*AGE OF DECEIT* (FULL) Fallen Angels and the New World Order

Are you Spirit-Filled?

SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVERS

August 22, 2016

SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVERS – Have you ever thought of yourself as an “artesian well” for Jesus? Probably not. But if you are obeying Paul’s command to continually “be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18–note), you are functioning spiritually much like an artesian well functions geophysically! How so? Paul reminded Timothy “You have not been given a spirit of fear but of power and love and sound mind.” (2 Ti 1:7–note). The word for “power” is dunamis which gives us our English words dynamo, dynamic, etc. Dunamis speaks of power which is residing in believers by virtue of our new nature – new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17–note). The “effecting Agent” of that power is of course the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8–note) Who dwells in us now and forever throughout eternity! (1 Cor 3:16, John 14:16) Hallelujah! Paul was telling Timothy in essence “you are to live this new life in Christ not in dependence on your own natural strength, but in dependence on the power (dunamis) provided by the Spirit Who dwells in you!”

C H Spurgeon put it this way regarding our power versus God’s power:

Power in the creature is like water in the cistern.
Power in the Creator is like water in the fountain.

Spurgeon’s comment reminds me of the geophysical dynamics which give power to an artesian well (see diagram below). The artesian well flows freely because of the power of pressure from water at higher levels. What a practical picture of the power of the Holy Spirit flowing to us and through us “with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49).

What does an artesian well have to do in order to function effectively?

TWO THINGS:

(1) Stay low! Spiritually this is not even subtle – “God is opposed to (“stiff arms”) the proud, but gives grace (cp “Spirit of grace” in Heb 10:29–note) to the humble.” (James 4:6–note). So the message is “Stay humble!” Understand that in order to daily experience His power to live a supernatural life (e.g., to break the chains of addiction – Ro 6:11-note, Ro 7:6-note, Ro 8:13-note, to love our wife continually as Christ loved the Church – Eph 5:25-note, to continually let no unwholesome word proceed from our mouth – Eph 4:29-note, etc, etc), we have to continually humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6-note).

(2) Stay “open!” We have to allow the flow of the Spirit to keep flowing. Sin impedes the flow of the Spirit (grieves Him – Eph 4:30–note, quenches Him – 1Thes 5:19–note), so we need to be sensitive when we have offended Him by our thoughts, words or deeds, and we need to confess and repent (1John 1:9–note). Proverbs 28:13–note says “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes (~”repents of”) them will find compassion.”

AND WHAT IS THE RESULT?

Amazing grace flows down from on high and as our Lord Jesus Christ promised, from our “innermost being shall flow rivers of living water” as the Spirit’s flow of power is unimpeded and unhindered! ( Jn 7:37-39–note).

Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China, affirmed this axiomatic truth declaring

“Depend upon it. God’s work done in God’s way will never lack supplies. All God’s giants have been weak men (and women) who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them. God uses men (and women) who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him.” (cp 2 Cor 12:9-10–note)

THIS BEGS TWO QUESTIONS:

(1) Am I daily leaning on Him, humbling myself before God, yielding myself to Him as a living and holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1–note), fully cognizant that it is not by my power or my might, but by His Spirit (Zech 4:6), that I will be enabled to live a supernatural, abundant life in Christ? (John 10:10)

(2) Am I “keeping short accounts?” We all sin daily, and just as we need to bathe daily to cleanse the dirt from our body, we need to confess daily to cleanse the sin from our soul. (cp John 13:10)

John promises that “if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7–note) Thank You Jesus!

Oh Father, our simple prayer is “let the river flow” through Your children so that we might experience the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, our blessed Fountain of Living Water (Jer 2:13, John 4:10). Amen

We have not because we ask not (James 4:2)…

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in light of the growing spiritual darkness in America, the Church of Jesus Christ needs to experience a flowing river of Biblical Holy Spirit power!

So take a few minutes to allow God to move and ask Him in song to “Let the River Flow.”

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

Recommendation: Check out our newly rebuilt website – Preceptaustin.org– which has the equivalent of over 50,000 “8 x 11 sized” pages of conservative, “Bibliocentric” resources (commentaries, sermons, verse by verse exposition, sermon illustrations, devotionals, etc).

Share this:

• Twitter
• Facebook3

Be still, and know that I am God (HD)

Could the USA still fall?

