Enemies Within The Walls: Lack Of Forgiveness (part 6)

Bethlehem Bible Church

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Pastor Steve will be back next Sunday continuing his series, but we will be continuing today on the current topic

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He's doing on forgiveness and for those who like to take notes. We'll be covering Four sections we've he's covered a lot with us

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But the four questions I'll be addressing this morning will be how can we possibly forgive first of all?

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Secondly, what is? Forgiveness what is true biblical forgiveness? Thirdly what it is not and Fourthly, what are the dangers of not forgiving?

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So those are four broad categories I'm just giving you an overview and then we'll go through each of them Oswald chamber says this we talk glibly

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About forgiving when we have never been injured But when we are injured

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We know that it is not possible Apart from God's grace for one human being to forgive another

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When we are injured apart from God's grace, it is not possible for one human being to forgive another

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So let me throw out the question for our first heading and then we'll get into it Therefore since it is not possible apart from God's grace

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How can we possibly forgive question? How can we possibly forgive others any thoughts comments feedback

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When we've been injured when we've been hurt, how could we ever possibly forgive them? Amelia, okay

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Okay, when we look at it from the lens of the cross and understand our forgiveness in Christ Debbie Okay.

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Okay. Very good. A lot of good points here So when we see the root of as Deb was saying when we see the depth right of our own sin

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Then we won't put ourselves up on a pedestal and look down on others because we see sometimes it's unintentional. We've done it ourselves

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So that's important to see the cross and to see the depths of our own sin

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Well, I have four answers. They're all intertwined with what you guys shared there. But let me give you four under this heading

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How can we possibly forgive? others Let me rephrase it this way and you'll understand where I'm coming from and we'll look at some biblical examples in scripture

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How could we possibly forgive question those who have meant evil against us answer number one?

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Only when we fully grasp that God is sovereign over the evil intent of others

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Only when we fully grasp that God is sovereign over the evil intent of others now

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Typically we we teach and preach a lot about the sovereignty of God here because we have a high view of God and a lower view of man and typically we think of God's sovereignty in terms of Praising God that he is the one true sovereign

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God we think of God's sovereignty in terms of Salvation that he is the one who works in a dead person's heart and life to save them

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We think of the sovereignty of God typically in terms of trials, right that we can turn to God in difficult times

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But I want to show you the connection between the sovereignty of God and this issue of forgiving others

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So, how can we forgive others who have intentionally not unintentionally as Deb mentioned? but who have intentionally meant evil against us answer only when we fully grasp that God is sovereign over the evil intent of others and Before we look at the biblical example, let's look up some verses if I could have some people

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Look up three verses somebody Ecclesiastes chapter 7 verse 14

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Mark, thank you. Isaiah 45 verse 7 Bruce and Lamentations 3 37 to 38.

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Thanks brother So forgiveness flows when we understand and grasp that God is sovereign over the evil intent of others

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And we'll see in these verses they highlight That God is not only sovereign over the good, but he's sovereign over The bad and there was a man

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Who Jerry Bridges highlights in one of his books who wrestled with this a Jewish rabbi who either

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God is good or he's sovereign He can't be both Because if he's good, he can't be sovereign over the bad and if he's sovereign over the bad

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Also, he must not be good. But let's see what the Bible teaches. Okay, who's got mark? You got

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Ecclesiastes 7. Go ahead Thank you,

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Bruce. Isaiah 45 Thank you and will lamentations 3

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Sorry, 37 and 38 now mind you as well reads this read it out loud if you will This is from the

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Jeremiah the prophet who's referred to as the weeping prophet and it's from a book that he wrote lamentations So keep that in mind.

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Go ahead Thank you

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God has made the one as well as the other God is the one who Makes well -being and creates calamity

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It is not is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and bad come so God is sovereign over both let's look at the example of Joseph turn with me if you will to Genesis Genesis chapter 37

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Verse 28. We're just gonna just gonna highlight certain aspects in the story of Joseph To so that forgiveness can truly only come when someone grasps the sovereignty of God Over evil and evil intent of others who intentionally try to injure us and harm us and hurt us

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Genesis 37 28 So I have a question as we reach through some of these verses

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Who how did Joseph end up where he ended up in Egypt who sent them there? So let's read verse 28 if somebody can read that Thanks, that's good mark.

