0:00:00.532,0:00:02.398 Colossians 3. 0:00:02.398,0:00:06.373 It will be just two verses today. 0:00:06.373,0:00:13.855 Beginning in verse 12. 0:00:13.855,0:00:15.269 "Put on then (Paul says) 0:00:15.269,0:00:16.821 as God's chosen ones, 0:00:16.821,0:00:20.193 holy and beloved, 0:00:20.193,0:00:22.529 compassionate hearts, 0:00:22.529,0:00:23.980 kindness, 0:00:23.980,0:00:25.018 humility, 0:00:25.018,0:00:26.862 meekness, 0:00:26.862,0:00:28.966 and patience; 0:00:28.966,0:00:32.068 bearing with one another, 0:00:32.068,0:00:35.173 and if one has a complaint against another 0:00:35.173,0:00:37.711 forgiving each other, 0:00:37.711,0:00:41.387 as the Lord has forgiven you, 0:00:41.387,0:00:48.281 so you also must forgive." 0:00:48.281,0:01:00.745 Let's pray. 0:01:00.745,0:01:07.049 Father, You know. 0:01:07.049,0:01:13.008 Lord, You know our need this hour. 0:01:13.008,0:01:17.525 Father, I believe in the Holy Spirit, 0:01:17.525,0:01:20.013 and I pray You'd meet with [br]Your people this hour 0:01:20.013,0:01:23.553 and bless Your Word to us all. 0:01:23.553,0:01:26.509 I pray You'd use it 0:01:26.509,0:01:30.121 to help Your people. 0:01:30.121,0:01:32.404 Father, that we would genuinely be helped. 0:01:32.404,0:01:34.414 That You would speak to us. 0:01:34.414,0:01:36.799 Lord, perhaps there's even one here 0:01:36.799,0:01:41.101 who this very subject matter 0:01:41.101,0:01:43.309 is what stands between You and them, 0:01:43.309,0:01:47.882 and I pray You might bring that wall down 0:01:47.882,0:01:51.383 today, Lord, if it would please You. 0:01:51.383,0:01:52.769 We ask You to meet with us 0:01:52.769,0:01:57.203 and bless us by Your Spirit. 0:01:57.203,0:02:00.041 We ask it for Jesus' sake 0:02:00.041,0:02:06.139 and in His name, Amen. 0:02:06.139,0:02:08.286 Well, the last time we were in Colossians, 0:02:08.286,0:02:10.330 we were looking at verse 12 here 0:02:10.330,0:02:13.689 where Paul transitions from [br]this putting to death, 0:02:13.689,0:02:15.839 or putting off of those things associated 0:02:15.839,0:02:19.388 with the old man or the old self. 0:02:19.388,0:02:21.087 And we discussed how Paul presents 0:02:21.087,0:02:23.876 these five virtues, 0:02:23.876,0:02:27.700 as he calls them garments or clothing 0:02:27.700,0:02:32.568 that the Christian is called to put on. 0:02:32.568,0:02:34.391 And we discovered that these really 0:02:34.391,0:02:35.944 are none other than the virtues 0:02:35.944,0:02:38.029 of the Lord Jesus Himself 0:02:38.029,0:02:41.337 that flow to us and through us 0:02:41.337,0:02:42.898 by way of the Holy Spirit 0:02:42.898,0:02:45.603 as we set our minds and our eyes 0:02:45.603,0:02:48.964 upon the Lord Jesus Christ. 0:02:48.964,0:02:52.132 And so Paul continues to [br]build upon these virtues here, 0:02:52.132,0:02:55.277 moving from what are [br]primarily attitudes to actions. 0:02:55.277,0:02:57.359 Really, that's what we have here in v. 12. 0:02:57.359,0:02:58.935 Heart attitudes. 0:02:58.935,0:03:01.636 Heart attitudes that really are essential 0:03:01.636,0:03:04.794 prerequisites if you will to these actions 0:03:04.794,0:03:07.788 or participles that follow in v. 13, 0:03:07.788,0:03:12.234 bearing and forgiving. 0:03:12.234,0:03:14.166 Bearing with one another 0:03:14.166,0:03:16.147 and forgiving one another. 0:03:16.147,0:03:22.366 In our text, the ESV says [br]"forgiving each other." 0:03:22.366,0:03:24.586 Bearing with another and [br]forgiving each other. 0:03:24.586,0:03:29.636 That requires a heart of humility. 0:03:29.636,0:03:33.546 That requires a heart of compassion. 0:03:33.546,0:03:37.925 It requires a heart of patience. 0:03:37.925,0:03:39.922 There's a progression in Paul's teaching 0:03:39.922,0:03:41.966 really at the beginning of the chapter, 0:03:41.966,0:03:46.867 but particularly from v. 12-13. 0:03:46.867,0:03:49.542 Paul takes us from the individual adorning 0:03:49.542,0:03:51.795 or putting on of Christ's virtues, 0:03:51.795,0:03:54.460 to the public application of them. 0:03:54.460,0:03:56.466 More particularly, the application of them 0:03:56.466,0:03:59.866 within the church body. 0:03:59.866,0:04:03.084 These "one another" statements 0:04:03.084,0:04:06.526 we find strewn throughout [br]the New Testament are unique. 0:04:06.528,0:04:09.861 They're unique to the church. 0:04:09.861,0:04:12.090 We would do well to do our own 0:04:12.090,0:04:13.976 little word study of all these 0:04:13.976,0:04:15.755 New Testament phrases, 0:04:15.755,0:04:17.173 these "one another" phrases. 0:04:17.173,0:04:18.593 I think Tim, at one point, 0:04:18.593,0:04:21.047 you made a list of those, didn't you? 0:04:21.047,0:04:23.279 There was quite a few of them. 0:04:23.279,0:04:26.200 There are like 50-something of them.[br]There's a lot of them. 0:04:26.200,0:04:28.690 I didn't look them all up. [br]But very significant. 0:04:28.690,0:04:30.270 Very significant in church life. 0:04:30.270,0:04:32.032 If you thought church life 0:04:32.032,0:04:34.789 and your relationship with [br]your brothers and sisters, 0:04:34.789,0:04:37.397 it's kind of take it or leave it; 0:04:37.397,0:04:38.580 doesn't really matter. 0:04:38.580,0:04:39.919 I mean, they're nice people and all. 0:04:39.919,0:04:42.054 I like it. I enjoy spending [br]time with them. 0:04:42.054,0:04:44.312 But my involvement or [br]interaction with them 0:04:44.312,0:04:47.552 is really not all that important. 0:04:47.552,0:04:51.469 Well, you'd be sadly mistaken. 0:04:51.469,0:04:53.543 We'll discuss that more in a minute. 0:04:53.543,0:04:56.077 But these are two huge imperatives 0:04:56.077,0:04:58.381 here in v. 13. 0:04:58.381,0:05:00.939 These are not secondary items. 0:05:00.939,0:05:03.992 These are foundational [br]to Christian living. 0:05:03.992,0:05:07.413 They're foundational to [br]church relationships. 0:05:07.413,0:05:09.345 That's really what Paul's addressing here. 0:05:09.345,0:05:15.182 Although it certainly [br]has broader applications. 0:05:15.182,0:05:17.209 These are not optional. 0:05:17.209,0:05:18.595 They're commands. 0:05:18.595,0:05:21.057 We as the people of God 0:05:21.057,0:05:23.265 are commanded by God 0:05:23.265,0:05:27.491 to bear and to forgive. 0:05:27.491,0:05:30.645 Let's look at this first one briefly. 0:05:30.645,0:05:33.802 What exactly does it mean 0:05:33.802,0:05:38.000 to bear with one another? 0:05:38.000,0:05:42.706 The ESV folks chose to go [br]with the word "bearing," 0:05:42.706,0:05:45.206 which has multiple definitions 0:05:45.206,0:05:47.164 depending on how it's used. 0:05:47.164,0:05:51.969 While the King James guys went [br]with the term "forbearing." 0:05:51.969,0:05:54.854 That's the English [br]language for you, right? 0:05:54.854,0:05:58.154 Where bearing and forbearing 0:05:58.154,0:06:01.267 can mean the same thing. 0:06:01.267,0:06:03.398 And they do. 0:06:03.398,0:06:06.456 The Greek word here is anecho. 0:06:06.456,0:06:08.876 It's a word that literally means 0:06:08.876,0:06:10.642 to hold up. 0:06:10.642,0:06:13.144 To hold oneself erect and firm 0:06:13.144,0:06:16.026 against something. 0:06:16.026,0:06:18.185 It's also a word that conveys this idea 0:06:18.185,0:06:22.360 of enduring or tolerating. 0:06:22.360,0:06:26.489 That is a load bearing wall. 0:06:26.489,0:06:30.639 That means it's a wall that holds up 0:06:30.639,0:06:35.047 under the weight that's placed upon it. 0:06:35.047,0:06:37.627 And it does so in an enduring fashion. 0:06:37.627,0:06:40.433 It doesn't give way. 0:06:40.433,0:06:43.778 At least, we hope it doesn't. 0:06:43.778,0:06:46.365 That's what the Greek word means here. 0:06:46.365,0:06:48.151 Relating to one another, 0:06:48.151,0:06:51.933 it means to enduringly hold up 0:06:51.933,0:06:56.619 what another places upon you. 0:06:56.619,0:07:01.195 Simply put, tolerating them. 0:07:01.195,0:07:04.797 Maybe you might be doing [br]that this morning with me. 0:07:04.797,0:07:08.041 In a more negative tone, 0:07:08.041,0:07:11.254 to put up with them. 0:07:11.254,0:07:13.483 In fact, a handful of translations 0:07:13.483,0:07:15.093 including the NASB, 0:07:15.093,0:07:17.020 actually use that phrase, 0:07:17.020,0:07:20.211 "put up with," in Matthew 17:17, 0:07:20.211,0:07:23.052 Mark 9:19, Luke 9:41. 