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Father in heaven Lord, we come before you this morning to First of all, thank you for the grace in which we stand and to thank you for your son Jesus Christ for his finished work on the cross. Father as we look to your word this morning. I pray that it would be a time of Encouragement to think about the implications of the cross how we ought to live in light of our newness of life.
Lord bless each one here. We pray in Christ's name. Amen. I want to ask you something. Well, of course, I want to ask you something most last time you thought about All the times that you nearly died.
I mean I think about my own life. I mean it, you know, it might sound like I lived a life of death and danger. It wasn't really that dangerous, but I do think of you know, there were a few instances where I thought I'm lucky to be alive.
And now looking back on it, I think you know, this was before I knew Christ and I wasn't lucky to be alive. I was blessed to be alive. The Lord preserved me because he had something further for me to do namely to be saved.
But when I think about that I think about it in this sense. God was very gracious to me. That was the grace of God that preserved me that kept me alive. And you know I I was thinking I was at a funeral not too long ago and people were singing Amazing grace and I recognized the fact that at this particular funeral most of the people who were there Were probably not Christians and I thought you're sitting there singing this song.
I wanted to grab each person. I couldn't do that. It didn't seem appropriate at a funeral. I Want to grab each person there and go what does this song mean to you? What is grace. What is amazing about it.
So, let me ask you what's amazing about grace. What is amazing? About grace. Brian, we don't get what we deserve and We get something far beyond we can that which we can even imagine good. Let me let me just narrow it down a little bit.
What's I if you just think about it this way if you could list all the things that you have because the grace of God. What would be the most amazing thing? Becky. What's that? That he picked me. Why would that be amazing that he picked you?
Because you know who you are. I Can remember thinking I can't believe that God loves me because I don't even like me. Why? Sinful. Sinful he made me that's right. He made me. But let's let's think about sinfulness now when we think about our sin.
To me the most amazing thing is what that God forgives sin. That he forgives it because when we think about how we are what do we want? Our way, well, not only that but when we think about how others treat us.
What's our first response I? Want justice. I want justice. No justice. No peace. Once you're open your Bibles to Romans chapter 5 and I'm going to read the first 11 verses Romans chapter 5 therefore. Since we have been justified by faith We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Not only that But we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that sufferings or suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope. And Hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For while we were still weak at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one would scarcely die for a righteous person though. Perhaps for a good person one would even or one would dare even to die.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Since therefore we have been justified by his blood. Much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled by God or to God by the death of his Son.
Much more now that we are reconciled. Shall we be saved by his life? More than that. We also rejoice in God Through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have now received reconciliation. Now this morning I'm going to talk to you or I'm going to begin to talk to you about forgiveness as Specifically as I start the series about enemies within the walls of the church a lack of forgiveness.
What corrodes the relationships between people in the body of Christ and even? Between family members more than a lack of forgiveness. If you are. If you hold a grudge or if you just say to yourself, you know, I'm not angry with that person anymore but May I suggest to you this morning if you're withholding forgiveness?
Then you're not thinking about the forgiveness of sins rightly. You're not thinking rightly about your position in Christ and all that God has done for you in Christ Jesus. Which is what we've just read here.
If we would just focus on these 11 verses and the and the truth is that are contained in these 11 verses I Think it'd be a little bit easier to maybe forgive others. I Was even thinking earlier about Luke chapter 7 When Jesus is talking To some religious leaders, but also to Peter Luke chapter 7 I'll just read this and Jesus said to him Simon.
I have something to say to you now. There's you know Standby because things are about to get interesting and he answered say it teacher a Certain money lender had two debtors one owed 500 denarii. Now if we understand that right, that's a lot.
That's what a year and a half's worth of wages. That's a lot of money and the other 50. When they could not pay he canceled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more. The one I suppose for whom or Simon answered the one I suppose for whom he canceled the larger debt.
And he said to him you have judged rightly. And he said to him you are then it turning toward the woman. He said to Simon. Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with tears and wiped them.