Maybe, it all depends upon it's people. Or, have we crossed the line to no return? Read this fine article from Pastor Jeffries.


http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/71516/20171023/robert-jeffress-warns-americas-collapse-inevitable-implosion-coming.htm

Prayer for your Mind (Do not listen to the Lies in the World)

Heavenly Father, 

We honor and bow to you this morning. We give you our deep heartfelt thanks for your love, your faithfulness, never leaving us. Always hearing us when we come to you. We love you Lord. 

Your word reminds us that you have not given us a spirit of fear, but you have given us a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. So many times Lord, you have told us not to fear, not to worry but to trust in God! We choose to lean on you above all else. Above the worries and lies in the world, above what man says. We choose not to conform ourselves to what we hear in the media, we choose not to agree with their negative statements or propaganda. We choose to rest in you. We choose your perfect peace instead. We thank you for the renewing of our minds, so we can discern that which is right and good, we know your will. You have said that we have the mind of Christ. How we rejoice in this! We deliberately pull our minds up and choose to rest upon the grace that has been given to us and brought to us by the revelation of your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for your hope. We praise you with all of our spirit and souls oh Father!  

We thank you for the power of your love! For it is this love that casts out all fear! We forgive any offenses that we see and hear and put down all anger and choose to seek you first. We choose not to even give them room in our minds or hearts. We choose life over death! We choose love and faith over fear and forgiveness over torment. 

We thank you for your never-ending revelations of discernment given to those who love you. We thank you for your Word, for never giving up on us. We thank you for your strong arms, your insight, your word that will never pass away. 

We ask Father that you would continue to renew our hearts and our minds. We ask that your word would continue to go deep down inside of us and give us your spirit of remembrance in time of meditation and need. Father, we ask in these times we would glorify your name. Oh Father your word says you are a Spirit. You are love. Help us to love in the way your Son does. Give us your strength to give ourselves with your power and might. To give with your love, to give unselfishly. Help us Father to put our priorities in proper order. 

We choose to look at everything through your Spirit and Truth. With your help we will hear your voice in a clearer and more precise way. We willingly stir up the gifts that you have given to us inside as we continue to step out in faith, in your will. Thank you Father. 

We thank you for sending many counselors our way to speak your direction and will. We ask that you would strengthen their hearts as they continue on in their journey. 

We praise you for your Holy Spirit and the Comfort He continues to give to us and those we love. We ask that He never leave us. We ask that He would prepare us to be stronger for the battles up ahead. Thank you Father.

We choose to meditate upon those things that are just, pure, lovely, good report, virtue and those things that are praise worthy. We choose to put all lies, all propaganda, worldly affairs buried under our feet!

We deliberately choose to keep our minds totally stayed upon your goodness because we trust in you completely and accept your perfect peace. 

We ask that you minister to all the gentle seeking hearts that have prayed this prayer and give them a renewed encouragement of hope, faith and love they need. Bring them up and out to be those mighty Warriors of Faith you have called them to be. Keep their families safe and fill their hearts with your joy, so they can glorify you wherever they go and whatever they do. 

In Jesus I pray  Amen

Instrumental Celtic Hymns | Harp, Flute, Strings, & Orchestra

A little bit on the political side

Next time you are told that the first 100 days of Trump were nothing but lies and backtracking, read this to them. He is doing an amazing job.

REMEMBER THIS LIST IS IN HIS FIRST 100 DAYS. IF YOU KNOW ANOTHER ACCOMPLISHMENT OUR PRESIDENT HAS DONE PLEASE COMMENT IT FOR OTHERS TO SEE.

