The Pardon of Prayer- Part 3
Notes
Transcript
The Pardon of Prayer Part 3
Text: Matthew 6:5–15 (KJV 1900)
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are:
for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
( For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.)
Introduction:
* This is now the third Sunday that we have dealt with phrase in the Lord’s Prayer in verse 12:
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
I. We saw the problem is sin.
* We learned that more important than having our physical needs met our greatest need from God is to have our spiritual needs met. Our spiritual needs are far more important than our physical needs.
* We saw in the previous two messages on verse 12: 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. that man’s greatest problem is sin.
II. We learned that the problem is sin, and secondly we learned that the provision was forgiveness.
* We learned that we owed God a debt for our sin, and that until someone paid that debt in full, there could be no forgiveness.
* We learned that paid that debt in full when He said on the cross It is Finished!
III. We learned that the plea of confession is a requirement before we can receive forgiveness.
* We learned that even though Jesus has paid your sin debt in full, the payment for sin cannot be applied to your account without the confession of your sin to God and repentance over that sin.
* So now to summarize where we have been in the first tow messages on Matthew chapter 6 and verse 12:
I. The problem in verse 12 is sin.
II. The provision in verse 12 is forgiveness.
III. The plea of verse 12 is confession
* And finally in this last message this morning,
IV. The prerequisite of verse 12 is forgiving others.
* The prerequisite for our own forgiveness is forgiving others.
* This thought is what I would like to deal with this morning “the prerequisite for having our sin forgiven when we pray the words in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 12: 12 And forgive us our debts, is found in the last half of that phrase, as we forgive our debtors.
* Now we’ve talked about God’s forgiving us for two weeks now. Today I want to talk about us forgiving others.
* Because the end of verse 12 says “As we forgive our debtors” and verses 14 and 15 say—If we forgive we get forgiven, if we don’t forgive we don’t get forgiven.
* And so I want to go to the concept of us forgiving each other.
* There are several reasons why we are to forgive one another. And I’m going to give you a list.
I. We are to forgive one another because that is the character of saints.
II. Forgiving others follows the example of Jesus
III. Forgiving others keeps us from being chastised.
IV. Forgiving others frees the conscience from guilt.
V. A forgiving spirit is required of God will forgive us.
* Now let’s take a look at this list…
I. We are to forgive one another because such is the character of saints.
* Proverbs 19 and verse 11, it says: “The discretion of a man differeth his anger.” And listen to this, “And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.”
* Such is the character of saints. Christians are characterized in the Bible as those who forgive.
* Matthew 5:43, backing up to the fifth chapter we find that the traditional Jewish rabbis taught—thou shalt love thy neighbor hate thine enemy.
Matthew 5:43–48 (KJV 1900)
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
* They taught that the principle was to love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But the Jesus said, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.
* Why does Jesus say that we should go beyond the teaching of the Jewish rabbis and not just love our neighbor?
* Well, He give us the reason in That you may manifest that you are the sons of your Father.
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:
for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
* There is a passage that we looked at last Sunday that bears out this truth even better.
* In other words, forgiving others, blessing those who curse which is evidence of forgiveness, loving your enemies which is the same idea, is all a characteristic that shows the world that you are a son of God.
* It is characteristic of saints to forgive. I mean, we are the forgiven, are we not?
* Have we so soon forgotten what has been forgiven us and would we not forgive someone else?
* You know, as a Christian when you fail to forgive someone else you set yourself up as a higher court than God.
* For God infinitely forgives. And that’s idolatry for your worshipping yourself as if you were God. You’ve usurped God’s place if you refuse to forgive others.
II. We are to forgive one another because it characterizes saints but it follows the example of Christ.
* Last Sunday, We looked at the “relational forgiveness of God,” and I told you the best illustration of this is found in John chapter 13, where Jesus preached his last sermon to his disciples in the form of an object lesson.
