always think everything through. Perhaps Peter was thinking about forgiveness and knowing, well, you know, it's good to forgive a person maybe three times. You know, three times, like baseball, three strikes, and then you're out. Perhaps Peter was thinking, well, you know what? We should go over beyond three times. Seven is a complete number. Seven times. Jesus said to him, of course, as the rabbi and the great teacher, he's going to use this teaching moment, isn't he?

And of course, Jesus had several teaching styles. Sometimes he wouldn't directly answer a question. He'd answer a question with a question. Then sometimes he'd go straight on and sometimes he'd exaggerate for effect. So one of those was exaggeration. You remember, you know, if your right hand offends, you cut it off, toss it away. Well, he's not telling us to literally do that, but he's trying to tell us how serious something like that can be. So in this context, Jesus says, verse 22, I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to 70 times seven.

70 times seven. I would suggest that Christ is telling Peter it's not about a calculation. It's about a matter of the heart. Are you and I only to forgive our spouse, our children, our family member, our grandchildren, our brethren, a stranger on a calculation? On a calculation that, well, you know, you have just reached your limit of forgiveness.

No. It's based on love. Just as God and Jesus Christ forgives you and I, it's not based on the number of sins that we commit. And then Jesus goes on to a wonderful parable here in this context. It's still in the context of Peter's question, you know, about, you know, how often should I forgive someone? So let's pick up some more of the context here, because what follows Peter's question of forgiveness, Jesus begins to teach on that question. Verse number 23. And before we begin reading, we're going to see a servant here who owes an insurmountable debt. An insurmountable debt. We talk about Jesus' exaggeration for effect here, trying to get us to understand here, because as we're going to read here, this is a debt that is so high and that it is so insurmountable that this person will never be able to pay. In fact, as we read here in verses 23 through 25, it's talking about here, you know, he owed $10,000 or 10,000 talents.

Now, if we didn't know how much money that was in today's money, you know, we might not understand the fullness of this story. But the insurmountable debt is 10,000 talents. In today's money, about $3.5 billion. $3.5 billion. And so he throws himself at the mercy of the master, whom he owes the debt. He says in verse 26, the servant there fell down before him, saying, Master, have patience with me and I will pay you all. There is no way he was going to ever be able to pay 10,000 talents. $3.5 billion US dollars in today's money. And yet he said, have patience with me, with me, and I will eventually try as best I can to pay you all. And the master, verse 27, of that servant was moved. He was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him the debt. He's free. His master has released him. He's forgiven him this entire insurmountable debt. Totally free. Totally forgiven. And then the forgiven servant, he goes out and he finds a fellow servant who owes him money.

Verse number 28. But that servant went out and he found one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 denarii. You know how much that is approximately in US dollars? About $5,800.

Compared to what he had been forgiven of $3.5 billion. $5,800. And he lays hands on him, and he took him by the throat, and he said, pay me what you owe. Pay me what you owe. And the man says, well, I can't. I can't. So the forgiven man lays hands on him, takes him by the throat. I guess he feels he won't be able to get the money. He kills him. So he puts him in jail, hoping that he'll get his money at some point from him in the future, maybe from a family member.

Further in summary, despite the fact that the servant was forgiven, an insurmountable debt, he demands from another a few dollars that are owed to him. Can you imagine? So the question is, to you and to me, having been forgiven, an insurmountable debt, an unpayable debt, are you and I going to threaten somebody else? Are we going to continue to hold something else against them? Are we going to lay hands on another for the offenses that they have caused, you and me? And as we consider this, let's look at verses 32 and verse 33 in this context. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, you wicked servant. Boy, God calls a spade a spade, doesn't he? You're not willing to forgive him? I forgave you an insurmountable debt, and you will not forgive somebody whose debt is much less than what I just forgave you. Do we see the tie-in here?

You wicked servant.

Brethren, do we see that if we're unwilling to forgive, God's calling you and I the same spade. You wicked servant, I forgave you all of that debt because you asked me, you begged me, should you not also have had compassion?

Where's the love? Where's the compassion? Where's the forgiveness for your fellow servant? Shouldn't you have pity just as I had pity? See where God's taking you and me?