0:07:23.052,0:07:24.829 When Jesus says, 0:07:24.829,0:07:29.301 "How long shall I put up with you?" 0:07:29.301,0:07:30.512 The ESV renders it, 0:07:30.512,0:07:33.443 "O faithless and twisted generation, 0:07:33.443,0:07:35.314 how long am I to be with you? 0:07:35.314,0:07:38.251 How long am I to bear with you?" 0:07:38.251,0:07:40.229 There it is. That's our term. 0:07:40.229,0:07:41.347 Bear with you. 0:07:41.347,0:07:44.455 Or put up with you. 0:07:44.455,0:07:46.956 Having clothed ourselves with the virtues 0:07:46.956,0:07:49.663 of Jesus Christ in v. 12, 0:07:49.663,0:07:51.394 Paul says now see to it that you 0:07:51.394,0:07:52.807 bear with one another. 0:07:52.807,0:07:54.522 Put up with one another. 0:07:54.522,0:07:57.369 Put up with each other's [br]faults and shortcomings. 0:07:57.369,0:07:59.290 Put up with each other's differences. 0:07:59.290,0:08:01.401 Put up with each other's dislikes. 0:08:01.401,0:08:04.275 Put up with each other's annoying habits. 0:08:04.275,0:08:09.143 Put up with people who are slow to learn. 0:08:09.143,0:08:13.829 Put up with people [br]that are just obstinate. 0:08:13.829,0:08:19.095 Put up with people that are [br]just plain difficult to deal with. 0:08:19.095,0:08:24.004 Put up with them Paul says. 0:08:24.004,0:08:31.662 How long, Jesus says, [br]am I to bear with you? 0:08:31.662,0:08:35.562 What was the answer? 0:08:35.562,0:08:38.971 His whole life, right? 0:08:38.971,0:08:46.222 You think about being the [br]holy Son of God on earth. 0:08:46.222,0:08:49.195 We're talking about pure perfection 0:08:49.195,0:08:51.850 personified in the midst of 0:08:51.850,0:08:55.392 just woefully imperfect people. 0:08:55.392,0:08:59.833 He calls them faithless and twisted. 0:08:59.833,0:09:01.586 Think about it. 0:09:01.586,0:09:03.774 This was every day of His life. 0:09:03.774,0:09:05.668 Every day of His life He was surrounded 0:09:05.668,0:09:08.149 by this constant reminder. 0:09:08.149,0:09:09.384 Everywhere He turned, 0:09:09.384,0:09:12.139 faithless and twisted. 0:09:12.139,0:09:13.967 Twisted and faithless. 0:09:13.967,0:09:18.884 Jesus lived daily bearing [br]with the likes of such. 0:09:18.884,0:09:23.046 Nobody had to bear more than Jesus. 0:09:23.046,0:09:25.904 No wonder He ran off to [br]the mountainside to pray. 0:09:25.904,0:09:31.192 Get away from it all. 0:09:31.192,0:09:33.302 Get this. The answer to His own question, 0:09:33.302,0:09:36.142 "how long shall I bear with you?" 0:09:36.142,0:09:41.958 The answer for Him is [br]the same for you and I. 0:09:41.958,0:09:44.566 Till we die. 0:09:44.566,0:09:46.825 That's how long. 0:09:46.825,0:09:48.653 Jesus states in a question 0:09:48.653,0:09:50.739 what Paul, by the Holy Spirit, 0:09:50.739,0:09:52.391 puts in a commandment: 0:09:52.391,0:09:57.011 Bear with one another. 0:09:57.011,0:10:00.515 Brethren, it's part of God's purposed 0:10:00.515,0:10:03.209 design in your life, 0:10:03.209,0:10:07.732 to put difficult people in it. 0:10:07.732,0:10:10.552 That doesn't happen by chance. 0:10:10.552,0:10:12.547 It doesn't happen by accident. 0:10:12.547,0:10:17.685 It happens by divine design. 0:10:17.685,0:10:20.489 It's God's methodology of fashioning you 0:10:20.489,0:10:25.445 more and more like His Son. 0:10:25.445,0:10:29.225 See, that's the problem [br]we have in life, right? 0:10:29.225,0:10:33.840 We're not enough like Jesus. 0:10:33.840,0:10:36.292 But God, you see, has set us in motion. 0:10:36.292,0:10:39.306 He has set us on this life-long mission 0:10:39.306,0:10:42.432 of becoming more and more and more 0:10:42.432,0:10:44.918 like Him. 0:10:44.918,0:10:47.805 And that is wonderful, isn't it? 0:10:47.805,0:10:49.416 I trust you can look back 0:10:49.416,0:10:50.866 and see from today going back 0:10:50.866,0:10:53.794 in your life, you can see those realities. 0:10:53.794,0:10:57.791 Though it feels like we've[br]got a long way to go. 0:10:57.791,0:11:02.045 It's wonderful, but the process 0:11:02.045,0:11:06.488 can be, and I'd say, often is 0:11:06.488,0:11:10.349 a painful one. 0:11:10.349,0:11:13.227 The command of bearing with one another 0:11:13.227,0:11:16.353 necessitates that such types of people 0:11:16.353,0:11:18.726 are placed in our life [br]that will require us 0:11:18.726,0:11:23.198 to bear or put up with, right? 0:11:23.198,0:11:24.607 The same with forgiveness 0:11:24.607,0:11:29.179 which we're about to talk [br]about here in a minute. 0:11:29.179,0:11:32.285 But that reality of having such people 0:11:32.285,0:11:33.565 in our lives, 0:11:33.565,0:11:35.359 that's one of the major reasons 0:11:35.359,0:11:37.352 why "lone ranger" Christianity 0:11:37.352,0:11:39.871 is an unbiblical concept. 0:11:39.871,0:11:42.459 I don't need the church.[br]I've got a mission from God. 0:11:42.459,0:11:45.102 He's called me to preach[br]or He's called me to do this. 0:11:45.102,0:11:48.048 I don't need to commit [br]myself to the church. 0:11:48.048,0:11:50.146 That's not biblical. 0:11:50.146,0:11:55.037 Isolation is not God's [br]will for His people. 0:11:55.037,0:11:57.600 God created us for relationships. 0:11:57.600,0:12:00.630 He created us for relationship with Him 0:12:00.630,0:12:04.560 and relationship with one another. 0:12:04.560,0:12:06.972 And the great tragedy of the fall 0:12:06.972,0:12:09.055 was that relationship with Him 0:12:09.055,0:12:11.865 was completely severed. 0:12:11.865,0:12:14.445 And in our broken, fallen condition, 0:12:14.445,0:12:16.395 we've replaced that relationship 0:12:16.395,0:12:18.543 with everything under the sun, 0:12:18.543,0:12:21.406 primarily to self-consumption 0:12:21.406,0:12:24.246 and self-worship. 0:12:24.246,0:12:27.272 Jesus came to fix that. 0:12:27.272,0:12:29.772 In fact, the chief end of the gospel 0:12:29.772,0:12:33.116 is to restore that relationship. 0:12:33.116,0:12:37.157 To bring estranged, separated sinners 0:12:37.157,0:12:38.392 to Himself; 0:12:38.392,0:12:47.096 into relationship with [br]God Almighty Himself. 0:12:47.096,0:12:50.448 Martin Luther said it was John 3:16 0:12:50.448,0:12:51.741 which I won't argue with. 0:12:51.741,0:12:53.267 That's a great verse. 0:12:53.267,0:12:54.780 But I think one of the greatest 0:12:54.780,0:12:56.427 one-verse summaries of the gospel 0:12:56.427,0:12:59.089 is 1 Peter 3:18. 0:12:59.089,0:13:02.639 "For Christ suffered once for sins..." 0:13:02.639,0:13:03.973 Hallelujah! 0:13:03.973,0:13:06.661 "...The righteous for the unrighteous." 0:13:06.661,0:13:09.187 For what purpose? For what end? 0:13:09.187,0:13:10.944 "...That He might bring us to God." 0:13:10.944,0:13:13.225 That's it, brethren. 0:13:13.225,0:13:15.058 What a glorious reality that is. 0:13:15.058,0:13:17.054 You think about eternity. 0:13:17.054,0:13:19.272 You think about glory. 0:13:19.272,0:13:21.798 What do we know? 0:13:21.798,0:13:23.161 Not a whole lot. 0:13:23.161,0:13:24.593 We know this though, 0:13:24.593,0:13:26.651 God Himself will be there, 0:13:26.651,0:13:28.876 and His children will be there, right? 0:13:28.876,0:13:29.934 That's what matters. 0:13:29.934,0:13:32.239 Not a whole lot we know more than that. 0:13:32.239,0:13:34.380 But that's the glorious [br]reality we do know. 0:13:34.380,0:13:37.044 That's where God's going to be. 0:13:37.044,0:13:38.911 This thing is all about relationships. 0:13:38.911,0:13:41.077 Eternal relationships. 0:13:41.077,0:13:43.181 Those eternal relationships, however, 0:13:43.181,0:13:45.951 they don't start when we physically die 0:13:45.951,0:13:49.348 in this life. 0:13:49.348,0:13:50.937 They don't start when we pass 0:13:50.937,0:13:52.849 into the next realm. 0:13:52.849,0:13:55.598 They start the moment we die with Christ 0:13:55.598,0:13:57.431 and are given the gift of eternal life 0:13:57.431,0:13:59.920 through faith in Him. 0:13:59.920,0:14:02.248 God in His gospel gives us eternal life 0:14:02.248,0:14:04.724 and thereby brings us [br]into eternal relationships 0:14:04.724,0:14:06.885 with one another that start right here 0:14:06.885,0:14:09.468 in the here and now. 0:14:09.468,0:14:12.861 And that's significant.