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Thanks. So based on that verse who who sent Joseph to Egypt? His family his own brothers who else was involved

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Well, who else was what's that verse say? We're not getting there yet Midianite traitors. Okay Now his brothers we won't go back into the earlier in the chapter

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It says no more no less than three times that they hated him They hated him because why he was dad's favorite right made the colored robe

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I still remember as a kid in Sunday school the felt to my teacher used to teach with felt figures that shows you how old

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I am and the colored robe and They Hated him and then when he had the dreams and told him the dreams

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They hated me even more and the scripture says a third time. You're gonna rule over us and the

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Genesis says this they hated him even more so much so they could they could not speak peacefully to him and Ultimately, they were jealous of him and they sold him

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But what did he they intend to do was initially what to kill him his own brothers?

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Was it unintentional it was intentional God is not sovereign over just the good God is not sovereign just over things that are bad when it's

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Unintentional God is sovereign even when it's intentional and it's evil Yes Okay, I'll go on Somebody let's jump to Genesis 41

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Verse 41 and we'll see the full picture so the brothers were involved in in Selling to the

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Midianite traders their brother Let's see what it says here Genesis 41 41 if somebody else can read that and we'll begin to see the picture unfold a little bit

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Who sent Joseph to Egypt his brothers a Midianite traders? Who wants to read that verse?

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Yes So according to that How did

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Joseph get to the position he was in? Pharaoh Pharaoh said I did it I Have set you over the land of Egypt his brothers were jealous were angry at him

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They sold him the the Midianite traders were involved Pharaoh said look I'm the one who put you in the position you're in now.

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Let's jump to Genesis 45 Verses 8 and 9 Thanks, Dave.

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Pastor Dave Joseph is confused with young man

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Pharaoh clearly told him I'm the one who set you there Joseph says no no less than two times

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He says God is the one who has made me Lord of all Egypt And I want you to notice too that he tells his brothers

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To go tell who their father the father who had shown favoritism

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As a victim of his own upbringing I guess but there was none of that in Joseph's response when he finally saw his brothers years later

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He was focused on the sovereignty of God despite the fact that his brothers had done this

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Midianite trainers were involved the Pharaoh put him there. No it was God who had put him there and Genesis chapter 50 a couple of chapters later

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Verse 20 actually let's begin in verse 19.

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Let's read 19 and 20 You can just read it. Whoever's got that Joel. Thanks. That's good.

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Thank you So makes it very clear there that his brothers meant evil against him

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He knew that but God meant it for good God and his sovereignty took the evil of his brothers intent

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To kill him eventually they sold him but notice what he said in verse 19 Joseph was fully assured strong confidence in the fact that He was in the place of God Can you say if you've been intentionally hurt by somebody else

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That God is sovereign and I'm in the place of God Not in the place that other person has put me there because of what they've said or done to me

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Joseph's and look progressive revelation Joseph's didn't have the full canon of Scripture that we have in both

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Old and New Testaments where we can look and see the full sovereignty Of God yeah, and yet here is

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Joseph says no no no no it was God who placed me here I am in the place of God So we see that evil intent by his brothers, but God is totally sovereign over that It's it's from the mouth of the

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Most High that both good and bad come Second answer to our question. How can we possibly forgive those who have meant evil against us one?

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We said is grasping the sovereignty of God over the evil intent of others Secondly number question.

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I mean answer number two when we realize and are grateful for the Lord's help When we realize the

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Lord's help and are grateful for his help and Thirdly, I'm going to combine two and three together because it's from a

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New Testament Biblical character and we can forgive others thoroughly when we focus on gospel ministry

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When our focus is on gospel ministry and not on how we've been hurt will be able to forgive those who have hurt us

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Let's look to the New Testament 2nd Timothy chapter 4 if you will the example of the Apostle Paul Now we know the story of Paula.

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He was the greatest persecutor of Believers he would chase him put him in prison.

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He was there at Stephens martyred them in full support of it and yet God transformed him into an apostle a theologian a church planter and This he's writing to young pastor

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Timothy at the end of his life So this is as we says in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 7 the time from our my departure has come

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So here is the Apostle Paul the great Apostle Paul theologian church planter missionary

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At the end of his life and we're going to see where he at where he is at the end of his life You would think somebody was given so much for the ministry

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Somebody's done so much for God and yet let's see where he's at Let's read verses 9 and 9 through 11 first we'd like to read that chapter 4 of 2nd

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Timothy 9 to 11 if you have it you can go right ahead. That's good.

