Sermon - Things We Need... Forgiveness - Littleby Baptist Church - February 28, 2021
The Things We Need… Wisdom helps us to know that we needed the Things We Need… Conviction, and they both help us to know that we need Forgiveness.
“9 “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” – Matthew 6:9-13
Forgiveness is something that we Need from God, it is something we need from others, but it is also something that we Need to give to others. The Lord’s Prayer, one of the most memorized pieces of Scripture, tells us that we are Forgiven and that we Need to Forgive others. Jesus explains this in the verses that follow the prayer.
“14 “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. 15 But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.” – Matthew 6:14-15
These verses are not telling us that our salvation is based on us Forgiving others. What Jesus was explaining to those with Him, was that as we realize just how much our Lord has Forgiven us it becomes much easier to Forgive others. On top of that, the more the Holy Spirit is at work in us the more open we will be to Forgiving those who have hurt us.
The Things We Need… Forgiveness is more than saying the words, it is something that Needs to come from our hearts.
“12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.” – Colossians 3:12-13
When I read these words about how I am to Forgive just as the Lord has Forgiven me, I am Humbled. Our Lord willingly was humiliated, took a beating, and climbed up on the cross so that I could be Forgiven. Even today, knowing how much of a sinner I am, our Lord would willingly climb on that cross once again for me. Our Savior Jesus willingly died for us. He knew we were not worthy, but He is looking forward to spending an eternity with us.
As we look at the Things We Need… Forgiveness we need to remember that our Lord did not begrudgingly climb on that cross. His paying of our debt was not halfhearted or lip service. When our Lord acted to Forgive us, He went above and beyond to give of Himself. His sacrifice was more than enough to cover every sin of every person who ever lives. The Forgiveness offered through Jesus is complete.
As a follower of Jesus, when we Forgive someone it needs to be sincere, it needs to be complete.
In Second Samuel starting in chapter thirteen, we find a tragic story that is compounded by the lack of and insincere Forgiveness.
“13 Some time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David’s son Amnon was infatuated with her. 2 Amnon was frustrated to the point of making himself sick over his sister Tamar because she was a virgin, but it seemed impossible to do anything to her.” – 2nd Samuel 13:1-2
Amnon was obsessed with Tamar, Absalom’s sister, and his own half-sister. Amnon eventually had his way with Tamar and immediately discarded her. When Absalom found out what had happened, he was furious and refused to speak to his brother.
“21 When King David heard about all these things, he was furious. 22 Absalom didn’t say anything to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon since he disgraced his sister Tamar.” – 2nd Samuel 13:21-22
King David and Absalom were both angry. Eventually Absalom puts a plan into action and gets his revenge by murdering Amnon and then he fled the kingdom and lived in Geshur for three years.
“23 So Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 However, the king added, “He may return to his house, but he may not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his house, but he did not see the king.” – 2nd Samuel 14:23-24
After some time and some convincing King David agrees that Absalom should be allowed to return home and summons him but still, he could not face him. Absalom repeatedly asked to see his father and finally after being home for two years did the king allow Absalom to see him.
“33 Joab went to the king and told him. So David summoned Absalom, who came to the king and paid homage with his face to the ground before him. Then the king kissed Absalom.” – 2nd Samuel 14:33
Father and son were eventually re-united, the king showed forgiveness to his son, but it was to too little too late. The king let Absalom stew in his anger at what his brother had done, his anger that his father and king did not deal with the situation, and the bitterness that would have crept in from being isolated. Things continued to spiral out of control.
In chapter fifteen we see that Absalom was building an army and turned the people of Israel against his father. Absalom attacked Jerusalem and David fled. In chapters sixteen through nineteen, David continued to run as his son chased him around the country. Eventually things come to a head and Absalom is killed. David loved his son and was hopeful of a reconciliation, but Absalom’s anger grew, and it became all consuming.
I believe Absalom had every right to be mad at his father for his lack of action against Amnon, as a father and a king. I am sure Absalom was hurt by his father keeping him away for those five years, which allowed that anger to fester and grow. Even though Absalom threw himself at his father’s feet, he never forgave him. A tragic story that hurt more people than it needed to.
This is an example that may have had a different result if some of them would have given the Things We Need… Forgiveness.