[br]That's very important to grasp. 0:14:12.861,0:14:15.362 Church relations are not secondary - 0:14:15.362,0:14:19.222 not in God's Word. 0:14:19.222,0:14:20.926 Listen to this - Romans 12:5, 0:14:20.926,0:14:25.958 "So we, though many, are one body 0:14:25.958,0:14:29.276 in Christ and individually members 0:14:29.276,0:14:32.244 one of another." 0:14:32.244,0:14:33.918 That's pretty intimate. 0:14:33.918,0:14:36.218 There are several places [br]in the New Testament 0:14:36.218,0:14:37.895 that speak this way. 0:14:37.895,0:14:44.415 Christ laid down His life for the church. 0:14:44.415,0:14:47.137 God created marriage for [br]that primary reason, 0:14:47.137,0:14:48.650 did He not? 0:14:48.650,0:14:50.330 To display His love; 0:14:50.330,0:14:55.277 to display this inseparable union. 0:14:55.277,0:14:57.212 Make no mistake about it, 0:14:57.212,0:14:58.420 homosexuality, 0:14:58.420,0:14:59.707 transgender, 0:14:59.707,0:15:01.281 same-sex marriage, 0:15:01.281,0:15:02.392 casual sex, 0:15:02.392,0:15:03.442 the porn industry, 0:15:03.442,0:15:05.000 divorce rates through the roof, 0:15:05.000,0:15:06.595 at the base of it all, 0:15:06.595,0:15:07.872 at the bottom of it all 0:15:07.872,0:15:11.029 lies one grand satanic design 0:15:11.029,0:15:14.858 to mar this beautiful, wonderful picture 0:15:14.858,0:15:17.184 of Jesus Christ and His bride; 0:15:17.184,0:15:19.305 of Jesus being made one 0:15:19.305,0:15:21.697 with those undeserving people, 0:15:21.697,0:15:23.440 those undeserving individuals, 0:15:23.440,0:15:29.626 yet the most privileged [br]in the entire universe. 0:15:29.626,0:15:36.866 It's wonderful. 0:15:36.866,0:15:38.591 Yes, most certainly, 0:15:38.591,0:15:41.658 salvation is personal. 0:15:41.658,0:15:44.063 It's at an individual level. 0:15:44.063,0:15:46.072 But it doesn't stay there, you see. 0:15:46.072,0:15:47.337 It doesn't stay there. 0:15:47.337,0:15:48.530 When God saves a sinner, 0:15:48.530,0:15:50.059 He deals a death blow 0:15:50.059,0:15:51.538 to that old self. 0:15:51.538,0:15:52.801 And I emphasize self. 0:15:52.801,0:15:55.322 He transfers them out of [br]that kingdom of darkness. 0:15:55.322,0:15:57.593 He places them in the [br]kingdom of His dear Son. 0:15:57.593,0:16:02.540 In that kingdom, they're [br]pursuing His will. 0:16:02.540,0:16:03.728 It's a new realm. 0:16:03.728,0:16:05.286 Everything's new. 0:16:05.286,0:16:06.698 New life, new clothes, 0:16:06.698,0:16:09.390 new community. 0:16:09.390,0:16:11.371 God intends for His people 0:16:11.371,0:16:14.418 to function together 0:16:14.418,0:16:17.913 in this new community He calls the church. 0:16:17.913,0:16:20.263 And texts like this one [br]before us right here, 0:16:20.263,0:16:23.022 just these few sentences, 0:16:23.022,0:16:25.680 are reasons to be convinced 0:16:25.680,0:16:29.069 of the importance of church membership. 0:16:29.069,0:16:32.295 All of these one another [br]statements in the New Testament, 0:16:32.295,0:16:35.950 they point to a clear, identifiable 0:16:35.950,0:16:39.664 body of believers committed 0:16:39.664,0:16:43.014 and united in fashion to the service, 0:16:43.014,0:16:44.507 worship, and commission 0:16:44.507,0:16:52.447 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 0:16:52.447,0:16:55.361 One of the surest proofs 0:16:55.361,0:16:57.927 of regenerate church membership 0:16:57.927,0:17:04.743 is found in the ability of [br]the members within it 0:17:04.743,0:17:07.837 not to preach, 0:17:07.837,0:17:10.828 not to evangelize, 0:17:10.828,0:17:12.005 not even to pray. 0:17:12.005,0:17:13.232 Now, those things are 0:17:13.232,0:17:17.163 absolutely essential and very important. 0:17:17.163,0:17:19.906 But the devil has his cohorts doing that 0:17:19.906,0:17:23.469 all over the place. 0:17:23.469,0:17:25.561 The reality of redemption 0:17:25.561,0:17:27.955 is most clearly expressed 0:17:27.955,0:17:30.742 in the demonstration of God's grace 0:17:30.742,0:17:33.022 being worked out relationally 0:17:33.022,0:17:34.826 with His people in the church. 0:17:34.826,0:17:37.805 It is. 0:17:37.805,0:17:39.738 And so when difficult people are placed 0:17:39.738,0:17:42.119 in your pathway, 0:17:42.119,0:17:44.151 it's not for the purpose of teaching you 0:17:44.151,0:17:45.164 how to repel; 0:17:45.164,0:17:46.406 how to keep your distance; 0:17:46.406,0:17:49.770 how to avoid them;[br]how to run from them. 0:17:49.770,0:17:51.346 It's for the purpose 0:17:51.346,0:17:53.193 of letting God's grace - 0:17:53.193,0:17:56.097 these virtues of Jesus Christ here - 0:17:56.097,0:17:57.853 shine like the blazing sun 0:17:57.853,0:18:00.388 in the midst of a dark - in Jesus' words - 0:18:00.388,0:18:06.830 twisted and faithfless generation. 0:18:06.830,0:18:08.682 So the next time you're finding it 0:18:08.682,0:18:11.037 hard to bear with someone, 0:18:11.037,0:18:13.559 be it your brother or sister, 0:18:13.559,0:18:17.101 just remember the kind forbearance 0:18:17.101,0:18:21.669 that God has shown you. 0:18:21.669,0:18:27.683 Do you remember how [br]patient He was with you? 0:18:27.683,0:18:30.320 How long-suffering? 0:18:30.320,0:18:34.075 Oh, how He tolerated all your ugliness? 0:18:34.075,0:18:39.051 All your annoying, backward ways? 0:18:39.051,0:18:41.493 Not only did He bear with you 0:18:41.493,0:18:43.619 in all your overtly evil ways 0:18:43.619,0:18:44.950 prior to your salvation, 0:18:44.950,0:18:46.907 His forbearance has continued 0:18:46.907,0:18:49.835 throughout all your [br]stumblings and failures 0:18:49.835,0:18:52.510 that you have incurred despite all 0:18:52.510,0:18:54.653 the innumerable blessings that He's poured 0:18:54.653,0:18:57.477 over your head. 0:18:57.477,0:18:59.736 God's people have every reason 0:18:59.736,0:19:03.028 to bear with one another 0:19:03.028,0:19:12.249 in whatever fashion He calls us to do so. 0:19:12.249,0:19:14.585 And bearing with one another, 0:19:14.585,0:19:18.647 while it most certainly is [br]a virtue of Jesus Christ, 0:19:18.647,0:19:20.806 it's not exactly the most flourishing 0:19:20.806,0:19:23.119 demonstration of those virtues. 0:19:23.119,0:19:26.094 Douglas Moo points out in v. 12, 0:19:26.094,0:19:33.489 he suggests that "bearing with one another 0:19:33.489,0:19:35.805 does not even require the greatest display 0:19:35.805,0:19:38.620 of Christian kindness and patience. 0:19:38.620,0:19:41.314 But it is a necessary first step 0:19:41.314,0:19:43.960 in establishing community." 0:19:43.960,0:19:46.693 And it's a step that's followed 0:19:46.693,0:19:49.609 by this next progression. 0:19:49.609,0:19:53.616 Paul adds, "And if one has a complaint 0:19:53.616,0:19:58.929 against another, forgiving each other." 0:19:58.929,0:20:00.871 Some translations stick with the common 0:20:00.871,0:20:02.826 "one another" phraseology here. 0:20:02.826,0:20:04.856 They mean the exact same thing. 0:20:04.856,0:20:06.435 I prefer using the "one another," 0:20:06.435,0:20:08.974 as the King James does. 0:20:08.974,0:20:11.567 But let me just stop here. 0:20:11.567,0:20:14.022 I'm going to grab this pen. 0:20:14.022,0:20:15.663 I just want to get three or four. 0:20:15.663,0:20:16.825 I want you to tell me. 0:20:16.825,0:20:18.340 I want to hear somebody tell me 0:20:18.340,0:20:20.538 what does it mean to forgive? 0:20:20.538,0:20:25.108 I want to write three or [br]four definitions down. 0:20:25.108,0:20:27.336 Anyone. What does it mean to forgive? 0:20:27.336,0:20:28.497 Even if it's one word. 0:20:28.497,0:20:30.339 Yes, brother? 0:20:30.339,0:20:31.693 To let go. 0:20:31.693,0:20:35.741 Okay. We've got let go. Anyone else? 0:20:35.741,0:20:39.256 Reconcile. We've got that. 0:20:39.256,0:20:41.824 Two more. 0:20:41.824,0:20:43.805 Or one more. 0:20:43.805,0:20:49.815 Release a debt. That's a good one. 0:20:49.815,0:20:52.457 Release a debt/cancel. Okay. 0:20:52.457,0:20:54.299 We're all on the same page. 0:20:54.299,0:20:56.577 It's pretty much what we all were thinking 0:20:56.577,0:20:59.269 even though we didn't say it. 0:20:59.269,0:21:02.508 That's what we understand [br]the term to mean, right? 