Matthew 18:21-18:22
Matt.18:21-22
Then Peter came to Him and said, ?Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times??
Jesus said to him, ?I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
People have a wrong idea of what forgiveness really is;
-Forgiveness is not forgetting. But choosing to let the offence pass even though a wrong has benn commited and choosing not to bring it up again.
-Once you have forgiven an offence. If you have really forgiven, you will not allow it to resurface.
Why people say they can?t forgive;
1. " Because you don?t know what that other person has done to me!"
2. Sometimes people say to have forgiven someone but every chance they get, THEY BRING THAT THING UP AGAIN
3. Or you say you have forgiven a family member but because of what they did to you forty years ago. You have not spoken to them since.
4. Some say that it?s to hard to forgive. (NOT IN JESUS!), (NOT IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST!)
Without a doubt someone had offended Peter. It?s possible to be a Christian and get offended.
Perhaps someone became jealous of Peter and Jesus? relationship.
Perhaps because Peter was always the first one to react to Jesus;
- Peter was the first one to walk on water at Jesus? command.
- Peter was the first one to recognize who Jesus really was.
- Peter defended Jesus when they came to arrest Him.
- Peter was one of the men present in the mountain of transfiguration.
There are many reasons that people offend us. Some may even seem justifiable.
Have you ever while driving crossed into someone?s lane and you know that it was your fault. (FORGIVE THEM IF THEY OFFEND YOU)
Have you ever ridden over someone?s toe with your handcart at the supermarket? AND THEY OFFENDED YOU. Forgive them.
Some other reasons that people offend us are not so justifiable;
-Like speaking unjustly behind your back.
- cussing at you for no reason at all.
-Or maybe just getting mad at you for no reason at all.
We are not exempt from getting offended but we do have a correct way of dealing with the situation. Peter said; ?Lord, how often should I forgive a person that keep?s on offending me?
-The number according to the law was four times. Peter went beyond that, he said; ?Should I forgive him seven times?
Jesus said;" I do not say to you up to seven times but seventy times seven" = 490
This was an allegory. What he really meant to say is to forgive indefinitely or as often as you have to.
* Colosians 3:12-13 says; " Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 You must make allowance for each other? faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Forgiveness brings positive results;
1.When you forgive others, God also forgives you. * Matt. 6:14; For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
2. Our forgiveness of others assures that our prayers are answered. Jesus said in *Mark 11:25; But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.
*(1 John 3:20-21) "Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him"
3. People that know how to forgive are happier than others that don?t.
4. Forgiveness brings healing.
- People sleep better when they forgive and also when they are forgiven.
- By not forgiving someone you are holding them back. WE HAVE THE POWER TO BIND AND ALSO TO LOOSEN!
5. Forgiveness restores the person that has been forgiven and also the one who forgives.
- The paralized man that was lowerred to Jesus through the roof.
- He said; "Your sins are forgiven" and he was restored
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