• Won the election in a landslide 306 to 232
• Republicans won the house majority
• Republicans won the senate majority
• Approx. 30 executive orders so far, more than any president in the first 100 days. 
• Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipeline were both approved (great for energy independence and American jobs)
• Promised to cut funding to sanctuary cities
• Hired thousands more border and immigration agents, toughening immigration enforcement.
• Got rid of the “catch and release” illegal immigrant rule that Obama had
• Fulfilled promise of a 5 year-ban on officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government, and a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government.
• Decreasing regulation: signed executive order instructing agencies that whenever they introduce a regulation, they must first abolish two others.
• Exposed the migrant issue in Sweden and Europe. 
• A 298,000 net job increase in February (in contrast to the 135k estimate)
• The official unemployment rate decreased to a new low of 4.7 percent
• Ford, Intel, Walmart, Sprint, Charter Communications, Carrier, and DOZENS of other companies invested more than $150B into America and a combined 400,000 American jobs over next few years 
• Signed a resolution encouraging women in entrepreneurship
• Since November 8th, the Stock Market has posted $3.2 trillion in GAINS and hit 24 CONSECUTIVE record highs – it has never been this high in history, ever! 
• Consumer confidence is at a 15 year high.
• Delivered Joint Session to congress – “Best presidential moment in history” – Van Jones
• CEO's most optimistic since 2009
. 
• Tax cuts coming soon 
• Healthcare is coming along, republicans and democrats are compromising on solutions.
• Signed an executive order on energy independence.
• American Manufacturing Survey Showing Highest Level of Optimism in 20 Years with a 35% increase from the past highest level
• Was right about surveillance by Obama administration- Susan Rice unmasking story, FISA warrant granted to Obama based off of the fake and debunked “Russian dossier” from Buzzfeed
• Airstrike at Syrian base which shot the chemical weapons, to teach the world our values and punish those who violate international law.
• Supreme court judge Neil Gorsuch approved, despite the UNJUSTIFIED filibuster (100% of democrats accepted Gorsuch in 2006, he has an incredible background with immense experience and knowledge). Approving a SCOTUS has never happened within the first 100 days of any President!
• In response to Trump, China returns North Korean coal shipments, AND buys coal from the US instead!
• 263K jobs added in month of March - up from 180k expectation.
• Signed the Buy American Hire American executive order.
• Signed the Veterans Choice Program Extension and Improvement Act – more VA help coming soon
• Welcomed US citizen back to US after being in jail in Egypt for 3 years- shortly following President Trumps meeting with Egypt President, where he told him to bring her back to the US – Obama failed to bring her home
• Exports are a 2 year high.
• Home builder confidence at a record high
• Sanctioned Iran for their missile use
• National association of manufacturers highest confidence in 15 years. 
• Regulation cuts are saving taxpayers $17-19 billion annually (Wall Street Journal).
• Already deported thousands of illegal immigrants with serious criminal records. 
• Illegal border crossings are down 64% - A 17 year low!!!!!!! 
• Afghanistan bomb took out tunnels and killed 36 ISIS members - 0 civilians.
• Is donating 100% of his presidential salary
• 70% of Americans say that the Democratic party is out of touch with America
• 97% of voters say that they still support their vote for Trump
• This is just the first 95 days. There is 2920 days in an 8-year term.

Have you abandoned your faith?

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 1 Timothy 4:1

Deceiving spirits lie to you. In these days we are living in, do not be deceived, they will do and say anything to discourage you from reading the word, believing the word and will even go to great lengths to whisper: "there are other ways to glory besides going through the son of God." Do not be deceived. They will try to discredit the Bible and call it archaic, old fashioned, contradictory and replace it with other beliefs such as: Buddhism, Zen, Hinduism, science, man's theories, false cults and watered down lukewarm doctrines that never use the word repentance. Those who do not believe in or care for the word repentance does not understand the power of becoming completely humble and emptied out. Repentance comes with unspeakable joy following. The joy of complete forgiveness in our souls is unmatchable in any other belief system.

Todays culture is turned inside out and upside down and the fallen church have chosen to embrace the spirit of deception that lies. The lies of the world are many and seem to make sense from time to time. There is a term we have all become familiar with, "The God of the Universe." In the same breath that person will take His name in vain and curse the Son of God. I sometimes think of that term and wonder if the speaker really knows "The God of the Universes."

If you happen to be a lover of knowledge, if not careful the deceiving spirits will use your hunger to know more about God to steer you away from the truth into a different direction. Knowledge lovers like myself will read almost everything if they feel they will gain more insight to the truth. They are the Learners in Christ. Whatever your weakness is can be used for bait to take you away from the real truth. Over eating and watching tv? Trying to please people instead of God? The indulgence of Self pity? Seducing spirits will keep you so introspect with your eyes enveloped upon yourself that you will miss God's words when He speaks to you.

Life? It is not about us! It is all about Him! Knowing Him and hearing Him and adoring Him! Remember the song: " Oh come all ye faithful - Oh come let us adore Him." I challenge you to ask your heart "are you faithful?" It is all about other people and trying not to hurt and offend others while we are here and treat them like we would like to be treated, yes like we treat ourselves. To try to see the best in those whom we are connected. To try to be kind when we are offended. People say things because they lack understanding. Notice I said try. It isn't easy.