He's teaching us to be just like him. He's teaching us to have compassion. He's teaching us to forgive the same way that he forgives. This is no small thing that God's teaching us because it is not human to do this. This is hard, but it's not impossible. This is hard. So there's a lesson that God says, look, you will never have anyone has as much offensive or an insurmountable debt as you have had with me that I forgave you. The forgiven sinner, prompted by the gratitude for the forgiveness received, must always, God tells you and me in every case, do everything in our power to forgive others that have offended us. Christ teaches us something even more about this topic in this lesson. Let's go over to Matthew chapter 6. Matthew chapter 6. Again, another familiar section of Scripture, but let's tie it in with the topic today. This section of Scripture known as the Lord's Prayer. Many of you know it. Some of you probably know it by heart. We understand it's really a sample prayer, a model prayer, and this example prayer was given by Jesus in the context of his disciples asking the question, Lord, teach us how to pray. So we don't really even know how to pray. We're adult men here, young men, but we don't even know how to pray. And so that's the context here. So Jesus begins to answer their question. Let's pick it up in verse 9 of Matthew chapter 6. It says, in this manner, so we know it's not word for word, it's not rote, it's an outline prayer, it's a model prayer. In this manner, therefore, pray, our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. And when we say our Father in heaven, we're first, of course, acknowledging that we all have a same Father, don't we? A common Father. And secondly, we are acknowledging our willingness to yield ourselves to something that is higher and bigger than ourselves.

We acknowledge and connect with someone that is bigger than us. Rather than why is this important? Well, for several reasons, because at times when it comes to forgiveness, when it's placed on our own shoulders, it's way too big for us. We don't have the capacity, we don't have the capability, we don't have the ability of and by ourselves alone to forgive, because it's not human to forgive. It's not human to forget. But we need God's help to do this. So verse number nine, our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth right now, among his sons and daughters in the making, as it is in heaven. So we pray, whatever we ask of, that would be according to his will. So when Jesus says, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven regarding forgiveness, God would have us to recognize that this is one of the greatest aspects of demonstrating his will on earth as a child of his on earth. And one of those, in a sense, greatest aspects of demonstrating his will is to be able to forgive another human being.

Jesus prayed to the Father, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And notice verse 12, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Now those are 10 powerful words. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. God says these two are connected. They are intertwined. They cannot be separated.

When we look at this remarkable sample prayer, we recognize the profound reality here. Simply put, our forgiveness from God to his children, you and me, is based proportionately and conditionally on our forgiveness to others. That's our assignment. That's our marching orders from Christ himself. Now you might be thinking, or you might be saying in your mind, well, I can't do that. You don't know what happened to me. You don't know all the circumstances. But I can tell you that God would not ask you to do something that you could not do. That he knows with his help and through the power of his Holy Spirit that you can. Why is this so important? Why is this so important to forgive? Well, let's try to bring it down to a common denominator here. Simply this. Forgiveness from God to us is directly tied to our forgiveness to others. They're directly connected. They're interwoven together, bound so tightly they cannot be separated. You can't have one without the other. And sometimes that just goes right over our heads. Oh yeah, I can do that.

We cannot forgive others without God's help, and we will not be forgiven if we don't forgive. It comes as an entire package. So it's not easy, but it's what you have been called to do. It's what I've been called to do. And I think there's deeper meaning in this section of the model prayer because it's in our forgiveness of others offenses, I think that we reveal the fact that we have been forgiven. Do we get that? It's in our forgiveness of other people's offenses against us that we reveal the fact that we have been forgiven.

How do we reveal the fact that we've been forgiven? I think it's only when we truly understand, and have finally begun to comprehend the magnitude of what we have been forgiven of. The blood of Christ, what it has done, that we then have the admonition that you and I, in turn, forgive others.

Brethren, if we remain in an unforgiving position, I think we actually call into question of whether we understand our debt of what Christ and God the Father have done for us.

But when we meditate on Christ's forgiveness, then we begin to realize that we owe God infinitely more than what any man or woman could ever owe us. We owe God infinitely more than what any other human being could ever owe us. And then we are able to let go of others' debts.

We do have a choice, though, don't we? We can choose to hold on to those debts that others owe us, or we can forgive as we have been forgiven. It's our choice, which is what God always does. You choose. This is the way I'm suggesting you go, but I'm not going to twist your arm. But you choose. But this is the way I want you to go. I want you to be like me. I want you to be like your older brother.

