WEBVTT 0 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:07.926 Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons podcast. This is 1 00:00:07.958 --> 00:00:10.566 where you can find audio from Sunday morning messages and 2 00:00:10.598 --> 00:00:13.430 more. Make sure you're subscribed so that you don't miss 3 00:00:13.470 --> 00:00:15.930 future episodes. And thanks for listening. 4 00:00:19.750 --> 00:00:22.694 Well, good morning. That's good. If you 5 00:00:22.702 --> 00:00:25.550 have your bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join 6 00:00:25.590 --> 00:00:27.490 me in Matthew, chapter 18. 7 00:00:27.980 --> 00:00:30.962 As you turn there, I, wanna share something else with you guys that 8 00:00:30.978 --> 00:00:33.816 we're really excited about. for a 9 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:36.736 pretty good season of time now, one of the things we've been praying about is 10 00:00:36.760 --> 00:00:39.608 staff and leadership is how to better connect 11 00:00:39.736 --> 00:00:42.378 with different, groups or demographics within 12 00:00:42.506 --> 00:00:45.456 the context of our church. And one of those, groups that we've 13 00:00:45.480 --> 00:00:48.344 been really praying about is our young adults. And so 14 00:00:48.464 --> 00:00:51.292 we're kinda defining, that, I'm sorry, for, 15 00:00:51.308 --> 00:00:54.204 like, 18 to 24 year olds as they come out 16 00:00:54.244 --> 00:00:57.186 of the student ministry, into the world of 17 00:00:57.290 --> 00:01:00.270 college, career, military, 18 00:01:00.462 --> 00:01:03.262 or that space. And maybe you were there and I 19 00:01:03.278 --> 00:01:06.254 was definitely there of none of those three, because I have 20 00:01:06.294 --> 00:01:08.904 no clue, what I want to do or what 21 00:01:08.944 --> 00:01:11.896 God has for me. And so we are intentionally, as 22 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:14.872 a church, starting to target that group with 23 00:01:14.888 --> 00:01:17.016 a new discipleship ministry 24 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:20.018 opportunity. excited to share with you guys, Josh Nix is going 25 00:01:20.026 --> 00:01:22.650 to be coming alongside us and leading in that 26 00:01:22.682 --> 00:01:25.546 capacity. And so after the service is over with, not 27 00:01:25.570 --> 00:01:28.538 only will Aaron and I be back in the back for first time guests, 28 00:01:28.626 --> 00:01:31.470 but if you are an 18 to 24 year old, or if 29 00:01:31.502 --> 00:01:34.286 you are the parent grandparent friend of an 18 to 30 00:01:34.310 --> 00:01:37.214 24 year old, and you'd like to speak with us about 31 00:01:37.254 --> 00:01:40.126 what that ministry looks like, we'd love to talk to you about 32 00:01:40.150 --> 00:01:43.126 that. I know Josh has already got on the docket. Just kind of get 33 00:01:43.150 --> 00:01:46.046 together with this group several times over the course of the 34 00:01:46.070 --> 00:01:48.702 summer just to hang out and do some stuff. And 35 00:01:48.718 --> 00:01:51.114 so here's what I know. He shared with me this morning 36 00:01:51.454 --> 00:01:54.342 on Monday, July 8, he's going to 37 00:01:54.358 --> 00:01:56.920 get together with that group, take them 38 00:01:56.992 --> 00:01:59.764 bowling, take them, out to dinner. it's 39 00:01:59.804 --> 00:02:02.760 free. Josh is going to pay for that. So 40 00:02:02.792 --> 00:02:05.728 we're excited about that. It is free. Josh didn't know 41 00:02:05.736 --> 00:02:08.622 that he's going to pay for it, but now he's going to pay for it, right? and so we want to 42 00:02:08.638 --> 00:02:11.462 encourage you guys to be a part of that and go out that wonderful time and 43 00:02:11.478 --> 00:02:13.896 just build, the beautiful bond of fellowship and 44 00:02:13.920 --> 00:02:16.886 community, with that. And so Josh and I will be 45 00:02:16.910 --> 00:02:19.774 back in the back if you want to get connected, if you got any questions. 46 00:02:19.894 --> 00:02:21.702 We would love for you to answer that. 47 00:02:21.798 --> 00:02:24.606 Well, as we continue on in our summer series 48 00:02:24.790 --> 00:02:27.774 this morning, we're going to be looking at the parable of 49 00:02:27.814 --> 00:02:30.674 the unforgiving servante. 50 00:02:30.824 --> 00:02:33.798 And so I want to start, though, by looking at the verses 51 00:02:33.846 --> 00:02:36.158 right before that which will lead into 52 00:02:36.326 --> 00:02:39.286 Jesus telling this parable. So, 53 00:02:39.310 --> 00:02:41.714 verse 21 of Matthew 18 says this. 54 00:02:42.534 --> 00:02:45.314 Then Peter came up and said to him, 55 00:02:46.054 --> 00:02:49.006 lord, how often will my brother 56 00:02:49.070 --> 00:02:51.394 sin against me? And I forgive him 57 00:02:52.174 --> 00:02:53.874 as many as seven times. 58 00:02:54.894 --> 00:02:57.710 And Jesus said to him, I do 59 00:02:57.742 --> 00:03:00.646 not say to you seven times, but 60 00:03:00.710 --> 00:03:03.478 77 times. Let's pause there 61 00:03:03.606 --> 00:03:06.576 for a minute. This is that, culmination point that we've been talking 62 00:03:06.608 --> 00:03:09.608 about with all of our parables of what sparks Jesus in 63 00:03:09.624 --> 00:03:12.458 these moments, to do the teaching on the parable that he 64 00:03:12.474 --> 00:03:15.290 does. Right before this, Jesus had been 65 00:03:15.410 --> 00:03:18.070 speaking to the discipleships about unity. 66 00:03:18.850 --> 00:03:21.242 And so, Peter, maybe from 67 00:03:21.306 --> 00:03:23.778 sincerity, but probably nothing, 68 00:03:23.944 --> 00:03:26.250 ask Jesus a question. 69 00:03:27.270 --> 00:03:30.070 He says, jesus, how many times should I 70 00:03:30.110 --> 00:03:32.650 forgive my brother? 71 00:03:33.350 --> 00:03:35.830 Now, not necessarily the brother related 72 00:03:35.910 --> 00:03:38.574 brother, but a brother in faith, a 73 00:03:38.622 --> 00:03:41.574 friend, how often should I do this? 74 00:03:41.662 --> 00:03:44.566 Should they have sinned against me, lord, 75 00:03:44.598 --> 00:03:47.462 should I do this? Up to seven times. And I kind of 76 00:03:47.486 --> 00:03:50.370 picture in my, mind, Peter's saying that 77 00:03:50.394 --> 00:03:53.130 a little bit with, like, his chest stuck out a little bit, 78 00:03:53.154 --> 00:03:54.998 like seven times. 79 00:03:56.658 --> 00:03:59.482 Here's seven. Seems generous, right? I don't know if 80 00:03:59.490 --> 00:04:02.394 you've ever been hurt or wounded by someone. I would 81 00:04:02.426 --> 00:04:05.346 likely think that you have, because you've lived and you 82 00:04:05.362 --> 00:04:08.308 know, what that walks through and, you know, the difficulty 83 00:04:08.348 --> 00:04:11.148 when you're in a relationship and someone hurts you and hurts 84 00:04:11.188 --> 00:04:13.588 you and hurts you. And so Peter 85 00:04:13.628 --> 00:04:15.688 says seven, right? 