Etc, etc. All the things that this woman did. What was Jesus trying to say was his point that look. You've been forgiven 50. She's been forgiven 500. Therefore. She loves me more, but that really shouldn't change that much between you and me.
I Think there's a bigger point which is what who knows who's been forgiven more. Have you been forgiven more than me? I Don't think so Bruce and that's exactly right. Our debt to God is insurmountable.
We can never pay it off ourselves. Therefore Jesus paid it off. You know art. He paid it off all to him. I owe we tend to think of Our sin and then we think it's forgiven and some of us. I remember a One child of mine.
I won't mention her name. She happens to be the youngest one. But she was she was like, I remember when she got baptized and she said, you know dad my my testimony is kind of boring I Like boring testimonies.
Those are good. You know, I I mean in other words, here's what she was saying. She wasn't saying. Oh, it's boring that God saved me. I need to spice it up a little bit. She was saying this look I don't have this, you know Torrential downpour of sin that I needed to you know, tell everybody about which is good.
Anyway, I'd like to minimize that. But she's like, you know, it's not like I was really a horrible person well Part of that thinking is what? We don't recognize that one sin is enough to spend eternity in hell.
We just don't think rightly about it but let's just kind of walk through that passage a little bit but because of in Romans 5, but because of justification we have peace with God peace with God because we have been Justified or declared righteous by God now that doesn't mean that we are righteous.
What does it mean? Justification means that we've been Brian. Positionally, we've been set apart or sanctified. We've been declared righteous so that when God looks at us, he doesn't see our sin. He doesn't see our sinfulness.
He sees the perfect righteousness of Christ, which is what we need to get into heaven. Leon Morris said this it is only because of Christ's work of justification that peace and other blessings follow.
Peace with God. I mean if we just understand rightly we weren't neutral with God. I there's. Was interacting a lot with one of my cousins this week on Facebook. In fact, somebody from Texas wrote me and said who is this guy now?
I mean his last name is Cooley so, you know, it shouldn't be that shocking that I said, he's one of my cousins and he's Mormon and The idea of the Mormon Church is what that you're basically neutral with God when you come into this world, but we know better.
The Bible says that we are enemies of God that he reconciled us through his son. That's what this whole passage is about. But because of our position in Christ we stand in grace. Listen to the access that we now have again.
Morris. He says the idea that is that of introduction to the presence chamber of a monarch. The rendering access is inadequate as it leaves out. Leaves out the fact that we do not come in our own strength, but need an introducer.
The stress is on Christ activity, you know, we tend to think. You know because we now can boldly enter and all these things. But it's really what we're being ushered into the presence of God by Jesus.
We're being escorted as it were. It's all because of his work and not because of any strength or Spiritual Acumen on our parts, but we no longer fear the glory of hope look again at that passage says that There at the end of verse to look at that it says and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God when we think of the glory of God, I mean a lot of times I think of Isaiah and what does he do when he sees the glory of God he Trembles, he's overwhelmed by it.
We hope in the glory of God. We'll think about that. What does it really say to us and He goes on he and he talks about Difficulties sufferings and and the things that those produced. But ultimately what they force us to do is not to rely on our present circumstances, but to look to his coming to think about The surety of his coming and to know that when we're in the glory of God when we're in the presence of God.
All these issues are going to be gone. They're going to be resolved. See. We now rejoice in suffering, I mean we can see that in several places we go to first Peter we could go to James but Right here in Romans 5.
It says that how is it possible? How is it possible that we can rejoice in suffering? Peggy, okay. I think all those things are true the hope of heaven. We know who we are in Christ the sovereignty of God.
Let me let me Just go for one more the the more weighed down the weaker we feel than what? The more we recognize the strength and power of God. So those are good things. We're now filled with the love of God by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Listen what kiss to mockery says he says God's love I love this is Not rationed out drop by drop. Do you ever have any kind of relationship with anybody I don't care whether it's a parent a spouse. Whomever where you felt like you had to earn every little bit of their respect and affection.
