1 00:00:00,900 --> 00:00:02,836 Thank you. Heather. 2 00:00:02,836 --> 00:00:04,237 Baptism was a great. 3 00:00:04,237 --> 00:00:05,872 That was a great celebration. 4 00:00:05,872 --> 00:00:08,975 As I was looking at those pictures 5 00:00:08,975 --> 00:00:11,978 of people who were baptized last week. 6 00:00:12,145 --> 00:00:15,949 Some of their stories ran through my mind of just incredible 7 00:00:15,949 --> 00:00:19,119 restoration and and renewal of life. 8 00:00:19,152 --> 00:00:24,190 It just, I love I love those moments with our church. 9 00:00:25,258 --> 00:00:29,796 Last week as we opened up Matthew 18, and we're going to finish it this week. 10 00:00:29,796 --> 00:00:33,900 So if you have a Bible and brought one with you, if you turn to Matthew 18 11 00:00:34,934 --> 00:00:38,838 last week, Jesus walked his disciples and us 12 00:00:39,339 --> 00:00:44,744 through the process that he expects his people to go through. 13 00:00:44,744 --> 00:00:47,747 When someone sends against them. 14 00:00:48,014 --> 00:00:51,584 And it's not a quick process necessarily. 15 00:00:52,018 --> 00:00:54,754 It's not necessarily an easy process. 16 00:00:54,754 --> 00:00:57,857 There are some times where offenses just need to be overlooked. 17 00:00:58,291 --> 00:01:02,262 There are some times where it needs to be confronted and talked through. 18 00:01:02,262 --> 00:01:03,363 But he gives. 19 00:01:03,363 --> 00:01:04,264 He gives a 20 00:01:04,264 --> 00:01:08,101 he gives a system on how he expects his people to do that with each other. 21 00:01:10,236 --> 00:01:13,873 And the goal being restoration, not winning. 22 00:01:16,476 --> 00:01:19,379 But the natural question is 23 00:01:19,379 --> 00:01:22,715 when someone sins against me over and over. 24 00:01:23,016 --> 00:01:26,019 The natural question is 25 00:01:26,352 --> 00:01:29,355 how many times do I have to go through this process with them? 26 00:01:29,589 --> 00:01:31,991 Right? 27 00:01:31,991 --> 00:01:34,761 How many times do you expect me to be in that? 28 00:01:34,761 --> 00:01:39,065 And basically, how much time do I have to keep forgiving them 29 00:01:40,133 --> 00:01:42,936 when happens over and over? 30 00:01:42,936 --> 00:01:44,237 That's the natural question. 31 00:01:44,237 --> 00:01:45,538 And that's that's our question. 32 00:01:45,538 --> 00:01:48,541 I mean, we've all been in those scenarios 33 00:01:48,908 --> 00:01:51,878 the first time, okay. 34 00:01:51,878 --> 00:01:54,747 The second time. 35 00:01:54,747 --> 00:01:56,783 All right. 36 00:01:56,783 --> 00:01:59,786 The third time. 37 00:02:00,053 --> 00:02:02,755 And I don't I don't know where your threshold is, 38 00:02:02,755 --> 00:02:07,160 but we all have a threshold of enough's enough, 39 00:02:07,794 --> 00:02:10,497 right. 40 00:02:10,497 --> 00:02:14,067 Okay, I'm going to start this whole thing over and let's do this 41 00:02:15,201 --> 00:02:18,171 as if you're in this with me. 42 00:02:19,472 --> 00:02:21,441 And so the natural question is how? 43 00:02:21,441 --> 00:02:25,712 And so in Matthew 18 verses that we'll look at today, 21 44 00:02:25,745 --> 00:02:28,915 through 35 or so, he answers the question, 45 00:02:30,183 --> 00:02:32,652 and then he gives a warning. 46 00:02:32,652 --> 00:02:35,155 That is quite scary. 47 00:02:35,155 --> 00:02:38,458 And so let me just give you the big idea for this section. 48 00:02:39,025 --> 00:02:45,131 The big idea for this section is this the kingdom consists of a king 49 00:02:45,198 --> 00:02:49,102 who releases the repentant from a debt they cannot pay, 50 00:02:50,270 --> 00:02:52,472 and expects his people 51 00:02:52,472 --> 00:02:55,475 to do the same for each other. 52 00:02:56,075 --> 00:02:59,078 That's the kingdom of heaven. 53 00:02:59,479 --> 00:03:01,881 This this passage of what 54 00:03:01,881 --> 00:03:05,985 Jesus is going to teach and and really require of his people. 55 00:03:05,985 --> 00:03:09,122 This is important for all of us. But 56 00:03:10,123 --> 00:03:12,258 I want to I want to just make this point. 57 00:03:12,258 --> 00:03:16,663 It's especially important for the millennial generation, 58 00:03:16,663 --> 00:03:20,066 those who are 30 to 45 years old, 59 00:03:21,501 --> 00:03:23,136 because you need to develop this. 60 00:03:23,136 --> 00:03:23,903 Pay attention to me. 61 00:03:23,903 --> 00:03:28,241 You need to develop this because you're in the midst of it. 62 00:03:28,241 --> 00:03:30,109 You're in the midst of marriage. 63 00:03:30,109 --> 00:03:32,745 You're in the midst of parenting. 64 00:03:32,745 --> 00:03:37,217 You're in the midst of years of relational hurt that you probably 65 00:03:37,217 --> 00:03:40,220 still haven't dealt with well. 66 00:03:42,055 --> 00:03:43,423 This is really important for you. 67 00:03:43,423 --> 00:03:47,460 It's also really important for the Gen Z generation, those around 68 00:03:47,493 --> 00:03:50,496 29 to 14 years old or so, 69 00:03:51,264 --> 00:03:54,701 because this single discipline 70 00:03:55,902 --> 00:03:58,438 will largely impact the totality 71 00:03:58,438 --> 00:04:01,441 of your spiritual formation, 72 00:04:01,507 --> 00:04:04,410 because you're growing up and living in a culture 73 00:04:04,410 --> 00:04:07,413 of a culture of offense. 74 00:04:07,413 --> 00:04:10,416 The culture teaches you to be offended, 75 00:04:10,783 --> 00:04:13,786 not to reconcile enough to forgive. 76 00:04:14,921 --> 00:04:16,189 So it's very important 77 00:04:16,189 --> 00:04:20,860 for you in the Gen Z generation and the the general, for 78 00:04:21,995 --> 00:04:22,395 those 79 00:04:22,395 --> 00:04:25,498 who are, you know, just one years old to 13 year olds. 80 00:04:25,498 --> 00:04:28,134 Now, listen, this is really important. 81 00:04:28,134 --> 00:04:31,371 Your world there will communicate digitally. 82 00:04:31,838 --> 00:04:37,343 And so what happens is the person is removed from other people 83 00:04:37,410 --> 00:04:41,514 and harassment and grievance and manipulation oftentimes hidden. 84 00:04:41,514 --> 00:04:44,517 And so developing the discipline 85 00:04:44,817 --> 00:04:47,820 to deal with one on one forgiveness 86 00:04:48,187 --> 00:04:50,890 is an unknown discipline for that generation. 87 00:04:50,890 --> 00:04:53,893 They have to be taught it. 88 00:04:54,260 --> 00:04:56,429 In the greatest way they'll be taught is by seeing it 89 00:04:56,429 --> 00:04:59,432 in their parents. 90 00:05:00,900 --> 00:05:03,536 And gen beta, the ones who are just now born. 91 00:05:03,536 --> 00:05:06,539 The only way they're going to get this is if they see it modeled for them. 92 00:05:10,109 --> 00:05:13,112 And so verses 21 through 35 93 00:05:14,180 --> 00:05:16,983 has to do with God's immense mercy 94 00:05:16,983 --> 00:05:21,621 and forgiveness for those who have sinned against him 95 00:05:22,655 --> 00:05:26,159 and the forgiveness required from them 96 00:05:27,260 --> 00:05:30,263 if it's been received by them. 97 00:05:30,730 --> 00:05:33,132 So I want to make two notes about forgiveness 98 00:05:33,132 --> 00:05:36,336 before we get into the specific passage. 