86 00:04:16.558 --> 00:04:19.174 The rabbis during the time, many of them 87 00:04:19.326 --> 00:04:22.256 would teach that once, you'd forgiven someone three 88 00:04:22.304 --> 00:04:25.272 times, you are no longer bound to forgive 89 00:04:25.312 --> 00:04:28.272 them anymore. So Peter 90 00:04:28.312 --> 00:04:30.528 takes what would have been 91 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:33.452 customary, doubles it, 92 00:04:33.872 --> 00:04:36.824 and then adds one to it. Pretty good. 93 00:04:37.008 --> 00:04:39.872 Pretty good. Probably like what people 94 00:04:39.912 --> 00:04:42.392 would have looked at for him and thought, man, that guy's 95 00:04:42.432 --> 00:04:45.122 gracious, he's generous, 96 00:04:45.462 --> 00:04:48.158 he's kind. He's setting a 97 00:04:48.190 --> 00:04:50.842 standard beyond the culture of the norm. 98 00:04:51.342 --> 00:04:54.294 But then Jesus answers. Now, if you're reading 99 00:04:54.318 --> 00:04:57.200 along in your Bible, you might have got a different, different 100 00:04:57.296 --> 00:05:00.008 number than what I read. And my 101 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:02.496 translation says 77 times. Other 102 00:05:02.544 --> 00:05:04.760 translations say 70 times 103 00:05:04.896 --> 00:05:07.856 seven. Either 104 00:05:07.904 --> 00:05:10.712 way, here's the big idea leading into 105 00:05:10.752 --> 00:05:13.692 this parable that Jesus is going to teach on 106 00:05:14.792 --> 00:05:17.772 when we talk about forgiveness. Number one, 107 00:05:18.152 --> 00:05:20.880 we, as his people, as his followers, are commanded to 108 00:05:20.896 --> 00:05:23.768 forgive. It's not a suggestion. It's 109 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:26.568 not an idea. It's not a strategy, 110 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:29.352 it's not a tactic, but 111 00:05:29.472 --> 00:05:32.072 an obedience to the Lord and surrender to him in our 112 00:05:32.112 --> 00:05:34.712 life. That you and I, as followers of 113 00:05:34.752 --> 00:05:37.294 Jesus, are commanded to 114 00:05:37.318 --> 00:05:39.522 forgive. Number two 115 00:05:39.862 --> 00:05:42.214 is your forgiveness should be 116 00:05:42.238 --> 00:05:45.190 sacrificial. Whether you're saying 117 00:05:45.326 --> 00:05:48.046 77 times or 70 times 118 00:05:48.214 --> 00:05:50.864 seven. here's the thought that we want to 119 00:05:50.888 --> 00:05:53.712 get. It's sacrificial. It's over 120 00:05:53.792 --> 00:05:56.680 and over and over and over and over 121 00:05:56.736 --> 00:05:59.624 again. They hurt me. I forgive. They 122 00:05:59.648 --> 00:06:02.524 hurt me. I forgive. I forgive. I forgive. I forgive. I forgive. 123 00:06:02.688 --> 00:06:05.312 They hurt me in the past. I haven't seen them since. 124 00:06:05.732 --> 00:06:08.352 I forgive. I forgive. I forgive. I forgive. I forgive. 125 00:06:08.932 --> 00:06:11.780 The number that Jesus is looking at is not a 126 00:06:11.876 --> 00:06:14.612 magical number. It's over and over 127 00:06:14.692 --> 00:06:15.952 and over again. 128 00:06:17.642 --> 00:06:20.430 the third that we're going to see is 129 00:06:20.486 --> 00:06:23.070 forgiveness doesn't keep 130 00:06:23.126 --> 00:06:23.962 records. 131 00:06:26.022 --> 00:06:28.962 I think what we're looking at here 132 00:06:29.462 --> 00:06:32.348 is honestly, like, who's 133 00:06:32.380 --> 00:06:35.036 going to keep track? Like, 134 00:06:35.084 --> 00:06:38.060 imagine, like, we used to 135 00:06:38.076 --> 00:06:40.352 go to six flags growing up, 136 00:06:40.892 --> 00:06:43.748 and going to six flags in Atlanta. We would go 137 00:06:43.780 --> 00:06:46.780 through and we would get, like, paper tickets. Like I know now, like, you can 138 00:06:46.796 --> 00:06:49.414 scan phones and, like, you can do things like that. but for a 139 00:06:49.438 --> 00:06:52.374 younger generation, younger than me, like, there used to be that time 140 00:06:52.398 --> 00:06:55.038 that you had paper. And I'll never forget, one time we were 141 00:06:55.070 --> 00:06:57.834 driving to, I was driving, I was 142 00:06:57.858 --> 00:07:00.706 16 years old. We were driving to six flags 143 00:07:00.794 --> 00:07:03.594 for the day with my family. My parents were going to let me drive on the 144 00:07:03.618 --> 00:07:06.242 interstate. I was driving my mom's 145 00:07:06.282 --> 00:07:09.102 suv, and I thought 146 00:07:09.442 --> 00:07:12.266 that it would be great if going 70 147 00:07:12.314 --> 00:07:15.250 miles an hour down I 20, headed toward Atlanta, that I 148 00:07:15.266 --> 00:07:18.178 rolled the windows down. So 149 00:07:18.210 --> 00:07:21.202 I rolled the windows down. What I did 150 00:07:21.242 --> 00:07:24.034 not know, and probably I was 16, I wouldn't have put this much 151 00:07:24.058 --> 00:07:26.788 thought into it even if I did know. but all four of our family 152 00:07:26.860 --> 00:07:29.244 tickets were placed in the 153 00:07:29.268 --> 00:07:31.908 visor right above 154 00:07:31.980 --> 00:07:34.900 me. And as I rolled my 155 00:07:34.956 --> 00:07:37.388 window down, my dad yells, no. 156 00:07:37.540 --> 00:07:40.524 And out the 157 00:07:40.548 --> 00:07:43.392 window goes, tickets. So we pulled over 158 00:07:44.052 --> 00:07:46.892 my dad's like, I got the side of the road, bo, 159 00:07:46.972 --> 00:07:48.552 you get the median right. 160 00:07:50.372 --> 00:07:53.106 We never found them. We never found 161 00:07:53.154 --> 00:07:56.066 them. Did we go? Yep. My dad was kind 162 00:07:56.114 --> 00:07:58.978 and gracious and good, but I heard 163 00:07:59.010 --> 00:08:01.662 about it the whole way there 164 00:08:02.002 --> 00:08:04.922 and the whole way back. We could have gone 165 00:08:04.962 --> 00:08:07.578 for two days. Yeah, we could have. But, you know, 166 00:08:07.770 --> 00:08:10.690 I didn't drive anymore that day, but they 167 00:08:10.706 --> 00:08:13.674 used to do something when you would leave and you came in, there was a person that would take your ticket, 168 00:08:13.738 --> 00:08:16.650 and then there was a person with a clicker and then 169 00:08:16.666 --> 00:08:19.342 people clicking as people came in, clicking as people came out. 170 00:08:22.732 --> 00:08:25.112 What Jesus is saying is, we're not a person 171 00:08:25.972 --> 00:08:28.884 that lives with a clicker, that we sit 172 00:08:28.908 --> 00:08:31.572 there and go, well, you know what? They've done this to me. I forgive them. 173 00:08:31.612 --> 00:08:34.524 Click. I forgive them. Click. I forgive 174 00:08:34.548 --> 00:08:36.672 them. Click. I forgive them. Click. 