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Matthew 18:21-35 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
Well, good morning, and thank you guys so much. Another just joyful morning to sing together, to recount all these wonderful truths.
0:09
! And I'd invite you to open up to Matthew chapter 18. So we're going to continue. This is our third week in the summer parable series.
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And thank you to the other elders who have been serving us tremendously. As you make your way over to Matthew chapter 18,
0:25
I wanted to bring kind of a sober illustration for us this morning, but one that I think is effective in introducing what we'll be discussing.
0:36
So by way of introducing the text, there was a courtroom scene that you probably saw if you were paying attention to the news about five years ago.
0:48
This courtroom scene was one that caught many news outlets' attention, and I'm not going to get into all the details of everything involved in the case,
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but there was a woman who was convicted of murder, and she had fatally shot a man.
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And in her testimony, she said that she thought that this man was an intruder in her apartment.
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But the very unfortunate thing was she had actually gone to the fourth floor.
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She had bypassed her third floor apartment building, and of course, this guy was unexpecting the door to open up.
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And she shot this man, and he fatally died, and this was about five years ago.
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So very, very sad events that took place.
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But what caught the attention of the news outlets was not really just that this had happened,
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but particularly that there was a victim impact statement that was made by the younger brother of the man who had been killed.
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And a victim impact statement, if you don't know, that generally happens when a verdict is announced,
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and then the family can come up and say how this has caused an effect on the suffering party.
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So this is what he said.
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He said, if you truly, he was saying this to the lady, of course,
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if you truly are sorry, I can speak for myself.
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I forgive.
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And I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you.
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And I don't think anyone can say it.
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Again, I'm speaking for myself, but I love you just like anyone else.
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And I'm not going to say that I hope you rot and die just like my brother did,
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but I presently want what is best for you.
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And I wasn't going to even say this in front of my family or in front of anyone,
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but I don't even want you to go to jail.
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I want the best for you because I know that's exactly what my brother would want you to do.
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And the best would be to give your life to Christ.
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I'm not going to say anything else.
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I think giving your life to Christ would be the best thing that my brother would want you to do.
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Again, I love you as a person and I don't wish anything bad on you.
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And then he said, I don't know if this is possible, but can I give her a hug?
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Please, please.
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Now, this is one of the most striking pictures of human forgiveness that has ever been captured on at least modern TV.
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And I don't know the state of this brother.
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Of course, I've never met him.
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But by all accounts, this appears to be a man who has been touched within him by the redemption,
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the forgiveness that he's received by Christ.
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And beyond the profound amazement that this act is worthy of,
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I actually bring this up to draw attention to the types of responses that I saw happening
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in some of the comments of the videos that were online.
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Now, there's only two categories.
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The first is profound amazement.
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Those who saw this act as astonishingly commendable and beautiful.
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But the other category was those who reacted in very strong anger.
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People saw this act as a desecration of what they came to expect as real justice.
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And while it's very easy for us to critique this latter response,
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there's actually a lot of sound or not sound, but logical reasoning in the way that they're thinking through this.
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They see the heinous nature of the crime.
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And because of how bad that crime was,
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they expect for justice to come quickly, to come with force without any delay.
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And while we can understand that type of perspective,
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what's missing in that perspective is recognizing that everybody in that courtroom believes in justice.
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It didn't matter if you were an atheist or an agnostic or a Christian.
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Everybody believes in justice, especially when something like that happens.
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Now, if pressed, I am very certain.
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It can be an interesting question to ask.
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Of course, I probably never will.
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But I bet you that that brother probably said,
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you know what, I have never believed in the need for justice as strongly as I have until an event like that took place.
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And I think that that is true.
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We often don't experience stuff like that.
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But when hard things happen, when justice is called for,
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there's really a dividing line question with how we're going to respond.
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And the question is this, especially as Christians,
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we are called to put into action our belief of whether or not what Jesus did on the cross
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was sufficient as a means of justice to hold out forgiveness for offenders.
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Is it a strong enough basis for me and for you when we encounter sin,
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and we surely will, you have this week?
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Is it enough for us to look to Jesus and say that Jesus' act of justifying sinners,
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those who would one day put their faith in Christ,
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is that sufficient as a means in and of itself?
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Because we are always responding with our system of justice.
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Is Jesus sufficient, or is human justice,
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what is called for when tragedy happens?
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We're going to read chapter 18, and we'll pick up in verse 21,
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and we'll read through the end of the chapter.
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And you guys apologize for being a little sniffly this morning.
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Okay, the text reads this way.
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Then Peter came up and said to him,
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Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him?
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As many as seven times.
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Jesus said to him,
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I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
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Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king
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who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
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When he began to settle,
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one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
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And since he could not pay,
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his master ordered him to be sold with his wife and children
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and all that he had in payment to be made.
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So the servant fell on his knees,
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imploring him,
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Have patience with me,
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and I will pay you everything.
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And out of pity for him,
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the master of that servant released him
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and forgave him the debt.
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But when that same servant went out,
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he found one of his fellow servants
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who owed him a hundred denarii.
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And seizing him,
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he began to choke him,
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saying,
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Pay what you owe.
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So his fellow servant fell down
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and pleaded with him,
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Have patience with me,
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and I will pay you.
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He refused and went and put him in prison
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until he should pay the debt.
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And when his fellow servant saw
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what had taken place,
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they were greatly distressed.
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And they went and they reported
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to their master all that had taken place.
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Then his master summoned him
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and said to him,
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You wicked servant,
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I forgave you all that debt
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because you pleaded with me.
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And should not you have had mercy
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on your fellow servant
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as I had mercy on you?
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And in anger,
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his master delivered him to the jailers
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until he should pay all his debt.
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So also my heavenly father
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will do to every one of you
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if you do not forgive
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your brother from your heart.
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Well, our outline this morning,
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if you are a note taker,
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is going to come in three primary points.
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The first of which is
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forgiveness withheld.
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The second is forgiveness resisted.
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And the third is unforgiveness exposed.
