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Good to see everybody this morning. And the topic that we’re going to discuss, we’re on this theme of one another, Colossians chapter three, and we’re talking about one another, the theme of one another as we find it within Scripture. We’re looking at some of the major themes as it relates to one another, because we understand this, that God, when he called us to him and led us in salvation through him, he didn’t leave us alone in him. God has called us to be a part of a body. Body that he calls his church. The church in which he’s given his life for something that Jesus didn’t take lightly. And as believers, neither should we. As Christ has placed his value upon his church for us to see, so we should see it valuable. And so the desire in our hearts should be, as God desires for us to be, which is in accordance with one another, as Scripture lays it out for us. This morning, the thought of what we’re going to communicate together is this idea of forgiveness. The Bible talks about forgiveness because there isn’t a person in the room who doesn’t need it. And the thing that makes forgiveness unique for us in our Christian faith is that forgiveness and grace. Can be found in other religions. Religion will tell you that you earn favor with God, and Christ tells us that we receive favor with God through the grace that’s been extended to him.
It’s not something that we merit. But it’s something that’s been freely given. Both grace and likewise forgiveness are unique to our faith. Forgiveness is a beautiful word when you consider what it means for us as believers. Everyone has need forgiveness. None of us could be where we we are called to be in God without his forgiveness. Forgiveness then becomes the bridge for relationship both with God and with one another. Forgiveness is the door to reconciliation, so that we may live life in unity through the relationships that God has given us, starting with him into each other. Forgiveness is a beautiful word. Until you have to do it. Because forgiveness isn’t always easy. What the Bible tells us in Colossians chapter three and verses 12 and 13, it says, so as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, but on put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving each other. Whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you. So you also should, should you forgive. So it goes on to talk about. Verse 12 carries this attitude that we’re supposed to carry towards towards one another. And verse 13 remind us that that that attitude that we expressed towards one another is only possible through the avenue of forgiveness. Causes people. We send. And we offend. And we harm. Forgiveness gives us opportunity to experience life new. To be reconciled in the relationships through which we’ve experienced harm.
This unity. God brings us. Forgiveness. And the expression of God’s forgiveness is demonstrated in our life because apart from Christ’s forgiveness, we would be lost. And so the the Christian life, in order to reflect the beauty of who Jesus is, God commands us to forgive. And forgiveness is a beautiful word until you’re the one that has to do it. Forgiveness means for us several things. And and there’s some things that forgiveness doesn’t mean. We talk about the word forgiveness within our culture. It’s important to define because we attach in our society thoughts of forgiveness that aren’t in accordance with the way God’s Word expresses us. Let me let me define for us just what forgiveness means and what forgiveness does not mean. Forgiveness is grace and mercy in action. Forgiveness costs the forgiver. But forgiveness, by definition, is ultimately the choice to release someone from a debt occurred or a wrong conducted against you. What forgiveness doesn’t mean for us this morning as we look at what Christ has called us to. Forgiveness isn’t about excusing. Forgiveness isn’t about approving. Forgiveness isn’t about ignoring. And forgiveness is not about forgetting. In fact, God gave us forgiveness so that we can reconcile the tension that exists between relationships. Meaning it brings to light the wrong that’s been suffered, so that in acknowledging the wrong that suffered, we can make right the relationship that has been severed. Doesn’t ignore. But rather it brings to light.
When it comes to our walk with Jesus and the forgiveness that we have in him, we receive forgiveness in Christ as as we recognize our need for forgiveness of sins towards Christ. It’s not until you know you need Jesus. You take him? Hopefully take him. Forgiveness acknowledges what’s been suffered in the relationship that has been severed. So that reconciliation can exist. It’s getting over the elephant in the room and working through it. That God can continue his work in the relationships. Forgiveness is not ignoring and forgiveness is not forgetting. Just because someone has wronged you doesn’t mean that you forget. In fact, God gave us a memory for a reason. You can maybe think in your own lives people that have wronged you and you’ve forgiven them, but you haven’t forgotten what’s been done. And you know that there’s a particular sin in their lives that they tend to lean towards and falter in. And so in forgiving them, you don’t hold the count or the wrongdoing against them, but not forgetting you. Don’t put them in a position that causes them to stumble again. I’m thinking our family. We had someone that was addicted to, um, a particular drug, and we wanted to help them through that. And so and so we had some things that had happened in our relationship with them that we forgave, but we brought this person into our house. And what we didn’t do, we didn’t forget.