And it was just like it almost felt like some kind of game or something like that. Listen again, what kiss marker says God's love is not rationed out drop by drop on the contrary by the Holy Spirit. It is poured out into the hearts of the redeemed.
In other words, it is supplied freely abundantly copiously lavishly as Is true with God with respect to God's gifts in general? God isn't some miser when it comes to his love. What's the implication of that if God freely pours out his love on us?
What does that really tell us? How should we think about it then? What if we don't feel loved by God what's the reality we are. What if we have sin that we're struggling with. Well, you know God's not going to love us until we straighten out our lives.
God loves us the same no matter what if you've had a Relationship with someone Where it seemed like you know. Like I said, like it was some kind of game that you had to earn their affection all this. This is just this is so Paradigm shifting this is mind-blowing to think that God loves you once he set his affections on you.
He loves you fully. He pours out his love on you fully. He doesn't hold anything back and it's not a question of how you feel. In fact, I would submit here's the thought for you if you're in sin and you're feeling estranged from God guess what that feeling is.
It's a sin. You're creating the the distance you're doing that God does not love you more or less based on what you do. Why. Because he's forgiven you now. Jesus died for us while we were ungodly where you were opposed to God.
Jesus died for us while we were still guilty. The death of Jesus justifies us. The death of Jesus saves us from the wrath of God now also in Romans 5 the life of Jesus which we Understand to mean what the life of Jesus.
How much more shall we be saved by his life? What does that mean? What does it mean that we're saved by his death and we're saved all the more by his life. What does that mean? Brian, that's well said if all the Jesus death did was just remove our sins then we would be Morally neutral we would be in a place where maybe God wasn't offended with us, but we need according to Matthew 548 Perfection to get into heaven.
You must be perfect to get into heaven. Well, how do we get that? We're like the old Zeppelin song climbing the stairway to heaven. Just step by step. Those of you are laughing that's just evidence of a misspent youth.
But all of these actions are taken on our behalf because of the grace of God. And you say well, I don't get it. What does it have to do with understanding how we should forgive each other? Everything.
We fail to forgive one another because we fail to think highly enough of the grace of God in our own lives. It should be the lens the prism through which we think every of everything in light of God's forgiveness of my sins.
How should I then treat other people. How should I then forgive other people. Want some evidence of that? I think the Apostle Paul Probably knew something about this. Listen to what he said that just three verses.
I are four verses three sections. I picked out 1st Timothy 115. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the least.
Oh wait, I am the foremost. Remember when I taught that it really was. I mean the the Emphasis of the of the text there is really he kind of wants everybody to know that if you went into the Israeli Postal office you would see pictures of Saul.
Saul, you know everywhere. And he goes I'm the worst. I Should have been hunted down pursued Put on trial and put to death but God He knew who he was. It wasn't like suddenly a light switch went off and he could just forget everything that he'd ever done.
That's not the point. Listen to Romans 7 24. After talking about the struggle he still had was sin. Paul writes this Wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death. Do you think then that he was walking around just thinking I can't forgive this person they just went too far.
I Can't forgive that person because I don't really think they're sincere in their Apology, it's not about how other people treat us. It's about how we think about how God has treated us. Listen to 1st Corinthians 15 verses 9 and 10 for I am the least of the Apostles.
Unworthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God he hasn't forgotten Verse 10 but by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace toward me was not in vain on the contrary. I worked harder than any of them though.
It was not I but the grace of God that was with me or that is with me. How does the forgiveness of God or how should the forgiveness of God impact our thinking and our lives? I Think the Apostle Paul is a great example of that.
He says listen in light of the grace of God. What am I gonna do? I'm going to work harder. I'm gonna serve better. I'm gonna do everything I can to honor the one who redeemed me now. How would you maybe contrast this attitude that Paul sort of displays with maybe how we see others?
Within the body of Christ or even with our own homes. Do you think? Sometimes I'll just admit this. What do we do? Sometimes? I think I have this tendency to think of what not my own sin. But the failings of others if only other people would do this that or the other thing.