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So our first point this morning
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is forgiveness withheld.
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And our primary example
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from our text is the disciple Peter.
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Now, you guys are familiar with Peter,
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or I would expect most of you are.
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Peter's resume is one that is
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one that leaves us with the impression
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that he should be very thankful
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in general to the Lord,
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very humble in his heart.
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Listen to just a couple things.
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So Peter was called out
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as a fisherman by Jesus.
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In Matthew chapter 16,
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though, we are reminded
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of some of the things
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that Peter struggled with.
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So Jesus had said
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he was going to be going to the cross,
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that he was preparing himself.
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And Peter tried to dissuade
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Jesus from doing this.
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And Jesus rebukes him strongly.
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In Matthew chapter 14,
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a couple of chapters earlier,
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even more well-known story,
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Jesus calls Peter out onto the water
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and Peter tries to come
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and he loses sight of the Lord.
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He's distracted.
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And what happens is his faith,
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his lack of faith is exposed
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and he begins struggling.
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And then later in the book of Matthew,
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Matthew chapter 26, I believe,
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we find the account of Peter
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who is told by Jesus
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that he's going to betray Jesus
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in the days leading up
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to his crucifixion.
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And that's exactly what happens.
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Not one time,
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not two times,
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but on three different times,
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Peter denies the Lord.
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Now, again,
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I bring this up
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because Peter is a man
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upon hearing the words
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that Jesus is saying.
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And I'll give you
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some of that context
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in the verses
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that precede what we read.
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But Peter should be a guy
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who is very grateful,
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very aware
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of all this grace
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that belongs to him
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that has changed his life
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and brought him
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into a brand new reality
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of being a disciple of Christ.
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The context of our passage
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is one that you are likely familiar with.
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We generally refer to this
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as the stages of church discipline, right?
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So right before our text,
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Jesus walks through
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the different stages
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that happen
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when somebody is entangled,
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ensnared by sin.
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Generally, one person goes
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and pursues the unbeliever.
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And if that is not successful,
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a smaller group goes.
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And then lastly,
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the whole church
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is called to give accountability
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to the one
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who is stuck in sin
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for the aim of restoring
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that struggling person
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to repentance.
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But if you look with me
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at verse 21,
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Peter does not have any humility.
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He actually responds to Jesus
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with a hint of self-satisfaction,
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perhaps thinking
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that he will maybe even win
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some congratulatory approval
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from Jesus
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for what he's about to say.
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You see,
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it was well known
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in the rabbinic tradition
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of the day
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that extending forgiveness
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ought to happen
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three different times.
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and Peter thinks
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he's going to come
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and impress Jesus
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by more than doubling
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that amount.
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That's why he says
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seven times.
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Peter is very bold
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in his personality.
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Listen to these words.
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It says,
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Peter came up
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and said to him,
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Lord,
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how often will my brother
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sin against me
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and I forgive him?
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As many as seven times?
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It's this important question
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that sets the stage
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for the rest of the parable
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that Jesus is going to unpack.
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Jesus doesn't see this
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just as a regular question,
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but this question
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brings Jesus
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to tell this story.
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There's a weight to it.
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There's something
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that needs to be corrected
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in the way that Peter
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is speaking of this situation,
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how he's responding
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to the Lord's words.
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The how many times question
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demonstrates that Peter
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actually has a framework
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that's already existing
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which he needs to apply
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as it relates to those
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who offend him,
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that sin against him.
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He's purposed.
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He's measured.
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And he is trying
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to think through
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what are the occasions
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by which I can apply
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the rules of justice,
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his rules of justice.
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And when are the times
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that I'm called
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to apply these teachings,
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these words of Jesus
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that seem to lean
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into mercy and forgiveness?
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Peter has probably heard
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often some of the familiar things
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that Jesus has said
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about forgiveness, right?
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He has heard that Jesus
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has said,
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this is how you should pray.
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Father, forgive our debts
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as we forgive those
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who sin against us.
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As the layers
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of Peter's question
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are peeled back,
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we begin to see
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that what's happening
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in Peter's heart
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is not just inquiry.
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He's not just interested
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in something.
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He's making a statement.
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He's coming to grips
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with how do I actually feel
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about things
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when stuff is hard
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in my life?
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What am I called to do
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when it's very uncomfortable
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for me to keep going on
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and extending grace
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when it feels like
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justice needs to be applied?
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See, it might be,
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we don't know this,
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but it could be that Peter
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has somebody in mind.
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You might even be thinking
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of someone in mind
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that their ways of sinning
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against you
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are particularly hard for you.
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There's often a repetitious cycle
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that happens
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when we're with people closely.
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they sin against us
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and maybe they ask
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for forgiveness
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and then we grant it.
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But when it happens again
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and again
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and again,
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then we start to question
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what other things
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need to happen
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to make this situation change.
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The same sort of results
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from me
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are getting these same responses
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and that doesn't seem right.
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But beyond Peter's question,
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beyond just the impatience,
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what Peter's actually doing here
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is he is showing us
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what Jesus is showing us,
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that he's actually struggling
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to put his faith
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and his trust
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in Jesus himself.
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Peter is no mathematician.
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He's not interested in numbers.
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He is actually troubled
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with this idea
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that he may be called
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to endure significant pain
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so that others
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can receive the offer
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of forgiveness.
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He might be thinking,
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how many times
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are you asking me
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to do this?
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Do you want me to trust you
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that enduring offenses
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is what brings about
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the unfolding of your plan?
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Are we called
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to give an indefinite
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free pass
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on people
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who don't even understand
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the pain
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that they have brought
16:43
into our life?
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You see,
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Peter's question
16:46
is not innocent.
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Neither are our questions
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that we ask
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innocent
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at times like this.
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Now,
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with all of these parables
16:58
and all of God's Word,
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2 Timothy 3
17:00
reminds us
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that all of Scripture
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is for
17:04
the correction
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of our hearts.
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The piercing
17:09
and the dividing
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of our souls,
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our inward desires.
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That's what this parable
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in all of God's Word
17:16
is meant to do.
