Your Deepest Needs
Forgiveness
Matthew 18:21-35; 1 John 1:8-10
(Advance Slide #1)
Introduction
(Advance Slide #2)
What do you need?
- More money? More time? A new job? Newer stuff?…what is it that you need?
- The consumer market spends billions each year to tell us that we need things, so that we will in turn spend millions buying what we need.
- Are our needs met?
- Of course not, that is because we all have deep needs that this world cannot fulfill.
(Advance Slide #3)
This next month I want us to study a series of lessons titled, “Our Deepest Needs”
- The first need that I want us to consider is FORGIVENESS.
- We need our sins forgiven.
- Why? So that we can be justified…live righteous before God.
- Also, so that we can experience and live the “forgiven life.”
- Forgiveness is also an expression of love…we accept love and we give love.
ILLUS - A story from Madrid, Spain.
- A father and son had become estranged.
- The father searched for months to no avail.
- In the end he put an add in the Madrid newspaper.
- “Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspapers office at noon on Saturday…All is forgiven, I love you, Your Father.
- On Saturday 800 Pacos showed up looking for love and forgiveness from their fathers.
Goal:
- Understand our need from our Father to be forgiven.
- More than that that thought, so that we can experience the love, mercy, and grace when we forgive others.
- Jesus himself said,
- "14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15
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Text
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22
(Advance Slide #5)
Peter begins this lesson by asking Jesus, “How do we forgive?”
- He’s asking "how many times” but the real question here is how to we forgive.
- Jesus explains with a parable, “The Unforgiving Servant”
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The First Servant:
Answers the King's call to settle his accounts.
- This is an ominous note that sets the stage for what will happen.
- This servant owed 10,000 talents.
- How much is this?
- It is an incomprehensible amount, an incalculable debt
- Since he could not pay…his wife, kids, EVERYTHING would be sold.
- Debtors slavery was more of a punishment than payment for the debt.
- The reaction of the servant was to be expected.
- He falls on his face and makes a ridiculous petition.
- Just a little patience please…I’ll pay it all back!
- The king’s pity lead to mercy and he gave the servant what he didn’t deserve…he forgive it ALL!
(Advance Text on Slide #6)
The Second Servant:
The first servant finds someone that owed him 100 denarii
- This amount was extremely small compared to the his own debt to the king.
- Just as the first servant he too plead for patience.
- The reaction was different though.
- The first servant grabs the debtor and begins to choke him…ordering him to pay!
- He then takes him to debtors prison.
- This is an even greater punishment than his would have been.
(Advance Text on Slide #6)
The King’s Reaction:
The first servant’s wrongdoing wasn’t hidden…someone went to the King and reported his actions!
- The King calls the man “wicked” - worthless, guilty, sick, vicious, degenerate
- "And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” - vs. 33
- What he’s saying is that my actions towards you should have impacted your life.
- His punishment was that, the original deal was revoked.
- He was handed to jailers "until he should pay all his debt."
- “jailers” - prison guard, oppressive jailer, torturer
- Since he would not be able to repay the debt a grim picture is painted.
- It is one of unending punishment!
Lesson
The core meaning of this lesson is found in the final verse.
(Advance Slide #7)
- "So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
The central principle to this lesson.
- This is the kind of kingdom life Jesus brought.
- "7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Eph. 1:7-10
- Someone who has experienced His grace and mercy will be transformed.
- What does this mean?
- It means that a transformed HEARTwill lead to a transformed LIFE:
- "13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1:13-14
(Advance Slide #10)
Transformation:
- How will be see or know of a transformation?
- It will be evident in our words and it will be evident in our actions!
- Let’s do a compare and contrast.
- If you have not experienced God’s forgiveness you haven’t experienced His grace and mercy.
- An unforgiven heart is hard and wicked and it won’t be penetrated.
(Advance Slide #11)
Action Step:
You have been greatly forgiven…live the forgiven life!
- Give that forgiveness to others.
Conclusion
We need forgiveness…how do we know?
- If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator;
- If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist;
- If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist;
- If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer;
- But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.
(Advance Slide #12)
God forgave us through His Son, Jesus Christ’s blood.
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