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Thanks for it Wow Everyone just abandoned him Demas I'm alone just just Luke is with me

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Everyone's just got up and left Demas because he loved the present world and let's continue if somebody else would in chat in verse 14 that same chapter

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Let's see. What else he says verse 14 and up to verse 17 Thank you all the pretty

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Look at that. My first defense verse 16. No one no one came to stand by me all deserted me

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Every right right humanly speaking to have it against them the

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Apostle Paul after all I've done But his response at the end of verse may not be charged against him how could he say that the keys in verse 17 that I gave you the answers earlier, but the

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Lord stood by me and strengthened me Why purpose clause so that Through me the message the message of the gospel might be fully proclaimed and all the

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Gentiles might hear it His focus was not on those who had abandoned him and who had hurt him in the ministry

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But his focus was the fact that the Lord stood by him and his focus was on gospel ministry

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The Lord stood by him besides and all those who had abandoned him so that he can continue to point proclaim

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The gospel even to the Gentiles Fourthly, how can we forgive others possibly?

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Fourth answer and we'll look at this before we proceed to the next section Only when we understand to some degree the enormity of our spiritual debt

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Deb touched on this earlier only when we understand to some degree the enormity of our spiritual debt and thus begin

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To appreciate what Christ has done for us on the cross. Those are the two answers we heard earlier only when we understand the enormity of our spiritual debt and Understand what

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Christ has done for us on the cross only and only then we will be able to forgive others You know the parable of the unmerciful servant.

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I'll read it in a second when we get to the second section I want to highlight something but you know, there's a king right as a servant owes him how many talents

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Anyone remember? 10 ,000 let me give you some perspective 10 ,000 talents one talent was equivalent to 20 years of wages one talent 20 years of wages

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Who's a math major like me 20 times 10 ,000 that's how much he owed him. Let me give you a little bit more perspective in Those days the total revenue collected by the

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Roman government on a yearly basis annually was 900 talents and He owed him 10 ,000

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Of course we know that he canceled the debt that servant had another servant and how much did the other servant owe him remember a

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Hundred denarii simply three months worth of wages Jerry Bridges puts it well in his book the gospel for real life, and he says quote

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Why would Jesus use such an unrealistic large amount when he knew that in real life? It would have been impossible for a king's servant to accumulate such a debt

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Jesus was fond of using hyperbole to make his point in the context of the story that Immense some represents a spiritual debt that every one of us owes to God It is the debt of our sins and for each of us.

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It is a staggering amount There is no way we can pay it.

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This is what the gospel is all about So how is it possible to forgive others?

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Number one when you grasp that God is sovereign over the evil intentions of other people against you and by the way

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Before I move on from that from that as a review Remember the full picture After Genesis we have the

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Jews where in captivity and in slavery to where in Egypt God wasn't like oh

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God wasn't developing this plan as he was going along. Oh great now. I can use this

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God was not thinking now I can Free the Egyptian from slavery and show my mighty hand of power

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God knew all along in his a sovereign plan that when his brothers did that to Joseph that the

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Jews would end up in slavery in Egypt so that he could deliver them Don't forget the big picture

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God is sovereign secondly How can you forgive others when like the Apostle Paul you realize that the

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Lord is there to strengthen you? he won't abandon you even when others will thirdly when your focus is on gospel ministry and Fourthly as we know from the parable of the unmerciful sir unmerciful servant when you realize your own debt that you owe to God in light of the cross

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Secondly let me ask this question second heading. Let's get some feedback. What is forgiveness? We've discussed it with pastor

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Steve the last few weeks somebody comes to you and says Explain to me in a capsule form summary.

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What is forgiveness? How would you tell them? What would you tell them okay? remembering to forget

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I wonder who that someone was Remembering to forget okay It's a good way of expressing it

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Karen very good

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We're going to touch on that bringing your symbol their sin behind you not bring it up to them again very very important That's true forgiveness

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All right, let's look at it since you touch on one of those First of all I would say this going back since we just finished talking about the unmerciful servant

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Forgiveness is canceling a debt that someone does owe you, but they cannot pay you're you're releasing them from that debt

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You don't just want to make a lot of it's I it was nothing No, if it's generally hurt you I mean there's a

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Proverbs that says to overlook minor offenses, but if it's beyond that It's canceling a debt.

