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Maybe
the best New Testament illustrations are found in the gospels of Mark
and John,
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. (NIV) Mark 1:17-18 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away . . . (NIV) John 10:12 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. (NIV) Mark 14:6 That is forgiveness - abandoning your fish net full of hurtful memories
and running away from them. Forgiveness is a choice - a decision. It
is deciding to leave the memory of the person who “caused” the
hurt alone . . . Have you made the decision to forget and not dwell on
your hurts and replace them with love for your offender?
The martyr Stephen is a great example of forgiveness as
he was being stoned to death,
And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (NASB) Acts 7:60 He did not become angry and protest. He forgave them. Do you see that
forgiveness is not warm “fuzzies?” It is no longer holding
them responsible and choosing to abandon the memory. Is there someone
you keep remembering who hurt you in the past? Do you recount how they
hurt you over and over again? If so, you have not forgiven them.
Considerations. Some have a distorted concept
of forgiveness and accept the world’s idea of forgiveness. 1 Corinthians
5:1-13 tells about a son who was having sex with his mother. They sinned.
This was not just a personal offense, but sin in the church. Paul, the
apostle, rebukes the church members because they did nothing about it.
They “let it alone.” It is possible someone was saying, “We
need to forgive them” or “I need to love them.”
This is not Jesus’ concept of love and forgiveness.
Forgiveness is required when YOU have been personally offended. The church
members had the wrong concept. So Paul tells them,
And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might be removed from your midst. (NASB) 1 Corinthians 5:2 Does Paul take a non-judgmental approach? No, he tells the church they
have sinned and to remove the offenders if they do not stop (1 Cor. 5:13)!
Matthew 18:15-20 provides Jesus’ guidelines for helping those who
sin to stop. Galatians 6:1 tells us that we need to be gentle. Later
in 2 Corinthians 2, Paul tells the church to forgive and comfort them
after they repent - when they stop sinning.
Conclusion. When Jesus told the crowd on
the hillside, “if you forgive men . . . your heavenly Father will
forgive you,” He is not talking about earning our forgiveness.
He is talking about the fact that those who have been forgiven are the
ones who are forgiving others (Luke 11:4).
. . . in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (NASB) Colossians 1:14 Jesus says that Christians forgive much because He has already forgiven
ALL of our sins,
. . . but he who is forgiven much, loves much. (NASB) Luke 7:47 paraphrased Has Jesus forgiven you? If so, He has forgiven your past, present and
future sins and promises to not remember them (Isa. 43:25). He could
remember your sins if He wanted to since He is all knowing, but He has
chosen to not remember your sins. It is His promise.
So who has offended you? Who are you remembering? Are you
like Stephen? No insults, no threats, no protests, but only forgetfulness!
Jesus wants you to empty your fishing net of hurtful memories into the
sea of no-memories and to express your love . . .
Praise God for forgiveness! |
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| Sermon on the Mount | |||||