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So this parable,
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this story,
17:20
is not only about Peter.
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This is a reality
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that exists
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in your heart
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and in my heart.
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There are many questions
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that my heart asks
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when I've got five kids
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and a big family.
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We stand against each other
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all the time
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as I'm sure you do
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and these questions
17:39
come up regularly.
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Will this person
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ever understand?
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Will he change course?
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Will things look different
17:49
if I perhaps respond
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with the silent treatment
17:53
or maybe just a mini episode
17:56
of my anger?
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Will he figure out
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how much inconvenience
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this is bringing
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into my life?
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See, all of these questions
18:04
that we ask
18:05
remind us
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that we have
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a resistance
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to the Lordship
18:10
of Christ.
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So Jesus responds
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to Peter
18:14
in verse 22
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and he paves the way
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for the course
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correction
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for Peter
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and for us
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and the disciples
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and Jesus says
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to him,
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I do not say
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to you
18:26
seven times
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but 77
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times.
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Now clearly
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Jesus is not
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ascribing
18:35
a numeric limit
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to the amount
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of times
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that we're to have
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a heart of forgiveness.
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He's not saying
18:42
in any measure
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Peter,
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make your threshold
18:45
larger
18:45
and then all
18:46
will be well.
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No,
18:48
he's doing
18:49
the exact opposite.
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The number 77
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is intended
18:54
to communicate
18:55
that counting
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is completely
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out of the question.
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Counting of sins
19:04
implies
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that there is
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a limit
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on the sacrifice
19:07
that Jesus
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was preparing
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himself
19:10
to endure.
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Jesus has
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completely
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done away
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with all
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types of counting
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as it relates
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to our sins.
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2 Corinthians 5
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and verse 19
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says,
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in Christ
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God was
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reconciling
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the world
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to himself
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not counting
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their trespasses
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against him.
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We sang a song
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that said the same
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thing.
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What a beautiful
19:36
song.
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His mercy is more.
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God doesn't
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count the sins
19:40
we commit
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against his
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infinite worth
19:44
and glory
19:44
when we put
19:45
our faith
19:46
in Christ.
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How ought
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I to resist
19:49
counting the
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sins of
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others
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when it just
19:53
brings some
19:53
inconvenience
19:54
to my life?
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So the parable
19:57
continues
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to show us
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the reason
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that the heart
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resists
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forgiving.
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That's our
20:04
second point.
20:05
Forgiveness
20:06
resisted.
20:07
Excuse me.
20:10
So resistance
20:12
to forgiving
20:12
others occurs
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because we
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have resisted
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the master's
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forgiveness
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offered to
20:19
us.
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Let's look
20:21
at verse
20:22
23.
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Therefore,
20:24
the kingdom
20:25
of heaven
20:25
may be
20:26
compared
20:26
to a
20:27
king
20:27
who wished
20:28
to settle
20:28
accounts
20:29
with his
20:29
servants.
20:30
When he
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began to
20:32
settle,
20:33
one was
20:34
brought to
20:34
him who
20:35
owed him
20:35
ten thousand
20:37
talents.
20:38
and since
20:39
he could
20:40
not pay,
20:41
his master
20:42
ordered him
20:43
to be
20:43
sold with
20:44
his wife
20:45
and his
20:45
children and
20:46
all that he
20:47
had in
20:48
payment was
20:49
to be
20:49
made.
20:51
Since he
20:51
could not
20:52
pay,
20:53
his master
20:53
ordered him
20:54
to be sold
20:55
with his
20:55
wife and
20:57
children and
20:58
all that he
20:58
had in
20:59
payment to
21:00
be made.
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See,
21:02
the resistance
21:02
of the
21:03
servant to
21:04
forgive others
21:05
is correlated
21:06
with how
21:07
he views
21:08
his debts
21:09
to his
21:09
master.
21:11
You may
21:11
have heard
21:12
before of
21:12
this ten
21:14
thousand
21:15
talent number.
21:16
This number
21:17
represents not
21:19
just a day's
21:20
wages,
21:20
and it's not
21:21
a year's
21:22
wages,
21:22
but it's
21:22
actually the
21:23
wages of
21:23
a servant,
21:24
which is
21:25
who this
21:25
man was,
21:26
and it
21:26
would have
21:27
cost 20
21:28
years of
21:29
his life
21:29
without
21:30
interest to
21:31
pay back
21:32
his master.
21:34
To help
21:34
even illustrate
21:35
this,
21:35
number
21:36
further,
21:37
if you
21:37
remember
21:37
King
21:38
David,
21:39
he donated
21:40
7,000 talents,
21:42
or he gave
21:42
7,000 talents
21:43
of silver,
21:44
and 3,000 talents
21:46
of gold,
21:47
totaling 10,000
21:48
talents for
21:49
the construction
21:50
of the temple.
21:51
And this
21:52
servant has
21:53
racked up
21:54
that amount
21:56
of debt
21:56
against his
21:57
master.
21:59
This is a
21:59
quantity of
22:00
debt that
22:01
is a
22:03
picture for
22:04
us to show
22:04
just how
22:05
desperate a
22:06
position this
22:07
servant was
22:08
in.
22:09
He could
22:09
not dig
22:10
himself out
22:11
of this
22:12
debt if he
22:13
had 10
22:13
years,
22:14
or 100
22:15
years,
22:15
or 10,000
22:17
years.
22:18
And the
22:18
same is
22:19
true for
22:20
every one
22:21
of us,
22:21
every one
22:22
of us
22:22
who
22:22
miscalculates
22:24
the debt
22:24
that we
22:25
are under
22:26
without
22:27
Christ to
22:28
God for
22:29
all the
22:30
ways that,
22:31
as an
22:31
image bearer
22:32
of God,
22:32
we have
22:32
failed to
22:33
honor him
22:34
and to
22:34
glorify him,
22:35
to steward
22:36
what he
22:36
has given
22:37
to us,
22:38
all the
22:39
worth that
22:40
he is
22:41
so entitled
22:44
to.