99 00:05:36,469 --> 00:05:42,108 And and that is just the first thing ini discussion about forgiving people 100 00:05:42,108 --> 00:05:45,778 is going to raise another question 101 00:05:45,778 --> 00:05:48,781 about what has been called self-forgiveness. 102 00:05:49,749 --> 00:05:50,983 I have to forgive myself. 103 00:05:50,983 --> 00:05:53,853 I have trouble forgiving myself. 104 00:05:53,853 --> 00:05:57,290 Let me say this with clarity 105 00:05:58,224 --> 00:06:01,227 and as much gentleness as I can muster. 106 00:06:01,828 --> 00:06:05,198 Self-forgiveness is nowhere in the Bible. 107 00:06:08,067 --> 00:06:08,901 It's become 108 00:06:08,901 --> 00:06:12,972 a modern, Christianized counseling mantra 109 00:06:13,172 --> 00:06:16,175 that you have to learn to forgive yourself. 110 00:06:16,242 --> 00:06:21,347 But as gently and as truthfully as I can tell you 111 00:06:21,347 --> 00:06:24,350 this, it's not in the Bible. 112 00:06:28,855 --> 00:06:29,956 Let me give you four reasons 113 00:06:29,956 --> 00:06:32,959 why people struggle with this idea of self-forgiveness. 114 00:06:32,992 --> 00:06:38,464 One is because they're living under false guilt from Satan. 115 00:06:41,534 --> 00:06:42,869 If you've been forgiven by 116 00:06:42,869 --> 00:06:45,872 God, ought to be the most joyful thing in your world. 117 00:06:46,773 --> 00:06:49,375 So to still struggle with self-forgiveness means you're 118 00:06:49,375 --> 00:06:52,378 buying some guilt from the devil that isn't yours to own. 119 00:06:53,780 --> 00:06:55,214 The second thing about this 120 00:06:55,214 --> 00:06:58,217 whole idea of self-forgiveness. 121 00:06:59,051 --> 00:07:02,522 Is that it's it's pretty arrogant 122 00:07:02,522 --> 00:07:05,491 to think that you've offended yourself more than you've offended God. 123 00:07:12,198 --> 00:07:14,834 The third thing is 124 00:07:14,834 --> 00:07:17,837 that if you struggle with quote unquote self-forgiveness, 125 00:07:18,438 --> 00:07:21,107 it may be because you don't believe 126 00:07:21,107 --> 00:07:24,143 God's forgiveness is strong enough or goes far enough. 127 00:07:25,945 --> 00:07:28,948 It's just not adequate to be forgiven by him. 128 00:07:30,316 --> 00:07:33,319 So you also have to be forgiven by yourself. 129 00:07:36,055 --> 00:07:36,756 The fourth thing 130 00:07:36,756 --> 00:07:39,759 about this idea of self-forgiveness 131 00:07:40,593 --> 00:07:43,496 is that oftentimes, and this is what I really think is going on 132 00:07:43,496 --> 00:07:46,866 with most people, it's self-imposed 133 00:07:46,866 --> 00:07:51,971 penance to punish themselves enough so they'll feel worthy 134 00:07:52,772 --> 00:07:55,341 of God's forgiveness and love. 135 00:07:55,341 --> 00:08:00,079 And at the heart of that, it discredits the cross and is demonic. 136 00:08:02,114 --> 00:08:05,117 And so as I open the door 137 00:08:05,151 --> 00:08:08,554 in this discussion of forgiveness, please, 138 00:08:09,255 --> 00:08:11,657 if you first need to deal 139 00:08:11,657 --> 00:08:14,660 with the erroneous idea 140 00:08:14,994 --> 00:08:19,265 that you cannot forgive yourself, you probably haven't understood 141 00:08:19,298 --> 00:08:22,502 God's forgiveness of you, or you have an accepted it. 142 00:08:24,570 --> 00:08:27,573 This is not about us forgiven ourselves. 143 00:08:30,376 --> 00:08:32,111 If we've accepted the forgiveness 144 00:08:32,111 --> 00:08:35,114 of Almighty God, it's pretty arrogant. 145 00:08:37,717 --> 00:08:39,318 To not feel as though 146 00:08:39,318 --> 00:08:42,555 we've there's enough there for us to be forgiven. 147 00:08:44,590 --> 00:08:47,593 The second, let me just say this. 148 00:08:47,860 --> 00:08:50,796 I don't want you to suffer from false guilt, 149 00:08:50,796 --> 00:08:54,100 nor from ignorance, nor from arrogance. 150 00:08:55,201 --> 00:08:58,170 God's forgiveness is enough. 151 00:09:00,106 --> 00:09:01,674 Blessed is the one 152 00:09:01,674 --> 00:09:05,144 whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 153 00:09:05,177 --> 00:09:08,481 David wrote that affair, falling 154 00:09:08,481 --> 00:09:11,450 under conviction of his sin with Bathsheba 155 00:09:11,651 --> 00:09:14,654 and having her husband killed 156 00:09:14,954 --> 00:09:18,591 in experiencing the confession of his sin 157 00:09:18,591 --> 00:09:22,528 and the receiving of the mercy and grace of God. 158 00:09:22,562 --> 00:09:24,931 His response was, blessed is the one 159 00:09:26,232 --> 00:09:29,035 who understands 160 00:09:29,035 --> 00:09:32,538 that your vilest transgression and sin 161 00:09:33,739 --> 00:09:37,777 is forgiven, covered, removed. 162 00:09:38,344 --> 00:09:42,114 That word, blessed in the Greek translation 163 00:09:42,114 --> 00:09:46,052 of the Hebrew Old Testament is Makarios, which means happy. 164 00:09:46,619 --> 00:09:50,957 The happiest people are those who realize 165 00:09:51,657 --> 00:09:54,660 the incredible release 166 00:09:55,027 --> 00:09:58,030 from their transgression and sin. 167 00:10:01,867 --> 00:10:03,436 The second thing I want. 168 00:10:03,436 --> 00:10:06,439 Well, let me. Yeah. 169 00:10:06,439 --> 00:10:07,039 Let me. 170 00:10:07,039 --> 00:10:10,042 Hebrews eight I got this one, 171 00:10:10,242 --> 00:10:13,212 for I will forgive their wickedness. 172 00:10:13,746 --> 00:10:16,749 And what? 173 00:10:18,517 --> 00:10:20,786 Often does God remember your sin? 174 00:10:20,786 --> 00:10:23,356 If you've repented of it, 175 00:10:23,356 --> 00:10:26,359 how often does you remember it? 176 00:10:26,459 --> 00:10:29,295 Have any of you in a Christian God? 177 00:10:29,295 --> 00:10:32,298 I'm sorry. Again, it's like wait, wait wait. 178 00:10:33,032 --> 00:10:35,267 Start over. 179 00:10:35,267 --> 00:10:38,270 There is no again. 180 00:10:38,671 --> 00:10:41,674 Do you understand? 181 00:10:44,043 --> 00:10:47,013 The second thing with this idea of 182 00:10:48,347 --> 00:10:50,116 of forgiveness, before we get into 183 00:10:50,116 --> 00:10:55,521 the text, is that personal forgiveness of individual grievance 184 00:10:55,521 --> 00:11:01,227 and sin is a uniquely Jesus New Testament thing. 185 00:11:03,095 --> 00:11:04,230 Nowhere in the Old 186 00:11:04,230 --> 00:11:07,867 Testament are we commanded to personal forgiveness. 187 00:11:09,035 --> 00:11:11,270 It's not in the Old Testament we're not commanded. 