You know, I would really like to love the lovable. Why can't everybody just be nice? Why can't every Christian just be an obedient little teddy bear, you know huggable squishable nice. Because I'm not.
When we understand who we are then we were less likely to worry about who other people are. Less likely to think oh, you know, so and so needs to change this and that the other thing. Now, let me ask this question.
How would all of our relationships within the body of Christ within our own homes? Be different if our first priority was this thought. I Am amazed that God loves me fully completely entirely without condition because of the finished work of Christ.
I'm amazed that he has forgiven me completely entirely without condition because of the finished work of Christ. How would that impact your homes? I'm amazed By what God has done for me, but I can't get over what this person has done to me.
I Can't do that. It's just not possible. You don't understand. What they've done to me is far worse than anything. I ever did to God. Is that true? But isn't that somehow or sometimes how we act how we think I?
Don't have to forgive why why would we think that we don't need to forgive people because they're not repentant. We'll we'll deal with that. Because they're not repentant. Now what if someone let's just go with that for a second.
What if someone? Says that they're sorry and they really seem like they're there's genuinely. Sorry about it. Then what do we do? Let's turn our Bibles to Psalm 103. How should we forgive. I Think we first point would be that we need to forgive with an understanding of how God forgives.
Would somebody read Psalm 103 verses 11 to 14? Yeah, go ahead Eric. He remembers that we are dust now. I want to draw your attention first to verse 11 for a moment that word steadfast love. I really like I mean That's an okay translation.
I don't have any major problem with it. I really like the NAS though where it says loving-kindness. The word in Hebrew is has said and it's loyal love and Again, it's not conditioned. This is Covenantal love.
Once he sets his love upon you it is steadfast. It doesn't go it doesn't move. Nothing can change it. Listen to what? James Montgomery Boyce says about verse 12 this East and West. Since East and West are directions and not points on the compass.
There is an infinite unmeasurable distance between them. This may be what David is thinking and listen to this other idea here. Or it may be as Roy Clements suggests that the psalmist is trying to point out That however many miles you think lie between East and West you cannot look two ways at once.
You have to turn your back on one to look in the direction of the other. When God forgives us he puts our sin and us on two different horizons. So when he looks at our sin, he is no longer looking at us.
And when he looks at us, he is no longer looking at our sin to use the vocabulary of Paul. He has justified us now. Let's just think about this East and West Idea then let's just think for a moment about how sometimes we want to say that we've forgiven people.
Well, let me run this by and see if you think this is forgiveness. I Sin against you. I come against you and I ask you for your forgiveness and you say yes. And then what happens? We don't speak anymore.
Every time you see me you walk the other direction. Is that forgiveness? Why not? It's still a barrier between the two of you, but I see this practiced all the time. You hurt my feelings you ask for my forgiveness, but I'm done with you Bruce.
Yes. Is there a point at which. And you kind of guard yourself against being Sinned against again being hurt again. That's a good question. Let me just put it this way within. Well, let's just start with the family within a family.
Let's say within husband and wife. You know your husband or wife has hurt you a number of times. Is there therefore a point at which you say? Okay. Well I'm gonna hold back a little bit so that I don't get hurt by you again.
I don't really think you could do that. Let's say let's spread it out a little further. You know a parent child still in the home. Probably not within the body of Christ. Could you do that within the local church?
Let let me just make this Non-universal just within the local church Bethlehem Bible Church, I would say no. Okay, because reconciliation is ultimately what is required and we'll talk about reconciliation going forward.
But the idea of forgiveness is what it's a restoration of the relationship if God says, you know what? I'm gonna put it your sins as far as Isis from the West what we can say though in other words if Metaphorically speaking because God doesn't have a body so he doesn't do this.
But if he was looking towards the West and saw our sins Then he wouldn't see us and if he turned around to see us he wouldn't see our sins, but we can do both. It's okay. We don't have to forgive like God forgives.
I Wouldn't say that's right. Now are there situations in which a person? Appears to Act repentantly appears to be sorrowful over their sin, but They continually do it continually do it continually do it and you say well, what about 70 times 7?