175 00:08:38.892 --> 00:08:41.868 We do it over and over again that we're commanded 176 00:08:41.900 --> 00:08:44.712 to and that doesn't keep records. 177 00:08:45.782 --> 00:08:48.358 And so Jesus has this moment of this 178 00:08:48.390 --> 00:08:50.642 interaction with Peter, 179 00:08:51.822 --> 00:08:53.802 and then what Jesus is going to do 180 00:08:54.182 --> 00:08:57.150 brilliantly is leverage this into a 181 00:08:57.166 --> 00:09:00.062 parable where the topic of 182 00:09:00.102 --> 00:09:03.094 forgiveness is strong 183 00:09:03.198 --> 00:09:06.142 through. We're going to look at that, but there's 184 00:09:06.182 --> 00:09:06.902 more to it. 185 00:09:06.982 --> 00:09:08.722 So let's look at verse 23. 186 00:09:12.272 --> 00:09:15.264 Jesus begins and he says, therefore, the kingdom 187 00:09:15.288 --> 00:09:17.848 of heaven may be 188 00:09:17.880 --> 00:09:20.808 compared to a king who 189 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:23.752 wished to settle accounts with his 190 00:09:23.792 --> 00:09:26.212 servants. Let's pause there. 191 00:09:26.872 --> 00:09:29.496 This parable. We'll look at the topic of 192 00:09:29.584 --> 00:09:32.448 forgiveness. But as Jesus 193 00:09:32.560 --> 00:09:35.232 sets the stage for the 194 00:09:35.272 --> 00:09:38.222 parable, I feel like sometimes 195 00:09:38.342 --> 00:09:41.166 we take these teachings of Jesus and we just want to kind of turn 196 00:09:41.214 --> 00:09:43.550 these into, like Doctor 197 00:09:43.646 --> 00:09:46.294 Phil, be a better 198 00:09:46.358 --> 00:09:48.918 guy, object 199 00:09:48.990 --> 00:09:51.878 lessons. And 200 00:09:51.910 --> 00:09:54.630 Jesus is going to teach on forgiveness. But there's more than 201 00:09:54.646 --> 00:09:56.802 that. He's going to paint the picture 202 00:09:57.622 --> 00:09:59.842 and describe the kingdom of heaven. 203 00:10:00.502 --> 00:10:03.484 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may 204 00:10:03.508 --> 00:10:05.812 be compared to a king who wished to settle 205 00:10:05.972 --> 00:10:08.868 accounts with his servants. So 206 00:10:08.940 --> 00:10:11.876 I'm going to talk about Jesus. Jesus is going to talk about 207 00:10:11.924 --> 00:10:14.484 forgiveness, but within the concept of what he's going to 208 00:10:14.508 --> 00:10:17.012 talk, he's going to paint a 209 00:10:17.052 --> 00:10:19.952 picture of this kingdom 210 00:10:21.092 --> 00:10:23.752 and paint the picture of those in the kingdom. 211 00:10:24.692 --> 00:10:27.636 And we can speak for weeks discussing 212 00:10:27.684 --> 00:10:30.500 exactly the kingdom of heaven. But for the sake of our 213 00:10:30.516 --> 00:10:33.396 time, for the sake of this passage, for the sake of this parable, 214 00:10:33.444 --> 00:10:36.072 which, look at this, the kingdom of heaven 215 00:10:37.212 --> 00:10:39.556 is the rule of eternal sovereign 216 00:10:39.604 --> 00:10:42.164 God over all the 217 00:10:42.188 --> 00:10:44.972 universe. But when we narrow 218 00:10:45.052 --> 00:10:47.312 this down, specifically what we're connecting today, 219 00:10:47.932 --> 00:10:50.676 the kingdom of heaven is a spiritual 220 00:10:50.724 --> 00:10:53.672 rule over the hearts and the lives of those 221 00:10:54.372 --> 00:10:56.800 who willingly submit to God's 222 00:10:56.816 --> 00:10:59.672 authority. And so Jesus is going to paint 223 00:10:59.712 --> 00:11:02.592 this picture for this moment in this room. Lord, 224 00:11:02.632 --> 00:11:05.424 isn't seven enough? Isn't seven 225 00:11:05.488 --> 00:11:06.120 enough? 226 00:11:06.296 --> 00:11:09.256 Well, Peter, let me tell you about the kingdom of heaven. Let 227 00:11:09.264 --> 00:11:12.160 me tell you and paint a picture of what this 228 00:11:12.176 --> 00:11:15.128 is like. So let's read, we're going to read the entirety 229 00:11:15.280 --> 00:11:18.132 of the parable 24 through 35. 230 00:11:19.472 --> 00:11:21.132 When he began to settle, 231 00:11:22.202 --> 00:11:24.674 one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 232 00:11:24.738 --> 00:11:27.378 talents. And since he could not 233 00:11:27.410 --> 00:11:29.562 repay, his master ordered him to be 234 00:11:29.682 --> 00:11:32.338 sold with his wife. And 235 00:11:32.370 --> 00:11:35.098 children and all that he had in payment to be 236 00:11:35.130 --> 00:11:38.002 made. So the servant fell on his 237 00:11:38.042 --> 00:11:41.042 knees, imploring him, have patience with 238 00:11:41.082 --> 00:11:43.582 me, and I will pay you everything. 239 00:11:44.322 --> 00:11:47.098 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant 240 00:11:47.210 --> 00:11:50.102 released him and forgave him the debt. 241 00:11:50.882 --> 00:11:53.778 But when that same servant went out, he found 242 00:11:53.890 --> 00:11:56.498 one of his fellow servants, who owed him 100 243 00:11:56.530 --> 00:11:59.386 Daenerys. And seizing him, he began to choke him, 244 00:11:59.474 --> 00:12:02.242 saying, pay what you owe. So his fellow 245 00:12:02.282 --> 00:12:05.002 servant fell down and pleaded with him, have 246 00:12:05.042 --> 00:12:07.622 patience with me, and I will repay you. 247 00:12:08.322 --> 00:12:11.210 And he refused and went and put him in prison until he should 248 00:12:11.226 --> 00:12:14.106 pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had 249 00:12:14.114 --> 00:12:17.014 taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and 250 00:12:17.038 --> 00:12:19.282 reported to their master all that had taken place. 251 00:12:19.942 --> 00:12:22.942 And then his master summoned him and said to him, 252 00:12:23.062 --> 00:12:26.046 you wicked servant, I forgave you 253 00:12:26.094 --> 00:12:29.062 all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should 254 00:12:29.102 --> 00:12:32.030 not you have had mercy on your fellow servant 255 00:12:32.126 --> 00:12:34.642 as I had mercy on you? 256 00:12:35.902 --> 00:12:38.670 And in his anger, his masters 257 00:12:38.726 --> 00:12:41.082 delivered him to the jailers 258 00:12:41.512 --> 00:12:44.440 until he should pay all his debt. And 259 00:12:44.456 --> 00:12:46.212 then Jesus gives us some commentary. 260 00:12:48.112 --> 00:12:50.784 These are Jesus words. These are 261 00:12:50.808 --> 00:12:53.752 true. So also my 262 00:12:53.792 --> 00:12:56.504 heavenly father will do to every one of you 263 00:12:56.608 --> 00:12:59.572 if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. 