CRCF””3/29/09
Oxygen for the Soul
Matthew 18:11-35
Introduction””Let”™s have a contest. How long can you hold your breath? Everyone raise your hand and hold it up for as long as you can hold your breath. Ready? 1, 2, 3””HOLD.
Oxygen. Without it, we will die in just minutes. Or, if the quality of the air we breathe is compromised, it can become difficult to breath because the oxygen content is diminished””like when we”™re close to a fire and there”™s a lot of smoke in the air. Or, if there are poisonous gases that replace the oxygen and suddenly our lungs are not just starved for oxygen, but actually attacked by chemicals that destroy the capacity of our lungs.
We were watching The Unit last night””a show about an elite Special Forces Black Ops team. The small town where they were all stationed was suddenly under attack by terrorists. Suddenly, the citizens of the town (including The Unit and their families) couldn”™t breathe. Kids were passing out on the soccer field and in the hallways of the schools. Grown men and women were falling down in the parking lots at work coming back from their lunch break. It was mass pandemonium and fear. Chloride gas had been released through the water system of a town, infiltrating the community through any water spigot in use, as well as being sprayed into the air by sprinkler systems across time. The gas permeated the air and scores died. The Unit saved many lives and then went to work to stop the release of the gas.
We must have oxygen in order to live through even the next 5 minutes.
As we look at Matthew 18:11-35, Jesus wants us to come away understanding this truth:
Forgiveness is oxygen for the soul.
Without it, our souls suffocate and become weak and eventually die. With it, our souls breathe easy and live with strength.
4 Truths about forgiveness:
1. The Father Pursues Us with Forgiveness.
(11-14, NKJV)
The sheep who has wandered away represents all of us before God saved us, when we were living our way in sin.
The Father pursues us with His forgiveness in Jesus! The Shepherd takes the initiative to find the sheep, NOT the other way around. What a loving and gracious and forgiving God””whose forgiveness initiates!
Romans 5:6,8”” “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners . . . But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
John 6:44””“For people can”™t come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws them to Me . . . .”
Jesus forgave . . .
The woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11)
The woman who anointed his feet with oil
(Luke 7:44-50)””another slut, by the way!
The criminal on the cross (Luke 23:39-43)””we”™ll see Jesus interact with this guy, who had done all manner of junk, in a few minutes during Communion).
The people who crucified Him (Luke 23:34)
The Father pursues us with His forgiveness in Jesus!
First, and foremost, GOD”™S forgiveness is oxygen for our souls! Without it, we suffocate in the guilt of our own sin.
But praise His name, the Father pursues us with His forgiveness in Jesus! (By the way, if you”™re here this morning, listening to this message and you haven”™t received the gift of God”™s forgiveness””make no mistake, the Father is right now pursuing YOU with that forgiveness that can be yours through simple faith in Jesus!)
2. I Must Forgive Others like the Father has Forgiven Me. (21-35, NLT)
“The rabbis taught that people should forgive those who offend them””but only three times. Peter, trying to be especially generous, asked Jesus if seven (the “perfect” number) was enough times to forgive someone.” But Jesus”™ answer made it clear “that we shouldn”™t even keep track of how many times we forgive someone. We should always forgive those who are truly repentant, no matter how many times they ask” (Life Application Bible, 1572).
How do YOU do in the forgiveness department?
“Because God has forgiven all our sins, we should not withhold forgiveness from others. Realizing how completely Christ has forgiven us should produce a free and generous attitude of forgiveness toward others. When we don”™t forgive others, we are setting ourselves outside and above Christ”™s law of love” (Life Application Bible, 1573).
Ephesians 4:31-5:2”””Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Follow God”™s example in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and
gave Himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins.”
It is not insignificant that is was PETER who asked this question about forgiveness, prompting this parable from Jesus. Peter would soon deny three times that he even knew Jesus””and cuss those who so accused him! And, in another amazing act of grace, another occasion of forgiveness pursuing the one who had sinned against Jesus””John 21 tells us of how Jesus initiated the encounter and then graciously extended His forgiveness to Peter, who humbly received it!
I must forgive others like the Father has forgiven me.
And, moreover, . . .