You know, which it really isn't 490 times where you keep a little tick marks for an 89 one more time and you're done, baby. I Would just say this about the idea of protecting yourself from hurts. It's it's really not it's it I understanding what you're saying, it's really not a Biblical concept with regard to brothers and sisters in Christ that we ought not to think of them that way.
Now are there situations in which maybe things are Unresolved between two people and the one person just refuses to resolve them and therefore you have to keep a distance. Well, that shouldn't be that way in the local church.
And again again, I'm going to stress this in the local church because we really are if Universally we're all brothers and sisters in Christ within the small C Catholic Church. That's true. But within the local church, we have to all the more strive for unity for love for one another for forgiveness.
Why. Because if we don't then we really are splitting schisming. Separating off the body of Christ and we shouldn't do that. Our goal should be unity to please God. But you know getting back to your situation or the question that you had is a very difficult one.
But it's one in which I would say, you know, if someone if there's a reason to think that somebody's not a believer. Well, that's one issue. But within the local body of Christ those things should be resolved even if it takes a third party to do that.
So we need to be reconciled. Yes, well, that's right. If we think of ourselves rightly we won't have that kind of attitude. I don't you know, I can't possibly forgive you because We just wouldn't think that way because we're thinking rightly of ourselves that.
Marie did you have a thought or question? That's an excellent question. What do you do when someone let's say it's outside of the local body somebody maybe in your family or some other acquaintance of yours might live some Ways away some distance away they say they're a Christian.
You have in some way offended them. You've asked their forgiveness. You've demonstrated, you know that you want that forgiveness and they say Well, you know what I'm a Christian but I really just can't forgive you and you know, our relationships never gonna be the same.
What do you do? Yeah, be at peace with all men especially as much as it depends on you right there is that too. Yeah, I mean ultimately, you know, I I I Think you know at that point kind of the shoes on the other foot.
What do I mean by that? Because if somebody fails to forgive what is that if I say I'm a Christian, but I won't forgive you then what am I doing? I'm sinning. So then what do you do to somebody who's sinning against you?
Right, so it's gone from you needed to ask their forgiveness. To now you need to confront them about their sin for failing to forgive you Bob. Well, I I think that is a good point. Bob said well, what about you know, somebody's hurt you so often and you say to them.
You know, look I am as a psalmist writes. I'm just dust and because I'm just dust because I'm weak because I'm frail I Kind of have to keep a little barrier up. I have to kind of guard against you because you just hurt me so many times.
Now I could actually see Saying something similar to that like, you know what? We've been down this road so many times. Right, but ultimately I think I still need to have that mindset if this is a Christian.
If this is a Christian that I need to be able to forgive them and try as much as I can to reconcile that Reconcile with them, but I think it's I think it's helpful what Bob just said though to say to them.
You know, we've been down this road so many times. I'm struggling to forgive you. I have to be honest why it's not because I don't want to but because you know, we do this like three times a week and It's rough it should right.
I mean if let's just say for example, I sinned against Bob all the time. That I don't think this happens. But let's say it did and I went to Bob all the time. I was saying, please forgive me. Please forgive me and he finally just said exactly that you know what Steve I Want to forgive you but it's getting harder and harder because you hurt me so often you sin against me so often I don't know what to do.
It's hard for me not to guard myself against you. Then what should be my response? Well, Bob, you got something else. Come on. Boom. No, I should be like I should be like. You know what Bob you're right.
You are absolutely right and I'm gonna go the extra mile I'm gonna go above and beyond why because I know that I've offended you. I Want to be right with you and I'm gonna do everything in my power to not offend you again.
To not sin against you again, that would be the right attitude and it should kind of cut me, right? If pop says, you know what? It's just hard for you, bro. This is the 491st time. I just think wow. Well, thanks for not counting if it's that habitual.
Yeah, then you do have to wonder about somebody's salvation right, I mean because apparently their idea of Asking forgiveness is like well, that was easy. Whoo. And it shouldn't be that way. When we sin against somebody we should be.