264 00:13:02.592 --> 00:13:04.492 We got a parable of two debts. 265 00:13:06.312 --> 00:13:08.972 It says, master kingdom, depending 266 00:13:09.012 --> 00:13:12.012 on. What's your translation? The first 267 00:13:12.052 --> 00:13:14.948 debt is between a king and a servant. The servant 268 00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:17.812 owed the king, the Bible tells us 10,000 talents. Now, this 269 00:13:17.852 --> 00:13:20.412 debt is hard to fully cover, to 270 00:13:20.452 --> 00:13:23.348 understand, to convert, for us to truly 271 00:13:23.380 --> 00:13:25.924 understand. But on the low end, they think the 272 00:13:25.948 --> 00:13:28.472 10,000 talents in today's economy 273 00:13:29.692 --> 00:13:32.232 would be about $12 million. 274 00:13:32.532 --> 00:13:35.364 It's on the low end. On 275 00:13:35.388 --> 00:13:38.192 the high end, 1 billion. 276 00:13:38.932 --> 00:13:41.804 So we could argue. We could take an average. But I think 277 00:13:41.828 --> 00:13:44.780 here's the point. This debt is too 278 00:13:44.836 --> 00:13:46.592 great for this man to pay 279 00:13:47.572 --> 00:13:50.484 12 million, 1 billion. 280 00:13:50.628 --> 00:13:53.468 Now, if you're like, nah, that ain't bad, like, 281 00:13:53.580 --> 00:13:55.552 let's have a conversation, all right? Like, 282 00:13:56.772 --> 00:13:59.100 I'd like to know some things, 283 00:13:59.196 --> 00:14:01.814 right? This debt's too great for this 284 00:14:01.958 --> 00:14:04.638 man to pay. And I think this is 285 00:14:04.670 --> 00:14:06.982 interesting. He doesn't seek 286 00:14:07.022 --> 00:14:10.014 forgiveness. Look, 287 00:14:10.118 --> 00:14:11.962 he seeks patience 288 00:14:12.822 --> 00:14:15.118 so that he could have time to 289 00:14:15.150 --> 00:14:17.974 repay. Now, I wonder, have you ever wondered how this 290 00:14:17.998 --> 00:14:20.942 guy got into this situation? Like, Jesus leaves the space open 291 00:14:20.982 --> 00:14:23.798 for us. Was it gambling? Was it foolish investments? Was it bad 292 00:14:23.830 --> 00:14:26.822 business practice? Was it foolish spending? Was it wildlife? We don't 293 00:14:26.862 --> 00:14:29.454 know. It could be a little bit of 294 00:14:29.478 --> 00:14:31.998 all. It could be a mix up of what was 295 00:14:32.030 --> 00:14:34.862 there. It could be one more. So than the other, 296 00:14:34.982 --> 00:14:37.886 we don't know. But what we know is 297 00:14:37.974 --> 00:14:40.912 the servant is, accountable for 298 00:14:40.952 --> 00:14:43.784 the debt that is there. And so 299 00:14:43.848 --> 00:14:46.572 he makes this appeal 300 00:14:47.072 --> 00:14:49.824 for the depth of his debt. 301 00:14:50.008 --> 00:14:52.652 Let me make it right. 302 00:14:54.142 --> 00:14:56.814 Have patience with 303 00:14:56.878 --> 00:14:59.822 me. Here's, 304 00:14:59.772 --> 00:15:02.616 what I want us to see. As we look at forgiveness, 305 00:15:02.664 --> 00:15:05.176 as we look at our relationship with God. 306 00:15:05.344 --> 00:15:07.904 As you stand before the king, 307 00:15:08.088 --> 00:15:10.984 as you stand before God, you and I, 308 00:15:11.048 --> 00:15:13.932 we had a sin debt that is greater than a billion. 309 00:15:14.872 --> 00:15:17.760 We had a sin debt that was so great that 310 00:15:17.776 --> 00:15:20.450 if given eternity, you and I, we could never 311 00:15:20.506 --> 00:15:23.442 repay it. And 312 00:15:23.902 --> 00:15:26.678 when we think this, when we think, I don't need 313 00:15:26.710 --> 00:15:29.598 God's forgiveness, but what I need is just 314 00:15:29.670 --> 00:15:32.638 patience so that I can take what I wronged and 315 00:15:32.670 --> 00:15:35.654 make it right. What you and I do is we fight 316 00:15:35.718 --> 00:15:38.402 a battle that's impossible to win. 317 00:15:39.302 --> 00:15:41.996 We've accrued a, debt 318 00:15:42.172 --> 00:15:44.988 that we are incapable of 319 00:15:45.028 --> 00:15:47.702 paying. And so what does the king 320 00:15:47.750 --> 00:15:50.418 do? Out of pity, 321 00:15:51.238 --> 00:15:53.298 out of looking back last week 322 00:15:54.558 --> 00:15:56.194 at, the parable that we looked at 323 00:15:57.774 --> 00:16:00.374 with the Samaritan, what we 324 00:16:00.414 --> 00:16:02.934 see is out of pity, out of 325 00:16:02.974 --> 00:16:05.822 compassion, he forgives the 326 00:16:05.838 --> 00:16:08.438 debt. He forgives the 327 00:16:08.486 --> 00:16:10.630 king. The good, 328 00:16:10.822 --> 00:16:12.904 gracious, kind 329 00:16:13.204 --> 00:16:15.692 king forgives the 330 00:16:15.708 --> 00:16:18.340 debt. Scripture says he 331 00:16:18.372 --> 00:16:21.108 releases him. He says, you're no longer 332 00:16:21.156 --> 00:16:23.984 held, bound by, 333 00:16:24.644 --> 00:16:27.100 limited by, restrained 334 00:16:27.172 --> 00:16:30.060 to, tied to this debt. 335 00:16:30.092 --> 00:16:32.784 That's your fault that you created, that you owned. 336 00:16:33.444 --> 00:16:35.464 I'm going to release you from it. 337 00:16:36.284 --> 00:16:39.276 And then he forgives the debt. He 338 00:16:39.300 --> 00:16:41.996 doesn't just forgive him, he 339 00:16:42.020 --> 00:16:44.644 forgives the debt. Which means he says this, 340 00:16:44.684 --> 00:16:47.668 that the debt is canceled. 341 00:16:47.796 --> 00:16:50.196 The debt is taken care of. The debt is 342 00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:52.740 paid. And this is how God forgives 343 00:16:52.812 --> 00:16:55.780 us in Christ when 344 00:16:55.812 --> 00:16:58.364 we are saved. Your debt, 345 00:16:58.484 --> 00:17:01.356 your sin has been created. 346 00:17:01.460 --> 00:17:04.100 It's incapable for you. And God has paid it in 347 00:17:04.132 --> 00:17:07.069 full, past, present and future. The 348 00:17:07.101 --> 00:17:10.077 debt that you created, you are not bound to. You're not known 349 00:17:10.125 --> 00:17:12.893 by. You didn't have to work to pay it off. And that gives us 350 00:17:12.933 --> 00:17:15.877 reason, that gives us hope, that gives us a perspective of 351 00:17:15.925 --> 00:17:18.885 life to celebrate. The king of kings and the 352 00:17:18.909 --> 00:17:21.661 Lord of lordsness. Every dark 353 00:17:21.837 --> 00:17:24.661 area of our behavior, of our thoughts, 354 00:17:24.717 --> 00:17:27.621 of our words, of our deeds, of our actions. 355 00:17:27.677 --> 00:17:30.637 And he forgives us. And he forgives us fully. And it's why we 356 00:17:30.645 --> 00:17:33.501 have a song to sing. It's why there's joy that 357 00:17:33.557 --> 00:17:36.509 fills us. Because of who he is and what he has 358 00:17:36.541 --> 00:17:38.880 done for us. And in this 359 00:17:38.912 --> 00:17:41.644 parable, this servant 360 00:17:42.144 --> 00:17:45.120 receives forgiveness from a debt 361 00:17:45.152 --> 00:17:47.600 that he can never repay. And he's 362 00:17:47.632 --> 00:17:50.000 released. But there's two 363 00:17:50.032 --> 00:17:52.644 debts. There's two debts. 