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I want to read you can turn to it. You don't have to Matthew 18 I'm going to read the unmerciful servant the parable of it

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And I just want you to notice how many times the word three words are mentioned Oh Payment or pay and debt those three words are mentioned

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Consistently throughout the parable therefore the kingdom of heaven Matthew 18 beginning in verse 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with the servants

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When he began to settle one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents and since he could not pay notice

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It doesn't say he would not pay that was the point we made earlier He could not pay his master ordered him to be sold with his wife and children and all that he had and payment to be made

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So the servant fell on his knees imploring him have patience with me And I will pay you everything and out of pity for him the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt but when that same servant went out he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii and Seizing him he began to choke him saying pay what you owe

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So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him have patience with me, and I will pay you

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He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt

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When his fellow servants saw what he had take what had taken place They were greatly distressed and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place

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Then his master summoned him and said to him you wicked servant I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on You and in anger his master delivered delivered him to the jailers until he should pay all his debt

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So also my Heavenly Father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart

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It's a debt that somebody owes as if we what we owe to God was far greater And the point of the parable again 10 ,000 talents one tap one talent 20 years of wages 900 talents annual government revenue from Rome every year compared to a hundred denarii three months worth of wages

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The hurt and pain that others might have caused you by what they've said or done is like a that's the point of the parable is

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Like a drop in the bucket compared to what you have done to offend a holy God That's the whole point of the parable question

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Is there someone who has run you that you're still trying to make payment for their offense? How have you tried to exact that payment from them what is holding you back from forgiving that person

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Canceling the debt that they owe you That is forgiveness to cancel that debt

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Secondly as was mentioned a second ago by Karen. It's a promise.

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What is forgiveness? It's canceling the debt and it's a promise a promise to do what as Karen mentioned to not bring it up against against this person to not use it against this person

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Those of you who are married. I'm sure not another you newly woods here have done this yet at all But you never bring up.

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Well, I see a lot of smiles there the laundry list when you're into an argument with your spouse and Instead of focusing on the problem you start attacking the character

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Well, do you remember when and there comes that list? The promise of forgiveness is once you say you've forgiven that person then cancel that that to not bring it up again and use it

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Against them not only to not bring it up against that per to that person or to somebody else by the way

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Did I tell what they did to me? But I forgave him. I really did Let's look at two verses on that Isaiah 38 17 if somebody can look that up and Micah Chapter 7 verse 19

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Isaiah 38 17 and Micah 7 verse 19 from the mate one of the major and one of the minor prophets

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These are beautiful word pictures of how God has granted forgiveness

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Who has Isaiah 38? Good Murdock.

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Thanks, buddy. Thank you and Micah 719

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Thanks pastor. Thank you.

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Both both times both prophets talk about what God does in terms of our sins casting them Isaiah says he cast them behind his back so to forgive means that you promise you make a commitment a promise to In the same way that God has

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Ephesians 432 we remember forgive as God in Christ has forgiven you Which means if he has cast our sins behind his back when you say you've forgiven something

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You don't do one of these and keep looking at him Micah says he's cast all all not just some of them all our sins into where The depths of the sea

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Actually, they didn't happen to accidentally fall overboard to use the metaphor He intentionally cast them and you didn't just let him float on the water's edge

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Where you can look overboard and see them as we might do with other people God has cast all our sins into the depths of the sea

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So forgiveness is not only to cancel a debt that somebody owes you is to make a commitment a promise that once you forgive

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You will not bring that up again Because that's how God in Christ has forgiven us

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Third heading let me just throw it out as a question first to get some feedback. That's what forgiveness is

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Some people might have misconceptions about forgiveness. So the third heading what forgiveness is not what forgiveness is not

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What would you say? Some people might say well, this is forgiveness.

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You say well, maybe that's not what true forgiveness is What forgiveness is not what would you say

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Charlie? Identical fellowship.

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I like that. Let me write that in my notes Did you catch that? identical fellowship before and after the events

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Well, you're not having identical fellowship before I mean after as you did before I Didn't forgive him

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Okay, any other thoughts? Go ahead after the event

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Yes Hmm. Yes Yes, yeah,

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I was using some sarcasm there exactly. Yes being some yes pastor Deb go ahead. Hmm.