And so the valuable things that we had within our home, we locked up. Because we wanted them to get better. And we didn’t want the temptation there. Forgiveness is not forgetting. God. And the Bible tells us that God separates our sin from east to west. When God separates our sin from east to west. It’s not that God forgives because God is omniscient, but rather than forgive. God chooses not to remember. When he sees you. This is the righteousness of Christ if you’ve placed your faith in him. Forgiveness is not forgetting, and forgiveness doesn’t always lead to reconciliation, though it is the door to open reconciliation and relationships. And here’s how. Just because you forgive someone doesn’t mean they weren’t forgiven. And if you forgive someone and they don’t want forgiven, it’s difficult to reconcile a relationship where there is tension. But forgiveness, though it doesn’t mean reconciliation can ultimately lead to it. Just because you’ve forgiven someone doesn’t mean you have to be best friends. Simply means you release the wrong that’s been suffered. Therefore, forgiveness for us is a decision of our will and a command by God. The Bible tells us in Matthew chapter five and verse 23, seek forgiveness on your part, even if it’s not been extended to you. And Luke 17 forgive when it is requested. Acts seven. Forgive when it’s not requested. Both Jesus hanging on the cross and and Stephen in Acts seven, the first martyr that’s recorded in Scripture, and both of them in those predicaments when people were coming against him.
Look up to heaven and say, father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Forgiveness extended even when it’s not requested. Forgiveness isn’t easy. So what makes forgiveness on our part possible if God commands it? I invite you for just a moment to flip over to Matthew chapter six within your Bible. Matthew chapter six. We’re going to pick up in verse nine in just a moment. And as you turn there, I’m going to just allow you to sit there for just a few minutes as I give some backdrop to a text. How can we forgive? If God calls us to what even makes it possible for us to forgive? The answer that Christ gives within his life is to simply state to us that to remember that you have been forgiven. Colossians chapter three and verse 13. The verse that we just said, just read says, forgive as Christ has forgiven you. Losing sight of the forgiveness that you’ve received in Jesus makes you less likely to be willing to forgive. The Bible has this idea that there is a link between forgiving and being forgiven. But to refuse to forgive is to burn the bridge that you yourself have crossed. Truth is. We love Jesus because he first loved us. He doesn’t love us because we’ve loved him. He’s always loved you. Regardless of how you responded to him.
He’s always loved you. The only reason. You are where you are now. Because the grace of his love has been extended to you. Forgiveness is what presents the power to transform. To deny forgiveness to someone else is to become hypocritical. The very bridge that we’ve crossed in our own faith because of what Jesus has done for us. When I say all that this morning and just acknowledge that I know forgiveness isn’t easy. The depth of the pain can often make it more difficult for us. And Jesus has called us to forgive. And so it’s important to stop and ask, how? How could I even live such a life that demonstrates forgiveness in Jesus connects the idea of forgiving by understanding how much you’ve been forgiven. Was talking with a pastor last night who was leaving a pastor’s conference, and he just wanted to share this one thought that just, um, wrecked him and challenged him and encouraged him all at the same time. He said. At this conference, they allowed this older pastor to share with all these younger pastors that were there, and this man was up in his 80s, and he had been preaching God’s word for over 70 years, which means he would have started around World War two. And then in his message that he’s sharing with the younger generation, he began to reflect on the difference between America in the 1940s and America today. And he said, you know, what was unique about the 1940s versus today is that in the 40s, people really were really hungry for God’s Word, more so than they are today.
And then he told the crowd, and I’m going to just give you one reason why. He said, because people in the 40s were more broken over their sin than people are today. We’ve become desensitized to it. The brokenness over our sin reminds us of the goodness of God’s forgiveness. The brokenness of our sin not only causes our heart to consider the depth of what separates us from God, but to rejoice in the Jesus who brought it to us to reconcile our relationship with him. We think about the depth of forgiveness that we’re needed. The forgiveness that God has offered to us costs him his life. It’s not something that’s to be taken lightly, but when you experience the depth of the forgiveness that God has brought to you, it responds within you. A heart of rejoicing over a God who has extended such love that even in your sin he has chosen to love you. Forgiving and forgiven are connected. We’re created for relationship and we can only live in them as forgiveness is made available. The Bible commands. The greatest commandment in all of Scripture is to love the Lord your God and to love others. But you. You can’t even begin to love your neighbor the way that God has called you to without a willingness to forgive.
