Restoring the Neglected Virtue, Part 3A

Let's pray together. Lord, we are so grateful that you have given us the invitation to come and to see the glory of the Lord. We do pray, Lord, that there be one among us who has never responded to that invitation that today would be the day that they would give their life to Jesus Christ. For those of us who have given our lives to Christ, Lord, I pray that we would respond in such a way. That those who see us would see only Jesus Christ, our Lord, even through our lives. So, today, as we study once again the perfect law of liberty, increase our knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We pray in your name. Amen. I have such a wonderful time every week studying the scriptures. That I really anticipate Wednesday nights, I anticipate Sunday morning, the opportunity I have to be able to share with you just a little bit of what the Lord has taught me throughout the week. And while I don't share with you all that the Lord teaches me, I try to give you as much as I possibly can in the short time you give me every Sunday. That's a little joke there. But anyway, to be able to study the word of the Lord and to see what God has revealed in His Word is absolutely amazing.

And God has given to us the scriptures, and they are so practical. They are so relevant to our lives, it is almost unbelievable. It's believable because it is the word of God, but the way God phrases it, the way God puts it together for us, that we might understand Him, so that we might understand our responsibility to Him, is very simple. And as we come together each week, we study the Word of God and begin to see what God has for us, and that increases our knowledge of Him. And then, for those who know Him as Lord and Savior, increases our desire to follow Him and to obey His Word.

We've been studying the whole topic of forgiveness, mainly because Joseph, the man we've been studying in the book of Genesis, is known for his des, his willingness to forgive his brothers all of their sin. And we thought we'd take a few weeks, more than a few, several weeks to be able to discuss the topic of forgiveness as it relates to your life. I mine, as God has outlined in Scripture for us, how we need to restore this neglected virtue in our Christian lives. And we looked at last week how we saw where this is a pattern that we are commanded to follow.

That somehow the Bible says very clearly, Ephesians 4:3, that we are to forgive. As God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us. We looked at that last week and were able to understand that God's forgiveness of us was one of fervency. There was a passion behind his desire to forgive man his sins. Not only was there a ferven behind it, there is a frequency behind it. Because God doesn't just forgive and then. Never forgive again. He continually forgives us all of our sins because he is a God of forgiveness.

And there's a frequency in it because there's a ferven behind it. And then we saw where that pattern was one that was marked by a freedom. That is, God forgave us freely, He forgave us fully, and He forgives us finally.

Forever. And that's the pattern that's been set up: that we are to forgive one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us. That's the pattern we're committed to follow. And then we saw where it was a picture of Christ to a lost world. And we looked at Matthew chapter 9, where Matthew would. Give us a picture of our Lord as he would eat with tax gatherers and sinners and associate with those people. And the religious leaders of that day would be very upset with him, asking the disciples, why does your leader do these kinds of things?

And Christ overhearing the conversation will respond, helping them that they need to go and learn what the Old Testament says. He would quote from the book of Hosea, the sixth chapter, the sixth verse, because Hosea was the perfect picture. Of the love of God, the compassion of God, and the forgiveness of God. As he would pursue his wife, who was a harlot, who would Ren on her commitment to Hosea and go and sleep with all kinds of men. And he would pursue her and go after her, forgive her, buy her back.

From the slave market, claim her as his own. And Hosea couldn't divorce her because he was a picture of God's love to the nation of Israel. We too are that picture of Christ to a lost world. That as we extend the right hand of forgiveness to our brother, to our sister, people are able to see Jesus Christ in our lives. And it's all about Christ. It's all about portraying Christ to a lost world. And that's what God wants us to do. And therefore, if we're going to restore that neglected virtue, we must realize it's a pattern we're committed to follow.

It's a picture of Christ to a lost world. And number three. It's a priority in car for other people. It is the priority in car for other people. If we want to demonstrate our love and concern and care for others, then we need to be a kind of people who love to forgive. Let me ask you a question.

Do you have a forgiving spirit? Or do you have an unforgiving spirit? Charles Stanley, in his book on forgiveness, has recorded these words about how you would come to understand whether or not You have an unforgiving spirit. He gave us five symptoms. Here they are. Number one, you can't stand to be around certain people.

You have an unforgiving spirit. Number two, you want to strike out at people when certain topics are discussed.

Number three, you lose your temper over the little things. Number four, you struggle with guilt over things that happen in the past. And number five, you find yourself hating the ones you should love the most. Very eloquently, he describes five symptoms. There are more, but there are at least five that help you understand whether or not you have an unforgiving spirit. I wonder if any of those are real to you this morning. You know, we can walk around saying that we are a forgiving people, that we forgive and forget and move on.

But so many times in the inner recesses of our soul, there are item that are there, issues that are there. That if brought to light, most of us would have to admit that we have an unforgiving spirit. God wants to restore your life. God wants you to freely forgive your brother. That's why He's given us a pattern. That's why he's told us that we are to be a picture of him to the world. And that's why he tells us this is the priority in caring for other people. The text is Matthew chapter 18. If you have your Bible, turn there with me if you would, please.