188 00:11:11,270 --> 00:11:12,304 It's not part of the law. 189 00:11:12,304 --> 00:11:13,239 We're not commanded 190 00:11:13,239 --> 00:11:16,475 in the Old Testament to personally, one on one, forgive each other. 191 00:11:16,509 --> 00:11:19,512 This is a New Testament Jesus thing, 192 00:11:20,379 --> 00:11:22,181 the Old Testament focus on repayment 193 00:11:22,181 --> 00:11:25,184 of grievance and repayment for hurt, 194 00:11:25,618 --> 00:11:27,920 the legality of it. 195 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:31,991 Jesus and the news of the New Testament introduces a whole new paradigm. 196 00:11:32,024 --> 00:11:35,027 That's because it's a whole new kingdom. 197 00:11:36,696 --> 00:11:38,330 What we read in Matthew 18 198 00:11:38,330 --> 00:11:41,534 is absolutely revolutionary. 199 00:11:43,669 --> 00:11:46,672 Absolutely revolutionary. 200 00:11:48,274 --> 00:11:50,643 And it's beautiful and as glorious. 201 00:11:50,643 --> 00:11:52,712 And it's so 202 00:11:52,712 --> 00:11:55,715 wonderful to believe and so difficult to practice. 203 00:12:00,186 --> 00:12:03,189 And so join me. 204 00:12:04,323 --> 00:12:07,293 Verse 2122. 205 00:12:09,095 --> 00:12:09,795 Peter heard what 206 00:12:09,795 --> 00:12:12,798 Jesus said about the process of forgiving each other. 207 00:12:12,865 --> 00:12:14,233 How to do it. 208 00:12:15,267 --> 00:12:17,036 This natural question is are natural question. 209 00:12:17,036 --> 00:12:18,070 Peter came up to it 210 00:12:18,070 --> 00:12:21,874 and said to him, Lord, how often, how many times I have to do this? 211 00:12:22,675 --> 00:12:25,010 How often do I have to forgive somebody? 212 00:12:25,010 --> 00:12:26,479 That's the natural question. 213 00:12:26,479 --> 00:12:28,714 It's our question. 214 00:12:28,714 --> 00:12:32,151 How often will my how often will my brother sin against me? 215 00:12:32,151 --> 00:12:33,953 And I forgive him? As many as seven times. 216 00:12:33,953 --> 00:12:37,890 And Jesus said to him, I don't say to you seven times, but 77 217 00:12:37,890 --> 00:12:40,893 times. 218 00:12:45,831 --> 00:12:49,301 In light of verses 15 through 20, 219 00:12:50,669 --> 00:12:53,672 the how often, 220 00:12:54,473 --> 00:12:55,908 how many times? 221 00:12:55,908 --> 00:12:57,243 The interesting thing is, if 222 00:12:57,243 --> 00:13:00,346 you read loose account of this and Luke, I think chapter 17, 223 00:13:01,013 --> 00:13:03,983 the issue isn't if someone sends against me seven times, 224 00:13:03,983 --> 00:13:07,653 the issue is if someone says it gives me seven times in the same day. 225 00:13:10,623 --> 00:13:11,791 No, no, no. 226 00:13:11,791 --> 00:13:13,626 Get this. 227 00:13:13,626 --> 00:13:16,061 Someone does you wrong 228 00:13:16,061 --> 00:13:19,465 and they're wrong and they say, hey, sorry. 229 00:13:19,498 --> 00:13:22,501 You're like, okay, I forgive you. 230 00:13:23,102 --> 00:13:26,105 The same day they do the same thing again. 231 00:13:26,639 --> 00:13:29,642 Hey. Sorry. 232 00:13:31,477 --> 00:13:33,546 All right, 233 00:13:33,546 --> 00:13:35,114 I forgive you. 234 00:13:35,114 --> 00:13:37,950 The third time. Same day. 235 00:13:37,950 --> 00:13:39,451 At that point, you start thinking. 236 00:13:39,451 --> 00:13:40,653 You know what? 237 00:13:40,653 --> 00:13:43,656 I don't believe you're sorry, right? 238 00:13:43,989 --> 00:13:46,992 Because how do you do the same thing three times in one day? 239 00:13:48,794 --> 00:13:50,563 Okay, 240 00:13:50,563 --> 00:13:53,532 the fourth time. 241 00:13:54,066 --> 00:13:56,268 What do you want from me? 242 00:13:56,268 --> 00:13:58,470 The fifth time? 243 00:13:58,470 --> 00:13:59,505 Okay, okay. 244 00:13:59,505 --> 00:14:02,341 Now you've crossed. 245 00:14:02,341 --> 00:14:04,143 Like I don't know where your personal. 246 00:14:04,143 --> 00:14:06,712 I don't know where your threshold is. I know where mine tends to be. 247 00:14:06,712 --> 00:14:09,715 And five times in one day is you like you're. 248 00:14:09,982 --> 00:14:11,250 I don't believe. 249 00:14:11,250 --> 00:14:12,651 I don't believe you're sorry. 250 00:14:12,651 --> 00:14:15,221 I don't believe you repented, right? 251 00:14:20,192 --> 00:14:22,461 Do you not? 252 00:14:22,461 --> 00:14:25,097 Do you agree with me? 253 00:14:25,097 --> 00:14:28,100 The sixth time in one day? 254 00:14:30,669 --> 00:14:32,771 What's going on here? 255 00:14:32,771 --> 00:14:35,774 The seventh time. 256 00:14:37,076 --> 00:14:40,079 I don't believe anything about you. 257 00:14:41,213 --> 00:14:43,716 And so Peter's like, hey, Jesus. 258 00:14:43,716 --> 00:14:44,383 Peter's. 259 00:14:44,383 --> 00:14:47,386 He thinks he's being pretty gracious because the rabbis of the time 260 00:14:47,386 --> 00:14:49,021 thought they taught you. 261 00:14:49,021 --> 00:14:50,956 You forgive someone three times. 262 00:14:50,956 --> 00:14:53,993 And at that point, if they do it a fourth, then you know that 263 00:14:53,993 --> 00:14:56,762 they're they don't care. They're not really repentant. 264 00:14:56,762 --> 00:14:59,231 They're not sorry. So you're not obligated to forgive. 265 00:14:59,231 --> 00:14:59,932 So three times. 266 00:14:59,932 --> 00:15:02,935 So Peter's like, look here, fellas. 267 00:15:03,269 --> 00:15:06,272 I'm one of the ones that got invited up on the mountain. 268 00:15:06,472 --> 00:15:09,475 When did Jesus special ones. 269 00:15:09,575 --> 00:15:11,744 So he's like, I'm going to show you how gracious I am. 270 00:15:11,744 --> 00:15:14,580 So how about this? Jesus, how about seven times? 271 00:15:15,614 --> 00:15:16,515 See, what he's doing 272 00:15:16,515 --> 00:15:19,618 is taking what they taught and doubling it. 273 00:15:19,618 --> 00:15:23,856 And Adam one on top, just to show how gracious 274 00:15:23,856 --> 00:15:26,859 and magnanimous he is. 275 00:15:27,893 --> 00:15:30,896 And what's Jesus say? 276 00:15:30,996 --> 00:15:32,831 No, no, no, not seven times. 277 00:15:32,831 --> 00:15:34,633 I've never said seven times. 278 00:15:34,633 --> 00:15:36,302 How about 70 times seven? 279 00:15:36,302 --> 00:15:36,936 In other words, 280 00:15:36,936 --> 00:15:40,973 Jesus wasn't introducing a spiritual, you know, calculator and checklist. 281 00:15:41,740 --> 00:15:44,343 He's saying innumerable 282 00:15:44,343 --> 00:15:47,279 perfection times perfection times ten. 283 00:15:47,279 --> 00:15:50,282 Like like you just. 284 00:15:52,918 --> 00:15:55,921 It says you just keep forgiven him. 285 00:15:56,055 --> 00:15:57,723 Jesus is not saying 286 00:15:57,723 --> 00:16:00,693 that repeated sin is not serious. 287 00:16:01,427 --> 00:16:03,228 Jesus is saying that forgiveness 288 00:16:03,228 --> 00:16:06,231 is more serious. 289 00:16:13,572 --> 00:16:15,574 And so then he goes on and so he says, it 290 00:16:15,574 --> 00:16:20,679 says in, in in verse 23 he says, I'm going to give you this parable. 