First Corinthians 13 five at the very end of the verse says this love keeps no records of wrong. It’s because love forgives. We forgive by looking at how much we’ve been forgiven. By remembering that you’ve been forgiven, makes it possible to begin to take the steps to forgive those who have wronged against you. But not only that, the Bible tells us that that forgiveness hinders our lack of forgiveness, I should say, hinders our spiritual growth. This morning if I just ask, do you want God to forgive you? The the answer, hopefully among all of us would emphatically be yes. I don’t want to be accountable for any of those things before Holy God. Jesus in Matthew chapter six taught his disciples how to pray. They asked, Lord, how can we pray before you in Jesus gives? Or how do we pray to the father? And Jesus gives this response in verses nine and explanation to them. And and within this verse he talks about forgiveness. But the important part as it relates to forgiveness, as we read this, this, this prayer together isn’t necessarily the prayer, but rather the tagline that comes after it. And walking with Jesus and praying to the Lord and keeping a verse like this in your mind. Don’t forget the tagline to the Lord’s Prayer. It says this. Pray. Then in this way Jesus says, Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
I’m talking about. Let me just stop and just say we’re praying about God’s will being done. And so in verse 11 he says, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen. In verse 14 he says. For if you forgive others for their transgressions. Your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your father will not forgive your transgressions. What is this verse talking about? Do you lose your salvation? If you don’t forgive someone, does that condemn you for eternity? What he’s talking about in this passage is our connection to God and relationship to him, as he is called father. The Bible uses a few themes for us and describing what happens when we place our faith in Jesus. The first one of the more prominent words in terms that’s used within Scripture is this word called justification or righteousness. It’s a judicial term. It’s a legal term taken from a courtroom. And so what it’s declaring to you that those who have placed their faith in Christ, God has considered you justified. It tells us in Romans eight 32nd Corinthians 521, you have been justified or you have been declared righteous. You are legally connected to God and your offense against him has been forgiven.
There’s also a relational word. That word is symbolized in the thought of father. John 112 says as many as received him. To them. He gave the right to be called the children of God. Well, John 112 is saying to us, is not everyone? Not everyone is a child of God. But as many as received him are. And accepting what Jesus has done. Not only are you justified and declared righteous legally in the court of law, but God, you are adopted into his family whereby we cry, ABBA, father! What Jesus is saying in this passage of Scripture is refusing to forgive is the hindrance to your spiritual growth. For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your father will not forgive you of your transgressions. Your refusal to forgive blocks you from connecting to the God who’s called you, to him to work through you for his kingdom. Saying your vertical relationship with God is affected by your horizontal relationship with each other. Because ultimately, what God has called you to do by creating his new creation within you is to reflect his goodness and glory in this world, by refusing to forgive your taking vengeance into your own hands, rather than allowing God to work in those moments by his own visions or grace as he desires. Second Corinthians chapter two and verse ten says, forgiveness is Satan’s way of derailing us from our walk with God.
Why forgive? How do we forgive? We. We begin to forgive by understanding how much we’ve been forgiven. But we recognize that a lack of forgiveness hinders our relationship to which God has called us to in this world. Not only that, God grows us collectively in our forgiveness. Ephesians four. The apostle Paul says, do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you all, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. When Paul’s writing this passage in Scripture in Ephesians four, he’s not writing to you specifically, but us in general. You referred to collectively in this passage of Scripture, if you desire as a people of God to see the Spirit of God moving within the body of Christ, doing things supernaturally that we couldn’t accomplish by our own strength, but rather for his glory, it happens by not grieving the spirit. Grieving the spirit means to cause sorrow. It’s to walk. In disobedience to the way that he desires to direct us in this world. The way that we grieve. The spirit in verse 31 tells us. It’s by a spirit of disunity. Bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander. It’s it’s disunity in his body as his spirit desires to move.
