1. Pearls of Forgiveness

2. Readings:
Matthew 18 vs 21 to 35
Romans 12 vs 17 to 21

3. Betrayal / Hurt

4. What about you?
Is there someone that has wronged you somehow at some stage & you have not forgiven him/her?
Who is your Judas?
Do you bear grudges?
Do you struggle with forgiveness?

5. The devil will find a place to play BUT It is how we deal with it that matters

6. We have a choice.... Man’s Way
Romans worshiped “Revenge” as one of their Gods
The Jews – “” Eye for an eye” OR
God’s way
Revenge is mine says the Lord
Father, forgive them for they know not what they do

7. As professing Christians we have only ONE choice
What does the Word of God teach us?

8. Jesus our example Jesus was betrayed twice – in one day!!!
When Jesus was betrayed he called Judas “Friend” and he prayed for Peter

9. So it is clear!
Christ calls on us to forgive “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us”

10. Jesus’ first words on the cross
“Father forgive them for they know not what they do”
Most commonly forgiveness is interpreted to mean “to forget, to wipe out completely” as in Isaiah 43 vs 25
“I, even I, am he who blots out     your transgressions, for my own sake,     and remembers your sins no more.”

11. BUT....
The word Jesus uses here for “forgive” is the same as the word used in:
Matthew 19 vs 14 when Jesus says to his disciples: “Don’t hinder them from coming to me!”
After Jesus had been offered the sponge filled with vinegar and the crowd said “Leave him and let’s see if Elijah will come and free him”

12. So what Jesus was actually praying was ....
Father don’t rush to show them your wrath
hold back your punishment
Give sinning and evil people a chance to repent!
On the cross Jesus hung there experiencing the result of man’s twisted hatred yet He prayed “father forgive them ...

13. Also note!
The verb “forgive” that Jesus uses is one that means continuous, repeated action – again and again and again!!
The truth is simple – Jesus wants us, like him, to forgive 70 X 70!
Hold back the wrath and anger but love unchangeably!

14. God is still holding back!
What it also means is that Jesus’ prayer on the cross is still honoured by God today – it is called Common Grace
Rain falls on the just and unjust
Why evil people sometimes seem to prosper and good people don’t
God is still holding back!

15. And how do we respond? Even to the minutest irritation?
Life after Simba
Debate around conditional versus unconditional forgiveness
Man’s way says “say sorry before I forgive you!”
Jesus says “I love you and there is nothing that you can do to make me love you more or less! I am love!
Forgiveness is as unconditional as love is – two sides of the same coin!
We are saved and forgiven ONLY through the grace of God
Where would we be if God had waited for man to say sorry before sending his Son to die for us

16. God’s grace and forgiveness is free but not forced!
There is a distinction between forgiveness and repentance
God did not wait for man to repent before sending His son Jesus to die on the cross for us and thereby through His grace make forgiveness and salvation possible – it is there for all – unasked for!
But it is through repentance that we allow God’s forgiveness to work in our lives – open the door to Him that knocks!

17. To Know God – is to understand forgiveness!
God’s call on us is to emulate HIM in how we forgive
Don’t wait for the apology
Forgive even if you are not wrong

18. Pick up your cross and follow me!
He who cannot, or does not want to, forgive is filled with bitterness
Bitterness in turn robs you of peace
Hebrews 12 verse 15: “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
The acid of bitterness burns many around you
Bitterness is driven by the defensiveness of SELF. Jesus calls on us to give up self!
You cannot forgive if you are filled with self preservation!

19. So how are we to do this? Lessons from the lowly mollusc

20. Turning bitterness to pearls
Betrayal is an intrusion into who & what we are
Parasite or foreign body such as a sand grain intrudes into the mollusc
As a defence mechanism the mollusc covers the foreign body with layer after layer of a substance called Nacre – it is an ongoing process – over and over again!
Eventually this foreign body becomes hardened and the nacre turns into a beautiful pearl
The pearl continues to grow in value and worth

21. And so it is with God’s children!
We need to cover the intrusions into self with God’s grace and love
We need to pay it forward continuously
Be liberated from your bitterness by radiating God’s love all the time
His Grace is sufficient for us
If we don’t accept that we’ll be locked into self
2 Peter 3 vs 9: “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish”
This lies at the heart of forgiveness!
His love and radiating his love is all that matters in creating pearls out of betrayal

22. Let’s watch a short video on God’s love

23. In conclusion
Jesus saves us by His blood and mercy and yet we demand justice and the blood of our fellow man for their indiscretions
Until you forgive Jesus cannot use you
You cannot represent the God of mercy and love when you hold anger, grudges and bitterness in your heart
May God bless you as you forgive your Judas and set him and yourself free