Matthew 18:21-35

Introduction: Have you ever been hurt by someone? Someone you loved? How did you handle it? Did you “let it go” or are you still “holding on” to it? Speaking of hurt, I heard about a 10-yr-old boy that was keeping his little 3-yr-old sister while his mama was cooking supper. All of a sudden, he let out a scream….owwww! His mother ran to the room only to discover the little girl had pulled her brothers’s hair. With a painful look on her face, his mother explained, “She doesn’t understand! She’s still young.” Later after returning to fix dinner, another scream came from the bedroom. This time it was the 3-yr-old girl. The mother rushed to the bedroom while the 10-yr-old boy explained, “Now…..she understands!” “FORGIVENESS is a CHOICE,” not a feeling. Jesus explained to Peter about FORGIVENESS:

1. F-Forgiveness! (Matt 18:21)

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?”

• Sin has a price
• Price has to be paid
• Jesus paid the price
• The Father releases the debt

2. O-Only way you can FORGIVE! (Matt 18:22)

“Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

• Why should we forgive?
• How many times should we forgive?

3. R-Release! (Matt 18:27-31)

“27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.”

4. G-Ground! (Matt 18:34)

“And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.”

• Giving ground to the enemy
• Taking back the ground

5. I-Impossible! (Matt 18:32)

“32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:”

• Can’t move on in life
• Let go – move on

6. V-Vengeance! (Matt 18:33)

“Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?”

• We don’t have to repay
• The Lord will have vengeance

7. E-Everybody! (Matt 18:35)

“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

• Everybody needs God’s forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7)
• Everybody needs to forgive because of God’s Grace

Conclusion: Jesus not only taught about forgiveness, but set the perfect example of forgiveness, while on the cross. When we experience His forgiveness, we are set free to move on in life without having any guilt or shame, even though we may have the scars sin has inflicted (irrevocable principles of sowing & reaping – Gal 6:7, 8- i.e., David’s life (Psa 51, 32; 2 Sam 12). Once we have been released from the debt of sin, we have the same responsibility of letting go of the same debt others have incurred on us. Furthermore, it’s all because of His Grace we are FORGIVEN and that same GRACE is in PLACE for us to FORGIVE!

Love y’all,
Dr. Randy Reese