22:45
We are
22:47
those who
22:47
should be
22:50
cautious about
22:51
how we view
22:52
the debt that
22:53
we were under
22:54
towards the
22:55
Lord.
22:55
Now look at
22:56
verse 26.
22:57
Notice the
22:58
absurdity of
22:59
what this
23:00
servant says
23:01
next.
23:02
So the
23:03
servant fell
23:04
on his
23:04
knees,
23:05
imploring him,
23:06
have patience
23:07
with me,
23:08
and I will
23:09
pay you
23:10
everything.
23:12
So it's
23:13
the one who
23:14
failed every
23:15
account of
23:16
his stewarding
23:17
responsibility.
23:18
Everything that
23:19
he mismanaged
23:21
and he failed
23:22
to use
23:22
appropriately,
23:23
he promises
23:24
to bring back
23:25
the lost
23:26
value to
23:27
restore
23:27
everything
23:28
that he
23:28
was wasted.
23:31
He's like
23:31
the child
23:32
who takes
23:33
his dad's
23:34
prized
23:34
childhood
23:35
possession
23:35
and he
23:36
breaks it
23:37
and then
23:37
what does
23:38
he do?
23:38
He looks
23:39
for the
23:39
things in
23:40
his room,
23:40
the Elmer's
23:41
glue,
23:41
the Plato
23:42
and promises
23:43
to put
23:43
things back
23:44
together.
23:45
It is
23:45
utterly
23:46
impossible
23:47
to repay
23:48
the Lord.
23:50
Incorrectly
23:51
assessing
23:52
our debt
23:53
and our
23:53
ability to
23:54
pay it
23:54
back is
23:55
an
23:55
eternally
23:56
horrific
23:57
mistake
23:58
to make.
23:59
Only
24:00
mercy can
24:01
be applied
24:01
to in
24:02
relationship
24:03
to what
24:04
belongs to
24:05
God and
24:05
the debt
24:06
that we
24:06
are under.
24:08
So the
24:09
error and
24:09
miscalculating
24:10
debt always
24:11
leads to a
24:12
mishandling of
24:14
how we treat
24:14
the debts
24:15
of others,
24:17
especially those
24:18
who sin
24:18
against us.
24:19
Verse 28
24:20
says,
24:21
when the
24:21
same
24:22
servant
24:22
went out,
24:24
he found
24:25
one of
24:25
his fellow
24:25
servants
24:26
who owed
24:26
him a
24:27
hundred
24:27
denarii
24:28
and seizing
24:29
him,
24:29
he began
24:30
to choke
24:30
him saying,
24:32
pay what
24:32
you owe.
24:34
So his
24:35
servant fell
24:35
down and
24:36
pleaded with
24:37
him,
24:37
have patience
24:38
with me
24:39
and I
24:40
will pay
24:40
you.
24:41
He refused
24:42
and went
24:43
and put him
24:44
in prison
24:45
until he
24:46
should pay
24:46
the debt.
24:47
Now this
24:48
is incredibly
24:49
instructive
24:50
for us.
24:52
When my
24:53
heart is
24:53
aware of
24:54
all the
24:55
grace that
24:56
God has
24:56
given me,
24:57
when my
24:57
heart is
24:58
postured
24:58
appropriately
24:59
to remember
25:00
that I've
25:00
been adopted
25:01
as a son
25:02
of the
25:03
King of
25:03
Kings,
25:04
when I
25:04
remember
25:05
the path
25:06
that I
25:06
was on
25:07
and the
25:08
one that
25:08
the Lord
25:08
has now
25:09
set me
25:09
on,
25:10
then it's
25:11
much easier
25:12
to be able
25:13
to forgive
25:14
somebody.
25:16
But so
25:16
often when
25:17
I am
25:17
sinned
25:18
against,
25:19
I would
25:19
imagine the
25:20
same is
25:20
true for
25:21
every one
25:21
of us
25:22
in this
25:22
room.
25:22
I feel
25:23
the urge
25:23
for a
25:24
very quick
25:25
course
25:25
correction
25:26
for the
25:26
one that
25:27
has inconvenienced
25:28
me,
25:28
so I
25:29
can become
25:30
angry
25:30
quickly,
25:31
grumbling
25:32
and complaining,
25:34
restricting
25:34
forgiveness
25:35
until a
25:36
certain set
25:36
of deeds
25:38
are done
25:39
that appease
25:40
me.
25:42
And what
25:42
we do
25:43
every time
25:43
we do
25:44
this is
25:45
we paint
25:45
a picture,
25:46
and this
25:47
is a
25:47
picture for
25:48
the people
25:48
who need
25:49
grace the
25:50
most,
25:50
the people
25:51
that need
25:51
to be
25:51
restored in
25:52
their hearts
25:53
to the
25:54
Lord who
25:54
sent his
25:55
son for
25:56
them.
25:56
And the
25:57
picture is
25:57
the same
25:58
picture,
25:58
it's pay
25:59
what you
26:00
owe.
26:01
How can
26:02
I tell
26:03
others to
26:04
pay what
26:05
they owe
26:05
when I have
26:06
paid nothing
26:07
for the cost
26:09
of redeeming
26:09
my own
26:10
soul?
26:12
And we
26:12
require nobody
26:13
to pay
26:14
what only
26:15
Christ's
26:16
blood was
26:16
sufficient to
26:17
pay for.
26:19
See,
26:20
the parable
26:21
makes it
26:21
very clear
26:23
that there
26:24
are eternal
26:24
consequences
26:25
and dangers
26:26
for maintaining
26:27
a heart
26:29
that lacks
26:30
forgiveness.
26:31
We could
26:31
spend a
26:32
good amount
26:33
of time,
26:33
but just
26:34
a couple
26:34
passages
26:35
for our
26:36
attention.
26:37
Matthew
26:38
chapter 6
26:38
says,
26:40
verse 12
26:40
says,
26:41
forgive us
26:41
our sins
26:42
as we
26:43
forgive our
26:44
debtors.