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Hmm. Yes Amen.

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Excellent. Good point Well, somebody mentioned I think you mentioned earlier one thing

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I would say what forgiveness is not is How did you put it earlier if somebody said? Remembering to forget we'll talk about that a little bit a little bit

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Forgiveness is not forgetting Well forgive and forget we've heard that right forgive and forget is that truly biblical?

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Well just for the sake of time. We won't actually we do have some time I have two people turn to heat one person

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Hebrews 10 17 Hebrews 10 17 and then 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 19

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Remembering to forget I want to distinguish the biblical language of What God says he does towards us and how we are to forgive others versus forgetting

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Hebrews 10 17 Go ahead mark. Thanks Okay, stop there before we get to 2nd

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Corinthians. He's quoting from Isaiah from Jeremiah the prophet to prophets I will remember their sins no more now question.

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Can God forget anything? Why not? Because what?

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He knows everything because he's omniscient so he can't off. I forgot that he's omniscient

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So here what the verse says based upon the Old Testament he intentionally decides not to remember our sins no more

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What does that mean 2nd Corinthians 5 who's got 2nd Corinthians 5? 19 go ahead mark

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Excellent. So to not remember God intentionally says I will not count your sins Against me those who have turned and trusted by faith and repentance in Jesus Christ alone for salvation

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That's what it means. It's no oops. I forgot them. I will not count your sins against you

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I'll knock on them against you and that's what it means Secondly, what forgiveness is not this could be a tough one for some of us

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Forgiveness is not a magic mantra that guarantees that you will never be injured by that same person again

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Wouldn't that be nice? It's not a magic mantra.

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Okay now, you know like pastor Dave said mechanical Oh, I even did it from the heart. So, you know, this is this covers me.

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You're never gonna hurt me again It's not a magic mantra like that How do we know that remember the parable of the unmerciful servant was

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Jesus's answer to Peter's question Then Peter came up and said to him Lord How often will my brother same person sin against me and I forgive him as many as seven times you said to him

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I do not say to you seven times but 77 times Well, you know

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I forgave you last time but did you really repent of what you did to me? It's not a magic formula to guarantee that nothing will ever

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Happen again Okay, the fourth question We've touched on a pastor

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Steve as through the last couple of Sundays has touched on this but let's review What are some of the dangers of not forgiving if we withhold forgiveness from somebody else who's hurt us?

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What are some of the dangers of withholding forgiveness? Bitterness and number one.

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Okay good. Anyone else? hmm so it puts an obstacle between us and the

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Lord she said because We're not trusting that God is over this particular situation truly sovereign.

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Very good point. What other dangers? Yes Okay Okay, good.

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Let's so bitterness Relationship with God is hindered because we're not trusting that he's sovereign and it affects the unity of the body

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Let's look at that. So it's not just affecting Whatever is going on between us there.

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It can affect the unity of the body. Let's look at that So first you guys got it first first danger is bitterness.

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Let's turn to Hebrews chapter 12 if we will Hebrews chapter 12 verse 15

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He's got that go ahead and read it. Go ahead Murdock. You got it. Thank you. Thank you.

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So obviously first Thing we've mentioned there no root of bitterness. We addressed that briefly last week

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But there's no bitterness That can form because of not forgiving That's one of the key dangers and number two as we see again from this verse is what as we said it affects others

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Notice what it says there causes trouble in it and by it what a

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Couple are defiled a fewer defiled many Become the father turned the father in Greek is interesting means to die something for example

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That's white a cloth and to die with a different color. So it takes on a different look It means to stain to pollute others yes

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Because a lack of forgiveness will produce bitterness and then others will become polluted and defiled it can

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Destroy relationships, but back up. I purposely read verse 15. What's verse 14 say

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Murdock since you could you still have it there go ahead strive for peace with everyone

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That striving means to pursue something if somebody's like when I play with my kids and I'm chasing after I'm playing in the yard

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I'm running. I'm striving to catch them. So to strive means to catch something to pursue a goal intensely

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It's not just uh, yeah, if it happens, it means you you work at it. You strive at it for what for peace

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With everyone. I love how Thomas Watson the Puritan put it as he talks about this striving.