291 00:16:20,679 --> 00:16:22,014 Now let's understand what a parable is. 292 00:16:22,014 --> 00:16:26,118 Remember, a parable is a simple story thrown next to a difficult 293 00:16:26,118 --> 00:16:29,788 truth to help us understand what the difficult truth is. 294 00:16:29,788 --> 00:16:32,958 So what he's just said is difficult truth, right? 295 00:16:34,827 --> 00:16:36,261 Right. 296 00:16:36,261 --> 00:16:37,196 Thank you. 297 00:16:37,196 --> 00:16:42,067 So now he's going to throw a parable next to it to make it easily understood. 298 00:16:42,835 --> 00:16:46,905 So here's the parable in verse 23. 299 00:16:47,539 --> 00:16:49,074 And this is what the Bible says. 300 00:16:49,074 --> 00:16:52,277 Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king 301 00:16:52,277 --> 00:16:54,146 who wish to settle accounts with his servants. 302 00:16:54,146 --> 00:16:57,950 When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him 303 00:16:57,950 --> 00:16:59,385 10,000 talents, 304 00:16:59,385 --> 00:17:03,222 and since he could not pay his master, his master ordered him to be sold 305 00:17:03,222 --> 00:17:07,860 with his wife and children, and all that they had, and payment be made. 306 00:17:07,993 --> 00:17:10,429 So the servant fell on his knees, employing him. 307 00:17:10,429 --> 00:17:14,199 Have patience with me, and I will pay you 308 00:17:14,199 --> 00:17:17,202 everything. 309 00:17:18,771 --> 00:17:19,171 He says. 310 00:17:19,171 --> 00:17:21,173 Let me help you understand what the kingdom of heaven is like, 311 00:17:21,173 --> 00:17:22,775 because this is what I've just told you. 312 00:17:22,775 --> 00:17:26,478 This is what you have to do if you're going to be citizens of my kingdom. 313 00:17:26,478 --> 00:17:27,513 This is what you have to do. 314 00:17:27,513 --> 00:17:29,481 Now let me tell you what my kingdom is like. 315 00:17:29,481 --> 00:17:31,350 My kingdom is like. 316 00:17:31,350 --> 00:17:36,855 It consists of a King who is incredibly gracious, merciful, and forgiving. 317 00:17:40,692 --> 00:17:43,295 And it's made up of people 318 00:17:43,295 --> 00:17:46,298 who become that 319 00:17:46,598 --> 00:17:49,601 for others. 320 00:17:50,235 --> 00:17:53,105 This king 321 00:17:53,105 --> 00:17:56,742 had people that owed him, and one of the ones that Odem owed him 322 00:17:56,742 --> 00:17:59,278 10,000 talents. 323 00:17:59,278 --> 00:18:03,916 Let me help you understand the depth of debt 324 00:18:04,016 --> 00:18:07,019 that this man was living with. 325 00:18:08,220 --> 00:18:12,624 A talent was the largest monetary denomination in their day, 326 00:18:12,658 --> 00:18:14,193 the largest one. 327 00:18:14,193 --> 00:18:17,663 And this man owed 10,000 of those 328 00:18:18,130 --> 00:18:20,666 that would equal in their day to a debt 329 00:18:20,666 --> 00:18:23,936 of $8 billion. 330 00:18:24,503 --> 00:18:26,438 $8 billion. 331 00:18:26,438 --> 00:18:29,441 That's the debt this man owed 332 00:18:29,908 --> 00:18:30,843 a talent. 333 00:18:30,843 --> 00:18:34,513 The equivalency of a talent was 20 years worth of work 334 00:18:35,747 --> 00:18:37,015 for one talent. 335 00:18:37,015 --> 00:18:39,118 That's that's how big this is. 336 00:18:39,118 --> 00:18:43,755 This man owed 10,000 talents. 337 00:18:45,791 --> 00:18:47,359 That means he owed 338 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:50,963 200,000 lifetimes of work. 339 00:18:51,997 --> 00:18:54,233 That was his debt. 340 00:18:54,233 --> 00:18:57,236 200,000 lifetimes. 341 00:18:57,669 --> 00:19:00,672 He was under a life sentence 342 00:19:00,873 --> 00:19:03,976 with no hope of getting out of it. 343 00:19:04,977 --> 00:19:07,980 For context, King Herod, 344 00:19:08,347 --> 00:19:12,351 the national income of his kingdom in 345 00:19:12,384 --> 00:19:17,156 that day was 9000 or 900 talents. 346 00:19:17,422 --> 00:19:22,661 So the debt that this man owed was 11 times the national income. 347 00:19:22,861 --> 00:19:27,466 In our context, depending on what study and group 348 00:19:27,466 --> 00:19:33,372 you read, let's just say that our country's income is $30 trillion. 349 00:19:33,372 --> 00:19:35,240 That would be your personal debt. 350 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:39,111 My personal debt of $330 trillion. 351 00:19:40,979 --> 00:19:43,982 That's how much this guy owes. 352 00:19:44,850 --> 00:19:48,053 There is no hope of him ever getting out of it. 353 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,291 The debt that he has incurred is so large 354 00:19:52,824 --> 00:19:56,762 that he could work for 200,000 lives 355 00:19:56,762 --> 00:19:59,731 and still be in debt. 356 00:20:00,999 --> 00:20:03,502 There's no hope. 357 00:20:03,502 --> 00:20:05,671 He's completely without resource 358 00:20:05,671 --> 00:20:08,674 and recourse. 359 00:20:09,241 --> 00:20:11,109 Now, please understand 360 00:20:11,109 --> 00:20:14,146 Jesus is not talking about finances here. 361 00:20:15,147 --> 00:20:17,216 He's talking about a spiritual 362 00:20:17,216 --> 00:20:20,319 debt that's owed the King, 363 00:20:21,453 --> 00:20:23,388 that none of us 364 00:20:23,388 --> 00:20:26,558 have the resource or the recourse to repay. 365 00:20:30,295 --> 00:20:33,298 Do you understand? 366 00:20:35,033 --> 00:20:38,036 This is no trite debt. 367 00:20:38,103 --> 00:20:42,107 And Jesus uses this extravagant language 368 00:20:42,107 --> 00:20:45,110 to help drive home the point. 369 00:20:46,178 --> 00:20:49,181 The servant is without hope. 370 00:20:49,214 --> 00:20:51,316 And what is this servant? 371 00:20:51,316 --> 00:20:54,319 What does this servant. What's his response? 372 00:20:54,586 --> 00:20:55,787 The king says, look, you owe me. 373 00:20:55,787 --> 00:20:56,421 I'm going to put you, 374 00:20:56,421 --> 00:20:59,858 your wife, your kids all in prison until I get something back. 375 00:20:59,891 --> 00:21:02,894 What's the what's this man's response? 376 00:21:04,196 --> 00:21:06,498 What's his response? 377 00:21:06,498 --> 00:21:08,267 Be patient. 378 00:21:08,267 --> 00:21:10,102 I'll work hard. 379 00:21:10,102 --> 00:21:13,105 That's religion. 380 00:21:13,639 --> 00:21:15,641 That's religion. 381 00:21:15,641 --> 00:21:16,842 Religion says God. 382 00:21:16,842 --> 00:21:21,813 Just don't don't, don't call my number yet. 383 00:21:23,282 --> 00:21:25,717 I'm going to work hard. 384 00:21:25,717 --> 00:21:28,153 I'm going to be better. 385 00:21:28,153 --> 00:21:30,789 I'm going to do stuff right. 386 00:21:30,789 --> 00:21:32,824 I'm going to stop doing a bad stuff. 387 00:21:32,824 --> 00:21:37,429 I'm just just don't don't call my number yet. 388 00:21:37,796 --> 00:21:39,131 I'm going to work really hard. 389 00:21:39,131 --> 00:21:40,532 I'm going to make you proud. 