“3 Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” – Luke 17:3-4
When a person repents or asks to be Forgiven, we are told by Jesus to Forgive them. While these verses talk about Forgiving them seven times, the meaning behind them is much greater than that. Jesus is telling us that we need to offer complete Forgiveness regardless of how many times someone sins against us and repents for what they did. There should be no limit to the Things We Need… Forgiveness.
David and Absalom gave us an example that should serve as a warning, but Scripture also gives us an example that portrays how complete our Things We Need… Forgiveness is supposed to be.
“11 He also said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.” – Luke 15:11-13
Jesus is telling a story of a man and his two sons. The younger of his sons asked for his inheritance and then took off. He went off and lived foolishly, it would be safe to say he spent all he had living the ‘high life’. We might think of that wild actor or musician who is throwing raging parties and sleeping around (see verse 30). The younger sons chosen lifestyle was probably a slap in the face to his father and probably hurt in ways that only a parent can understand.
The son lived that wildlife style and then everything came collapsing down around him.
“14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything.” – Luke 15:14-16
Talk about hitting rock bottom. Here was a guy who had a nice life living with his father. He probably never had to worry about where his next meal was going to come from. Then he lived the highlife. He ate better than most and probably did not think about what was wasted, then he hits rock bottom and would be happy to eat the garbage thrown to the pigs.
“17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.”’ – Luke 15:17-19
In the context of Repentance and Forgiveness, when I read these verses, I see a man who has truly had a change of heart. Here is a man who is truly repentant for the choices he has made and the actions that followed.
“20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’” – Luke 15:20-21
The son repents and the father Forgives. We saw a similar scene between David and his son when Absalom returned after being in exile for three years. Absalom was kept at a distance for a couple of more years, but this father responded much differently.
“22 “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.” – Luke 15:22-24
The father’s response goes beyond just being happy to see his son once again. It goes beyond putting the son in his ‘new’ position as something less than he was before. This is complete restoration; it is a great example of the Things We Need… Forgiveness.
The father gave his wayward son three gifts that each point to how complete the Forgiveness was.
The son had essentially been living on the streets and traveled a long way. We could safely say that he did not smell the best, was wearing clothing with holes in it, and was covered in filth. The father gave his son the ‘best robe’ and when it was placed on his shoulders the past was wiped away and all was Forgiven. Complete Forgiveness like we find when we turn to Jesus, repent of our sins, and choose Him as our Lord and Savior.
The robe signified Forgiveness, but there is Forgiving someone and then there is Forgiving someone. I for one have chosen to Forgive someone but never let them real close. We should ask ourselves when we do that, are we Forgiving like David or Absalom or Forgiving like the prodigal son’s father? This father is truly Forgiving his son as can be seen by the second gift he gives him, ‘a ring on his finger.’
The ring goes beyond the recognition of someone repenting. The ring represents complete restoration. With the ring he was given, the son once again was a representative of his family. If he entered an agreement with another to buy, sell, or trade something it was binding. Talk about trust and Forgiveness.
The third thing the father gave his Forgiven son was ‘sandals on his feet’. These would serve as a reminder to him and those who saw him that he was no longer some wayward son, he was Forgiven and Restored. He was no longer identified by his mistakes, but as one restored to his rightful place as a son.
The father in this parable could have easily resented his youngest son for taking the money and squandering it. He could have let the hurt blind him from his son’s repentance. The father could have easily accepted him back as a servant, a person who was allowed around but not truly Forgiven.
Instead, the son repented, and the father Forgave him. It was not a partial Forgiveness, it was not half-hearted, it was complete. The father forgiving his wayward son is a perfect example of The Things We Need… Forgiveness. It is a mirror of the Forgiveness that is offered to each of us through the sacrifice our Lord has given for us. The Forgiveness that is given to us as we Repent and give our lives to Jesus. The Forgiveness that completely restores us to our rightful place in the family of God.
“32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” – Ephesians 4:32
Our God has shown us compassion by providing a path to Forgiveness through our Lord Jesus. In that same fashion we need to show compassion to others and Forgive those who have hurt us.
The Things We Need… Forgiveness is something we Need form our Lord and is something we Need to give to others.
God Bless,
Robert
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