Matthew chapter 18. Very familiar passage of scripture. As Christ would talk about how to enter the kingdom of heaven, first five verses of Matthew 18, unless you are converted.

And become like a little child, you'll never enter the kingdom of heaven. So, Christ speaks about entrance into the kingdom of heaven, and then he goes on to talk about how we are to treat those in the kingdom of heaven. It would be better for you to die a horrible death than to cause one of these little ones to stumble, Christ would say. He would talk about how the angels in heaven behold the face of God. Why? Because whenever there is a concern on the face of God, the old angels are dispatched to meet the needs of his children.

And then he goes on to talk about s in the family of God and how you need to deal with sin in the family of God. If your brother sins, you need to go to him and confront him on his sin. If he repents, you've won your brother. If he does it, then you go with two or three other witnesses and they are to be witnesses of your attitude as you confront that individual. They don't have to be witnesses of that sin. They are there to witness your confrontation of that person in their sin. If he repents, you've won your brother.

If not, you tell it to the church. They go after that person to try to get him to respond by way of repentance. And if that doesn't happen, then you need to remove him from the church. That would prompt Peter's question. By saying, Lord, how many times am I to forgive my brother? If I go to my brother and I confront him and he doesn't repent, I take two or three witnesses and he's confronted and he doesn't repent, I take the whole body of Christ with me and confront him and he doesn't repent. How many times do I have to forgive my brother?

Up to seven times? Remembering the conversation he had with Christ in Luke 17? Peter thinks that he's gone above and beyond normalcy. And Christ has known the contrary, Peter. You forgive your brother 70 times seven. That is, you forgive your brother all the time. For is not limited. You see, Peter 's question was: Lord, is forgiveness ever limited? Is there a time when I can stop forgiving? Is there a time when I no longer have to forgive my brother because of his sin, because of his unwillingness to repent?

And Christ says, no, forgiveness is unlimited. There are no parameters, Peter, to keep you from forgiving your brother his sin. And then he tells a parable. And that's the priority in caring for other people. We have to be forgiving kind of people. It's important because if a brother sins, you confront him on his sin. He doesn't repent. So you take two or three witnesses. If he doesn't repent, you tell it to the church, and then he repents. You've got to forgive your brother, right? So many times in the church, somebody sins.

Church goes after him. He repents. Are they truly forgivers? Will they forgive that brother his sin? Restore that brother. See, the whole process of church discipline is for restoration, right? It's not to beat anybody over the head or to expose their sin. No, it's to go to that brother to win your brother, that you might be reconciled to your brother, that you might forgive your brother. So Peter asks the question: Is there a time I don have to forgive my brother? And Christ says, No.

Forgiveness is unlimited. He goes on and on and on, Peter. And then he gives a parable. Let me read it to you.

Matthew 18. For this reason, verse 23, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a certain king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began to settle them, there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand talents. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children, and all that he had. and repayment to be made. Svay therefore, falling down, prostrated himself before him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will repay you everything.

And the Lord of that slave felt compassion, and released him, and forgave him the debt. But that sl w out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii. And he seized him and began to choke him, saying, Pay back what you owe. So his fellow slave fell down and began to entreat him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will repay you. He was unwilling, however, but went and threw him in prison, until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved.

and came and reported to their Lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, You wicked slave I forgave you all that debt because you entreated me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I had mercy on you? And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers. until he should rep all that was owed him. So shall my Heavenly Father also do to you. If each of you does not forgive his brother from your he, Christ says, very simply, listen, I'm representative of the king.

I have forgiven you a debt that you can never repay. It is so great. It is of such high magnitude, you can never repay it. But I freely release you of your debt. I forgive you your sin. And that slave would go out and look at his fellow brother.

Who, in comparison to the debt he owed to his master, was min. He went out, he pursued him, he found him, he took hold of him, and said, You pay me what you owe me. And that other servant said the exact same thing. He said, Have patience with me. Have mercy on me. I will repay you. But he had no mercy. No mercy. And the king found out about it and he said, You had no mercy on your fellow slave. I had mercy on you, but you did not have mercy on your fellow slave. And James 2:1 says that God will be merciless.

To those who show no mercy. Why? Because the characteristic of the believer is to be caring and compassionate toward his fellow man. And as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven us, so we too should forgive our brother his sins. Now, I could spend a lot more time in this parable than I will in weeks to come, but I want to stop right here and leave you with this challenge. In the short time that we have left. And that is this. How is it, how is it that we, as the children of God, can withhold forgiveness from a brother?

From a sister, from a friend, from an associate, who has done to us. Hardly anything in comparison to what we did to Jesus Christ continually by being born in sin, living in sin. Being held captive by Satan to do his will against our God, and yet God would freely forgive us, release us from our debt. In order that we might worship Him and serve Him, we of all people need to be a forgiving kind of people. And this parable emphasizes that fact. So shall my heavenly Father do to you if you think for one moment you can get away with not forgiving your brother.