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He says this quote When do we forgive others His answer when we strive against all thoughts of revenge

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When we will not do our enemies mischief, but wish well to them grief grieve at their calamities

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Pray for them seek reconciliation with them ensure ourselves ready on all occasions

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To relieve them. This is Gospel forgiving end quote speaking of the gospel you imagine trying to preach the gospel and tell the gospel to your family and friends and Tell them about full and free forgiveness in Jesus Christ But yet you're withholding forgiveness from somebody else

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That's a gospel forgiving couple of summers ago I Officiated my uncle's funeral and My uncle went to his deathbed a bitter man

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Remember back in 1999 my wife and I had a chance to talk to him. We were Flying to Greece together and we had a layover of about seven hours.

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What a great opportunity to minister the gospel He's not going anywhere so As we sat there, and I know he had some

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Tough situations. He had told me of some personal friends Personal situations that would make its head turn to say your friends did this to you

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So I proceeded to explain to him the gospel and Full and free forgiveness in Jesus Christ and I walked him through the parable of the unmerciful servant that a person who truly

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Grasped the depth of the ten Thousand talents that we owed God that was unpayable

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Would be ready to forgive somebody who owed them just a hundred denarii Few years later.

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They had their 50th wedding anniversary It was a surprise done by their children and we were there, of course

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And unfortunately that many people who had come friends of his had nothing to say they withheld from saying anything negative but they didn't speak up and say anything positive either and Unfortunately, he went to his deathbed a bitter man

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See to it the writer of Hebrew says no one fails to obtain the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up Thirdly besides bitterness and that many become defiled

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There's a loss of joy this person if you know anyone like that or if you've been like that, it's just miserable

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Might as well make a sequel to grumpy old men There's no joy there because you're consumed by this and fourthly could also mean

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The danger the reality of eternal hell Now I'm not saying that as true believers who have been saved by the grace of God that we might not wrestle with this

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But there's a different attitude Person to save says, you know,

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I really am struggling with what that person did to me I'm having a hard time forgiving them and he goes to somebody for some counsel and advice and says could you help me through this?

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I want to forgive them, but I'm having a hard time Versus There's no way on God's green earth so you can convince me to ever forgive that person

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Remember what he did to the servant. He sent them to the tormentors a close friend of mine in New York who

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Went to visit his mother years ago in Greece and mother sweet lady, very hospitable always welcomed people into her home was intentionally involved in in the church there in the

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Evangelical Church of the town and my friend had started talking to her and getting Catching up with her and he found out that she had some root of bitterness

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Anyway, he came back from his trip. So as we sat down and talked to him about well, how'd your trip go? How was your time with your family your mom and I saw his face just kind of drop.

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I said, what's wrong Peter? He says I don't know if my mother saved Really?

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Why what what what leads you to that conclusion? Well, I did talk to her No, she's had some rough times with some friends who have hurt her and I talked to her about how

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God has forgiven her freely in Christ Jesus And yet he adamantly will not grant forgiveness to those people.

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She avoids him actually when she goes to church She's still involved in the church She won't invite him over to her house not that you have to as Charlie meant

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The fellowship might be good. You need to be a good steward of it, but she'll completely avoid them won't even have a good morning

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He says I wonder where she stands spiritually Those are the dangers of not forgiving

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Bitterness many people become defiled There's a loss of joy and it could ultimately mean that one is not truly saved

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Any questions or comments on what we've discussed so far and I'm going to close with a story

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Whether what is forgiveness what it is not what are the things that motivates us to forgive others that we talked about Yes, go ahead

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Charlie. Yes Yeah, it could be that could be us.

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Yeah predominantly. Yeah, but there's other kind of offenses not besides person -to -person Yeah, but predominantly yes person -to -person.

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Yes. Yeah, it's a good good illustration Exactly, amen

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Yeah to say that God is sovereign is not to say that God is responsible, correct James one says very clearly that when we are tempted who's not the author of that God is sovereign

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God cannot be tempted by Evil God will hold each person accountable and he will hold his brothers accountable for their anger

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But within that he uses even the evil intent to accomplish his sovereign plan.

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He is not the author of sin That's how you balance the holiness of God and the sovereignty of God remember.