0:21:02.508,0:21:04.421 To pardon, to cancel, to excuse, 0:21:04.421,0:21:08.461 to let go, reconcile. 0:21:08.461,0:21:10.583 Forgiving here in our text - 0:21:10.583,0:21:12.946 the word translated forgiving - 0:21:12.946,0:21:16.576 is the Greek work charizomenoi, 0:21:16.576,0:21:19.883 which I'm probably not [br]pronouncing correctly. 0:21:19.883,0:21:22.123 Charizomenoi. 0:21:22.123,0:21:24.409 And it might surprise you - 0:21:24.409,0:21:27.472 it did me, it took up [br]a good part of my day - 0:21:27.472,0:21:31.875 the meaning of this Greek word is this: 0:21:31.875,0:21:35.773 to gratify. 0:21:35.773,0:21:39.742 To bestow in kindness. 0:21:39.742,0:21:43.226 Grant as a free favor. 0:21:43.226,0:21:47.911 That comes directly out of [br]my Mounce Greek Dictionary. 0:21:47.911,0:21:51.656 Thayer's Lexicon: [br]"to do something pleasant 0:21:51.656,0:21:54.625 or agreeable to one. 0:21:54.625,0:21:57.604 To do favor to; 0:21:57.604,0:22:00.858 (again), gratify, 0:22:00.858,0:22:04.540 universally to show oneself gracious, 0:22:04.540,0:22:10.667 kind, and benevolent." 0:22:10.667,0:22:13.202 Now, I didn't realize [br]before I got into this text 0:22:13.202,0:22:15.093 that there's actually [br]three Greek words 0:22:15.093,0:22:20.030 that get translated "forgive, [br]forgiving, forgiven, forgiveness." 0:22:20.030,0:22:27.746 And the primary one [br]is the word aphiemi. 0:22:27.746,0:22:30.058 That's our word forgive in about 80% 0:22:30.058,0:22:33.216 of the times in Scripture you see it. 0:22:33.216,0:22:37.095 And that's the word that primarily means 0:22:37.095,0:22:39.955 to send away, but it conveys the same idea 0:22:39.955,0:22:41.674 that was just aired, right? 0:22:41.674,0:22:45.145 Let go, reconcile, pardon, cancel, clear. 0:22:45.145,0:22:50.198 It's forgive as we know the term forgive. 0:22:50.198,0:22:53.834 But that's not our word here in the text. 0:22:53.834,0:22:57.936 It's the word charizomenoi. 0:22:57.936,0:23:00.082 And it's a word that shows up 23 times 0:23:00.082,0:23:01.165 in the New Testament, 0:23:01.165,0:23:04.298 half of which are translated forgive, 0:23:04.298,0:23:06.983 depending on the translation. 0:23:06.983,0:23:09.054 Most of the other times, 0:23:09.054,0:23:14.269 it's give or grant. 0:23:14.269,0:23:16.715 And that's what this [br]word primarily conveys. 0:23:16.715,0:23:19.055 To give or bestow kindness. 0:23:19.055,0:23:21.167 To grant free favor. 0:23:21.167,0:23:23.842 To do something pleasant, gracious, 0:23:23.842,0:23:26.416 kind to another. 0:23:26.416,0:23:29.176 As one Greek scholar stated, 0:23:29.176,0:23:32.013 "while it's not the common word 0:23:32.013,0:23:34.614 for remission and forgiveness, 0:23:34.614,0:23:36.882 it is one of richer content, 0:23:36.882,0:23:39.262 emphasizing the gracious nature 0:23:39.262,0:23:42.700 of the pardon." 0:23:42.700,0:23:45.593 Jesus uses this term 0:23:45.593,0:23:47.700 in sharing the story of forgiveness 0:23:47.700,0:23:48.856 with Simon the Pharisee 0:23:48.856,0:23:52.165 as he's sitting in his house, reclining [br]at table, you remember that? 0:23:52.165,0:23:53.973 Where He talks about the money lender 0:23:53.973,0:23:54.975 who had two debtors. 0:23:54.975,0:23:56.302 One who had a massive debt, 0:23:56.302,0:23:57.803 and one who had a small debt. 0:23:57.803,0:23:58.999 And he forgave them both, 0:23:58.999,0:24:01.073 and He asked him who's going to love most, 0:24:01.073,0:24:04.192 and of course, the one [br]who was forgiven most. 0:24:04.192,0:24:07.444 And using that word, [br]Jesus was underscoring 0:24:07.444,0:24:12.392 the gracious nature or kind bestowal 0:24:12.392,0:24:15.334 that the money lender 0:24:15.334,0:24:18.004 had towards these debtors. 0:24:18.004,0:24:19.160 (unintelligible) 0:24:19.160,0:24:21.994 It wasn't just a legal [br]act of removing debt. 0:24:21.994,0:24:23.573 It was heartless. 0:24:23.573,0:24:26.197 But a very gracious, kind act 0:24:26.197,0:24:28.477 of removing the obligation 0:24:28.477,0:24:31.003 for those men to pay him back. 0:24:31.003,0:24:32.828 And the response, of course, was 0:24:32.828,0:24:34.480 the one who owed the most, 0:24:34.480,0:24:36.681 loved the most. 0:24:36.681,0:24:38.392 And he was using that illustration 0:24:38.392,0:24:41.006 because a prostitute was [br]wiping her hair on his feet. 0:24:41.006,0:24:43.278 And the Pharisees in [br]their self-righteousness 0:24:43.278,0:24:45.734 were having some problems with that. 0:24:45.734,0:24:50.416 But Paul uses this word in Romans 8:32. 0:24:50.416,0:24:51.707 Well known verse. 0:24:51.707,0:24:55.608 "He who did not spare His own Son, 0:24:55.608,0:24:57.325 but gave Him up for us all, 0:24:57.325,0:24:59.246 how will He not also with Him 0:24:59.246,0:25:02.660 graciously give us all things?" 0:25:02.660,0:25:06.658 There's our word: give. 0:25:06.658,0:25:11.981 The word "give" is charizomenoi. 0:25:11.981,0:25:17.134 Charizomenoi. 0:25:17.134,0:25:18.737 In other words, how will God 0:25:18.737,0:25:19.884 not also with Christ, 0:25:19.884,0:25:26.462 graciously charizomenoi us all things? 0:25:26.462,0:25:28.709 And while the word there in that context 0:25:28.709,0:25:32.380 of that verse is not [br]communicating forgiveness, 0:25:32.380,0:25:34.872 it is communicating the magnitude 0:25:34.872,0:25:36.297 of the giving. 0:25:36.297,0:25:38.130 The magnitude of the kindness 0:25:38.130,0:25:41.026 and gracious favor God is extending 0:25:41.026,0:25:44.876 in this open-ended promise. 0:25:44.876,0:25:47.630 Another instance is Paul's letter 0:25:47.630,0:25:49.027 to the Galatians. 0:25:49.027,0:25:50.820 In Galatians 3:18, Paul says, 0:25:50.820,0:25:55.426 "For if the inheritance comes by the law, 0:25:55.426,0:25:58.398 it no longer comes by promise, 0:25:58.398,0:26:01.539 but God gave it to Abraham 0:26:01.539,0:26:03.666 by a promise." 0:26:03.666,0:26:08.589 The word gave - that's our word. 0:26:08.589,0:26:11.028 Gave what? 0:26:11.028,0:26:13.089 The inheritance. 0:26:13.089,0:26:15.574 Again, the word's being used to convey 0:26:15.574,0:26:18.753 an unbelievable bestowal of favor 0:26:18.753,0:26:20.896 and gifting. 0:26:20.896,0:26:22.923 Something that is just freely 0:26:22.923,0:26:25.598 and wonderfully given. 0:26:25.598,0:26:27.565 And I share those verses to help us 0:26:27.565,0:26:29.206 get a better taste of the breadth 0:26:29.206,0:26:33.150 and depth of this term here: forgiving. 0:26:33.150,0:26:35.430 And it is translated "forgiven" 0:26:35.430,0:26:37.412 even in this letter. 0:26:37.412,0:26:39.046 If you look over to chapter 2:13, 0:26:39.046,0:26:40.806 Paul says, "And you who were dead 0:26:40.806,0:26:42.095 in your trespasses, 0:26:42.095,0:26:44.337 in the uncircumcision of your flesh, 0:26:44.337,0:26:47.425 God made alive together with Him, 0:26:47.425,0:26:53.738 having forgiven us all our trespasses." 0:26:53.738,0:26:57.383 Paul here elects to use the word: 0:26:57.383,0:26:59.012 charizomenoi, 0:26:59.012,0:27:02.493 instead of aphiemi - 0:27:02.493,0:27:04.472 the word standardly used for forgiveness, 0:27:04.472,0:27:06.438 and I think he does so to underscore 0:27:06.438,0:27:09.025 the incredible kindness of God 0:27:09.025,0:27:10.924 in such an act as forgiving 0:27:10.924,0:27:18.758 all our trespasses. 0:27:18.758,0:27:20.626 Okay, so now we have a clearer scope 0:27:20.626,0:27:22.658 of this word "forgiving," 0:27:22.658,0:27:24.148 used in the text before us. 0:27:24.148,0:27:26.756 Let's look again at what [br]Paul has to say here. 0:27:26.756,0:27:30.346 "And if one has a complaint [br]against another, 0:27:30.346,0:27:33.417 forgiving each other." 0:27:33.417,0:27:35.530 Paul rightly assumes there's going to be 0:27:35.530,0:27:38.035 problems in the church. 0:27:38.035,0:27:40.393 You gather a few hundred people together 0:27:40.393,0:27:42.426 on a regular basis, 0:27:42.426,0:27:46.519 and they're still dwelling [br]in their mortal flesh, 0:27:46.519,0:27:54.251 you're probably going to have a [br]problem or two pop up, right? 