But the way we allow a spirit to freely reign. It’s through the unity that we seek with one another. Be kind to one another. Tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as God in Christ is also forgiving you, it’s to acknowledge to each other that we know at some point someone will offend you. And you offend someone else. But what Jesus desires to accomplish within his body is by far more important than the offense that we face, and the God whose hands those offense rests. What God desires to do in that moment is far greater than I could ever hope to accomplish by my own strength. And so forgiveness gives us the opportunity to release into his hands. Because it rests in the belief that what God desires to accomplish is far greater than what I can accomplish. And his love for me is far greater than even the love that I can carry for myself. A church that does not unite together, does not see God working among them, because the Spirit of God, who desires to work in them, has been grieved. And forgiveness as we discuss it in a personal way with us. Forgiveness then, happens to be more than just about you. It’s about us and Jesus and what he wants to do in his body. First Peter three says, don’t repay evil for evil, but retaliate or don’t retaliate. Excuse me, don’t repay evil for evil.
Don’t retaliate. When Paul says unkind, gosh, when people say unkind things about you, instead pay them back with a blessing. That’s what God wants you to do and he will bless you for it. Forgiveness. Of others frees us to enjoy all that God’s called us to. When we forgive one another in verse 32, and we unite the way that God desires for us to move, we experience what God desires for us in His Spirit, resting in his people, moving freely as as he wishes to move. As he wills to move. The thought of Ephesians. If I took a negative approach to it, I would say this don’t let someone else rob you from where God has called you. Don’t give him that power over you. The thought of unforgiveness traps you in a past. Well, Jesus called you to his a glorious future. Resting in unforgiveness prohibits the Spirit of God from moving in you as he desires to move. Don’t give someone that power over you. But understand what God has called you to is is far greater than what unforgiveness and vengeance in your own hands has, has done, or can do. Knowing that God has asked us to forgive each other. In any wrong we experience. Question to ask, then, is what often keeps us from forgiving others. What keeps us from from giving each other. And I think the answer is pretty simplistic. I just define it this way.
It’s pain out of faith rather than faith in my pain. Paying out of my faith reminds us of this that that when it comes to being wronged against that’s and we have a lack of ability to forgive. That’s just saying before the Lord, Lord, this is this is just the area of my life where you really aren’t Lord. Over. Your Lord over everything else. Jesus. But when it comes to forgiveness, I’m going to let unforgiveness rest on my own hands by my own power. Because the revenge that I desire to bring. I want to keep for myself. A lack of forgiveness as we we rather than turn it over to God and trust in his love over us. We we trust in ourselves and the strength that we carry towards one who has offended us. Put a greater stress on our own ability above the Lords. And so we express pain out of faith rather than faith in our pain. It’s important to remind us that Jesus, just as Jesus is Lord of the present and Jesus is Lord of the future, Jesus is also Lord of the past. And the ultimate hope that we have opportunity to rest in as people is that there is not a millisecond of suffering in our lives that Jesus will not redeem to those who walk according to his purpose. God sees every heartache, every pain, all of it. He he has grieved over in the power of the spirit.
It tells us in Ephesians, And God cares about that moment, and God has a plan that is far greater for you, for you, than you have for yourself through vengeance. Romans 12 even says that to us in verse 17, never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men, if possible. So far as it depends on you. Be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. And if he’s thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Don’t. Don’t let a wrong against you trap you. Look for the goodness of where God’s called you. Paul said to leave room for the wrath of God. Rather than allow it to depend on your own hands, trust it in the hands of the Lord, because whatever he has planned is far greater than any plan you could carry out in your own power. In Genesis chapter 50 and verse 21 of the famous passage we often turn to in hard times is the story of Joseph. And you know, the story of Joseph was sold into he was sold into slavery by his brothers out of jealousy, and he sold into slavery to Egypt.
And when Joseph gets to Egypt, he goes from slave to rising in power, to the point that he’s taking care of most of Egypt’s political needs, and he preserves the nation of Egypt by forewarning them of a famine that’s to take place. And so for seven years they had plenty. And so they stored up this food in the plenty that in the seven years of famine that came, they would have enough to provide for their people as they’re providing for the people, the surrounding nations that are also experiencing a famine have hardship and begin to travel to Egypt for food. One day, Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt, unaware that Joseph had risen to power. They come before Joseph. Joseph eventually reveals himself to them. They’re scared for the life because he has such authority in the nation of Egypt, and Joseph then responds with an attitude of forgiveness towards his brothers. Why? This is what I believe. Joseph forgave his brothers. Because he believed what God had for his future. Was far greater when he could experience by latching onto the past and holding on to unforgiveness. He got rid of the past and look to the future for which God had called him. Jesus on the heading to the cross in Luke 22 said, nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done. Saying there is pain that is offered in forgiveness, but far better rewards to come through obeying.