390 00:21:40,532 --> 00:21:43,402 I'm going to do something to earn. 391 00:21:49,574 --> 00:21:50,042 This man. 392 00:21:50,042 --> 00:21:51,343 Beg for more time, to work harder. 393 00:21:51,343 --> 00:21:54,346 That's that's exactly what religious people do spiritually. 394 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,983 Listen, sin is not a simple parking ticket. 395 00:21:58,617 --> 00:22:00,152 It's a debt we can never repay. 396 00:22:00,152 --> 00:22:03,155 And we have to understand. 397 00:22:04,523 --> 00:22:07,492 That we are in debt. 398 00:22:07,859 --> 00:22:09,294 I am in debt. 399 00:22:09,294 --> 00:22:11,196 I had a debt that I could not. 400 00:22:11,196 --> 00:22:14,199 You have a debt you cannot pay. 401 00:22:14,199 --> 00:22:15,334 I don't care how hard you work. 402 00:22:15,334 --> 00:22:17,135 I don't care how many lifetimes you try to be. 403 00:22:17,135 --> 00:22:20,138 You cannot pay it. 404 00:22:26,611 --> 00:22:28,280 You okay? 405 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:29,081 You shouldn't be. 406 00:22:29,081 --> 00:22:31,183 There's a debt you can't pay. 407 00:22:31,183 --> 00:22:32,217 You shouldn't be. Okay. 408 00:22:32,217 --> 00:22:33,318 Until verse 27. 409 00:22:33,318 --> 00:22:36,321 We're only at 26. 410 00:22:38,957 --> 00:22:41,960 Verse 27. 411 00:22:44,262 --> 00:22:46,832 And out of pity for him, the master of the servant 412 00:22:46,832 --> 00:22:49,835 released him and forgave him the debt. 413 00:22:50,602 --> 00:22:53,572 Listen, spiritually, 414 00:22:53,638 --> 00:22:56,441 we don't need better terms of repayment. 415 00:22:56,441 --> 00:22:57,509 We need mercy. 416 00:22:59,344 --> 00:23:02,013 We don't need to negotiate better terms with God. 417 00:23:02,013 --> 00:23:05,016 We need him to have mercy 418 00:23:05,617 --> 00:23:06,852 and notice what the King did. 419 00:23:06,852 --> 00:23:10,922 He had pity and he released him and forgave. 420 00:23:10,956 --> 00:23:13,859 That's what releasing is, what forgiveness is. 421 00:23:13,859 --> 00:23:16,795 Forgiveness is releasing 422 00:23:16,795 --> 00:23:18,864 both the person of what they owe 423 00:23:18,864 --> 00:23:21,867 and the expectation that I have. 424 00:23:23,034 --> 00:23:26,037 It's twofold. 425 00:23:27,873 --> 00:23:30,342 When one asks forgiveness, 426 00:23:30,342 --> 00:23:36,181 I forgive them of what they rightfully owed me 427 00:23:36,782 --> 00:23:40,852 and to of my right to hold them to it 428 00:23:41,453 --> 00:23:44,456 and my expectation. 429 00:23:45,257 --> 00:23:46,858 This ought to be the happiest moment 430 00:23:46,858 --> 00:23:49,861 in this guy's life right here. 431 00:23:50,295 --> 00:23:52,097 The debt was real. 432 00:23:52,097 --> 00:23:53,999 The payment was owed. 433 00:23:53,999 --> 00:23:57,002 The king had a right to something. 434 00:23:58,069 --> 00:24:01,673 But rather than justice, the king absorbed the loss 435 00:24:02,741 --> 00:24:05,744 and released him. 436 00:24:05,811 --> 00:24:08,814 Beautiful. 437 00:24:10,816 --> 00:24:13,585 He should have been 438 00:24:13,585 --> 00:24:15,554 jumping out of his socks. Happy 439 00:24:17,022 --> 00:24:19,491 now? If you've ever had a debt forgiven you, you. 440 00:24:19,491 --> 00:24:21,059 You can start understanding. 441 00:24:21,059 --> 00:24:26,298 When I was in college, I was playing rugby and on this one play I ran around 442 00:24:26,298 --> 00:24:30,702 the edge and I snapped my ankle and they took me to the hospital. 443 00:24:31,636 --> 00:24:33,505 I was paying my way through school. 444 00:24:33,505 --> 00:24:36,641 I was paying my rent, my food, everything. 445 00:24:36,641 --> 00:24:39,211 And now I'm in the hospital with a broken ankle. 446 00:24:39,211 --> 00:24:43,782 And so they do whatever they can do to people without insurance, you know, 447 00:24:44,749 --> 00:24:46,918 set it, send me out the door. 448 00:24:46,918 --> 00:24:51,957 And the only thing I could think was, oh my God, how am I? 449 00:24:53,158 --> 00:24:56,027 I already oh, too much money. 450 00:24:56,027 --> 00:24:59,030 I'm living like I can't afford this. 451 00:24:59,464 --> 00:25:02,467 How am I going to pay this hospital bill? 452 00:25:03,435 --> 00:25:07,172 And sure enough, a couple days later, open the mail. 453 00:25:07,772 --> 00:25:11,977 There's this letter from the hospital in Spokane, Washington. 454 00:25:11,977 --> 00:25:14,813 Letterhead and everything. I'm thinking, okay, here it comes. 455 00:25:14,813 --> 00:25:16,748 It's here's the bill. It's going to go to collections. 456 00:25:16,748 --> 00:25:18,116 I just don't know what to do. 457 00:25:19,050 --> 00:25:21,253 Open it up. 458 00:25:21,253 --> 00:25:22,988 And it says, Mr. 459 00:25:22,988 --> 00:25:24,656 Roth, 460 00:25:24,656 --> 00:25:27,659 the debt you owe the hospital has been forgiven. 461 00:25:28,894 --> 00:25:30,695 No, Bill. 462 00:25:30,695 --> 00:25:31,763 I don't know who paid it. 463 00:25:31,763 --> 00:25:33,932 I don't know how they did it. I never even asked for it. 464 00:25:33,932 --> 00:25:36,468 I just got a letter that says my debt had been freed. 465 00:25:36,468 --> 00:25:39,471 Do you know how happy I was? 466 00:25:39,704 --> 00:25:42,707 It was awesome. 467 00:25:43,041 --> 00:25:44,776 It was awesome. 468 00:25:44,776 --> 00:25:47,012 And that's the way it usually is. 469 00:25:47,012 --> 00:25:48,513 When we realized the debt. 470 00:25:48,513 --> 00:25:52,651 We've been forgiven by God's like, yeah, this is amazing. 471 00:25:52,651 --> 00:25:56,821 And we're in that moment of until we are transgressed against. 472 00:25:59,190 --> 00:26:02,193 And that's exactly what happens with this guy. 473 00:26:02,861 --> 00:26:07,699 Listen, in this parable, we're the servant. 474 00:26:08,066 --> 00:26:10,068 God is the king. 475 00:26:10,068 --> 00:26:12,070 Sin is the debt. 476 00:26:12,070 --> 00:26:14,973 Judgment is well deserved. 477 00:26:14,973 --> 00:26:17,442 Repayment is impossible. 478 00:26:17,442 --> 00:26:19,978 Jesus became the payment. 479 00:26:19,978 --> 00:26:22,514 And mercy is our only hope. 480 00:26:24,616 --> 00:26:26,918 The Bible says, listen, 481 00:26:26,918 --> 00:26:30,188 that Jesus didn't come to make bad people better. 482 00:26:30,188 --> 00:26:33,191 Jesus came to release the repentant completely. 483 00:26:33,959 --> 00:26:36,962 Completely. 484 00:26:37,495 --> 00:26:38,463 The Bible tells us, 485 00:26:38,463 --> 00:26:42,601 if one seven in him we have redemption through his blood, 486 00:26:42,667 --> 00:26:45,770 the forgiveness of trespass according to the riches of 487 00:26:45,837 --> 00:26:49,474 not our behavior, not our duty, but according to the riches of what? 488 00:26:50,075 --> 00:26:53,078 His grace. 489 00:26:55,580 --> 00:26:56,514 Psalm 103. 