0:27:54.251,0:27:56.704 There's a pretty good [br]chance that someone's 0:27:56.704,0:27:58.581 going to have a complaint 0:27:58.581,0:28:00.568 as Paul calls it against another. 0:28:00.568,0:28:01.915 Legitimate or not, 0:28:01.915,0:28:06.316 complaints or going to happen. 0:28:06.316,0:28:08.182 If and when they do, 0:28:08.182,0:28:09.205 Paul doesn't say, 0:28:09.205,0:28:11.303 just seek to avoid that person 0:28:11.303,0:28:14.160 as much as you can. 0:28:14.160,0:28:19.628 No, he says forgive each other. 0:28:19.628,0:28:24.246 Have a charizomenoi mindset 0:28:24.246,0:28:26.007 with one another. 0:28:26.007,0:28:28.548 Be gracious. 0:28:28.548,0:28:30.488 Bestow kindness. 0:28:30.488,0:28:37.047 Forgive that thing and move on. 0:28:37.047,0:28:42.071 Not separate. Move on together. 0:28:42.071,0:28:44.601 Don't begrudgingly or mechanically 0:28:44.601,0:28:47.707 say the words, "I forgive you," 0:28:47.707,0:28:50.380 and yet your heart is still [br]holding on to that thing. 0:28:50.380,0:28:53.288 That's not biblical forgiveness. 0:28:53.288,0:28:57.741 That's biblical bitterness. 0:28:57.741,0:29:00.048 The biblical term here is telling us 0:29:00.048,0:29:03.650 to return that complaint or offense 0:29:03.650,0:29:07.414 with something pleasant. 0:29:07.414,0:29:10.017 Freely give it. Don't withhold it. 0:29:10.017,0:29:12.418 Graciously grant the pardon. 0:29:12.418,0:29:14.572 Release that thing. Let it go. 0:29:14.572,0:29:19.044 Meet it with kindness. 0:29:19.044,0:29:23.896 Yeah, but if you only knew brother... 0:29:23.896,0:29:25.409 I don't. 0:29:25.409,0:29:27.037 But the Lord knows. 0:29:27.037,0:29:30.843 And He says let that thing go. 0:29:30.843,0:29:32.826 In fact, not only let it go, but do it 0:29:32.826,0:29:35.367 in such a fashion that it communicates 0:29:35.367,0:29:39.993 a gracious and a kind spirit. 0:29:39.993,0:29:41.850 Yeah, but this isn't the first time 0:29:41.850,0:29:45.669 they've done this to me. 0:29:45.669,0:29:51.983 "Seventy times seven," Jesus tells Peter. 0:29:51.983,0:29:53.249 When he asked Him, Lord, 0:29:53.249,0:29:58.494 how many times shall I forgive my brother? 0:29:58.494,0:30:00.517 Okay, well, maybe that's for little sins. 0:30:00.517,0:30:02.151 What about when they're big sins? 0:30:02.151,0:30:04.066 And they're multiple times? 0:30:04.066,0:30:05.753 Paul has the answer for that 0:30:05.753,0:30:07.472 right here in our text. 0:30:07.472,0:30:12.698 "As the Lord has forgiven you..." 0:30:12.698,0:30:14.746 "As the Lord has forgiven you, 0:30:14.746,0:30:19.841 so you also must forgive." 0:30:19.841,0:30:22.811 Wow. 0:30:22.811,0:30:26.478 That's a stunning statement. 0:30:26.478,0:30:28.014 You know, in a verse like this, 0:30:28.014,0:30:30.564 we're apt to focus on the [br]conclusion of the matter. 0:30:30.564,0:30:33.210 Okay. You also must forgive. 0:30:33.210,0:30:35.757 I need to be a forgiving person. I get it. 0:30:35.757,0:30:37.631 Not so fast. 0:30:37.631,0:30:40.414 Look at the beginning of the statement. 0:30:40.414,0:30:41.985 It's really most remarkable. 0:30:41.985,0:30:46.958 Notice the "as so" construction here. 0:30:46.958,0:30:50.619 As the Lord has forgiven you, 0:30:50.619,0:30:55.754 so you also must forgive. 0:30:55.754,0:30:59.629 As - in the same manner; 0:30:59.629,0:31:03.490 to the extent that God has forgiven 0:31:03.490,0:31:05.084 your sins against Him, 0:31:05.084,0:31:07.700 so you need to likewise 0:31:07.700,0:31:12.365 forgive other sins against you. 0:31:12.365,0:31:17.785 That's what's being said here. 0:31:17.785,0:31:22.090 This short phrase here:[br]"As the Lord has forgiven you..." 0:31:22.090,0:31:24.715 That phrase represents the basis 0:31:24.715,0:31:28.093 and foundation for all [br]Christian forgiveness. 0:31:28.093,0:31:31.453 Christians forgive 0:31:31.453,0:31:33.581 because they're a forgiven people. 0:31:33.581,0:31:36.688 Forgiven people forgive. 0:31:36.688,0:31:39.058 In fact, that's what I titled my message. 0:31:39.058,0:31:42.805 Forgiven people forgive. 0:31:42.805,0:31:45.593 You want an acid test as to who's real; 0:31:45.593,0:31:46.851 who's not. 0:31:46.851,0:31:49.733 Let a man or woman be wronged. 0:31:49.733,0:31:52.526 Before long, you'll find out the extent 0:31:52.526,0:31:57.028 to which they've been forgiven. 0:31:57.028,0:31:58.403 People who get all hung up 0:31:58.403,0:32:00.633 over little insignificant matters of life 0:32:00.633,0:32:02.680 and can't seem to let such things go 0:32:02.680,0:32:07.114 have a very, very small view of God, 0:32:07.114,0:32:10.183 and a very, very small view 0:32:10.183,0:32:12.248 of themselves before a holy God; 0:32:12.248,0:32:17.279 their sin before a holy God. 0:32:17.279,0:32:19.128 Now, I'm not saying - 0:32:19.128,0:32:20.994 I'm not even suggesting forgiveness 0:32:20.994,0:32:24.623 is an easy thing. 0:32:24.623,0:32:28.547 And I'm not saying [br]it's an automatic thing. 0:32:28.547,0:32:30.989 But by Scriptural authority, 0:32:30.989,0:32:34.129 I can assure you that forgiven people 0:32:34.129,0:32:38.100 do forgive. 0:32:38.100,0:32:41.420 We perform what we call 0:32:41.420,0:32:44.463 the adhesion tape test at work. 0:32:44.463,0:32:47.757 We build ground support equipment 0:32:47.757,0:32:49.431 for military aircraft. 0:32:49.431,0:32:51.311 And unfortunately, they fall under 0:32:51.311,0:32:53.123 the same specifications the aircraft does. 0:32:53.123,0:32:55.912 And some of the stuff we do, [br]especially the paint and finishes, 0:32:55.912,0:32:58.178 so we have all these hoops [br]we have to jump through 0:32:58.178,0:33:00.060 and all these certain [br]tests we've got to run. 0:33:00.060,0:33:03.000 And so, basically, what it [br]is is you get a test panel, 0:33:03.000,0:33:04.219 you mix up your paint. 0:33:04.219,0:33:06.114 There's all kinds of variables [br]that can throw this thing off. 0:33:06.114,0:33:09.169 The whole point of the [br]test is to determine 0:33:09.169,0:33:12.958 if there's true, genuine adhesion 0:33:12.958,0:33:15.511 of the paint to the component. 0:33:15.511,0:33:16.702 You've got to have that. 0:33:16.702,0:33:18.419 You can't have that flaking off. 0:33:18.419,0:33:20.635 It's got to be quality. 0:33:20.635,0:33:22.550 It's got to meet a certain quality. 0:33:22.550,0:33:27.681 So what they do is you spray this panel, 0:33:27.681,0:33:31.540 let it dry, apply this military grade 0:33:31.540,0:33:33.887 masking tape basically, 0:33:33.887,0:33:35.512 and you take a razor blade 0:33:35.512,0:33:37.653 and you start scoring that masking tape, 0:33:37.653,0:33:39.280 and you let it sit for awhile. 0:33:39.280,0:33:42.552 You come back and you pull that tape up. 0:33:42.552,0:33:43.979 You pull that tape up. 0:33:43.979,0:33:48.443 And if there's any paint on that tape, 0:33:48.443,0:33:50.905 it's not proper adhesion. 0:33:50.905,0:33:53.950 That piece needs to go [br]back and get blasted. 0:33:53.950,0:33:55.276 You start all over. 0:33:55.276,0:33:57.888 You pull that tape up and it's clean, 0:33:57.888,0:34:00.230 you have perfect adhesion. 0:34:00.230,0:34:04.369 A good, quality approved part. 0:34:04.369,0:34:05.864 It can move on. 0:34:05.864,0:34:08.777 I was thinking about that in [br]relation to the Christian life, 0:34:08.777,0:34:12.696 particularly this - forgiveness. 0:34:12.696,0:34:15.805 It seemed like a good analogy 0:34:15.805,0:34:21.173 of whether we have genuine adherence 0:34:21.173,0:34:27.148 to Christ. 0:34:27.148,0:34:30.375 When the Lord presses on you 0:34:30.375,0:34:35.453 the tape test of forgiveness, 0:34:35.453,0:34:40.057 and allows you to be scored and cut deeply 0:34:40.057,0:34:43.342 by another person, 0:34:43.342,0:34:47.292 are we adhered to Christ? 0:34:47.292,0:34:49.469 When the tape's pulled back, 0:34:49.469,0:34:52.474 what's the story? 0:34:52.474,0:34:54.894 When the tape's pulled [br]back, the testing's over, 0:34:54.894,0:34:57.956 are we holding fast to Christ? 0:34:57.956,0:35:00.326 Are we holding fast to Him? 0:35:00.326,0:35:04.795 And proving so by letting [br]all those offenses go 0:35:04.795,0:35:06.639 as Christ let ours go? 0:35:06.639,0:35:11.329 Or are we fixated back here on the tape? 0:35:11.329,0:35:15.836 Are we hanging on to the cuts? 0:35:15.836,0:35:23.169 Are we not properly bonded to Christ? 