So we have a choice to hold on or to forgive. However, we're faced, we're thinking about it, we're faced with a powerful voice of God that's saying, I'm not going to forgive you unless you forgive others. Are we understanding totally what God is trying to tell us? What he's trying to teach and command us? Because that's the way he is. That's the way Jesus Christ is. That's what a God being in the making does. And you and I are a God being in the making. God is a God of love. We understand that. We know that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. He's calling us to show that same love towards others.

Brethren, if we're not willing to forgive, then we stand in the way. We stand in the way of a lot of things. We stand in the way of an individual that God has maybe called or will call someday. We stand in the way of being a great forgiver the way God is, the great reconciler the way that God is. We stand in the way. We have the ability or we have to be able to forgive someone who's offended us even if they don't ask for forgiveness. Now that is a tough one, isn't it? Wow, they offended me and there's been no remorse. They've never apologized. They've never said, I'm sorry. Well, that's between them and God, isn't it? In a way, that's between them and God. But we've already read in Luke chapter 23, haven't we, where Jesus said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. And if we look at the context here of Luke chapter 23, they didn't ask for forgiveness.

Those who mocked on Christ, those who spat on Christ, who falsely accused Him, who disrespected Him, they did not ask for forgiveness. And God makes this plain by sharing this important subject.

Let's go over to Romans chapter 12. Romans chapter 12, verse number 21.

Paul is writing to the church of God at Rome, brothers and sisters that lived in the first century. There's nothing new under the sun. We can learn the same issues that they faced, that we face. Romans chapter 12 and verse number 21. Paul is writing, he says, do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Now that's hard to do, to overcome evil with good, but God says to do good, even to our enemies. You know what's been said, I don't know if you've heard this, it's been said, to return evil for good is devilish. To return good for good is human.

To return good for evil is divine. I'll say that again. It's been said to return evil for good is devilish. To return good for good is human. And to return good for evil is divine.

Well, I think you know what your destiny is.

So we have the apostle Paul's example here in Romans 12-21. And of course, we've covered Jesus Christ's examples as well. Let's go look at another example of Christ in Matthew chapter 5.

Matthew chapter 5 verse 43. This is part of Jesus's sermon on the mountain. Remarkable information that he shared. They'd never heard anything like it. We may have heard it so much, we may take it commonplace, but they had never heard these things and they were amazed at what Jesus was sharing with them on that mountain. Matthew chapter 5 is really at the core of being a disciple of Christ. As part of the message here, he's talking about doing good even to an enemy. Let's notice Matthew chapter 5 verse 43.

Matthew 5 and verse number 43. He says, you've heard it said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. Surprisingly, that was a common thought at that time in the first century. But I say to you, love your enemies. And then he goes on to say how to do that. And he talks about three different things. Notice three things of how to love your enemy. He says, bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. He talks about three ways or three things to do in order to love your enemies. Bless those who curse. Do good to those who hate and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute you. Say good, do good, and pray for. Say good, do good, and pray for. You know, when Jesus was surrounded by his enemies in the last moments of his life, we touched on that already after being, going through all of that suffering, all of those difficulties, and finally now he's near the end of his life. He's being nailed to a piece of wood, a stake. He says, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. At that time, I would suggest he was certainly following the teaching that he brought us from the Father, being surrounded by his enemies. They weren't his friends, most of them were his enemies. Surrounded by his enemies, he's asking the Father to forgive them. He was saying good, doing good, and praying for. He was praying for them.

That's his example. And why? Verse number 45, that you may be the sons of your Father, that you may be the sons of your Father, for he makes his son, S-U-N, rise on the evil and on the good. He sends the rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, well then what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same, and they weren't well regarded in the first century. Don't have time to go into that. Verse 47, if you greet your brethren only, well then what do you do more than anyone else? Don't even the tax collectors do that. But verse 48, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Now you may say in your mind, okay, well I know now that I need to do this. I know that this is what being a disciple of Jesus Christ is about. I understand his example, and I too want to do that.

But why? Is it so difficult? Why is forgiving someone so difficult? Let's spend a little time with that before we begin to address more, because there are reasons why forgiveness on the human plane is really hard. Why? Well, one of the reasons is because the person who is hurt, the offended party, does the forgiving rather than the other way around. Do we catch that? The person who does the forgiving is the one that's been hurt. It's the offended party rather than the other way around. So that's one of the reasons why forgiveness is so difficult, is the person in a sense is the offended party does the forgiving.