490 00:26:56,514 --> 00:26:59,517 He does not deal with us according to our sins, 491 00:27:00,118 --> 00:27:02,354 nor repay us according to our iniquities. 492 00:27:02,354 --> 00:27:05,624 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast 493 00:27:05,657 --> 00:27:08,660 love toward those who fear him. 494 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:11,563 As far as the east is from the West so far 495 00:27:11,563 --> 00:27:14,532 does he remove our transgressions from us. 496 00:27:15,634 --> 00:27:18,637 Who is like this God? 497 00:27:19,437 --> 00:27:21,039 Who's a God like you? 498 00:27:21,039 --> 00:27:25,243 O God, who pardons sin and forgives 499 00:27:25,243 --> 00:27:29,214 the trust, the transgressions of the remit of his inheritance. 500 00:27:29,581 --> 00:27:32,951 You do not stay angry forever, but delight 501 00:27:34,185 --> 00:27:36,755 you delight to show mercy. 502 00:27:36,755 --> 00:27:40,091 You will again have compassion on us. 503 00:27:40,759 --> 00:27:44,596 You'll tread our sins underfoot, and hurl all of our iniquities 504 00:27:44,596 --> 00:27:47,866 into the depths of the sea, and then put up a no fishing 505 00:27:47,866 --> 00:27:50,869 sign. 506 00:27:53,071 --> 00:27:56,074 How great is this God? 507 00:27:56,307 --> 00:27:59,711 And when that is our realization, there's such a joy 508 00:28:00,478 --> 00:28:04,582 that we've been forgiven this much until 509 00:28:05,917 --> 00:28:08,920 someone sins against us. 510 00:28:09,587 --> 00:28:12,590 Verse 28. 511 00:28:12,791 --> 00:28:14,693 But when that same servant went out, 512 00:28:14,693 --> 00:28:17,462 he found it one of his fellow servants, who owed him 100 denari. 513 00:28:17,462 --> 00:28:20,932 And seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, pay me what you owe. 514 00:28:21,099 --> 00:28:25,003 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, have patience 515 00:28:25,003 --> 00:28:27,972 with me, and I will pay you. 516 00:28:30,975 --> 00:28:34,779 He refused and went out and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 517 00:28:37,315 --> 00:28:39,384 Says Joy, 518 00:28:39,384 --> 00:28:42,420 until he realized he had been offended. 519 00:28:43,421 --> 00:28:46,424 See, people who minimize their own debt 520 00:28:46,424 --> 00:28:49,427 will magnify everyone else's. 521 00:28:52,797 --> 00:28:54,265 People who minimize their own debt 522 00:28:54,265 --> 00:28:57,268 will magnify everyone else's. 523 00:28:57,402 --> 00:28:59,637 And this is this, this is. 524 00:28:59,637 --> 00:29:03,875 This is why some of us have such a difficult time with 525 00:29:04,909 --> 00:29:07,912 that person that past, 526 00:29:08,580 --> 00:29:11,382 because we've minimized the debt we've been forgiven of, 527 00:29:11,382 --> 00:29:14,385 so we magnify theirs against us. 528 00:29:15,754 --> 00:29:18,757 Did you follow? 529 00:29:25,363 --> 00:29:29,234 One denari was one day's wage. 530 00:29:31,402 --> 00:29:34,372 So? So this this 531 00:29:35,774 --> 00:29:38,910 this guy owed him 100, 100 days worth of work. 532 00:29:39,177 --> 00:29:42,147 It's not an insignificant amount, but compared 533 00:29:42,147 --> 00:29:45,150 to the 330 trillion. 534 00:29:46,017 --> 00:29:47,719 It's not that the debt wasn't real. 535 00:29:47,719 --> 00:29:49,187 It's not that the offense hadn't happened. 536 00:29:49,187 --> 00:29:51,022 It's not that thing you really owed the guy something. 537 00:29:51,022 --> 00:29:54,192 But in comparison to what the guy had been forgiven. 538 00:29:55,093 --> 00:29:59,731 And so the comparison is never offense against a vacuum, 539 00:30:00,732 --> 00:30:02,500 the comparison is 540 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:06,771 how we've been offended against what we've been forgiven. 541 00:30:07,772 --> 00:30:10,775 That's the comparison. 542 00:30:11,442 --> 00:30:14,412 And it makes a huge difference. 543 00:30:14,712 --> 00:30:18,683 The second debtor has the exact same plea as the first. 544 00:30:18,917 --> 00:30:20,351 Be patient. 545 00:30:20,351 --> 00:30:23,354 I'll repay. 546 00:30:23,655 --> 00:30:27,025 And that first did to the second. 547 00:30:28,459 --> 00:30:31,462 But the king had a right to do to him. 548 00:30:33,665 --> 00:30:34,699 See, here's 549 00:30:34,699 --> 00:30:37,702 how it works for me and probably for you. 550 00:30:38,703 --> 00:30:40,338 We want grace for ourselves, but 551 00:30:40,338 --> 00:30:43,341 justice from others. 552 00:30:47,478 --> 00:30:50,481 We talk about grace, but we collect debts. 553 00:30:53,651 --> 00:30:54,519 And Jesus says 554 00:30:54,519 --> 00:30:57,522 it shouldn't be that way in my kingdom. 555 00:30:59,891 --> 00:31:02,861 When we know people like this, we're surrounded by people like this. 556 00:31:02,861 --> 00:31:05,864 This is this is the nature of people. 557 00:31:07,732 --> 00:31:09,067 That they hold our offenses, 558 00:31:09,067 --> 00:31:11,436 and they rehearse them in their minds, and they act like everything's okay. 559 00:31:11,436 --> 00:31:13,872 But the moment you cross a man, the claws come out 560 00:31:14,873 --> 00:31:16,574 and they just unload. 561 00:31:16,574 --> 00:31:17,575 Oh, now I know what you did. 562 00:31:17,575 --> 00:31:20,378 I remember that, 563 00:31:20,378 --> 00:31:23,381 and sometimes we are those people. 564 00:31:24,916 --> 00:31:25,984 Let me help us 565 00:31:25,984 --> 00:31:28,987 church, understand what forgiveness is. 566 00:31:29,053 --> 00:31:32,423 Forgiveness is saying what you did was wrong. 567 00:31:33,157 --> 00:31:34,392 I'm not going to like it wasn't. 568 00:31:34,392 --> 00:31:36,394 There is a death there. 569 00:31:36,394 --> 00:31:39,998 But I release you from repaying me for it. 570 00:31:42,066 --> 00:31:43,468 And I release me 571 00:31:43,468 --> 00:31:46,471 from wanting you to repay me for it. 572 00:31:47,872 --> 00:31:49,574 That's what forgiveness is. 573 00:31:49,574 --> 00:31:52,577 Now, having said that, let me say this. 574 00:31:52,610 --> 00:31:56,147 It doesn't mean, though, that I continue to put myself 575 00:31:56,147 --> 00:31:59,150 in a position for you to rack up dead against me. 576 00:32:01,319 --> 00:32:04,322 Do you understand? 577 00:32:04,422 --> 00:32:05,390 I'm going to forgive you. 578 00:32:05,390 --> 00:32:07,225 I'm not going to expect anything. 