364 00:17:53.584 --> 00:17:56.404 The next debt is servant to servant. 365 00:17:57.344 --> 00:18:00.286 The new servant, the servant who has been forgiven goes 366 00:18:00.310 --> 00:18:02.510 out and what does he do? Does he 367 00:18:02.542 --> 00:18:05.104 celebrate? Does he go and tell 368 00:18:05.184 --> 00:18:07.632 everyone how merciful the king 369 00:18:07.688 --> 00:18:10.632 is? Does he go and does he volunteer his time? 370 00:18:10.728 --> 00:18:13.632 Does he go and give things away? No. What does he 371 00:18:13.648 --> 00:18:15.944 do? The Bible, lets say, immediately. 372 00:18:16.104 --> 00:18:18.840 Immediately. What he does is he goes and he finds 373 00:18:18.872 --> 00:18:21.832 someone who owes him money. And 374 00:18:21.848 --> 00:18:24.712 he doesn't go to them and say, hey, man, this is what happened to me. 375 00:18:24.768 --> 00:18:27.704 So high five to you, like done. Don't 376 00:18:27.744 --> 00:18:30.568 worry about it. I got this. No, no. Instead 377 00:18:30.656 --> 00:18:32.124 he attacks him. 378 00:18:33.584 --> 00:18:36.384 He attacks him physically and 379 00:18:36.424 --> 00:18:39.008 demands that he'd be repaid. And what he is 380 00:18:39.056 --> 00:18:42.048 owed is 100 deneri now. 100 deneri 381 00:18:42.096 --> 00:18:44.976 to be thought of a hundred days, days wages. 382 00:18:45.080 --> 00:18:48.080 So in a South Carolina economy, Google this. This is what 383 00:18:48.152 --> 00:18:50.520 economists are saying right now here in our 384 00:18:50.552 --> 00:18:53.224 beautiful, wonderfully, extremely 385 00:18:53.264 --> 00:18:55.204 hot state of South Carolina. 386 00:18:56.814 --> 00:18:59.630 In our economy, this would be about 387 00:18:59.702 --> 00:19:01.874 19,500. 388 00:19:02.414 --> 00:19:05.398 Now it's 19,500. A lot 389 00:19:05.406 --> 00:19:08.046 of money. Yes. If you said 390 00:19:08.110 --> 00:19:10.654 no again, like, let's have a conversation afterwards, 391 00:19:10.694 --> 00:19:13.034 right? That's a lot of money, 392 00:19:13.734 --> 00:19:15.594 but it ain't 12 million. 393 00:19:16.894 --> 00:19:19.678 Like when we look at, within the context of what is 394 00:19:19.726 --> 00:19:20.566 happening here, 395 00:19:20.670 --> 00:19:24.674 12,019,500. 396 00:19:26.134 --> 00:19:28.750 So the servant who owes the 397 00:19:28.782 --> 00:19:30.514 19,500, 398 00:19:31.414 --> 00:19:34.334 he asks for the same thing that the other 399 00:19:34.454 --> 00:19:35.794 servant asked for. 400 00:19:36.614 --> 00:19:39.582 Patience. Patience. Let's look 401 00:19:39.598 --> 00:19:42.566 at this practically. You choose option 402 00:19:42.630 --> 00:19:44.994 a or option b. 403 00:19:45.694 --> 00:19:48.622 Option A is you owe 404 00:19:48.718 --> 00:19:51.350 someone something, some 405 00:19:51.422 --> 00:19:54.194 entity, $12 million. 406 00:19:55.534 --> 00:19:58.314 Can you repay that? No. 407 00:19:59.574 --> 00:20:02.474 Option B, you owe someone 408 00:20:02.934 --> 00:20:06.630 $19,500.02. 409 00:20:06.662 --> 00:20:09.638 Things. Number one, you didn't do the Dave Ramsey plan. 410 00:20:09.726 --> 00:20:12.726 Right. Number two, 411 00:20:12.870 --> 00:20:15.798 can you repay that? Yes. Are you excited about 412 00:20:15.846 --> 00:20:18.778 repaying that? Not really. What do you need? You need 413 00:20:18.786 --> 00:20:21.730 some time, you need some work, you need some opportunities. And within that, like 414 00:20:21.762 --> 00:20:24.054 this is something that you can do. 415 00:20:24.554 --> 00:20:27.162 But instead, as he begs for patience, 416 00:20:27.298 --> 00:20:30.214 what happens is he has him thrown in prison. 417 00:20:31.434 --> 00:20:33.614 12 million forgiven, 418 00:20:33.994 --> 00:20:36.498 19,500 not 419 00:20:36.546 --> 00:20:38.978 forgiven. As 420 00:20:39.026 --> 00:20:41.386 deep as we look at this in 421 00:20:41.410 --> 00:20:44.226 forgiveness, as we look at that as 422 00:20:44.250 --> 00:20:47.114 how we've sinned against God and how we've 423 00:20:47.154 --> 00:20:49.870 sinned against one another and how, how we've 424 00:20:49.902 --> 00:20:52.646 been hurt by the sins of others, 425 00:20:52.790 --> 00:20:55.430 as deep as you and I have been hurt and 426 00:20:55.462 --> 00:20:57.830 offended by others, it pales in 427 00:20:57.862 --> 00:21:00.750 comparison to how you and I have hurt 428 00:21:00.782 --> 00:21:03.502 and offended God. No 429 00:21:03.638 --> 00:21:06.542 comparison. There's nothing 430 00:21:06.598 --> 00:21:09.422 that can be done. There's no 431 00:21:09.478 --> 00:21:11.274 lines that we could draw 432 00:21:14.374 --> 00:21:15.126 from time to time. 433 00:21:15.150 --> 00:21:18.136 I like to share my pet peeves. I've 434 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:20.680 shared this pet peeve before I'll share this pet peeve 435 00:21:20.712 --> 00:21:23.684 again. When I'm driving, 436 00:21:25.744 --> 00:21:28.744 I can't stand when 437 00:21:28.784 --> 00:21:31.752 someone cuts me off. When someone 438 00:21:31.808 --> 00:21:34.760 cuts me off, I gotta 439 00:21:34.792 --> 00:21:37.704 pray, lord, let me 440 00:21:37.744 --> 00:21:40.464 walk or drive in your 441 00:21:40.504 --> 00:21:43.310 goodness and grace, right? Help 442 00:21:43.342 --> 00:21:46.038 me think positive things. Maybe they're 443 00:21:46.086 --> 00:21:48.926 headed to an appointment. Maybe they're headed to the 444 00:21:48.990 --> 00:21:51.934 hospital. Maybe they're, may they 445 00:21:51.974 --> 00:21:54.886 not be headed to a tee time, right? Like, this 446 00:21:54.910 --> 00:21:57.862 is where we're at. I can't stand to 447 00:21:57.878 --> 00:22:00.758 be cut off. The other day, I'm driving down highway 448 00:22:00.806 --> 00:22:02.714 six, heading into downtown Lexington, 449 00:22:03.654 --> 00:22:05.714 and I hit what has become a problem. 