26:45
Notice the
26:45
logical
26:46
connection
26:47
between
26:48
forgiving
26:48
and being
26:50
forgiven.
26:51
Two verses
26:52
later,
26:53
verse 14,
26:54
for if you
26:55
forgive others
26:55
their trespasses,
26:57
your heavenly
26:57
father will
26:58
also forgive
26:59
you.
27:00
But if you
27:01
do not
27:01
forgive others
27:02
their trespasses,
27:03
neither will
27:04
your father
27:04
forgive your
27:06
trespasses.
27:08
And back
27:08
to our
27:09
text,
27:09
the response
27:10
of the
27:11
master
27:11
is striking.
27:14
Verse 34
27:15
says,
27:16
and in
27:16
anger his
27:17
master
27:18
delivered him
27:19
to the
27:20
jailers
27:21
until he
27:22
should pay
27:22
his debt.
27:25
The word
27:25
jailer here
27:26
is also
27:27
translated in
27:28
other Greek
27:29
literature of
27:30
that time
27:30
as a
27:31
torturer.
27:32
This is not
27:33
a picture of
27:34
a jail with
27:35
modern conveniences.
27:36
This is a
27:37
place where
27:38
this man
27:39
will be
27:39
delivered
27:40
for justice
27:41
to be
27:42
appropriately
27:43
applied.
27:45
So Matthew
27:46
18.35
27:48
says,
27:49
my heavenly
27:50
father will
27:51
also do to
27:52
every one of
27:53
you if you
27:54
do not
27:55
forgive your
27:55
brother from
27:57
your heart.
27:59
And notice
27:59
how severe
28:01
these warnings
28:02
are without
28:03
the external
28:04
evidence of
28:05
forgiveness
28:06
applied to
28:07
others,
28:07
one is
28:08
called to
28:09
question the
28:10
legitimacy of
28:11
our gospel
28:12
profession and
28:14
allegiance.
28:15
The practice
28:16
of forgiveness
28:17
then is a
28:18
meter which
28:19
all proclaiming
28:20
Christians are
28:21
called to give
28:22
appropriate
28:23
attention to.
28:25
And while no
28:25
actions, no
28:26
amount of
28:27
forgiveness that
28:27
we ever extend
28:28
to others could
28:29
position us
28:30
rightly before
28:31
the Lord,
28:32
nonetheless,
28:33
the Lord makes
28:33
it clear.
28:34
If there is a
28:34
lack of
28:35
forgiveness in
28:36
our heart,
28:37
then we may
28:39
be in danger.
28:41
Many who have
28:42
false professions
28:43
of faith will
28:44
need to look at
28:45
their ongoing
28:45
struggle to
28:47
forgive others
28:48
to find
28:48
themselves as
28:49
the subjects
28:50
of these grave
28:52
and dire
28:53
warnings.
28:55
So our last
28:56
point this
28:56
morning is
28:58
exposing
28:58
unforgiveness
29:00
within.
29:00
sin.
29:02
We cannot
29:03
read such
29:04
a sobering
29:05
parable
29:05
without
29:06
self-reflection,
29:07
right?
29:08
Without doing
29:09
the sort of
29:10
self-examination
29:11
that Jesus is
29:12
calling us to.
29:14
Perhaps you're
29:14
not characterized
29:15
by regular
29:17
lack of
29:18
forgiveness.
29:19
Maybe it just
29:20
comes up from
29:21
time to time.
29:22
Or maybe this
29:24
morning you're in
29:24
the camp and
29:25
you are thinking
29:27
yourself to be
29:28
somebody who
29:29
regularly struggles
29:30
with objecting
29:32
to acts of
29:34
forgiveness.
29:36
Well, what are
29:37
we to do in
29:38
light of this
29:38
parable?
29:38
How are we to
29:39
examine our
29:41
hearts?
29:41
How are we to
29:42
see which ways
29:43
this parable is
29:44
meant to be
29:46
understood and
29:47
assessed and
29:47
repented of if
29:48
necessary?
29:50
I'm going to
29:51
give you two
29:51
things to look
29:52
for within the
29:54
parable.
29:55
The first one
29:56
question is this.
29:57
It's a question.
29:58
Are there
29:58
observable changes
30:00
in you and
30:02
me in the way
30:03
that we respond
30:04
to the sin of
30:05
others in light
30:07
of what Jesus
30:08
has done for us
30:09
in the gospel?
30:11
This is really
30:12
the great thrust
30:13
of our text.
30:15
The great cost
30:16
that the master
30:16
absorbed is
30:17
intended to
30:18
produce change,
30:20
real change,
30:21
in the heart
30:22
of the servant.
30:24
And yet no
30:25
change can be
30:26
observed.
30:27
Tragically,
30:28
this reveals
30:29
the depravity
30:31
of our hearts.
30:32
This is the
30:33
basis on which
30:34
the master
30:35
calls out the
30:36
servant by
30:36
saying,
30:37
you wicked
30:38
servant.
30:40
See, the
30:41
effectual love
30:43
of Christ is
30:44
always intended
30:45
to produce
30:46
change by
30:47
those who
30:48
were once
30:49
indebted to
30:50
the king of
30:51
kings.
30:52
For this
30:53
reason, we
30:54
are to humbly
30:55
assess our
30:56
relationships
30:57
with others.
30:59
This is a
31:00
hard thing to
31:01
do, but what
31:02
may be warranted
31:04
from this text
31:04
is to think
31:05
about the
31:06
people that
31:07
maybe sin
31:08
against you
31:08
the most.
31:09
It could be
31:10
your brother
31:12
or your sister
31:13
kids.
31:13
It could be
31:14
your parents.
31:15
It could be
31:16
your roommates,
31:17
your spouse,
31:18
your employer.
31:19
anger.
31:21
There are so
31:22
many categories.