579 00:32:07,225 --> 00:32:10,895 I'm not going to demand from you what I have the right to demand, and I'm 580 00:32:10,895 --> 00:32:15,300 going to release me from wanting that from you. 581 00:32:16,334 --> 00:32:18,269 But at the same time, I'm not going to keep myself 582 00:32:18,269 --> 00:32:21,706 in a position for you to continue to rack up dead against me. 583 00:32:23,141 --> 00:32:26,811 I forgive you, I release you from what I'm owed 584 00:32:26,811 --> 00:32:29,814 and I release me from wanting it. 585 00:32:30,915 --> 00:32:33,451 But you go your way, I'll go my way. 586 00:32:33,451 --> 00:32:35,620 And that's okay. 587 00:32:35,620 --> 00:32:38,389 Because forgiveness doesn't mean I have to keep myself in the position 588 00:32:38,389 --> 00:32:41,392 for you to continue to transgress against me. 589 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,730 If there's truly no repentance there, 590 00:32:46,831 --> 00:32:49,834 you follow. 591 00:33:04,749 --> 00:33:08,353 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, 592 00:33:08,353 --> 00:33:12,256 and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 593 00:33:12,957 --> 00:33:16,160 Then his master summoned him and said to him, you wicked servant, 594 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:20,598 I forgave you all that debt, because you pleaded with me, and should not 595 00:33:20,631 --> 00:33:25,036 you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? 596 00:33:25,770 --> 00:33:28,706 The others run to the king, and they tattle. 597 00:33:29,907 --> 00:33:33,077 Now Jesus had just got done saying, you see, someone sinned against you. 598 00:33:33,111 --> 00:33:35,947 You go one on one, then take a couple with you. 599 00:33:35,947 --> 00:33:38,950 If they don't repent and then take it to the church, what do they do? 600 00:33:40,051 --> 00:33:41,152 They went right to the king. 601 00:33:41,152 --> 00:33:44,155 They didn't go to the person. 602 00:33:44,555 --> 00:33:45,790 And I think they were right to do that. 603 00:33:45,790 --> 00:33:47,091 Here's why. 604 00:33:47,091 --> 00:33:51,095 Because that wicked servant didn't sin against the other servant. 605 00:33:51,095 --> 00:33:54,799 There was no sin in demanding what he was owed. 606 00:33:55,833 --> 00:33:58,836 He was within his legal right. 607 00:33:59,070 --> 00:34:01,739 There was no sin in that. 608 00:34:01,739 --> 00:34:04,242 He had a legal right 609 00:34:04,242 --> 00:34:07,478 for that debtor to be punished 610 00:34:07,478 --> 00:34:10,481 until that debt was made right. 611 00:34:10,481 --> 00:34:13,451 But he was still wicked, 612 00:34:14,252 --> 00:34:17,355 not because he had acted within his rights, 613 00:34:18,156 --> 00:34:20,458 but because he accepted 614 00:34:20,458 --> 00:34:24,028 forgiveness and release and didn't give it. 615 00:34:25,196 --> 00:34:26,864 So, though he was right, 616 00:34:26,864 --> 00:34:29,867 according to the letter of the law, he was wicked 617 00:34:31,235 --> 00:34:34,238 because he was willing to accept something 618 00:34:34,272 --> 00:34:37,241 from a benevolent, kind, merciful king 619 00:34:37,241 --> 00:34:40,945 and not give that to the king. 620 00:34:40,945 --> 00:34:43,614 Subjects. 621 00:34:43,614 --> 00:34:46,617 Wicked. 622 00:34:47,251 --> 00:34:48,186 He was wicked 623 00:34:48,186 --> 00:34:51,189 not because he accumulated debt. 624 00:34:52,123 --> 00:34:54,592 He was wicked because his behavior 625 00:34:54,592 --> 00:34:58,062 contradicted the grace that he had received. 626 00:35:03,835 --> 00:35:06,904 So we are never more like God when we forgive and release, 627 00:35:06,904 --> 00:35:09,907 and we are never less like God when we do not. 628 00:35:12,310 --> 00:35:14,612 The king's mercy is to become 629 00:35:14,612 --> 00:35:17,615 his people's pattern. 630 00:35:23,988 --> 00:35:26,991 Verse 34. 631 00:35:28,226 --> 00:35:29,093 And in his anger 632 00:35:29,093 --> 00:35:32,430 his master delivered him to the jailers until he should pay all his debt. 633 00:35:32,430 --> 00:35:34,198 He was doomed. 634 00:35:34,198 --> 00:35:37,201 There was no way for him to ever pay it back. 635 00:35:40,738 --> 00:35:42,140 The king did to the wicked 636 00:35:42,140 --> 00:35:45,276 servant exactly what the wicked servant did to his fellow 637 00:35:46,310 --> 00:35:49,313 person. 638 00:35:50,081 --> 00:35:52,950 James 213 is really, really 639 00:35:52,950 --> 00:35:56,521 clear, for judgment is without mercy 640 00:35:57,555 --> 00:36:00,558 to one who has shown no mercy. 641 00:36:00,758 --> 00:36:03,761 Mercy triumphs over judgment. 642 00:36:04,962 --> 00:36:07,732 See, the King expects the mercy 643 00:36:07,732 --> 00:36:11,035 he gives to to reshape the people who follow him. 644 00:36:14,772 --> 00:36:18,509 And the most frightful verse of this whole parable. 645 00:36:19,043 --> 00:36:21,913 Verse 35. 646 00:36:21,913 --> 00:36:24,882 So also my heavenly father will do to every one of you, 647 00:36:24,882 --> 00:36:27,852 if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. 648 00:36:37,695 --> 00:36:40,698 So also my father would do to you. 649 00:36:41,399 --> 00:36:44,402 If you do not forgive your brother from your heart, 650 00:36:44,802 --> 00:36:47,772 doesn't mean you forget. 651 00:36:48,506 --> 00:36:51,509 It means you say, I'm going to release you from what you owe me, 652 00:36:51,943 --> 00:36:54,946 and I'm going to release me 653 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:58,683 from desiring it. 654 00:36:59,550 --> 00:37:02,186 It doesn't mean we have to keep this thing here 655 00:37:02,186 --> 00:37:06,257 so you can continue to rack up unrepentant debt against me. 656 00:37:06,390 --> 00:37:07,258 Not at all. 657 00:37:08,292 --> 00:37:10,761 But I release you from paying me back, 658 00:37:10,761 --> 00:37:13,731 and I release me from wanting it. 659 00:37:20,905 --> 00:37:22,106 See, I know that 660 00:37:22,106 --> 00:37:26,611 I'm moving towards forgiveness when their name 661 00:37:26,677 --> 00:37:29,680 no longer controls my spirit. 662 00:37:32,416 --> 00:37:35,419 It doesn't mean I deny the injustice. 663 00:37:36,020 --> 00:37:39,023 It just means that my spirit isn't controlled 664 00:37:39,624 --> 00:37:42,627 by them anymore. 665 00:37:45,363 --> 00:37:47,265 And if I accept the father's 666 00:37:47,265 --> 00:37:51,235 release of my debt, I must release others. 667 00:37:51,235 --> 00:37:54,238 Theirs. 668 00:37:54,572 --> 00:37:55,273 At least from 669 00:37:55,273 --> 00:37:58,276 my expectation of receiving it. 670 00:37:59,710 --> 00:38:02,580 And friends, that's what communion 671 00:38:02,580 --> 00:38:05,583 signifies and is about. 672 00:38:06,450 --> 00:38:09,453 This debt that we had 673 00:38:09,453 --> 00:38:12,456 that was so enormous, there's no way 674 00:38:12,823 --> 00:38:15,826 that we could have ever repaid it. 675 00:38:16,027 --> 00:38:19,030 There's no way. 676 00:38:21,532 --> 00:38:24,535 There's no doubt the debt was real. 677 00:38:24,802 --> 00:38:26,904 And there's no denying the King had a right 678 00:38:26,904 --> 00:38:29,907 to demand payment. 