0:35:23.169,0:35:24.451 Christian, mark this down 0:35:24.451,0:35:27.343 and be fully persuaded [br]of this in your mind. 0:35:27.343,0:35:29.124 Because there's not any situation - 0:35:29.124,0:35:30.724 I mean any - 0:35:30.724,0:35:33.227 not any situation that could ever occur, 0:35:33.227,0:35:35.248 not one act of providence 0:35:35.248,0:35:36.942 that could ever befall you, 0:35:36.942,0:35:38.281 no matter how bad, 0:35:38.281,0:35:39.685 no matter how horrific, 0:35:39.685,0:35:45.491 that does not demand your forgiveness. 0:35:45.491,0:35:46.659 We had a woman - 0:35:46.659,0:35:48.064 I've told this story before. 0:35:48.064,0:35:50.410 We had a woman going to [br]Fatty's on a regular basis, 0:35:50.410,0:35:51.576 and we were helping her. 0:35:51.576,0:35:53.259 She lived over in our neighborhood. 0:35:53.259,0:35:54.735 And you know, you spend [br]time with somebody 0:35:54.735,0:35:56.228 and you get to know them. 0:35:56.228,0:35:57.684 We start digging a little bit, 0:35:57.684,0:35:59.902 and we finally got to the issue 0:35:59.902,0:36:03.534 that was keeping her from Christ. 0:36:03.534,0:36:06.608 It was a horrific story, [br]horrific background. 0:36:06.608,0:36:09.032 As a child, she was molested 0:36:09.032,0:36:11.047 and horribly, horribly abused 0:36:11.047,0:36:14.274 by her step-dad. 0:36:14.274,0:36:20.117 She told me with much sorrow and tears. 0:36:20.117,0:36:22.571 "I cannot do it. 0:36:22.571,0:36:28.612 I cannot forgive him." 0:36:28.612,0:36:31.041 And I told her, you have to, 0:36:31.041,0:36:38.496 or you'll never know [br]the forgiveness of God. 0:36:38.496,0:36:41.011 And I realize, I've been around enough, 0:36:41.011,0:36:43.526 in a room this size, 0:36:43.526,0:36:47.221 some of you have gone [br]through similar things. 0:36:47.221,0:36:51.030 So, I'm not belittling it. 0:36:51.030,0:36:58.297 And I understand that is [br]incredibly wicked and evil. 0:36:58.297,0:37:00.279 I'm sure it's an absolute nightmare 0:37:00.279,0:37:03.865 for anyone to have to go through. 0:37:03.865,0:37:05.865 But let me tell you, 0:37:05.865,0:37:08.876 it's not even close, 0:37:08.876,0:37:10.138 dear brother or sister, 0:37:10.138,0:37:12.810 it's not even close to the wickedness 0:37:12.810,0:37:16.533 and evil that you have willfully expressed 0:37:16.533,0:37:21.806 against a pure and holy God. 0:37:21.806,0:37:25.479 It's not. 0:37:25.479,0:37:27.276 You see, "I can't forgive him." 0:37:27.276,0:37:30.118 That flows from a heart that's never seen 0:37:30.118,0:37:34.514 its own filth and wickedness [br]before a holy God. 0:37:34.514,0:37:39.640 Because if it had, such a person, 0:37:39.640,0:37:44.427 they would see themselves no [br]different than that man. 0:37:44.427,0:37:46.865 They would quickly conclude 0:37:46.865,0:37:49.345 they're just as evil. 0:37:49.345,0:37:52.009 They're the same lump. The same guilt. 0:37:52.009,0:37:54.732 The same need. 0:37:54.732,0:37:57.507 You see, when the scales of self-deception 0:37:57.507,0:38:01.349 fall off and you see [br]yourself in such a light, 0:38:01.349,0:38:04.690 when you become aware that such [br]a thing as that can be forgiven, 0:38:04.690,0:38:06.749 such wickedness and sin can be forgiven, 0:38:06.749,0:38:09.477 such rebellion, such self-absorption, 0:38:09.477,0:38:12.117 one who is so guilty of really 0:38:12.117,0:38:14.265 the greatest treason in the universe; 0:38:14.265,0:38:17.736 if they can be forgiven, [br]that's a game changer. 0:38:17.736,0:38:22.529 That changes everything. 0:38:22.529,0:38:25.930 Mark it down. The failure to forgive 0:38:25.930,0:38:28.101 is a failure to see the enormity 0:38:28.101,0:38:30.520 of our own sin 0:38:30.520,0:38:33.773 and the enormity of God's incredible mercy 0:38:33.773,0:38:37.424 toward us. 0:38:37.424,0:38:40.581 Christian, if you're struggling here, 0:38:40.581,0:38:42.922 here's why. 0:38:42.922,0:38:45.150 You've got to get your eyes off you. 0:38:45.150,0:38:47.361 You've got to get your [br]eyes off that person. 0:38:47.361,0:38:51.659 You've got to get them on Jesus Christ. 0:38:51.659,0:38:53.513 And as you do that, 0:38:53.513,0:38:55.956 you will see in Him 0:38:55.956,0:39:02.859 reason upon reason upon reason 0:39:02.859,0:39:06.527 to shed any and all offenses toward you. 0:39:06.527,0:39:08.217 Like my dad used to say, 0:39:08.217,0:39:11.421 like water off a duck's back, 0:39:11.421,0:39:16.056 offenses will just roll. 0:39:16.056,0:39:20.827 The cross has the power to do such things. 0:39:20.827,0:39:21.969 This is huge. 0:39:21.969,0:39:24.942 Forgiveness is a really, really big issue. 0:39:24.942,0:39:27.070 So big, Jesus touches on it several times 0:39:27.070,0:39:30.233 in His ministry, especially in [br]His Sermon on the Mount. 0:39:30.233,0:39:32.157 Let's turn there. We'll scan through 0:39:32.157,0:39:35.240 the Sermon on the Mount. 0:39:35.240,0:39:37.956 Just look at the places where Jesus 0:39:37.956,0:39:40.691 at least makes reference to the concept 0:39:40.691,0:39:42.110 of forgiveness. 0:39:42.110,0:39:49.540 Matthew 5:7 0:39:49.540,0:39:51.717 "Blessed are the merciful, 0:39:51.717,0:39:56.827 for they shall receive mercy." 0:39:56.827,0:40:01.321 Here we find Jesus certainly [br]implying forgiveness, right? 0:40:01.321,0:40:04.342 If we are extending mercy to others, 0:40:04.342,0:40:06.446 we're showing kindness and compassion 0:40:06.446,0:40:09.484 to an offender, right? 0:40:09.484,0:40:12.218 Merciful. 0:40:12.218,0:40:19.071 That kind of rings with our [br]word charizomenoi, right? 0:40:19.071,0:40:21.625 Verse 23, "So if you [br]are offering your gift 0:40:21.625,0:40:24.132 at the altar and there remember 0:40:24.132,0:40:26.725 that your brother has [br]something against you, 0:40:26.725,0:40:29.432 leave your gift there before the altar 0:40:29.432,0:40:31.680 and go, be reconciled to your brother, 0:40:31.680,0:40:33.980 and then come and offer your gift. 0:40:33.980,0:40:36.071 Come to terms quickly with your accuser 0:40:36.071,0:40:38.084 while you're going with him to court, 0:40:38.084,0:40:40.748 lest your accuser hand [br]you over to the judge, 0:40:40.748,0:40:42.462 and the judge to the guard, 0:40:42.462,0:40:44.465 and you be put in prison. 0:40:44.465,0:40:46.530 Truly, I say to you, you [br]will never get out 0:40:46.530,0:40:50.177 until you've paid the last penny." 0:40:50.177,0:40:51.756 This is the same language 0:40:51.756,0:40:53.591 Jesus uses in another parable 0:40:53.591,0:40:56.363 we might look at here in a minute. 0:40:56.363,0:41:04.823 Is that time right? 0:41:04.823,0:41:08.336 But the simple teaching here in v. 23, 0:41:08.336,0:41:11.405 if you have an issue [br]with a brother or sister, 0:41:11.405,0:41:12.647 if there's an offense, 0:41:12.647,0:41:14.477 you need to get that thing dealt with. 0:41:14.477,0:41:15.627 And right now. 0:41:15.627,0:41:17.938 That's an A1 number one priority. 0:41:17.938,0:41:21.502 Leave your gift at the altar, He says. 0:41:21.502,0:41:23.224 Forget about worship. 0:41:23.224,0:41:26.908 Forget about God even [br]hearing your prayers. 0:41:26.908,0:41:28.485 As long as this thing's present, 0:41:28.485,0:41:31.679 that's an obstruction to God. 0:41:31.679,0:41:33.477 Go clear up the matter, He says, now. 0:41:33.477,0:41:34.734 Forgive. Reconcile. 0:41:34.734,0:41:37.822 Then, you're good to go. 0:41:37.822,0:41:39.500 But this thing of offense 0:41:39.500,0:41:41.812 has to be taken care of. 0:41:41.812,0:41:45.239 V. 39, "But I say unto you, 0:41:45.239,0:41:48.422 do not resist the one who is evil, 0:41:48.422,0:41:51.059 but if anyone slaps you on the right cheek 0:41:51.059,0:41:53.170 turn to him the other also, 0:41:53.170,0:41:54.578 and if anyone would sue you 0:41:54.578,0:41:55.635 and take your tunic, 0:41:55.635,0:41:59.105 let him have your cloak as well." 0:41:59.105,0:42:00.564 Wow. 0:42:00.564,0:42:03.502 Those are challenging verses. 