Think again. God's not going to let that happen. Why? Because He forgave you. And if you're going to show and demonstrate the priority in caring for other people, you must be a forgiver. Now, there are some people we just don't want to forgive. There are some people we just can't let go. There are some people we just can't let God do what God's going to do in their lives. You ever been in that situation? You know, our nature is so depraved. That vengeance is a part of our lifestyle. I mean, think about it.

We watch it on television. We like those TV shows where the bad guys get it in the end. We like it when the good guys end up on top. We like it when the good guys really get back at the bad guys because the bad guys deserve what they get. We like those kinds of movies. We have our little heroes in the movies that we like to worship because they are always on top and they always win at the end. Because somehow we always want to win at the end. And yet, when we look at the Word of God and understand something, we begin to understand something very clear out of 1 Peter chapter 2.

When Christ would do something so significant. That when he was reviled, he did not revile in return. When he was mocked and when he was spit upon, he did not retaliate. But 1 Peter 2:2 says that he committed himself to him who judges righteously. How do we do that? How do we People of 21st century Christianity commit ourselves to God who's going to do everything in his time righteously. How can we follow Jesus Christ, his pattern, and do what he did? When people mock us, when people ridicule us, when people mistreat us, when people abuse us, how do we commit them to God?

Who judges righteously? Because that's what God wants us to do, right? In fact, Peter said it this way in 1 Peter chapter 2. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps. Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. And while being reviled, he did not revile in return. While suffering, he uttered no threats, but kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously. That's amazing. But that's what our Lord did.

Completely contrary to us. When someone speaks a harsh word against us, what do we do? We speak a harsh word against them. When someone ridicules us, what do we do? We ridicule them. If someone embarrasses us, what do we do? We embarrass them. Why? That's our depraved nature. But Peter says God left us an example that we might follow in his steps. You say, how are we going to do that? I mean, how can we follow this perfect, sinless Son of God? How can we do what He did? Simply this. Let's not look at Christ and let's look at another man in the Bible who followed that example.

Turn with me in your Bible to 1 Samuel chapter 24. If you're going to care for another brother, you're going to have to leave him in God's hands that you might freely forgive him of all his sins. And demonstrate the priority in caring for others. 1 Samuel chapter 24, verse number 1. Now it came about when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines. He was told, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel. and went to seek David and his men in front of the rocks of the wild goats.

And he came to the sheepfolds on the way where there was a cave. And Saul went in. To relieve himself, you understand the setting? Read on. Verse 3, the second half.

Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. And the men of David said to him, Behold, this is the day of which the Lord said to you, Behold, I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you. Then David arose. and cut off the edge of Saul's robe secretly. And it came about afterward that David's conscience bothered him Because he had cut off the edge of Saul's robe. David, when he slit the robe of Saul. Realized that to take vengeance upon him for all the bad that Saul had done to him would be wrong.

So he said to his men, verse 6, Far be it from me, because of the Lord, that I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord's anointed. To stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord's anointed. Verse 7. And David persuaded his men with these words, and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, And went on his way. Now, afterward, David arose, went out of the cave, and called after Saul, saying, My Lord, the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed his face to the ground and prostrated him.

And David said, verse number 9 to Saul, Why do you listen to the words of men saying, Behold, David seeks to harm you? Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord. Had given you today into my hand in the cave. And some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you. And I said, I will not stretch out my hand against my Lord, for he is the Lord's anointed. Now, my father, see, indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand, for in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not cut off. Kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it.

May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord avenge me on you, but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness, but my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you to pursue whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea? The Lord therefore be judge, and decide between you and me, and may He see and plead my cause, and deliver me from your hand. There's a man who learned to leave his enemy in God's hands.

Remember God's sovereignty in your situation. Now it came about when David had finished speaking these words to Saul that Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David, You are more righteous than I. Well, that's an understatement. For you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you. And you have declared today that you have done good to me, that the Lord delivered me into your hand, and yet you did not k me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safely?

May the Lord therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day. And now behold, I know that you are, or you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. So now swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father's household. And David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. Here's a man. Saul and David, who both remembered God's sovereignty in the situation.

You could have killed me, but you did not. And Saul would weep. For a brief moment in Saul's life, for a brief moment, in the man's battle against God, he saw in another man, David. The love of God, the kindness of God, the forgiveness of God, the compassion of God. It caused him to weep. It caused him to be broken. Over what had taken place. Didn change him, but he saw in David what your enemy needs to see in you. When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

This was David's greatest victory. Greatest victory. He had the enemy. He could have destroyed the enemy. He waited for God to do what God was going to do. That's where we need to be, right? David would leave his enemy in God's hands. That's what God wants you to do. That's what God wants me to do. What will you do?