679 00:38:30,474 --> 00:38:32,977 And the king says, I will get payment, 680 00:38:34,478 --> 00:38:37,481 but I'm going to get it through my son 681 00:38:37,715 --> 00:38:40,718 because it's too big for you. 682 00:38:42,653 --> 00:38:46,457 You can work for 200,000 lives 683 00:38:47,258 --> 00:38:50,261 and never get to the place 684 00:38:50,428 --> 00:38:53,431 of being able to pay your debt. 685 00:38:54,065 --> 00:38:57,068 But I have a son. 686 00:39:04,875 --> 00:39:07,511 And the payment of that debt was made 687 00:39:07,511 --> 00:39:11,015 by the body of Jesus and the blood of him 688 00:39:11,382 --> 00:39:14,385 on the cross. 689 00:39:14,819 --> 00:39:17,555 That is open to be received 690 00:39:17,555 --> 00:39:20,558 by anybody who will. 691 00:39:21,158 --> 00:39:23,828 But please understand, 692 00:39:23,828 --> 00:39:26,097 the moment we receive that, we 693 00:39:26,097 --> 00:39:29,100 enter into a new kingdom, 694 00:39:29,300 --> 00:39:33,037 and there's a new ethic in that new kingdom. 695 00:39:33,704 --> 00:39:37,475 And and that new ethic says, 696 00:39:37,475 --> 00:39:40,478 if you've received this, 697 00:39:40,878 --> 00:39:43,881 you are now commanded 698 00:39:44,682 --> 00:39:47,451 to give this, 699 00:39:47,451 --> 00:39:50,454 because what you've received is far greater 700 00:39:50,454 --> 00:39:53,457 than anything that you will give. 701 00:39:56,227 --> 00:39:57,762 And so I want to invite you, 702 00:39:57,762 --> 00:40:02,700 if you've if you've never dealt with this debt issue by faith 703 00:40:02,700 --> 00:40:06,837 in what Jesus did on the cross, I want to invite you in this moment. 704 00:40:06,837 --> 00:40:09,673 And then I'm going to write the rest of us who already have to pray as well. 705 00:40:09,673 --> 00:40:12,676 So just just in this moment, just pray with me. 706 00:40:12,710 --> 00:40:13,544 Join me in this moment. 707 00:40:13,544 --> 00:40:18,149 If you've never accepted Jesus as your Savior and allowed his body 708 00:40:18,215 --> 00:40:22,453 to be your payment for your sin, I invite you in this moment to say, God, 709 00:40:22,453 --> 00:40:27,158 I admit I am a sinner and I am 710 00:40:27,158 --> 00:40:30,995 in debt and I cannot pay it. 711 00:40:32,930 --> 00:40:35,132 I believe 712 00:40:35,132 --> 00:40:38,402 Jesus and what you did on the cross 713 00:40:39,303 --> 00:40:42,306 to pay my debt and I accept it. 714 00:40:45,342 --> 00:40:48,345 And I choose this day 715 00:40:48,746 --> 00:40:52,583 to turn and renounce the sin of my past. 716 00:40:55,853 --> 00:40:58,856 I ask you to make me a new person. 717 00:41:02,159 --> 00:41:04,361 Give me the power of your spirit to love you 718 00:41:04,361 --> 00:41:08,232 with my whole heart and soul and mind and strength. 719 00:41:10,134 --> 00:41:12,336 And I choose today 720 00:41:12,336 --> 00:41:15,339 to give you my full allegiance without delay, 721 00:41:15,506 --> 00:41:18,509 without hesitation. 722 00:41:21,011 --> 00:41:22,546 If that's your prayer, 723 00:41:22,546 --> 00:41:26,183 you have become a new citizen of a new kingdom, 724 00:41:27,785 --> 00:41:29,420 with new obligation 725 00:41:29,420 --> 00:41:32,423 and new empowerment to fulfill that. 726 00:41:33,390 --> 00:41:36,026 And if that is our story, that we are 727 00:41:36,026 --> 00:41:39,029 citizens of that kingdom, our prayer now is this. 728 00:41:40,197 --> 00:41:44,735 Father, I cannot forgive people like you've asked me to. 729 00:41:45,002 --> 00:41:48,138 I don't have it in me to do that. 730 00:41:49,340 --> 00:41:51,175 So clothe me in the power of 731 00:41:51,175 --> 00:41:55,179 your spirit to enable me to do what you've asked of me. 732 00:41:55,813 --> 00:42:00,217 And by your Spirit, I now release 733 00:42:01,418 --> 00:42:04,421 those who have sinned against me 734 00:42:04,522 --> 00:42:10,694 from what they owe me and from my expectation of receiving it. 735 00:42:10,794 --> 00:42:14,131 And I choose freedom 736 00:42:15,699 --> 00:42:17,268 and forgiveness. 737 00:42:17,268 --> 00:42:20,271 That's the prayer. 738 00:42:20,905 --> 00:42:22,239 And the wisdom we can do. 739 00:42:22,239 --> 00:42:25,242 That is because of what Jesus died on the cross. 740 00:42:25,309 --> 00:42:28,479 So if you have a relationship with Jesus, let's remember 741 00:42:29,179 --> 00:42:33,317 the debt that was paid and how it was paid when he was handed 742 00:42:33,317 --> 00:42:38,022 over to the men who would mutilate him and crucify him, he shared a meal 743 00:42:38,022 --> 00:42:41,559 with his disciples and he took the bread and he lifts up to heaven. 744 00:42:41,559 --> 00:42:44,562 And he broke, and he gave thanks and said, this is my body, 745 00:42:44,562 --> 00:42:48,899 which I'm giving for you as payment for your debt. 746 00:42:50,434 --> 00:42:53,437 Remember me every time you take this. 747 00:42:57,942 --> 00:43:00,945 And in a very similar way, Jesus took the cup 748 00:43:01,712 --> 00:43:03,881 and he said, this cup is a new covenant of my blood 749 00:43:03,881 --> 00:43:08,385 shed for you, for the forgiveness, the release of your sin. 750 00:43:12,189 --> 00:43:15,192 Remembering me every time you take this. 751 00:43:22,833 --> 00:43:25,836 I'm going to invite you in this moment 752 00:43:25,903 --> 00:43:28,072 that if that is your confession, 753 00:43:28,072 --> 00:43:31,075 if that's your testimony. 754 00:43:31,675 --> 00:43:34,912 That you allow the Spirit of God 755 00:43:35,512 --> 00:43:40,651 to give you the power to forgive and release 756 00:43:42,119 --> 00:43:45,122 whatever debt someone may, oh, you and 757 00:43:46,056 --> 00:43:50,094 your expectation of being satisfied by it 758 00:43:51,862 --> 00:43:53,197 to help you do that. 759 00:43:53,197 --> 00:43:55,399 After we sing the song, even as we sing this song, 760 00:43:55,399 --> 00:43:57,701 I have my prayers that are going to come down from here. 761 00:43:57,701 --> 00:44:00,738 Because here's the thing your temptation is going to be like, I did it, I did. 762 00:44:00,738 --> 00:44:03,741 I'm good with God and walk out. 763 00:44:03,907 --> 00:44:06,910 There's there's great power in confession 764 00:44:07,411 --> 00:44:09,880 and having someone pray with you. 765 00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:12,916 I'm going to name this right now, and I want you to pray with me 766 00:44:12,916 --> 00:44:16,820 that God releases me, that I release this, and I release that person, and I 767 00:44:16,820 --> 00:44:18,522 release the expectation. 768 00:44:19,523 --> 00:44:21,025 You can't do it on your own. 769 00:44:21,025 --> 00:44:24,261 And so if, if, if you are served 770 00:44:24,261 --> 00:44:27,264 better by praying with someone, these prayers will be up here. 771 00:44:27,798 --> 00:44:31,335 Don't leave this place without freedom and release. 772 00:44:31,935 --> 00:44:32,703 Let's sing.