We should have you know, Nathan goes to David and says what you are the man. He makes he has this little parable and then he says you are the man and then David goes. You know what you're right, sorry about that.
No. No our thoughts need to be more like I've sinned against God and I've sinned against you and I need to make this right. So if if there is that kind of habitual Sinning against someone else. Then there is cause I think there would be cause for the person who's doing it all the time to think how can I even?
Be a Christian and continue to Sin against this person that way Bob Wounded is the word I wanted to use. We're wounded hurts. Yeah. Well, if I could just stop you there and then then we'll get to your second point if you can do that for a second.
Because you just made a very important point, you know. We have this tendency in our society, especially of being hurt all the time of being the the grievance people. And what we need to think about it.
We'll talk about love later but if love covers a multitude of sins, then if it's not something it just covers up it should cover a multitude of things period and especially things that really don't rise to the level of sin where we would feel like we want to confront somebody if They just kind of hurt our feelings a little bit.
Well, if we can get over that good if it's for their own good, then I think we need to talk to them. But yeah, we ought not to be the most easily Wounded people around so yeah good and and well, right.
He's agreed for the sake of Christ. Bob was saying not to bring my sin up against me anymore. Why because that's in was Nailed to the cross in Calvary. He's Jesus paid for it and Before I get to this hand over here I just wanted to say this and I'm gonna be saying this probably I hope over and over and over again.
Would we want God to forgive us the way we forgive others? On Judgment Day, would we want to stand before God and say you know what God I'm ready. And I want you to forgive me exactly as I forgave those who sinned against me.
I don't feel a lot of people wouldn't want to say that. Let me give you an example and then I'll get over here. Let me give an example of what forgiveness is not. Forgiveness is not saying I forgive you and Then at some future point.
Describing The wind direction the carpeting the drapes everything that was going on when that person sinned against you and saying you know. What I? Knew that something else was going to come up and so I've been kind of reserving these details so that I could throw that at you too.
That's not forgiveness. That is not forgiveness. Forgiveness is not you know. Well, I keep a detailed journal and you know just in case the day comes around where I ever need to throw this back. Yeah, I got it.
Would you want to be judged on the basis of how you forgive other people? Yeah, I see I saw a hand over here, and that's that's in my lesson plan ahead, but that's excellent. Matthew chapter 6. That's good because and again it gets to this standpoint.
We can say That I've forgiven so-and-so, but here's the question the question is what does my heart say? What do I really believe? Do I leave after I say you know what I forgive you and then I go home.
And I'm just grinding my teeth going. I still can't believe what that person did. And so what's the key again, and we're gonna close on this. Peggy said I said it in the beginning other people said it if we really really understand.
How much we've been forgiven in Christ Jesus? What we really deserve and Then we think okay in light of all that God has forgiven me. In light of the 500 denarii that I've been forgiven and a year and a half's wages.
Which is just a nice way of saying a lot. In light of that how should I forget of other people? Grudgingly. Partially. With an eye towards unleashing it like a catapult when I really need it. Kind of holding it in reserve as my secret weapon.
I said this to someone not too long ago, and it was it was just so. So sad to me because I just think you know what if you if you think I've forgiven someone. And you haven't and you can't and you won't.
What does that say. What does that say. I Think that is maybe one of the primary reasons to examine yourself and see if you're really in the faith. Because if you understand rightly who you are in Christ Jesus and who you were without Christ Jesus.
And then you still say I can't let go of that. That's too much. Then you don't understand how much your sin Offended a righteous and a holy God. Let's pray our Father in heaven. Lord what a blessing it is to be in Christ.
To stand forgiven of all of our sins past present future. Let us live in light of that truth. Let us view others through the prism as it were of our own forgiveness through the cross. Let us be quick to forgive desiring of Reconciliation.
Father let us not be a people who want to hold on to wrongs done against us. But those who in light of your son's death. Paying for our sins. That we would be the most gracious forgiving people. Father make it so we pray in Jesus name.
Amen.