* We saw last Sunday that when Jesus washed the disciple’s feet that He was illustrating “Relational forgiveness of God,” in that we must daily confess our sins, because, even though all of our sins have been forgiven, we still sin- our feet get dirty.
* In this Devine object lesson, Jesus illustrates that if we are to remain in fellowship with Him, there must be a continual confession of sin, and a continual cleansing to stay in fellowship with God.
* Now this is a great truth, and it illustrates the idea of God’s “Relational Forgiveness” very well, but it is not the main truth of this passage.
* Let’s look now at the main truth of this passage. Turn with me now to John chapter 13 and verse 12…
John 13:12–17 (KJV 1900)
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
* The main point of Jesus washing his disciple’s fee that day was to teach them to forgive on another.
* And Jesus goes on to say, that as He washed His disciple’s feet, (or in other words forgives their sins continuously), that we should follow his example, and forgive those who sin against us continuously.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him
* Jesus is saying here, as a Christian, when you fail to forgive someone else you set yourself up as a higher court than God.
* For God infinitely forgives. And that’s idolatry for your worshipping yourself as if you were God. You’ve usurped God’s place if you refuse to forgive others.
* Peter in response to what the Lord has said about the sinning brother in the church, says,—Well, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?
* Now the rabbis taught that three times was all you required to forgive. Three times you are to forgive.
* Peter thought he was really, really, exaggerating and says “should I forgive seven times? Shall we double the rabbinic tradition plus one?
* Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times but seventy times seven!
* Jesus told Peter that we should forgive Indefinitely, infinitely, unendingly!
* Why? Because we are to forgive as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us.
* And how many times does Jesus forgive us? Four-hundred and ninety times?
* Better hope not. If you hit 491 before you die you’re in real trouble!
* God forgives us indefinitely. That’s what Jesus taught when he washed the disciple’s feet. We should always, continuously be forgiving each other, just like God does for as we pray the plea in our text in Matthew 6 and verse 12: 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
* Back to our scripture in John 13:12:
John 13:12–17 (KJV 1900)
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
* I t may be that you have tried everything, you pray, your confess your own sin, you give to others, you read the Bible, you seem to do everything that you can to have happiness and joy as a Christian, but for some reason, you are not happy.
* Have you checked your own heart to see if you are having a problem forgiving others? Maybe the problem is that you can’t have fellowship with God because you have an un-forgiving spirit.
* First John 2:6 says, “If we say we abide in Him we ought to walk as He walked.”
* How did Jesus walk? He walked in forgiveness. And that’s why in Ephesians 4:32 it says that we are to forgive one another even as God for Christ’s sake has what? Forgiven us.
* Jesus has established a model, a pattern, that the death of Christ and the forgiveness of God, through Christ, given to us, is not only for its own sake, but it is for its own sake and beyond, to give to us a pattern for forgiveness.
* On the cross to the very ones who had driven the nails through His hands, to the very ones who had spit upon Him and mocked Him and crushed a crown of thorns into His blessed head He said—Father, what? Forgive them.
* This is the model of forgiveness that Jesus has taught us. The severity of any offense toward us cannot match that as the writer of Hebrews says—You have not suffered unto blood.
* None of us have endured what Christ has endured and He forgave us all and He set the pattern and the example and the model.
* We are to forgive one another- first, because it is the characteristic of saints to do so and secondly, because it is the following of the pattern of Christ.
An unforgiving Christian is a contradiction, a proud selfish, weak memoried creature who has forgotten that his sins have been washed away.
* Learn to confess, beloved, and before you confess learn to forgive.
* We are to forgive one another because it characterizes saints, because it follows the example of Christ and because it keeps us from being chastised…
III. We are to forgive one another because forgiving others keeps us from being chastised.
* A Christian that holds grudges and refuses to forgive someone is headed for trouble.
* According to Hebrews 12 a Christian with an unforgiving spirit will be chastised.
