God’s Measurement

How does God measure us?

What does God require of us?

God’s Measuring Stick

The tale of

Matthew

Matthew 6:11-15 11 Give us today our daily bread.  12 Forgive

us our sins,       just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.  13 Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted.    Save us from the evil one.'

 14 "Forgive people when they sin against you. If you do, your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Cause and Effect

As we develop forgiveness in our hearts then we can then receive God’s forgiveness

God’s forgiveness is conditional: in that we must forgive others first.

Why is this?

Unforgiveness leads to our heart being full of hurt and bitterness.

If our hearts are full of this then God’s pure love can not fill our hearts.

It is like trying to mix oil with water.

Does this mean we let people sin against us and suffer in silence?

NO!

This will lead to anger, bitterness and resentment.

Out of mutual growth and maturity (Prov: 27:17) we need to let the other person know what they are doing so that they are given a chance to stop hurting you.

Matthew 18: 15-18

A Brother Who Sins Against YouIf your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Sounds Harsh

However if someone is intent on hurting others once they are made aware of the pain they are causing them, then this is not accidental but malice.

What if I don’t see what I do as sin but God’s will? Isn’t it their problem?

Romans 14: 13-21

No, it is our problem. For if we continue to do something that destroys someone else’s faith (whether right or wrong) then we have no love for our brother and we miss the point of our faith and relationship with God.

ForgivenessPart Two

Psychology Today

I’ve seen individuals, for example, who have lost a family member because of a crime. The survivors’ anger and desire for revenge poison their entire beings. They so focus on what they’ve lost, and what they wanted the dead person to be, and do, for them, that they completely miss the opportunity they’ve been given to learn about real love. Instead, they seem to believe that hatred, even to the point of capital punishment, will satisfy their thirst for vengeance and will somehow bring them healing. 

So, with hardened hearts and stiff lips, they say, “I’ll never forgive.” And the sad thing is that in wishing to send someone to hell they end up sending themselves there as well.

Hamama-Raz, Y., Solomon, Z., Cohen, A., & Laufer, A. (2008). PTSD symptoms, forgiveness, and revenge among Israeli Palestinian and Jewish Adolescents. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 21, 521–529. See p. 527:   

Journal of Traumatic Stress Cont.

“Thus, when inability to forgive and the need to take vengeance are entrenched within the social texture, their malignant influence over these youths’ mental health may be intensified. Forgiveness, on the other hand, was found to mediate the relationship between PTSD and hostility and to be associated with decreased depression and anxiety.”PSTD = Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Forgiveness Film

Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation — “After a murder, victims’ families face two things: a death and a crime. At these times, families need help to cope with their grief and loss, and support to heal their hearts and rebuild their lives. From experience, we know that revenge is not the answer.”

Matthew 18: 19-20

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

What are we asking for?

Forgiveness!   (Matthew 18:15-18)

Binding Sin and releasing Forgiveness.

Matthew 18: 19-20

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Why two or three??

Two people to forgive each other the third to mediate if needed.

Matthew 18: 21-22

   The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Why is Peter asking this?

   Surely we want people to know how they are hurting us so that they can stop and receive forgiveness.

When you tell your brother what they are doing that is sinning against you, you also must be prepared to forgive them and let go of the pain regardless of their response.

However sometimes we want to hold onto the pain so that we can be justified in our hate towards the other person. Letting go of the hate feels like we are letting them off for what they have done to us. It doesn’t feel Just.E.g. Suzie in “The lovely Bones”

Jesus’ Response

   Jesus wants us to forgive, to release us from a prison of bitterness and pain.

We must not let someone else’s actions (whether right or wrong) rob us of our joy.

E.g. Adam in “Rev”

Matthew 18: 23-27

    Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.’ The servant's master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go.

Matthew 18: 28-31

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow- servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.His fellow- servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

Matthew 18: 32-35

Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow- servant just as I had on you?’In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.

And Finally

Action Points:

Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive,

Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive,

Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive….

The Lord’s Prayer

 " 'Our Father in heaven,    may your name be honored.   May your kingdom come.    May what you want to happen be done       on earth as it is done in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins,  just as we also have

forgiven those who sin against us. Keep us from falling into sin when we are

tempted.    Save us from the evil one.'

Please feel free to ask for prayer