31:23
What we are
31:24
called to do
31:25
is to go to
31:26
them and to
31:26
ask them,
31:27
hey, when you
31:28
have sinned
31:28
against me,
31:30
as you think
31:31
about my
31:31
response,
31:32
do you see
31:33
within me a
31:35
hope and a
31:36
desire for you
31:38
to be restored,
31:39
to be in right
31:40
relationship,
31:41
to experience the
31:42
grace of Jesus
31:43
and him alone?
31:45
Or are you
31:47
receiving from
31:48
me anger
31:48
for me
31:50
and expectation
31:50
that I be
31:51
pleased,
31:52
that my
31:52
respect be
31:53
honored?
31:55
See, it's a
31:56
very humbling
31:57
thing for us
31:58
to do, but
31:59
often the
32:00
people that
32:01
we are
32:02
with, that
32:03
those people
32:03
ought to feel
32:04
Christ and
32:05
his work
32:06
within us
32:07
when we
32:07
respond to
32:08
their sin.
32:10
Ephesians
32:11
chapter 4
32:12
verse 32
32:12
says,
32:14
be kind to
32:14
one another.
32:15
tenderhearted
32:17
and forgiving
32:18
one another
32:18
just as
32:20
God in
32:21
Christ forgave
32:22
you.
32:24
The second
32:25
thing that
32:26
we can do
32:26
and look for
32:27
in this
32:27
parable is
32:28
another very
32:30
important question
32:31
and I saw
32:32
this for the
32:32
first time
32:33
studying this
32:34
week.
32:36
Here's the
32:36
question,
32:37
does God's
32:37
forgiving of
32:38
my sin
32:39
result in
32:40
an increasing
32:41
joy in
32:42
him?
32:44
Now,
32:44
part of
32:45
the devastation
32:46
of the
32:47
unmerciful
32:47
servant is
32:49
that the
32:49
master's
32:49
treatment
32:50
towards him
32:51
should have
32:52
resulted in
32:53
great
32:53
enthused
32:55
joy in
32:56
the master
32:57
himself.
32:58
But you
32:59
notice that
32:59
the servant
33:00
only views
33:01
what happened
33:02
to him as
33:03
a transaction.
33:04
As soon as
33:05
it happens,
33:06
he moves on
33:07
and he's
33:07
off and
33:08
running and
33:09
nothing has
33:10
changed.
33:11
changed.
33:12
There's a
33:13
striking
33:13
similarity if
33:14
you think
33:14
of the
33:15
picture that's
33:16
given in the
33:17
book of
33:17
Luke of
33:18
the ten
33:18
lepers,
33:19
right,
33:19
who are
33:19
healed by
33:20
Jesus.
33:21
What happens
33:22
to those
33:23
lepers?
33:24
Well,
33:24
nine of
33:25
them,
33:26
nine go
33:27
away and
33:28
only one
33:29
comes back.
33:30
That one
33:31
was so
33:31
affected
33:32
deeply
33:33
within his
33:34
heart that
33:35
he came
33:35
back praising
33:36
God and
33:37
with a
33:37
loud voice
33:38
he fell
33:39
on his
33:41
face at
33:41
Jesus'
33:42
feet giving
33:43
him thanks.
33:45
Have you
33:46
found yourself
33:47
responding to
33:49
God's love
33:50
with a
33:51
similar type
33:52
of thankfulness?
33:54
If you're
33:54
struggling to
33:55
forgive others,
33:57
could it be
33:57
that this
33:58
type of
33:59
thankfulness is
34:00
lacking within
34:01
your heart?
34:03
Could it be
34:04
that you have
34:04
separated what
34:06
Jesus has
34:07
offered from
34:08
Jesus himself
34:09
and only
34:10
taken what
34:10
he offers
34:12
and viewed
34:13
it in
34:13
transactional
34:14
forms but
34:15
forgot that
34:16
Jesus intends
34:17
to call you
34:18
to himself
34:19
to be
34:19
enjoyed?
34:21
John Piper
34:22
has a very
34:23
helpful book
34:24
that discusses
34:25
this theme.
34:26
Perhaps you've
34:26
read it.
34:27
It's called
34:27
God is the
34:28
Gospel.
34:28
Let me
34:29
just read
34:30
a quick
34:30
excerpt.
34:32
It says
34:32
there are
34:32
ten thousand
34:34
gifts that
34:34
flames
34:35
the news
34:36
that he
34:37
has purchased
34:37
by his
34:38
death
34:39
ten thousand
34:40
blessings
34:41
for his
34:42
bride.
34:44
But none
34:45
of these
34:45
gifts will
34:46
lead to
34:47
final joy
34:47
if they
34:48
have not
34:49
first
34:49
led
34:50
to God.
34:53
And not
34:53
one
34:54
Gospel
34:54
blessing
34:55
will be
34:55
enjoyed
34:56
by anyone
34:57
for whom
34:58
the Gospel's
34:59
greatest gift
35:00
is not
35:01
the Lord
35:02
himself.
35:03
see we
35:05
are forgiven
35:06
so that
35:07
we may
35:08
enjoy
35:09
the Lord.
35:11
First
35:11
Peter 3
35:12
says for
35:14
Christ also
35:15
suffered once
35:16
for sin
35:17
the righteous
35:18
for the
35:18
unrighteous
35:19
so that
35:21
he might
35:22
bring us
35:23
to his
35:24
father
35:25
to God.
35:26
What an
35:27
amazing gift
35:28
that we can
35:29
come not
35:30
being
35:31
fearfully
35:31
reminded
35:32
of our
35:32
debts
35:33
but we
35:33
can be
35:33
welcomed
35:34
because
35:35
Jesus
35:35
has
35:36
expensed
35:36
the payment
35:37
of our
35:38
sin
35:38
when he
35:39
died
35:40
on the
35:40
cross.
35:42
Lastly
35:43
as we
35:43
move
35:44
towards
35:44
our
35:44
conclusion
35:45
and consider
35:46
the application
35:47
that this
35:48
text calls
35:49
for
35:49
there are
35:50
several
35:50
categories
35:51
of people
35:51
that the
35:52
Lord
35:52
brought
35:53
to mind
35:53
this week
35:54
and I'm
35:54
hopeful
35:55
that it
35:56
may help
35:56
to serve
35:57
these people
35:58
in particular
35:59
because forgiveness
36:01
often finds
36:02
itself into
36:02
very difficult
36:04
situations.