Trusting not only in the Lord with my future. The Lord who cares for my past. There’s pain out of faith. Or rather, there is faith in my pain. Faith and the pain of forgiveness is saying to God, God, I would rather trust in what you desire to accomplish than in my own strength. I refuse to allow someone else’s offense have the power to keep me from where you have called me, and rather, I choose to reflect the nature that’s been extended by to me, through you, by the cross. I intellectually say all this about forgiveness this morning, but this is one thing I just want to acknowledge. I know that any offense that’s ever been done against us is not easy to release. To ever experience a healing and in finding forgiveness towards one that has offended you, depending on how deep the offense has gone, has really got to rest. And the sovereignty of a God that you know cares about you. A God that rather than you doing all the work and repaying the vengeance that you feel is owed for wrong against you, trusting in one who holds the future and is looking out for your well-being. To recognize in a god like that. You can let go. Because it’s not your offense to care for. It’s become his because his his care over you. And the letting go of of the offense that’s been done against you. It gives opportunity for God’s Spirit to move freely in your life because you’ve surrendered to what he’s called you to in this world.
Vengeance doesn’t belong to you. To God. Offenses are not easy to release to God, and therefore forgiveness isn’t always easy to give. Depending on the depth of forgiveness. I’ve heard it compared to that of a of a bee sting. When you are stung by a bee, varying on how much poison entered you will dictate the severity of the pain. Once you get rid of the stinger. The healing process begins. Why don’t you let go of the pain of the past? God begins to work in the future of the moment. At first the sting may be loud, but eventually it sting. The sting dies, and one day Jesus promises that he will ultimately remove every sting altogether to those who trust in him. Forgiveness exists because we as people are fallible. Not easy. But in the moment of that pain, we give opportunity for God to work as we surrender our hearts to him. Unforgiveness is about grieving the spirit and going contrary from the way that God desires to work and move. But rather than allow someone to have authority over us by locking us in the past, we look to a God who has called us to a glorious future and hope in him, knowing that he is not only Lord of the future, but he’s also Lord of the past. And his authority rings true over all things.
By choosing faith and our pain through forgiveness, it’s important to remind ourselves that Jesus understands. He knows our pain, he knows our situation, and whatever he desires is far greater. And what he could do according to his strength and what I could do according to mine. Forgiveness means you let your righteous judge work for you. You stop doing the work for him. Future that God has called you to is far greater than the pain of the past. Remind us as we just think about the thought of forgiveness. It’s not to say that we just sweep it under the rug. But ultimately gives us the opportunity to acknowledge it. Before God. And acknowledging it before the Lord and before those that have offended us. It gives us the opportunity to reconcile to the spirit may move freely. You talk about forgiveness as a church family? It carries with my mind two places for us as a people of God. One is, I’m aware, as a body of Christ, as many people as we have here this morning, that they we have things in our past that have scarred us and harmed us. And they heard us. And I know the healing process of those times. Those things take time. And I know they’re not always easy. But my hope for us this morning. Is that we just simply recognize in the brokenness of what that pain has caused in our past, that we can come before the Lord, who cares far more for us, and we can care for ourselves in those moments and just simply trust in him.
The trust of that God according to His Spirit. If we just be obedient to forgive, can just begin to bring the healing process in our life as he promised us. Not only. Not only that, but I think about the future. You think about us as a church, family and all that God has called us to do. The great way for Satan to derail anything that God desires for us to do is is to. The Bible calls him in Romans, excuse me. Revelation chapter 12 the the accuser of the brethren. To bring disunity and discord to forget as a body of Christ, that what God desires to do in us is more important than the offenses that we face to each other. And some dissension rests. Think about the past that needs healing. Well think about the future for which God has called us to. And in both of those moments, the only way that we can walk healthy in them is just to simply trust in the God who has authority over the past and over the future, and whatever he desires to accomplish to allow it rest true in our hearts that God allows those things to work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. So we rest in him. We allow him to heal. That his spirit may be free. Let me reflect for us the goodness of who Jesus is.