450 00:22:06.574 --> 00:22:09.542 An intersection. The intersection right there in front 451 00:22:09.558 --> 00:22:12.430 of ala. And I'm 452 00:22:12.462 --> 00:22:15.310 kind of daydreaming as I'm driving. I'll be honest 453 00:22:15.342 --> 00:22:17.754 with you. I'm in the right hand lane. 454 00:22:18.294 --> 00:22:20.394 I've got to go all the way downtown, 455 00:22:21.054 --> 00:22:23.942 and I realize that I've got to get over 456 00:22:23.998 --> 00:22:26.982 into the left lane, and I've got 457 00:22:26.998 --> 00:22:29.926 a choice to make. Do I hit my 458 00:22:29.950 --> 00:22:32.710 brakes? Do I slow 459 00:22:32.782 --> 00:22:35.596 down? Or do I just kind of 460 00:22:35.620 --> 00:22:38.460 go, well, I just 461 00:22:38.492 --> 00:22:41.284 kind of went and I 462 00:22:41.324 --> 00:22:44.292 cut someone off. And 463 00:22:44.348 --> 00:22:46.024 in that moment, 464 00:22:47.004 --> 00:22:49.980 that person, through things that 465 00:22:50.012 --> 00:22:52.994 were very evident to me at the time, was, 466 00:22:53.296 --> 00:22:56.296 angry with me. They 467 00:22:56.320 --> 00:22:59.300 were not hiding their feelings. They weren't 468 00:22:59.392 --> 00:23:02.260 praying. Like, I'm reading lips. Like, 469 00:23:02.292 --> 00:23:05.156 there's all kind of things that are going 470 00:23:05.220 --> 00:23:08.220 on in that moment. And I just, like, bo, 471 00:23:08.252 --> 00:23:11.148 just, just stare. Just go forward. Like, this is awkward. 472 00:23:11.276 --> 00:23:13.972 Please let them not be going to where I'm 473 00:23:14.028 --> 00:23:16.996 going in this point. And 474 00:23:17.020 --> 00:23:19.756 I've got to apologize. Witness to 475 00:23:19.900 --> 00:23:21.624 not get punched in the nose. Right? 476 00:23:22.604 --> 00:23:25.024 Here's my point. Here's my point. Silly illustration. 477 00:23:25.354 --> 00:23:28.026 But here's my point. I 478 00:23:28.130 --> 00:23:31.106 can't stand the thing that I 479 00:23:31.170 --> 00:23:33.786 do to people, or I'm sorry that people do to 480 00:23:33.810 --> 00:23:36.250 me, even though from time to 481 00:23:36.282 --> 00:23:38.774 time I do it to others. 482 00:23:40.354 --> 00:23:43.330 When we look at the character and the nature of who God 483 00:23:43.362 --> 00:23:46.274 is, God 484 00:23:46.394 --> 00:23:48.946 forgives, and he's 485 00:23:49.050 --> 00:23:51.654 never, not one time, 486 00:23:52.304 --> 00:23:55.176 sinned against anyone. But 487 00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:57.764 yet you and I, withhold forgiveness, 488 00:23:58.504 --> 00:24:00.794 and we sin against one another all the time. 489 00:24:00.794 --> 00:24:03.324 M all the time. 490 00:24:03.944 --> 00:24:06.880 But do you know what they did to me? Well, 491 00:24:06.912 --> 00:24:08.444 what have you done to them? 492 00:24:09.624 --> 00:24:12.496 Or even greater, do you know 493 00:24:12.520 --> 00:24:14.724 what we've done to him? 494 00:24:16.394 --> 00:24:19.334 And the weight of that? 495 00:24:19.834 --> 00:24:22.786 And he's never done that 496 00:24:22.810 --> 00:24:25.762 to us. He's 497 00:24:25.818 --> 00:24:28.054 never sinned. 498 00:24:28.714 --> 00:24:31.426 But yet you and I, who fall short 499 00:24:31.570 --> 00:24:34.494 so often, are incapable 500 00:24:35.154 --> 00:24:36.734 of forgiving the other. 501 00:24:38.074 --> 00:24:41.010 So the king gets news. Like, even 502 00:24:41.042 --> 00:24:43.830 other people are like, this is crazy. And he 503 00:24:43.862 --> 00:24:46.750 responds, king's told about what happens. And 504 00:24:46.782 --> 00:24:49.394 immediately he summons the servant, 505 00:24:49.774 --> 00:24:51.634 and he says, I forgave you. 506 00:24:52.534 --> 00:24:55.486 Forgave you greatly. I 507 00:24:55.510 --> 00:24:58.510 forgave you at a depth like this. But you, 508 00:24:58.622 --> 00:25:01.314 you cannot forgive minimally. 509 00:25:02.134 --> 00:25:04.710 And now remember this. This isn't just a 510 00:25:04.742 --> 00:25:07.166 picture. This is not a five step 511 00:25:07.310 --> 00:25:09.952 parable of what it looks 512 00:25:10.008 --> 00:25:12.768 like to walk through a process 513 00:25:12.896 --> 00:25:15.728 of forgiveness. This 514 00:25:15.816 --> 00:25:18.664 is a parable where Jesus says, 515 00:25:18.824 --> 00:25:21.376 therefore, the 516 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:24.264 kingdom of heaven may 517 00:25:24.304 --> 00:25:26.696 be compared to this 518 00:25:26.840 --> 00:25:29.608 situation where God's 519 00:25:29.656 --> 00:25:32.384 people, who are forgiven and 520 00:25:32.424 --> 00:25:35.096 commanded to forgive and commanded to 521 00:25:35.120 --> 00:25:37.864 forgive all and commanded to forgive freely 522 00:25:37.944 --> 00:25:40.888 and commanded to give graciously and commanded to 523 00:25:40.936 --> 00:25:43.376 forgive extravagantly, and 524 00:25:43.520 --> 00:25:46.208 commanded forgive sacrificially, because 525 00:25:46.296 --> 00:25:48.324 that's what we receive, 526 00:25:49.624 --> 00:25:52.184 but yet we stay in line. But you don't 527 00:25:52.224 --> 00:25:55.088 understand. It's not just you. It's 528 00:25:55.136 --> 00:25:57.324 me. It's me all the time. 529 00:25:58.224 --> 00:26:00.284 But you don't know my story. 530 00:26:01.264 --> 00:26:04.216 But you don't know how hard it is 531 00:26:04.320 --> 00:26:05.444 to forgive. 532 00:26:08.404 --> 00:26:11.100 But Jesus does. But 533 00:26:11.132 --> 00:26:14.116 jesus does. And 534 00:26:14.140 --> 00:26:16.684 he calls us to a 535 00:26:16.724 --> 00:26:19.164 life. He calls 536 00:26:19.204 --> 00:26:21.784 us to a relationship 537 00:26:22.284 --> 00:26:25.140 with him that's based in 538 00:26:25.172 --> 00:26:27.876 forgiveness. And he gives us the 539 00:26:27.940 --> 00:26:30.544 power of the Holy Spirit. 540 00:26:30.974 --> 00:26:33.694 To live in a way that 541 00:26:33.734 --> 00:26:35.998 he understands is 542 00:26:36.046 --> 00:26:37.958 weighted. That he 543 00:26:38.006 --> 00:26:40.634 understands is difficult. 544 00:26:42.614 --> 00:26:45.486 But here's what I found with us. Here's 545 00:26:45.510 --> 00:26:48.230 what I found with me. Here's what I found with 546 00:26:48.262 --> 00:26:51.254 you. We want 547 00:26:51.374 --> 00:26:53.794 the life of the kingdom. 548 00:26:55.174 --> 00:26:57.544 We want the blessing. We want the 549 00:26:57.584 --> 00:26:59.884 joy. We want the peace. 550 00:27:00.424 --> 00:27:03.240 We want the happiness. We 551 00:27:03.272 --> 00:27:05.564 want the life of the kingdom. 552 00:27:06.384 --> 00:27:09.320 But we do not want the death that 553 00:27:09.352 --> 00:27:10.884 the kingdom requires. 554 00:27:11.904 --> 00:27:14.608 Jesus died. Jesus 555 00:27:14.656 --> 00:27:17.544 died to make a way for 556 00:27:17.584 --> 00:27:20.528 you and I. But in 557 00:27:20.576 --> 00:27:23.354 this, you and I, are 558 00:27:23.394 --> 00:27:25.054 called to die. 559 00:27:26.034 --> 00:27:27.214 Matthew 16 560 00:27:28.474 --> 00:27:30.134 24 25. 