36:06
Sometimes the
36:07
type of sin
36:08
that we are
36:09
called to
36:09
endure is
36:10
so serious
36:11
that you
36:11
feel the
36:12
impact of
36:13
it for
36:13
years or
36:14
even decades
36:15
after it
36:17
has occurred.
36:18
You can't
36:19
always easily
36:20
forget it
36:21
or dismiss
36:22
this sin
36:23
that happened
36:24
to you
36:24
from your
36:24
mind and
36:25
you wonder
36:26
what does
36:26
forgiveness
36:27
look like
36:28
in this
36:29
type of
36:29
situation?
36:30
What am I
36:30
to do?
36:31
How can I
36:31
be faithful
36:32
to honor
36:34
the Lord?
36:35
The second
36:36
category is
36:37
people that
36:38
maybe have
36:39
wronged you
36:40
and they
36:40
have no
36:41
understanding
36:42
of the
36:43
forgiveness
36:43
that they
36:44
need.
36:45
Maybe they're
36:45
denying
36:46
that they
36:47
actually hurt
36:47
you in
36:48
the first
36:49
place.
36:49
Maybe they
36:49
have no
36:51
idea.
36:52
Maybe they're
36:52
unbelievers
36:53
and forgiveness
36:54
is not in
36:55
their vocabulary
36:56
what do
36:57
we do?
36:59
Well, as
37:00
one of your
37:01
pastors, I
37:01
first want to
37:03
encourage you
37:03
that we
37:04
know and
37:05
we recognize
37:06
just how
37:06
hard it
37:08
is in
37:08
these
37:09
situations
37:10
to forgive
37:11
others.
37:12
We know
37:12
it can be
37:13
tremendously
37:14
difficult to
37:15
love and
37:15
to find
37:16
appropriate
37:16
boundaries
37:17
for what
37:18
relationship
37:19
looks like
37:20
after great
37:22
sin has
37:22
happened.
37:23
So just
37:25
a few
37:26
clarifying
37:26
remarks
37:27
that I
37:28
hope are
37:28
helpful.
37:30
Forgiveness
37:30
is not a
37:32
restoration
37:33
of trust.
37:35
Forgiveness
37:35
doesn't always
37:36
mean that
37:37
trust is
37:38
rightfully
37:38
restored just
37:39
because you
37:40
have forgiven
37:40
somebody.
37:41
Trust within
37:42
relationships
37:42
is based
37:44
upon standards
37:45
which allow
37:45
for a
37:46
relationship
37:46
to flourish.
37:48
And as
37:48
Christians,
37:49
the best
37:50
relational
37:51
harmony
37:52
that happens
37:53
is when
37:53
we're
37:54
walking
37:54
in
37:55
obedience
37:56
and
37:56
faithfulness
37:57
before
37:57
the Lord.
37:59
See,
37:59
many have
38:00
lost this
38:01
trust within
38:01
relationships
38:02
because they
38:03
have either
38:04
drifted from
38:05
the Lord
38:05
or they
38:06
never were
38:07
disciples
38:08
after all.
38:10
And while
38:11
we long
38:11
for these
38:12
relationships
38:12
to have
38:13
this really
38:14
deep and
38:15
meaningful
38:15
trust,
38:16
oftentimes
38:16
it is
38:17
absent
38:17
and we
38:19
should not
38:19
be assuming
38:20
that we
38:21
are called
38:21
to act
38:22
as if
38:23
it's there.
38:24
That's a
38:25
hard thing
38:26
to think
38:27
about,
38:27
but it
38:28
is not
38:28
good for
38:29
us to
38:29
trust people
38:30
that are
38:31
not able
38:32
to be
38:32
trusted
38:32
and the
38:33
Lord
38:33
doesn't
38:33
call us
38:34
to that.
38:36
The second
38:37
is forgiveness
38:38
is not
38:39
pretending
38:39
that consequences
38:40
don't exist
38:42
and that
38:43
things should
38:43
always go
38:44
back to
38:45
the way
38:45
that they
38:45
used to
38:46
be
38:46
after
38:47
somebody
38:47
has been
38:48
forgiven.
38:49
Now,
38:50
very similar
38:50
to our
38:50
previous
38:51
point,
38:51
but let's
38:52
be clear
38:53
here,
38:54
consequences
38:54
for sin
38:55
are sometimes
38:56
very necessary.
38:58
They're
38:59
helpful,
39:00
they're wise
39:00
to apply
39:01
with discernment
39:02
to your
39:03
situation.
39:05
This may
39:06
mean that
39:06
it's good
39:07
to place
39:09
restrictions
39:09
on relationships
39:10
so that
39:11
sinful
39:12
patterns
39:12
and tendencies
39:14
are not
39:15
allowed to
39:16
continue.
39:16
You can
39:17
have a
39:18
heart of
39:18
forgiveness
39:19
and still
39:20
honor Christ
39:21
by changing
39:22
some of the
39:23
relational
39:24
boundaries
39:24
that should
39:25
be there
39:26
as you
39:27
move forward.
39:30
And thirdly,
39:31
a specific
39:32
word for
39:33
those who
39:33
are in
39:34
situations
39:34
where forgiveness
39:35
is not
39:36
sought by
39:37
the person
39:37
who has
39:38
sinned.
39:38
These are
39:38
so hard.
39:41
We can
39:41
often get
39:42
very confused
39:44
and think
39:45
that we
39:45
can't
39:45
fulfill
39:46
what Jesus
39:46
is calling
39:47
us to
39:47
because it
39:48
feels like
39:49
it's a
39:49
two-party
39:50
act when
39:51
forgiveness
39:52
is there.
39:52
Somebody
39:53
asks for
39:53
forgiveness
39:54
and then I
39:55
give it.