3. I Must Pursue Others with Forgiveness Like the
Father Does. (15-20, NLT)
I waited to look at this part of the passage because we HAVE to see these principles in context.
“These are Jesus”™ guidelines for dealing with those who sin against us. They were meant for (1) Christians, not unbelievers, (2) sins committed against you and not others, and (3) conflict resolution in the context of the church, not the community at large. Jesus”™ words are not a license for a frontal attack on every person who hurts or slights us . . . They are designed to reconcile those who disagree so that all Christians can live in harmony” (Life Application Bible, 1572).
So, what is the context I mentioned a moment ago? What do we find sandwiching these verses in from both sides?
Forgiveness””both the Father”™s (11-14) and the way we”™re to forgive others (21-35). That is NOT by accident!
In fact, Jesus”™ principles for relating to one another are what prompted Peter”™s question about forgiveness. Peter understood that Jesus was teaching us to pursue others with forgiveness just like the Father does!
The heartbeat of verse 15-20 is just that””we go to the one who offends us with a heart of forgiveness toward them concerning whatever the offense, desiring with all of our heart to have the relationship reconciled. But, just like God never forces anyone to accept His gift of grace and forgiveness, we can”™t force reconciliation in any relationship. A person must acknowledge that they have sinned against God and need a Savior, need forgiveness before he/she can accept God”™s free gift of forgiveness through faith in Jesus””it”™s not automatic, because God wants a relationship with us, not our religious performance/conformity!
A relationship is always a 2-way street””or it is no relationship!
And so, we are to work for reconciliation when things go wrong in our relationships. And notice””we”™re to keep the whole process as private as possible, because, again, the goal is forgiveness/reconciliation, not humiliation of the person.
Yes, this passage deals with what has been called “Church Discipline”””if the person won”™t listen to you, or even you and a couple of other believers, then the church must be involved, Jesus says. But again””the clear context and atmosphere is that of forgiveness that pursues the offender and wants reconciliation more than anything! So that as church leadership gets involved, that should still be the focus and attitude. And hopefully, the person will feel God”™s love and forgiveness through us and be reconciled!
Matthew 18:17 (from The Message): “If he won”™t listen to the church, you”™ll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God”™s forgiving love.”
Only when the person refuses to receive forgiveness (and, obviously, acknowledge their fault) does the church take action and “treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector”. What does that look like? Well, first off, it means making it clear that the person is no longer regarded as a member of the body of Christ””BECAUSE he/she is not acting like the Father and is ignoring the grace/forgiveness being offered to them. But, I believe, that it also means that we continue to relate to that person very intentionally. Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and sinners””He spent most of His time with thieves and sluts and liars, seeking to extend God”™s grace to them! And so, we should do the same! In this case, it would probably need to be someone other than the one who was offended and started the whole process. Someone else in the church could probably be more effective in winning the unrepentant person back.
James 5:19-20”” “My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God”™s truth, don”™t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.” (The Message)
I must pursue others with forgiveness like the
Father does!
And, therefore, . . .
4. Our Church must be an Intentional Safehouse
of Forgiveness and Reconciliation.
Together, we must be committed to relating to each other this way! The church is to be a place filled with God”™s oxygen for the soul. We ought to always be able to come to the Body of Christ for a breath of fresh air””for a new dose of God”™s forgiveness! We should have relationships that don”™t pretend to be perfect, but rather are committed to persevere through offenses with relentless forgiveness that pursues reconciliation, no matter the offense!
Conclusion””Just like the terrorists in that episode of The Unit, the world in which we live seeks to poison our souls by infusing bitterness and anger and unforgiveness into every breath we take. Our own flesh/sinful nature will naturally give off toxic gases that will destroy your soul”™s lungs and suffocate the life of the Spirit in your heart, if you let it. This morning, Jesus wants to purge the air you breathe and breathe into your soul the life-giving oxygen of forgiveness!
Will you let Him?
The Lord”™s Supper
A celebration of our common commitment to pursue unity through active forgiveness in the Spirit of Christ.
READ 1 Corinthians 11:27-30
VIDEO””“My Jesus”, Todd Agnew
READ 1 Corinthians 11 concerning the Elements
Serve Yourselves at the Table