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I think pastor Mike mentioned it Sinclair Ferguson he asked him one time. What is God doing right now?

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Remember that quote I think of elder Pardee remembers it He is working all his attributes in unison at the same time.

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So you can't have God is holy So yeah, he's not the author of their anger their man is held That's why God holds man accountable for his own sin

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But even in sin God accomplished the purpose that he wanted to accomplish. Oh, who's had their hand up?

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Go ahead Yes, excellent. So Job for example, we see a little picture in heaven before we see the picture on earth

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What really happens of God allowing go ahead Charlie? Actually, I can't even repeat that but that was

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That no, that was so good I mean basically that the sovereign because just to get it on the tape that this God is a sovereign and righteous creator and he compels his

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Creatures and even when they sin, he's still he's not the author of it, but he he is Divinely designing his plan.

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Let me read you this as we close a couple minutes. I will encourage you to get this book We have some of her books at our book table lies woman believe right

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Nancy laid to moss He's written a book called choosing forgiveness. I'll close with this story. That was shows you the importance

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You might not be familiar with this. I wasn't Shows you the importance of forgiveness

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Me too for cheetah. You thought my name was tough was the lead pilot of the

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Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor right which is coming up December 7th, I believe a fearless expert flyer specially chosen for this commanding role the one who actually gave the order

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Torah Torah Torah To the 360 fighter planes poised at his flank He called the killing of 2 ,300

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American sailors quote the most thrilling exploit of my career But what most people don't know is that in 1949 less than eight years after the raid on Pearl Harbor this dive -bombing

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Daredevil came to faith in Christ. You guys are shaking your head. You know this God used two remarkable events to bring about this unlikely conversion

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The first came shortly after the war while Fuchida was speaking to a friend who had been among those captured and detained in the u .s

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Curious to hear how the Americans had treated their prisoners He listened to his friend tell of an 18 year old volunteer who had consistently cared for and ministered to the needs of the

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Japanese When the prisoners had asked why she was being so helpful to them. She said unexpectedly illogically quote because Japanese soldiers killed my parents

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The young woman's mom and dad had been missionaries in Japan during the escalation of International hostilities that led to World War two judged to be spies.

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They had been beheaded after fleeing to the Philippines Beheaded their daughter not hearing this until three years later

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After being evacuated to the States had naturally reacted to the news with bitter grief and anger

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But knowing her parents she ultimately came to the conclusion that they would have forgiven their killers. She just knew it

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Therefore she must forgive them to not just forgive but return blessing and that's why she was there.

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She said in the camps loving her enemies This notion astounded Fuchida. How could anyone respond to her parents murder in this way?

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Then one day several years later. He was handed a small leaflet while waiting at a railway station He probably would have tossed it, but the fact that it was written by a fellow aviator piqued his interest sergeant

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Jacob de shares The first -person account of an American pilot who had been forced to parachute from his plane during the do -little

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Raiders bombing of Tokyo in Retaliation of for Pearl Harbor the shazer was quickly captured by the

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Japanese military He described his next three years as an endless nightmare of torture and starvation

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Frequent executions that took the lives of his fellow detainees and solitary confinement that compresses world into square feet

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But inflamed and enlarges hatred two years into his imprisonment However, he had been handed some books to read in the dim glow of his holding cell among them a

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Bible Like light in the darkness the word penetrated his heart, especially the verse that spoke so specifically to his present situation

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Love your enemies Changed by God's grace the shazer began deliberately speaking respectfully to his captors

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Even when their treatment of him was cruel and degrading quote I prayed for God to forgive my torturers

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He wrote in the leaflet and I determined by the aid of Christ to do my best to acquaint these people with a message of salvation

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Fuchida read the shazer story with amazement then hurried to find a Bible He could buy to see for himself where this strange command love your enemies really came from The story ends with Fuchida coming to Christ Becoming an evangelist and even teaming up with the shazer to speak to large crowds throughout

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Japan and Asia Leading both men to friendship and many to salvation Why all?

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Because of two people who hadn't stopped with forgiveness, but who had gone above and beyond two people who had received harm and reciprocated with love

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Let's pray father. Thank you for your forgiveness We can never repay you

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We owed you a debt that we could never pay and yet graciously in Christ you forgive us

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How dare we withhold forgiveness from anyone help us to grant forgiveness freely and willingly in Christ's name