“How to Forgive” September 13 & 14, 2014

“How to Forgive” Introduction Old Joe was dying – for years he had been at odds with Bill, formerly his best friend. So wanting to straighten things out, he sent word for Bill to come and see him. When Bill arrived, Joe explained that he was afraid to go into eternity with such bad feelings between them. Reluctantly, Joe apologized for all he had said and done and also forgave Bill for his offenses.

“But remember, if I get better, all this doesn’t count!” “How to Forgive” Everything seemed to be fine, until Bill turned to leave. As Bill walked out of the room, Joe called out after him and said… “But remember, if I get better, all this doesn’t count!”

That’s “490” times! “How to Forgive” In our text, Peter wanted Jesus to tell him how often he had to forgive his brothers. Peter wanted an “out,” when forgiveness didn’t count, so he suggested he forgive his brother seven times. Jesus said, “No not seven times, but seventy times seven.” Jesus is saying “don’t count how often you forgive, because forgiveness is unlimited!” That’s “490” times!

“How to Forgive” Remember? Doesn’t Jesus know how hard that it? Of course He does. Remember… How difficult it was for Him as He hung on the cross to forgive those who were taunting Him? How difficult it was for Him to forgive everyone who had betrayed Him? Jesus taught unlimited forgiveness; He practiced unlimited forgiveness; He taught us three critical things about forgiveness.

“How to Forgive” – POINT ONE Jesus taught us that unlimited forgiveness is possible. Do you remember the godly woman Corrie ten Boom? She had gone through the Nazi take-over and was herself in a prison camp. She was haunted by a wrong that had been done her; while she had forgiven the wrong, she could not keep from rehashing it.

“How to Forgive” – POINT ONE Finally, she cried out to God for help. God sent her a kindly Lutheran Pastor, to whom Corrie confessed her rehashing of this event and her inability to sleep. The Pastor told her a story about his Church bell in the Church steeple. The bell is rung by his deacon pulling on the rope, but once he lets go, the bell keeps swinging, slower and slower, until finally the last dong sounds and it stops.

“How to Forgive” – POINT ONE “When we forgive,” the Pastor said, “we take our hands off the rope.” “But if the wrong was especially hurtful,” the Pastor continued, “don’t be surprised if the old angry thoughts keep coming for a while.” “They are just the ding-dongs of the old bell slowing down!” Corrie writes later, “So it proved to be. There were a few more midnight reverberations, but I had taken my hand off the rope and eventually the bell went completely quiet!” FORGIVENESS isn’t something we do for others. We do it, so we can get well and move on!

“How to Forgive” – POINT ONE Maybe there is an incident from your past, some hurt, or some slight done to you that is still reverberating in your heart. Ask God to help you “take your hand off the rope” that tolls that bell, so that peace can come to your life. C. S. Lewis had a teacher he hated. So when he became a Christian, he knew he had to forgive the teacher, but just couldn’t do it.

“How to Forgive” – POINT ONE Finally, he resolved to just say the words, “I forgive you” every day, whether he felt like it or not. Later C. S. Lewis wrote, “Each time I said those words another stone was removed from my wall of bitterness, until one day, I came to realize that the wall was no longer there.” Don’t let that resentment smolder any longer. Jesus says, “You can let it go!”

“How to Forgive” – POINT TWO Not only is forgiveness possible, it is extremely beneficial for you and me. The damage we do to ourselves through unresolved anger and resentment is far more deadly than any damage we inflict on those who hurt us. Our hating anyone else is like burning down our house to get rid of some rats. Does that make any sense?

“How to Forgive” – POINT TWO E. Stanley Jones, famed preacher, once noted that a rattlesnake can get so angry, it will bite itself. That’s exactly what the harboring of hatred and resentment against others is – In a study conducted by the University of Michigan and the National Institute for Mental Health, they found that 75% of Americans are very confident they have been forgiven by God. Biting Ourselves!

“How to Forgive” – POINT TWO The study found the picture less bright when it came to people forgiving others. The study concluded that when people did forgive others, they experienced better health. Forgiveness is the key to a healthy mind and a peaceful heart. Forgiveness is the best thing you can do for your body and soul. Paul says in Colossians 3:13 “Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

“How to Forgive” – POINT THREE Not only is forgiveness possible and healthy, it is essential. Bottom line: we dare not ask God’s forgiveness for our sins, if we are not willing to forgive others. In fact in the Lord’s Prayer, we tell God to use our example of forgiving others as His guideline to forgiving us. After cautioning Peter to forgive “70 times 7,” Jesus follows with a parable to bring His truth on forgiveness home. Forgive us, O God, AS we forgive others!

“How to Forgive” – POINT THREE Jesus said, “A man owed his king ten thousand bags of gold.” This is a staggering sum of money; Today it would be worth about $8 trillion dollars; To work this off, it has been estimated the man would have worked between 164,000 to 274,000 YEARS. The king was ready to have the man and his family sold into slavery to satisfy at least part of the debt.

“How to Forgive” – POINT THREE The man got down on his knees and begged for more time to repay the debt. Unbelievably, the king was moved with compassion and completely forgave the man’s debt. That same man went out a found a fellow worker who owed a few silver coins and demanded payment immediately. When the man could not re-pay his debt, the other man had him thrown into prison until he did so.

“How to Forgive” – POINT THREE When the King found out about this, he called in his servant, whom he had forgiven that huge debt. “I forgave you that enormous debt,” the king said with anger, “shouldn’t you have forgiven that tiny debt owed to you?” Jesus asked the same question of us today. You and I have been forgiven an enormous debt by God, made possible by Jesus Christ on His cross of Calvary.

“How to Forgive” – POINT THREE Out of God’s amazing Grace to us, we too can find the power to forgive others. Forgiveness is essential not only that we may be forgiven, but because forgiveness is the testimony to the faith we profess. “How many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him?” asked Peter. Jesus’ answer would be to forgive others just as much as God has forgiven you! Comments? -or- Questions?