Hebrews 12:3–13 (KJV 1900)
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
* Turn with me now to Matthew chapter 18 and verse 21 and let’s look at just how seriously God looks at a Christian who has an un-forgiving spirit.
Matthew 18:21–35 (KJV 1900)
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But 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.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then 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:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
IV. Fourthly, we are to forgive one another because it frees the conscience from guilt.
* When there is a need to be forgiven and to forgive there is guilt.
* According to 2 Corinthians chapter 2, an unforgiving heart gives satan an advantage over us.
* Forgiveness creates a root of bitterness that binds our conscience.
* So we are to forgive one another, in order to free our own conscience.
* You know, people who carry grudges and bitternesses, and who carry an angry attitude toward an individual that goes on and on and on and on unrelieved, are literally wounding themselves.
* Dale Carnegie tells a story about visiting Yellowstone to feed the grizzly bears that Illustrates the cost of forgiveness.
* He tells about something that happened as the park rangers were showing them about the dangers of leaving trash behind.
* The park guides made a clearing and they piled a bunch of garbage in the clearing and the guide was saying—now the bear will come and eat the garbage.
* And sure enough a bear came-
* Now a grizzly bear is probably the most ferocious animal on the North American continent.
* The only animal that can maybe stand off a grizzly bear would be a Kodiak bear or a wild bison that was really infuriated.
* But a grizzly bear doesn’t have a lot of enemies. It pretty well dominates its own scene.
* And this grizzly came in and started to eat. Now a grizzly bear doesn’t like anybody intruding on his territory, the guide was saying.
* And all at once this little black and white thing came cross the clearing—a skunk. And the skunk just stuck his nose right in there where the bear was, just started eating and enjoying having a wonderful time taking the bear’s food.
* Now Carnegie said that he noticed the skunk was very wasn’t worried about the bear at all- he just did whatever he wanted to do- the bear didn’t do anything! Together the bear and the skunk shared the food.
* Carnegie asked the park rangers Why doesn’t the bear do anything to the skunk?
* The range said “the answer is simple, the high cost of getting even!
*The bear did not want to pay the price. Now that was a smart bear!
* Smarter than a lot of people I know, who get themselves messed up with toxic goiters, heart attacks, and colitis because they go around with an unforgiving heart, holding grudges.
* A father with his 14 year-old marched into the doctor’s office one day…
* The father said to the doctor— Doctor, I’ve come to get some more pills for my wife’s colitis.
* His 14 year old boy immediately interrupted and asked who is she colliding with now?
* There is a book out by a Doctor in which he has one chapter titled—It’s not what you eat it’s what eats you.
*That’s the real issue here. Why should we forgive one another?
* First of all because it characterizes saints, secondly, it follows the example of Christ, thirdly, it keeps us from chastisement, and fourthly, it frees the conscience of guilt, and guilt brings many diseases of the mind and the body, and fifthly, a forgiving spirit is required for answered prayer.
V. A forgiving spirit is required for God to forgive us.
* Let’s look at the little footnote about our text in verse 12 found n verses 14 and 15:
( For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.)
“Jesus is here stating a principle and God’s dealing with His children.” God deals with us in the same manner in which we deal with others.
* God measures us by the yardstick we use on others.
* Psalm 23 says this, “Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” Why?
* Because I have to have mercy all my life long because I sin.
* And if God is so merciful without His mercy ever being diminished, who am I to be unmerciful to anyone.
* No wonder so much of Christianity is short circuited in its power—so many unresolved conflicts with people.
* So go away from the altar until you get your life right.
*If you regard iniquity in your heart, Psalm 66 says “The Lord will not,” what? “Hear you.”
* If you’re harboring something, He won’t hear you.
* James says it again, it just isn’t in the gospels, James says it, 2:13, “For he shall have judgment without mercy that has shown no mercy.”
* Don’t put yourself in a chastening position. The Lord will really unload His chastening if you’re not merciful to others.
* I’ll give you another illustration that’s very clear. Jesus said this—Give and it what?