0:42:03.502,0:42:07.313 Now that is the spirit of charizomenoi, 0:42:07.313,0:42:08.578 is it not? 0:42:08.578,0:42:09.975 That's somebody who's seen 0:42:09.975,0:42:11.127 something of themselves 0:42:11.127,0:42:15.458 in the blazing light of God's glory. 0:42:15.458,0:42:21.373 Mere flesh and blood can't do [br]those things right there. 0:42:21.373,0:42:24.641 Matthew 6:9, 0:42:24.641,0:42:25.944 "Pray then like this..." 0:42:25.944,0:42:27.928 Jesus gives instruction on how to pray. 0:42:27.928,0:42:31.742 Down to v. 12, "Forgive us our debts, 0:42:31.742,0:42:36.818 as we also have forgiven our debtors." 0:42:36.818,0:42:41.637 You see how Jesus ties [br]forgiveness to prayer here? 0:42:41.637,0:42:45.049 Praying with an unforgiving spirit, 0:42:45.049,0:42:51.643 you might as well be praying to that wall. 0:42:51.643,0:42:54.408 This thing is so important. 0:42:54.408,0:42:57.212 After Jesus finishes His [br]instruction on prayer, 0:42:57.212,0:42:59.127 He continues on with the subject. 0:42:59.127,0:43:02.537 V. 14, "For if you forgive [br]others their trespasses, 0:43:02.537,0:43:03.974 your heavenly Father 0:43:03.974,0:43:05.477 will also forgive you, 0:43:05.477,0:43:07.994 but if you do not forgive [br]others their trespasses, 0:43:07.994,0:43:13.919 neither will your Father [br]forgive your trespasses." 0:43:13.919,0:43:16.582 Whoa. 0:43:16.582,0:43:19.516 Now Jesus has a number of stunning, 0:43:19.516,0:43:22.458 blow-you-away statements in this sermon, 0:43:22.458,0:43:29.626 but this has got to be one of [br]the most shocking ones of all. 0:43:29.626,0:43:32.035 If those folks were sitting there 0:43:32.035,0:43:34.454 eating bread and fish [br]and He was preaching, 0:43:34.454,0:43:37.223 I'd venture to say several [br]men stopped chewing. 0:43:37.223,0:43:41.651 Or some might even start choking. 0:43:41.651,0:43:44.233 This world is full, and I mean full 0:43:44.233,0:43:46.642 of people like the woman I just mentioned 0:43:46.642,0:43:48.950 that used to go to Fatty's 0:43:48.950,0:43:52.191 whose father she could not forgive. 0:43:52.191,0:43:54.520 People are full of bitterness and anger 0:43:54.520,0:43:57.443 and resentment. 0:43:57.443,0:44:02.653 And they're people that [br]feel fully justified in it. 0:44:02.653,0:44:04.835 These words spoken by our Lord here, 0:44:04.835,0:44:09.129 they seem utterly absurd to them. 0:44:09.129,0:44:11.828 "What is that? 0:44:11.828,0:44:14.972 Surely He doesn't mean that. 0:44:14.972,0:44:16.698 I mean, I love God - 0:44:16.698,0:44:18.560 nobody's telling me any different. 0:44:18.560,0:44:20.564 Me and God, we got a thing going. 0:44:20.564,0:44:22.846 I was sick back in '98 0:44:22.846,0:44:24.714 on my deathbed in the hospital, 0:44:24.714,0:44:26.214 God brought me out of it. 0:44:26.214,0:44:27.374 He saved me from it. 0:44:27.374,0:44:32.735 I know I'm on good terms with Him. 0:44:32.735,0:44:35.009 I've always believed. 0:44:35.009,0:44:37.454 I believe John 3:16, you know. 0:44:37.454,0:44:38.558 I believe God. 0:44:38.558,0:44:42.940 And it says whosoever believes shall [br]not perish, but have eternal life. 0:44:42.940,0:44:46.821 Once saved, always saved." 0:44:46.821,0:44:50.121 I would say this verse does not at all 0:44:50.121,0:44:52.726 conflict with John 3:16 0:44:52.726,0:44:55.746 in any way, shape, or form. 0:44:55.746,0:44:58.129 And I would say, once saved, yes, 0:44:58.129,0:45:01.396 you are always saved. Hallelujah! 0:45:01.396,0:45:03.467 The problem is not with the Scripture. 0:45:03.467,0:45:06.081 The problem is with the assumption. 0:45:06.081,0:45:08.296 An assumption that my belief, 0:45:08.296,0:45:10.768 my believing, my "faith" 0:45:10.768,0:45:13.211 trumps all other realities 0:45:13.211,0:45:15.908 and truth of Scripture. 0:45:15.908,0:45:19.729 And the reality is, as Jesus [br]so clearly expresses here, 0:45:19.729,0:45:22.546 if you do not forgive others, 0:45:22.546,0:45:26.548 you will not know the forgiveness of God. 0:45:26.548,0:45:29.856 That's serious. 0:45:29.856,0:45:31.720 If you're sitting here this morning 0:45:31.720,0:45:33.370 and you're holding on to something 0:45:33.370,0:45:35.369 you can't forgive, you need to hear this. 0:45:35.369,0:45:38.585 Hear it again: Jesus says [br]you will never know 0:45:38.585,0:45:40.004 the forgiveness of God, 0:45:40.004,0:45:42.047 if you don't let that thing go. 0:45:42.047,0:45:43.119 Is it worth it? 0:45:43.119,0:45:50.076 Is it worth your never-dying soul? 0:45:50.076,0:45:51.971 And the reason why a person 0:45:51.971,0:45:55.512 who can never come to the place [br]of forgiveness in their heart - 0:45:55.512,0:45:57.696 the reason why they can't be forgiven, 0:45:57.696,0:45:59.930 it's not because God [br]forgave them at one time 0:45:59.930,0:46:01.642 and now they've [br]come to this place 0:46:01.642,0:46:03.128 where now they can't [br]forgive this person, 0:46:03.128,0:46:04.609 so He takes away their salvation. 0:46:04.609,0:46:06.585 No, that's not it at all. 0:46:06.585,0:46:09.044 The reason why they'll never [br]know the forgiveness of God 0:46:09.044,0:46:12.361 is because they've never truly seen 0:46:12.361,0:46:16.802 the forgiveness of God themselves. 0:46:16.802,0:46:18.625 And that's because they've never, 0:46:18.625,0:46:21.909 as I said, never really seen themselves 0:46:21.909,0:46:25.873 in light of who they really are 0:46:25.873,0:46:30.261 before a holy God. 0:46:30.261,0:46:33.395 They've simply laid hold [br]of a feel-good gospel 0:46:33.395,0:46:34.800 which is no gospel at all, 0:46:34.800,0:46:39.957 and ironically, it has them [br]feeling quite miserable 0:46:39.957,0:46:45.195 and discontent and full of hate. 0:46:45.195,0:46:47.982 Again, forgiven people forgive. 0:46:47.982,0:46:49.729 Those who understand something 0:46:49.729,0:46:52.152 of the magnitude of their [br]offense towards God, 0:46:52.152,0:46:56.682 they learn to forgive. 0:46:56.682,0:46:59.287 Matthew 7, "Judge not, [br]that you be not judged. 0:46:59.287,0:47:01.971 For with the judgment you [br]pronounce, you will be judged; 0:47:01.971,0:47:04.812 with the measure you use, [br]it will be measured to you." 0:47:04.812,0:47:09.389 This kind of echoes back to [br]the verse we just read, right? 0:47:09.389,0:47:11.105 If you can't forgive that brother 0:47:11.105,0:47:15.385 for speaking ill of you, 0:47:15.385,0:47:17.726 you will drown 0:47:17.726,0:47:20.019 in the absolute fury of God 0:47:20.019,0:47:22.762 poured out on you for profaning His name 0:47:22.762,0:47:24.724 with all manner of blasphemies 0:47:24.724,0:47:29.903 and perverted speech. 0:47:29.903,0:47:31.773 Verse 12, "So whatever you wish 0:47:31.773,0:47:33.297 that others would do to you, 0:47:33.297,0:47:35.171 do also to them." 0:47:35.171,0:47:40.907 Again, this is the spirit of charizomenoi. 0:47:40.907,0:47:43.917 An others- mindedness. 0:47:43.917,0:47:46.547 An others-mindedness to do them good. 0:47:46.547,0:47:49.123 And to shower them with kindness. 0:47:49.123,0:47:53.567 Verse 24, "Everyone who [br]hears these words of Mine..." 0:47:53.567,0:47:55.921 Jesus closes the message. 0:47:55.921,0:47:58.584 "Everyone then who hears [br]these words of Mine 0:47:58.584,0:48:01.226 and does them will be [br]like unto the wise man 0:48:01.226,0:48:06.392 who built his house on the rock." 0:48:06.392,0:48:10.097 And the ones who don't [br]do these words of Jesus, 0:48:10.097,0:48:12.907 well, you know, they just [br]won't get as many rewards 0:48:12.907,0:48:16.625 when they get into heaven. 0:48:16.625,0:48:20.151 That's not what Jesus teaches. 0:48:20.151,0:48:22.759 No, He likens those people 0:48:22.759,0:48:24.982 who do not do His words - 0:48:24.982,0:48:27.396 He likens them to houses that are built 0:48:27.396,0:48:32.844 on a shoreline in the aftermath 0:48:32.844,0:48:36.168 of a massive hurricane. 0:48:36.168,0:48:38.743 We've all seen those pictures, right? 0:48:38.743,0:48:40.182 Complete devastation. 0:48:40.182,0:48:43.446 Complete destruction. 0:48:43.446,0:48:46.644 That's how serious forgiveness is. 0:48:46.644,0:48:49.501 So serious Jesus draws attention [br]to it again in Matthew 18. 