Forgive One Another

Transcript

Rob McFarlane: 0:59

The title of my sermon is Forgive One Another. Throughout the New Testament, we find numerous one another commands that guide us in how to live as followers of Jesus. The phrase one another is a reciprocal pronoun signifying the responsibility, action, or feeling is shared among all members of a group. It highlights that each and every person is both a giver and a receiver. They are both the subject and the object of the relationship. It emphasizes mutual care and commitment. Today we are continuing this series and we're looking at forgive one another. We will look at three thoughts from Scripture, then we will pray together at the end of my talk. So point number one, we are called to forgive one another. In Ephesians chapter 4, verse 32, reading from the English Standard Version of the Bible, it says, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. We're called to forgive others with the same generosity of heart that God has forgiven us in Christ Jesus. Forgiveness is important for our spiritual health and our relationships, and we should live ready to forgive. There are many people because of unforgiveness who have found themselves in difficult places. Unforgiveness stops up the blessing of God from flowing in your life. It also prevents us from developing deep, meaningful relationships with others. We need to live ready to forgive. Ask yourself the question: is there someone that you've been holding a grudge towards? Well, we need to ask God to give us his grace to be able to forgive others. Number two, let's look at the consequences of withholding forgiveness. Now in Matthew chapter 18, verse 21 to 35, Jesus teaches the importance of forgiveness through the parable of the unforgiving servant. In this parable, a servant is forgiven of a great debt. His master forgives him, but he refuses to forgive a fellow servant of a smaller debt that was owed to him. As a result, the master revokes his forgiveness and punishes him. Let's read a few verses from the parable of the unforgiving servant. We're going to read Matthew chapter 18, verse 26 to 30. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything. And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred deneri, a much smaller amount than what he had owed his master. And it says he seized him and began to choke him, saying, Pay what you owe. So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him. I want you to notice it's exactly the same phrase that was used earlier in this passage. It says, He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the full debt. And then he went straight out and he found someone who owed him something, a much smaller amount than what he had been forgiven of. And he held that person to account and said, You will pay me everything that you owe. When the master had heard about this, he was greatly displeased. He then said that the person whom he had forgiven needed now to pay off his debt. This shows us that if we withhold forgiveness, there are serious consequences and it can lead to spiritual bondage or broken relationships and even ill health. I want to encourage us to be ready to forgive and live with short accounts. Make sure that we constantly are saying, Father, forgive me, and then we need to extend that forgiveness to others. Number three, forgiveness is a reflection of God's grace. Let's read Ephesians chapter 4, verse 32 again. And I want you to notice the last phrase in this passage of scripture. Let's now look at Colossians chapter 3 and verse 13. It says, bearing with one another, and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Forgiveness is not excusing the wrongdoing against you, but it's releasing the offender into God's hands and allowing God's grace to work in both of your lives, your life and their life. By forgiving those who have wronged you, we reflect God's character and we open the door for His grace to bring healing into that relationship and into our hearts and our lives. So let me ask you a few questions. Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive? What's been holding you back from offering that forgiveness? In what ways could your act of forgiveness reflect God's grace to others, both inside and outside of the church community? I want to encourage us to be a body of people who are ready to forgive. We look for opportunities to forgive and let things drop and move on to all that God has for us. Let's pray. And as we do, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in applying today's message. Father God, thank you for your forgiveness for us in Christ Jesus. We couldn't earn it, we didn't deserve it, but you have freely given us your grace, your mercy, and you have forgiven us of a huge debt, a debt that we could never pay. Help us, Lord, to remember that and to extend that same forgiveness to others, that we would be a reflection of your grace to a world that is broken, a world that is hurting. Help us to release others into your hands through forgiveness. And I pray that your grace and mercy would work in our lives to bring healing and wholeness, that you would heal us from hurts and disappointments, and at the same time that you would work in the lives of others whom we choose to forgive in Jesus' name. We recognize we can't do this in our own strength. Holy Spirit, speak to us now and show us what we need to do as a result of what we've heard in today's sermon. Help us to forgive others. In Jesus' name. Amen.