561 00:27:31.314 --> 00:27:33.414 Then jesus told his disciples, 562 00:27:34.834 --> 00:27:37.258 if anyone. If 563 00:27:37.306 --> 00:27:40.026 anyone would come after 564 00:27:40.090 --> 00:27:43.066 me, let him 565 00:27:43.130 --> 00:27:45.294 deny himself, 566 00:27:46.474 --> 00:27:49.452 take up, his cross, and 567 00:27:49.492 --> 00:27:50.512 follow me. 568 00:27:52.732 --> 00:27:55.192 For m whoever would save his life 569 00:27:55.572 --> 00:27:58.564 will lose it. But whoever 570 00:27:58.628 --> 00:28:01.276 loses his life for my 571 00:28:01.324 --> 00:28:03.912 sake will find it. 572 00:28:05.132 --> 00:28:06.272 It's a call 573 00:28:07.692 --> 00:28:10.348 into a relationship with 574 00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:13.358 him. It's a call 575 00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:16.306 to understand the power and the work 576 00:28:16.354 --> 00:28:19.130 of his death and what he's done. But 577 00:28:19.226 --> 00:28:21.834 it is a call 578 00:28:22.018 --> 00:28:24.502 to die for self. 579 00:28:26.762 --> 00:28:28.502 I remember when I got saved. 580 00:28:31.602 --> 00:28:32.662 June 1, 581 00:28:33.162 --> 00:28:34.662 2002. 582 00:28:36.882 --> 00:28:39.786 I remember when I was raised in church. If you don't know that I was. 583 00:28:39.914 --> 00:28:41.298 There wasn't a point in time. 584 00:28:41.450 --> 00:28:43.394 I went to VBS. I went to church camp. I went to 585 00:28:43.418 --> 00:28:46.362 rastaine. I did all the things that, like, Southern 586 00:28:46.402 --> 00:28:49.062 Baptist kids did in the eighties. 587 00:28:49.312 --> 00:28:52.176 I was familiar with felt boards and, like, saltine 588 00:28:52.224 --> 00:28:55.132 crackers before we had goldfish, right? 589 00:28:56.752 --> 00:28:59.664 I had a belief and 590 00:28:59.688 --> 00:29:01.412 a knowledge of Jesus. 591 00:29:02.632 --> 00:29:04.092 I knew who he was, 592 00:29:05.592 --> 00:29:08.296 but what I needed to be 593 00:29:08.344 --> 00:29:11.062 different was my 594 00:29:11.102 --> 00:29:12.282 response to him. 595 00:29:13.822 --> 00:29:16.382 What I needed. What I 596 00:29:16.422 --> 00:29:18.742 needed was 597 00:29:18.782 --> 00:29:21.678 surrender. You see, you and I, in our 598 00:29:21.710 --> 00:29:24.462 relationship with Jesus, if we look at these, we get these 599 00:29:24.502 --> 00:29:27.278 illustrations of the king. Of the 600 00:29:27.310 --> 00:29:29.942 king. I've never 601 00:29:30.022 --> 00:29:32.642 lived under a king. 602 00:29:33.582 --> 00:29:36.506 I've never. I've lived my whole life in 603 00:29:36.514 --> 00:29:39.186 the United States of America. I've 604 00:29:39.234 --> 00:29:41.978 lived in a democracy, a 605 00:29:42.010 --> 00:29:44.782 democracy of equality and unity. 606 00:29:45.722 --> 00:29:48.170 A, democracy where men and women have 607 00:29:48.226 --> 00:29:51.122 struggled. A time where men and women 608 00:29:51.202 --> 00:29:54.066 were not treated great, where men and women have given 609 00:29:54.114 --> 00:29:56.202 their lives for others. But in the 610 00:29:56.242 --> 00:29:59.016 democracy, what, we have 611 00:29:59.104 --> 00:30:01.412 in this is freedom. 612 00:30:01.942 --> 00:30:04.182 My freedom, my choice. I 613 00:30:04.222 --> 00:30:07.062 decide. And we think that this 614 00:30:07.102 --> 00:30:09.902 is. This is what we live in. And so 615 00:30:09.942 --> 00:30:12.830 these are what these things are. So we take things like 616 00:30:12.926 --> 00:30:15.678 scripture, and I think, we wouldn't say this, 617 00:30:15.710 --> 00:30:18.662 but we feel this, and we definitely live this 618 00:30:18.702 --> 00:30:21.694 way. Oftentimes, as we take this and we 619 00:30:21.718 --> 00:30:24.662 say, all right, I know it's king Jesus, but 620 00:30:24.702 --> 00:30:27.482 we're just gonna be president Jesus for a little bit. 621 00:30:28.762 --> 00:30:31.618 And I'm going to kind of navigate through what I want to vote 622 00:30:31.650 --> 00:30:34.490 yes on. What I want to vote no on what's going to apply to 623 00:30:34.506 --> 00:30:37.058 me, what's not going to apply to me. But what we 624 00:30:37.130 --> 00:30:39.746 see in this is the kingdom of 625 00:30:39.794 --> 00:30:42.666 God. The kingdom of heaven is not a 626 00:30:42.714 --> 00:30:45.142 democracy, but it's a monarchy. 627 00:30:45.722 --> 00:30:48.010 It's a king, and it's his 628 00:30:48.066 --> 00:30:50.970 rule, and it's his reign, and 629 00:30:50.986 --> 00:30:53.506 it's what he's determined, and it's who he is. And he's 630 00:30:53.554 --> 00:30:56.194 benevolent, and he is good, and he is 631 00:30:56.258 --> 00:30:59.190 righteous, and he is in mercy. And when we come in, 632 00:30:59.246 --> 00:31:01.822 we're like man. I want the benefit of the 633 00:31:01.862 --> 00:31:04.802 king, but I want to live the life the way that I choose. 634 00:31:08.982 --> 00:31:11.646 Jesus, I don't 635 00:31:11.694 --> 00:31:14.122 know that that 636 00:31:15.502 --> 00:31:17.562 can work together. 637 00:31:20.192 --> 00:31:22.932 if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, tape 638 00:31:22.972 --> 00:31:25.950 up his cross and follow me. For 639 00:31:25.966 --> 00:31:28.782 whoever would save his life will lose it. But every who loses 640 00:31:28.822 --> 00:31:31.822 his life for my sake will find it. Paul writes 641 00:31:31.902 --> 00:31:33.562 in Galatians 220, 642 00:31:34.982 --> 00:31:37.362 I have been crucified with Christ. 643 00:31:38.222 --> 00:31:40.848 It is no longer I, who live, but 644 00:31:40.896 --> 00:31:43.824 Christ, who lives in me and the 645 00:31:43.864 --> 00:31:46.672 life I, ah, now live in 646 00:31:46.688 --> 00:31:49.546 the flesh. I live by 647 00:31:49.610 --> 00:31:52.474 faith in the Son of God 648 00:31:52.634 --> 00:31:55.426 who loved me and gave 649 00:31:55.570 --> 00:31:58.534 himself for me. 650 00:32:00.234 --> 00:32:02.134 When we talk about salvation, 651 00:32:03.314 --> 00:32:05.494 we talk about that our eternity 652 00:32:06.074 --> 00:32:08.490 has been set, our 653 00:32:08.522 --> 00:32:11.174 eternity has been sealed. 654 00:32:11.954 --> 00:32:14.294 And then somewhere along the way, 655 00:32:15.764 --> 00:32:18.420 bad teaching or 656 00:32:18.452 --> 00:32:20.944 unwillingness to surrender, 657 00:32:22.044 --> 00:32:24.700 we've come with the idea 658 00:32:24.892 --> 00:32:27.772 that that means that my eternity 659 00:32:27.828 --> 00:32:30.788 is set, but I can live how 660 00:32:30.836 --> 00:32:32.064 I want to live today. 661 00:32:34.004 --> 00:32:36.544 I want to read that verse again. Galatians 220. 662 00:32:38.084 --> 00:32:40.144 For I have been crucified with Christ. 