0:48:49.501,0:48:51.587 I was going to have us [br]turn there, but I'm not 0:48:51.587,0:48:53.782 for the sake of time. 0:48:53.782,0:48:54.967 But read that account, 0:48:54.967,0:48:56.632 where the man owes the king 0:48:56.632,0:49:00.355 a great sum of money. 0:49:00.355,0:49:02.480 In his hypocrisy, he goes to strangle 0:49:02.480,0:49:09.104 and throw those who [br]owe him far less money. 0:49:09.104,0:49:10.830 In the same statement He used 0:49:10.830,0:49:12.826 in that other verse we looked at. 0:49:12.826,0:49:15.363 You won't get out until [br]you've paid the last penny. 0:49:15.363,0:49:17.577 And the implication there [br]is that some amount, 0:49:17.577,0:49:20.216 100 thousand talents - 0:49:20.216,0:49:22.675 you try to compare the [br]currencies on google 0:49:22.675,0:49:24.967 and you get all kinds [br]of conflicting results, 0:49:24.967,0:49:27.094 but it is a massive sum of money. 0:49:27.094,0:49:29.454 Well into the billions. 0:49:29.454,0:49:31.489 The idea Jesus is trying to get across 0:49:31.489,0:49:33.607 is you'll never pay it. 0:49:33.607,0:49:36.087 You're never getting out. 0:49:36.087,0:49:38.595 You go in with the unforgiveness, 0:49:38.595,0:49:39.785 you get in that prison, 0:49:39.785,0:49:42.003 you get locked up with [br]an unforgiving heart, 0:49:42.003,0:49:43.936 you're never getting out. 0:49:43.936,0:49:47.132 So while you're not in, let it go. 0:49:47.132,0:50:03.210 That's the message. 0:50:03.210,0:50:04.642 Jesus ends it by saying, 0:50:04.642,0:50:07.848 "So also My heavenly Father [br]will do to every one of you 0:50:07.848,0:50:11.366 who does not forgive your [br]brother from your heart." 0:50:11.366,0:50:13.388 Wow. 0:50:13.388,0:50:14.518 From the heart. 0:50:14.518,0:50:17.877 He's looking at the heart. 0:50:17.877,0:50:20.479 It kind of makes complaining, 0:50:20.479,0:50:21.975 a complaining brother or sister 0:50:21.975,0:50:26.098 rather insignificant, doesn't it? 0:50:26.098,0:50:28.260 It makes that seemingly large offense 0:50:28.260,0:50:31.995 not so large at all. 0:50:31.995,0:50:35.766 It kind of makes Jesus' [br]debt that He paid for me, 0:50:35.766,0:50:37.514 that He delivered me from 0:50:37.514,0:50:41.977 rather glorious. 0:50:41.977,0:50:43.873 It ought to provoke our minds 0:50:43.873,0:50:47.730 to start counting all of the [br]hundreds of thousands of talents 0:50:47.730,0:50:49.585 that have been tossed into the sea 0:50:49.585,0:50:51.984 of God's forgetfulness. 0:50:51.984,0:50:54.385 Sent away as it were 0:50:54.385,0:50:58.979 as far as the east is from the west. 0:50:58.979,0:51:02.306 (I'm sorry, that's the east and [br]that's the west, isn't it? 0:51:02.306,0:51:04.025 So far, the Scripture says, 0:51:04.025,0:51:08.084 has He removed our sins from us. 0:51:08.084,0:51:10.606 That truth ought to melt our hearts 0:51:10.606,0:51:14.835 into this charizomenoi - that Greek term - 0:51:14.835,0:51:16.954 that kindness and graciousness 0:51:16.954,0:51:19.390 and it should pour out into the lives 0:51:19.390,0:51:21.916 of God's people in [br]relationships with others. 0:51:21.916,0:51:23.639 There's so much more [br]that could be said 0:51:23.639,0:51:25.088 about the subject of forgiveness. 0:51:25.088,0:51:27.093 I just can't get it all in in one message. 0:51:27.093,0:51:28.515 But I do want to wrap up here 0:51:28.515,0:51:30.397 by just appealing to anybody, 0:51:30.397,0:51:33.240 anybody in here who might [br]be struggling with this 0:51:33.240,0:51:36.025 letting go of offenses. 0:51:36.025,0:51:39.897 Perhaps you are holding [br]a grudge against someone. 0:51:39.897,0:51:43.292 And you know if you are. 0:51:43.292,0:51:47.095 I encourage you to take [br]a fresh look at the cross. 0:51:47.095,0:51:50.525 And the wonderful person 0:51:50.525,0:51:54.092 who was nailed there to it. 0:51:54.092,0:51:58.130 For crimes far, far worse 0:51:58.130,0:52:01.088 than those you're holding on to. 0:52:01.088,0:52:03.813 I stand before you today as one 0:52:03.813,0:52:08.479 who wrestled and [br]struggled with forgiveness 0:52:08.479,0:52:11.237 at a very deep level. 0:52:11.237,0:52:13.203 And by God's grace alone, 0:52:13.203,0:52:16.182 through some of these realities [br]I'm sharing with you today, 0:52:16.182,0:52:20.580 the Lord was pleased [br]to help me through it. 0:52:20.580,0:52:22.546 And I'm convinced this is one of those 0:52:22.546,0:52:27.353 working out your salvation [br]with fear and trembling. 0:52:27.353,0:52:31.870 Forgiveness has to happen. 0:52:31.870,0:52:33.438 It has to be a reality. 0:52:33.438,0:52:41.436 It has to be worked [br]out within you or else. 0:52:41.436,0:52:42.833 Oh, how everying in our flesh 0:52:42.833,0:52:47.616 cries out for vengeance and self-pity. 0:52:47.616,0:52:52.422 We want people to know we were wronged! 0:52:52.422,0:52:54.376 We want payback for that 0:52:54.376,0:52:56.391 which made us suffer. 0:52:56.391,0:52:57.473 Listen to these words: 0:52:57.473,0:53:01.235 "Consider Him who endured from sinners 0:53:01.235,0:53:05.779 such hostility against Himself. 0:53:05.779,0:53:07.899 When He was reviled, 0:53:07.899,0:53:10.754 He didn't revile in return. 0:53:10.754,0:53:13.098 When He suffered, He did not threaten, 0:53:13.098,0:53:14.926 but continued entrusting Himself 0:53:14.926,0:53:17.829 to Him who judges justly." 0:53:17.829,0:53:22.671 That's how Jesus handled [br]the injuries of others. 0:53:22.671,0:53:25.126 He didn't throw a pity party. 0:53:25.126,0:53:27.151 He didn't hold a grudge. 0:53:27.151,0:53:30.385 He didn't broadcast it to others. 0:53:30.385,0:53:33.992 He knew His Father knew 0:53:33.992,0:53:37.729 and trusted Him. 0:53:37.729,0:53:40.527 And that was enough. 0:53:40.527,0:53:42.265 See, when we're wronged by others, 0:53:42.265,0:53:45.200 it answers the question: 0:53:45.200,0:53:52.007 just how precious and [br]sufficient is the Lord to me? 0:53:52.007,0:53:55.660 Is it enough that God knows I was wronged? 0:53:55.660,0:53:59.906 Or do I need to let others know about it? 0:53:59.906,0:54:02.582 That's a real test, isn't it? 0:54:02.582,0:54:08.835 Dying to our own woundedness. 0:54:08.835,0:54:12.859 Praise be to God the cross dispels it all. 0:54:12.859,0:54:16.193 I'm going to end by [br]quoting Isaiah 53 here. 0:54:16.193,0:54:17.497 Just listen to this: 0:54:17.497,0:54:22.277 This is what the Lord [br]Jesus subjected Himself to 0:54:22.277,0:54:26.674 for the sole purpose of forgiving sin. 0:54:26.674,0:54:28.667 "He was despised 0:54:28.667,0:54:30.905 and we esteemed Him not. 0:54:30.905,0:54:33.085 Surely, He has borne our griefs 0:54:33.085,0:54:35.502 and carried our sorrows, 0:54:35.502,0:54:37.639 yet we esteemed Him stricken, 0:54:37.639,0:54:41.809 smitten by God and afflicted. 0:54:41.809,0:54:46.485 He was pierced for our transgressions. 0:54:46.485,0:54:51.414 He was crushed for our iniquities. 0:54:51.414,0:54:54.329 Upon Him was the chastisement 0:54:54.329,0:54:57.379 that brought us peace, 0:54:57.379,0:55:02.715 and with His wounds, we are healed. 0:55:02.715,0:55:07.380 All we, like sheep, have gone astray. 0:55:07.380,0:55:10.768 We've turned every one to his own way. 0:55:10.768,0:55:13.296 And the Lord has laid on Him 0:55:13.296,0:55:16.586 the iniquity of us all. 0:55:16.586,0:55:19.019 He was oppressed 0:55:19.019,0:55:21.236 and He was afflicted. 0:55:21.236,0:55:22.917 He opened not His mouth, 0:55:22.917,0:55:25.793 like a lamb is led to the slaughter, 0:55:25.793,0:55:28.578 like a sheep that before [br]its shearers is silent, 0:55:28.578,0:55:34.905 so He opened not His mouth." 0:55:34.905,0:55:37.955 That reality afresh within our minds 0:55:37.955,0:55:41.408 helps us die to our own woundedness. 0:55:41.408,0:55:45.421 That reality when it's registered within 0:55:45.421,0:55:48.949 helps kill an unforgiving heart. 0:55:48.949,0:55:50.855 Thank you. 0:55:50.855,0:55:56.114 Father, we ask You to [br]bless Your Word to us. 0:55:56.114,0:56:00.178 We thank You for being [br]such a forgiving God. 0:56:00.178,0:56:02.361 Oh, that those that know it not 0:56:02.361,0:56:04.093 might know it today. 0:56:04.093,0:56:05.733 We pray in Jesus' name, 0:56:05.733,0:56:06.573 Amen.