So forgiveness involves really paying a price, doesn't it? Paying a tremendous price in some cases. The person pays the price of the evil that they forgive. They pay the price of the evil they forgive. Yes, forgiveness is costly. The person pays a tremendous price, and it costs you, not the person, being forgiven. Forgiveness can mean that justice will not always be served. Forgiveness does not restore the family member whose life was taken way too early because of a drunken driver.

Forgiveness doesn't restore the house that was burned down because someone was carelessly playing with the matches. Forgiveness does not restore the virginity to a rape victim. These are hard things, aren't they? Forgiveness does not always restore or change the person who has offended you or hurt you. Forgiveness is letting go. Forgiveness is letting go of the pain that you feel. Having been a minister now for over a decade, I've dealt with people who have a death grip with a person. Even sometimes after that person is no longer alive, a grandparent, a family member, a relative, a step-parent, a step-child, a former friend, a stranger. They have a death grip. They can't let go, not realizing that that person has a life grip on them because they've not been able to let go. They have been unable to forgive. Now, let's not misunderstand. That's not an excuse of the behavior or the offense that was put upon you by another person. It doesn't excuse the wrongs that were done, but they haven't recognized that really the whole world has been dysfunctional since our human parents in the Garden of Eden. We've had, brethren, 6,000 years, nearly 6,000 years of humanity, and we're drowning in our own human nature. God wants to get us out of that human nature, to His divine nature. So what God is addressing with you and I today, it's very difficult. It's very challenging. There are people that have not let go, but God says that's the key. That's the key to forgiveness, is letting go, and then let God be the rectifier.

It's not easy to forgive, but let's consider some of the alternatives. What are the effects on you and I if we don't forgive? When we don't forgive, we become a slave. We become chained. We become a slave to the past, and we become a hostage to the present, and we deny ourselves a future in the kingdom of God.

But the good news is that God shares with us is that we know Christ paid our insurmountable debt. You and I owed a debt that we could never pay, and Christ paid it for us. He paid the price of all of our sins, and Christ did it willingly. He bared our debt, and this understanding should change our perspective. The forgiven will be forgiven. We'll forgive. The forgiven will forgive. Knowing that our insurmountable debts are canceled, that we ourselves must cancel the comparatively small debts of offenses that have been made for us as you compare them. They may seem big in our minds, but if we compare them with the insurmountable debt that has been forgiven for us, they are very, very small. In other words, if we have experienced the assurance of forgiveness, we should be able to pass on and even be eager to forgive those who've committed offenses against us. We are to pass on forgiveness just as we have received it. And finally, as Scripture reveals, the unforgiving person will never enter into the destiny of everlasting life in the kingdom of God. We have to think about the alternatives. If we don't forgive, the unforgiving person will never enter into their destiny of everlasting life in the family and in the kingdom of God. Remembering the instructions of Jesus Christ, you can turn there. I need to move along here, but we've already read it in Matthew 6, verses 14 and 15. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, then neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Only the forgiven will enter into eternity with God. And I think that's why God is showing the seriousness of this topic today with you and me. He's wanting us to finally wrap our minds around it to help us to understand. But to be able to meet this high challenge, because that's exactly what it is, we're going to need God's help. We're going to need His help. We need to be participants, but we're going to need His help. We need to draw close to God. We've got to, in a sense, respond to His invitation when He says, draw close to me. Come to me and acknowledge the enormity of our debt, of our sins, that we were bankrupt, that we were totally needing to rely on His mercy for forgiveness, because we can't pay that debt, and to totally embrace that sacrifice for us, and then be willing to follow that example for others as it was given to us.

We're to be known as Christ's disciples, aren't we?

If we love one another, and as we forgive one another, you show the person and the world who you are. We're to mirror what He's done, and that includes showing mercy. Not bringing up past offenses, but forgiving completely. Then the chains that have held us down, the hurt, the anger, the resentment that maybe has been tormenting us for weeks or months or years or decades, will drop off, and we'll be really free. And then and only then, we will be able to say sincerely from our heart, as God did from His, I forgive you, because if we forgive, then we will be forgiven.