39:56
That's not
39:57
actually quite
39:58
the case.
39:59
In some
40:00
situations,
40:01
we can
40:01
try to
40:02
show someone
40:03
how they've
40:03
sinned
40:04
against the
40:04
Lord,
40:04
but we
40:05
cannot
40:05
control
40:06
how they
40:07
respond.
40:08
and we're
40:09
helped in
40:10
this way
40:11
by looking
40:12
at Jesus
40:13
and what
40:14
he did
40:14
in the
40:15
book of
40:15
Luke
40:16
chapter 23.
40:18
This is
40:18
what he
40:19
says to
40:19
those who
40:20
were clearly
40:21
not seeking
40:22
the forgiveness
40:22
of him.
40:25
In fact,
40:25
they were
40:26
furthering their
40:27
sinful rebellion
40:28
and that is
40:29
when Jesus
40:29
said these
40:30
words.
40:31
Jesus
40:32
said,
40:33
Father,
40:34
forgive them
40:35
for they
40:35
know not
40:37
what they
40:37
do.
40:38
So we
40:40
can view
40:40
the punishment
40:42
of Christ
40:43
is completely
40:44
sufficient for
40:46
them.
40:46
We can
40:47
trust that
40:48
the Lord
40:48
alone is
40:49
able to
40:50
make the
40:50
gospel
40:51
effective
40:52
in the
40:53
heart of
40:53
the one
40:54
who has
40:54
sinned
40:55
against us.
40:57
It could
40:58
be that the
40:59
Lord uses
41:00
your picture
41:01
that you
41:02
paint,
41:02
your picture
41:03
of forgiveness
41:04
and long
41:05
suffering,
41:06
your loving
41:07
response that
41:07
is patient
41:08
not three
41:09
times or
41:10
four times
41:11
but indefinitely
41:12
to show a
41:13
window into
41:14
the loving
41:15
and gracious
41:16
forgiveness that
41:17
the Lord
41:18
offers to all
41:19
who would put
41:20
their faith in
41:20
him.
41:22
See,
41:23
what forgiveness
41:23
is,
41:24
is forgiveness
41:25
is a desire
41:27
within our
41:27
hearts to see
41:29
the ultimate
41:29
good of
41:30
people who
41:31
have sinned
41:31
against us,
41:32
to see that
41:33
their sins
41:35
are not
41:36
a reason
41:37
to justify
41:38
the way
41:38
that we
41:38
respond,
41:39
but their
41:40
sin are a
41:41
reason why
41:41
they need
41:42
Jesus all
41:43
the more.
41:46
And it's a
41:46
hard thing
41:47
to do,
41:48
but we
41:48
believe,
41:49
just like the
41:50
opening
41:50
illustration,
41:52
that the
41:53
death of
41:53
Christ is
41:54
completely
41:55
sufficient
41:55
for the
41:57
small sins
41:57
and for the
41:58
large sins
41:59
that the
42:00
Lord may
42:00
call us
42:01
to endure.
42:03
Now,
42:04
very last
42:05
encouragement
42:05
before we
42:07
close,
42:07
if you are
42:08
struggling to
42:09
forgive the
42:10
sins of
42:11
others,
42:11
if you have
42:12
a hard time
42:13
knowing how
42:13
to apply
42:14
and feel
42:15
yourself
42:16
regularly
42:16
giving way
42:18
to anger,
42:19
maybe there
42:20
was a
42:20
life-changing
42:21
event that
42:22
happened to
42:22
you many,
42:23
many years
42:24
ago,
42:24
and this
42:24
is weighing
42:25
on your
42:26
heart,
42:27
or maybe
42:27
you just
42:28
struggle with
42:28
your children
42:30
or a
42:31
close friend
42:32
how to
42:32
forgive them
42:33
in practice,
42:34
let me give
42:34
you this
42:35
encouragement.
42:37
I would
42:38
encourage you
42:38
to take a
42:39
look this
42:40
week at
42:40
Psalm
42:41
chapter 32,
42:43
and when
42:43
you read
42:44
through this,
42:45
you can
42:45
pray thinking
42:46
about the
42:48
person that
42:48
may be
42:49
sinning against
42:50
you regularly,
42:52
the one that's
42:52
hard to
42:53
forgive,
42:54
and as you
42:55
pray and
42:55
posture your
42:56
heart,
42:57
remembering
42:57
what God
42:58
has done
42:58
for you,
42:59
the Lord
42:59
by His
43:00
Spirit,
43:00
can allow
43:01
your heart
43:02
to change,
43:03
and to
43:04
remember that
43:05
Christ and
43:06
His death
43:06
is completely
43:08
sufficient.
43:09
So you
43:10
can just
43:10
listen to
43:12
a couple
43:12
verses.
43:13
Verse 1
43:14
and 2
43:15
of Psalm
43:16
32,
43:17
Blessed is
43:17
the one
43:18
whose
43:18
transgression
43:20
is forgiven,
43:21
whose sin
43:22
is covered.
43:24
Blessed is
43:25
the man
43:25
against whom
43:26
the Lord
43:27
counts no
43:29
iniquity,
43:30
and whose
43:31
spirit
43:31
there is
43:32
no deceit.
43:34
Verse 5,
43:35
I acknowledge
43:36
my sin
43:37
to you,
43:37
and I
43:38
did not
43:38
cover my
43:39
iniquity.
43:40
I said I
43:41
will confess
43:42
my transgression
43:43
to the Lord,
43:44
and you
43:45
forgave the
43:47
iniquity of
43:47
my heart.
43:49
Verse 10,
43:50
Many are
43:51
the sorrows
43:52
of the wicked,
43:53
but steadfast
43:54
love surrounds
43:56
the one
43:57
who trusts
43:58
in the
43:59
Lord.
44:00
So be
44:01
glad
44:02
in the
44:02
Lord,
44:03
and rejoice,
44:04
O righteous,
44:05
and shout
44:06
for joy,
44:08
all you
44:09
upright
44:10
in heart.
44:12
Please join
44:13
me in prayer.