663 00:32:41.424 --> 00:32:43.404 It is no longer I who live, 664 00:32:44.384 --> 00:32:47.184 but Christ, Christ, 665 00:32:47.344 --> 00:32:50.284 who lives in me, 666 00:32:51.064 --> 00:32:53.912 in the life I live. I now live in 667 00:32:53.928 --> 00:32:56.736 the flesh. I live by faith in the son 668 00:32:56.760 --> 00:32:59.544 of God who loved 669 00:32:59.584 --> 00:33:02.204 me and who gave himself up for me. 670 00:33:02.824 --> 00:33:05.674 The beautiful thing of what we've been seeing over, these last several 671 00:33:05.730 --> 00:33:08.500 weeks with the parables is Jesus is 672 00:33:08.588 --> 00:33:11.388 drawing us in. And as we look at his 673 00:33:11.412 --> 00:33:13.860 words, we understand the picture that he's 674 00:33:13.908 --> 00:33:16.804 painting. And what he's showing us is this. 675 00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:19.908 This is the beauty of what it looks like 676 00:33:20.012 --> 00:33:22.416 to have a heart of compassion. 677 00:33:22.956 --> 00:33:25.884 Why? Because we were dead on the 678 00:33:25.900 --> 00:33:28.652 side of the road, and God 679 00:33:28.684 --> 00:33:31.396 saw us. And what we 680 00:33:31.436 --> 00:33:34.372 received was his compassion. That 681 00:33:34.404 --> 00:33:36.736 we stood before a king 682 00:33:37.516 --> 00:33:40.496 and that we did not get what we deserved. 683 00:33:41.276 --> 00:33:43.860 We did not get the 684 00:33:43.908 --> 00:33:46.416 wrath that was due to us. 685 00:33:47.316 --> 00:33:49.096 Instead, we got forgiveness. 686 00:33:52.356 --> 00:33:54.220 And as those who have been shown 687 00:33:54.348 --> 00:33:56.788 compassion, as 688 00:33:56.852 --> 00:33:59.164 those who have been shown 689 00:33:59.340 --> 00:34:02.036 mercy for those who have been 690 00:34:02.076 --> 00:34:03.976 shown for forgiveness, 691 00:34:05.476 --> 00:34:07.816 go and do 692 00:34:08.156 --> 00:34:10.548 likewise to live for the 693 00:34:10.572 --> 00:34:13.252 kingdom, to live for the name of 694 00:34:13.284 --> 00:34:15.268 Jesus, and to live 695 00:34:15.372 --> 00:34:17.884 boldly where he's placed us. 696 00:34:18.020 --> 00:34:20.884 Would you pray for me, God? I thank you so 697 00:34:20.940 --> 00:34:23.852 much, Lord, for this opportunity, Lord, that we could be 698 00:34:23.884 --> 00:34:26.866 here. I thank you for your word, 699 00:34:27.366 --> 00:34:30.334 Lord. I thank you for the power of your word. I 700 00:34:30.350 --> 00:34:33.286 thank you for its fullness, its 701 00:34:33.326 --> 00:34:36.014 completeness. Every 702 00:34:36.070 --> 00:34:38.466 word written true. 703 00:34:39.366 --> 00:34:41.706 Every word written powerful. 704 00:34:42.726 --> 00:34:45.430 God, I pray right now, 705 00:34:45.478 --> 00:34:48.350 Lord. Because, Lord, I know there are so 706 00:34:48.398 --> 00:34:50.026 many people in here. 707 00:34:52.096 --> 00:34:54.636 They believe. They know, 708 00:34:54.936 --> 00:34:57.448 or they're just like me, just like I 709 00:34:57.472 --> 00:35:00.356 was. And I know the things of God. 710 00:35:00.936 --> 00:35:03.872 I know the teachings of God. I believe in them. 711 00:35:04.064 --> 00:35:05.836 I believe them to be true. 712 00:35:07.496 --> 00:35:10.032 But there's a lack. There's an 713 00:35:10.064 --> 00:35:12.716 unwillingness to surrender. 714 00:35:13.936 --> 00:35:15.896 There's an unwillingness to come before the 715 00:35:15.936 --> 00:35:17.116 kingdom, 716 00:35:18.686 --> 00:35:21.422 to bend our knee, to 717 00:35:21.454 --> 00:35:24.382 bow our head and say, it's not 718 00:35:24.414 --> 00:35:27.106 just enough to believe in the king, 719 00:35:27.646 --> 00:35:30.518 it's a surrender to the king. It's 720 00:35:30.542 --> 00:35:33.510 a death to myself so that I can 721 00:35:33.558 --> 00:35:36.342 live and live not just in 722 00:35:36.374 --> 00:35:39.278 eternity, but so that 723 00:35:39.302 --> 00:35:42.126 I can live in the power, in the 724 00:35:42.166 --> 00:35:44.306 presence of God every single day, 725 00:35:45.346 --> 00:35:48.058 to share light in a dark world, 726 00:35:48.202 --> 00:35:51.146 to know what it means to be blessed, to 727 00:35:51.186 --> 00:35:53.210 forgive, to show 728 00:35:53.258 --> 00:35:55.818 compassion, to love, 729 00:35:56.002 --> 00:35:58.926 to speak hope, not to people 730 00:35:59.386 --> 00:36:02.162 who just deserve it, who we deem 731 00:36:02.234 --> 00:36:04.446 deserve it, but to everyone, 732 00:36:05.906 --> 00:36:08.846 to choose love, to choose compassion, 733 00:36:09.186 --> 00:36:12.138 because that's been given to us. So, God, help 734 00:36:12.202 --> 00:36:12.806 me. 735 00:36:15.626 --> 00:36:18.274 Help m me, Lord, in my 736 00:36:18.330 --> 00:36:18.926 life, 737 00:36:21.506 --> 00:36:23.766 help me deny myself, 738 00:36:25.586 --> 00:36:28.206 help me take up my cross, 739 00:36:29.026 --> 00:36:31.406 or to help me follow you 740 00:36:34.146 --> 00:36:36.682 more tomorrow than 741 00:36:36.714 --> 00:36:37.286 today. 742 00:36:42.236 --> 00:36:43.856 Gotta pray for our church. 743 00:36:45.756 --> 00:36:47.256 Pray for those that are here. 744 00:36:49.356 --> 00:36:51.216 I want to pray that we would respond 745 00:36:51.796 --> 00:36:54.652 likewise, God, 746 00:36:54.684 --> 00:36:56.256 if there is anyone here, 747 00:36:57.396 --> 00:37:00.136 man, woman or child, 748 00:37:02.076 --> 00:37:04.844 maybe this whole concept of Jesus is completely new to 749 00:37:04.860 --> 00:37:07.708 them. Maybe they've never heard 750 00:37:07.732 --> 00:37:10.580 before. Maybe they've 751 00:37:10.628 --> 00:37:12.696 heard before and haven't 752 00:37:13.716 --> 00:37:16.692 responded to you. God, I pray that 753 00:37:16.724 --> 00:37:19.656 today will be the day of their salvation. 754 00:37:20.396 --> 00:37:23.188 Today will be the day that they put their faith, hope, 755 00:37:23.292 --> 00:37:26.228 trust in Christ. Today will be the day that 756 00:37:26.252 --> 00:37:29.188 they seek forgiveness. Today will be the day 757 00:37:29.252 --> 00:37:32.234 that they surrender their life. Today would 758 00:37:32.250 --> 00:37:35.218 be the day that they take up their cross and they 759 00:37:35.242 --> 00:37:36.126 follow you, 760 00:37:39.546 --> 00:37:42.486 jesus m. Have your way 761 00:37:43.746 --> 00:37:46.466 as king, king of 762 00:37:46.506 --> 00:37:49.046 kings and Lord of Lords, 763 00:37:49.586 --> 00:37:51.926 send your name we pray. Amen. 764 00:37:55.386 --> 00:37:58.370 Thanks again for listening and be sure to check back next 765 00:37:58.418 --> 00:38:01.274 week for another episode. In the meantime, you 766 00:38:01.290 --> 00:38:04.226 can visit us@willowridgechurch.org or by 767 00:38:04.266 --> 00:38:07.114 searching for Willowridge Church on Facebook, Instagram 768 00:38:07.170 --> 00:38:07.546 and Twitter.