* It shall be given to you. In whatever measure you meet it out that’s exactly how God will meet it out to you.
* Hmmm. Luke 6, how about this one? Sow sparingly and you will reap what? Sparingly. So bountifully what? Reap bountifully. God deals with us the way we deal wit Him.
* Whatever we invest in His kingdom we receive a return on. If we harbor sins and grudges and so forth we cut ourselves off from the blessedness that that comes because of our fellowship with the father.
* Jesus taught so many times that as you give to others- you invest with God, you receive a return on it.
* The same thing is true on your confession of sin and seeking forgiveness. God deals with you the way you deal with others.
* And maybe the short circuit in your spiritual life is that you have some people that you’re holding bitter resentment or a grudge against and it’s constant.
* Even the Jews knew this. In 200 B.C. the Jews said—Forgiveness of your neighbor’s wrongdoing means that when you pray your sins will be forgiven too. They knew that. They could understand that spiritual principle.
* The Talmud, the rabbinical commentary on the Old Testament says,—He who is indulgent toward others faults will be mercifully dealt with by the supreme judge Himself.
* What about your life? Are you forgiving? Because if you’re not forgiving, God’s not going to forgive you and you’re going to be going through the world with muddy feet.
* Oh, judicially you are justified and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to you, but the joy is gone and the intimacy isn’t there and the usefulness disappears.
* Matthew 5:7 says, “Blessed are the merciful,” -Blessed are the merciful for they shall,” what? “Obtain mercy.”
* In other words, if you want to receive mercy from God then you must be what? Merciful.
* It’s a principle of spiritual life. People in Christ’s kingdom are merciful.
* They will bear the insults of evil men and their hearts will reach out in compassion.
* You want mercy, you give mercy.
* Let me show you another one, 5:21: “You have heard that it was said by them of old,” that is a statement that gives a reference t rabbinic tradition.
* Your rabbinic tradition says: “You shall not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgment.” In other words, your teaching is that and it certainly had truth in it but it wasn’t all the truth because that’s as far as it went.
*Your tradition says just don’t murder and you’re okay, murder and you’ll be in trouble with the law.
* But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment.
* Whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, and by the way that is an untranslatable word.
* To them it might be saying—You brainless, stupid idiot, you rarara … whatever.
* Have you ever seen a cartoon where Charlie Brown gets mad and you just see stars and squigglies? That’s what this is.
* This whatever, untranslatable. When you say that to someone or you say, “You fool” you have stepped into a very dangerous category, very dangerous.
* Why? Verse 23, “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift, go your way and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift, and agree with your adversary quickly.”
* The point is this. You cannot come offering to the Lord some sacrifice to deal with your own spiritual life until you’ve gotten it right with somebody else. God says go away and get that right, then come back and I will accept your worship.
* Now some of you came to worship the Lord this morning but you can’t do it, you can receive instruction but you can’t offer God worship because He won’t accept it.
* You have come to offer God worship, you’ve said, Lord, I want You to know I praise You and I want You to clean me up today and … you’re going to go away just like you came because you’ve got relationships that are unresolved and you’re unforgiving in some situations, therefore, you forfeit true worship.
* God says leave the altar, go back, get that straight, and then come back. And so you really can’t worship today and you can’t have your sins dealt with, but you can be instructed to begin the process that will make that a reality.
Conclusion:
* Lord Herbert, I think, put it very well, he said; “He who cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.”
* When Jesus taught us to pray “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” he meant just that- Ask God to forgive you of your trespasses against Him, just like you forgive others.
* For many of us, we would be in big trouble!
* Has the Holy Spirit revealed to your heart instances where you have been unforgiving to others as I have been preaching this morning?
* Forgive that person; make up your mind that you will from now on prayer with the attitude of forgiving others, that you might have your own prayers answered.
I will leave you with this exhortation from the apostle Peter:
1 Peter 3:7–12 (KJV 1900)
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.