These spirits promote everything that is against God's holiness. They take our children's innocent minds in public schools and teach them, there is no god, no right from wrong, no difference in gender and so much more. All these things are taught by demons.

As we look at our country we know our work is set before us. Some will faithfully intercede in prayer night and day, other hearts will be challenged to do good in this nation we are living in and work towards putting godly people back in power. Everyone has a constructive purpose and when fulfilled will cause far reaching godly affects for the next generation.

Here is the good news. There are a people who have thankful hearts who have refused to budge from God's grace. These people get stronger by the day and realize their power comes from the Holy Spirit. They realize it is He who enables them to live a life of faith and hang tightly to the promises of His word. They pray His Word and meditate upon His goodness upon their beds. Long ago, they have renounced any ties with these spirits and embraced the truth with boldness given to them by God. This is the Army of God who is unwilling to compromise their faith with the lies of the world. This is the true Bride of Christ. We gain strength through Him who first loved us before we knew Him and we also gain strength through prayer and the Warriors around us. And, throughout our testings we continue to gain strength by walking through the fire. Bless you.

To Forgive or not to Forgive

“The Forgiveness Imperative” – Matthew 18:21-35

I.    INTRODUCTION

A.  Three Things

1.   A little boy came to the Washington Monument and noticed a guard standing by it.

2.   He looked up at the guard and said, “I want to buy it.”

3.   The guard smiled, stooped down and said, “Well, how much do you have?”

4.   The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter.

5.   The guard said, “Sorry son, that's not enough.”

6.   The boy stuck his hand back into his pocket and brought out 9 cents more.

7.   The guard said, “You need to understand 3 things.”

a.   “First, 34 cents is not enough to buy the Washington Monument. In fact, $34 million is not enough.”

b.   “Second, the Washington Monument is not for sale.”

c.   “And third, if you’re an American citizen, the Washington Monument already belongs to you.”

8.   We need to understand three things about forgiveness.

a.   1^st - we can’t earn it.

b.   2^nd – it’s not for sale.

c.   & 3^rd – if we’ve received Christ, we already have it.

B.  One More Thing     

1.   And to that we must add one more thing; one more important truth that was often on the lips of Jesus as He taught the disciples –

2.   If we have truly been forgiven by God, we will be forgiving of others.

3.   If we have grasped the reality of & stand in God’s grace, then we will be gracious.

4.   To receive mercy means we’re merciful.

5.   Our study today is centered on a story Jesus told that was meant to make this crystal clear.

II.   TEXT

A.  V. 21

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

1.   As Peter had been following Jesus, he’d begun to start putting the pieces together on the radically new way of living Jesus was calling His followers to.

2.   One of the major themes of Jesus’ teaching was on mercy and compassion.

3.   Peter could see that Jesus just did not hold a grudge and that there wasn’t one shred of bitterness toward a single soul.

4.   So, thinking he’d grasped a central theme of Jesus’ teaching and what it meant to be one of His disciples, he comes with this question about forgiveness.

5.   Now, Peter thought he was being very generous here.

a.   the rabbis taught that you were to forgive someone who offended you 3 times,  but on the 4^th time, you could go after them.

b.   Peter, knowing how Jesus took the letter of the law and far surpassed it by applying it to the heart --

c.   took the rabbis 3 times to forgive, doubled it, and then added one for good measure and came up with 7, the number of perfection.

6.  Peter was surely expecting that Jesus would say to him as He had at Peter’s great confession He was the Christ in ch. 16, “At’a boy Peter!  Once again you’ve received enlightenment from above!”

7.   If that was Peter’s expectation, he was disappointed.

B.  V. 22

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

1.   It’s clear Jesus does not mean 490 times for who would or could keep such a tally?

2.   By taking Peter’s suggested 7 and multiplying it by 10 times 7, He means that forgiveness is not something he’s to measure out offence by offence, hurt by hurt, and insult by insult.

3.   Rather, Peter is NOT to count up or measure out forgiveness; he’s to stand in it!

4.   His relationship with others is to be characterized by forgiveness.

5.   He’s not to walk through life keeping a record of the wrongs done him and then drawing a line when those wrongs have reached some magic number.

6.   He’s to keep no record of wrongs, no inventory of hurt, no list of relationship accounts payable.

7.   To make this clear, Jesus told a parable.

C.  Vs. 23-34

²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

1.   Before we get deeper in to this, we need to understand something about parables.

a.   when Jesus told one, it was always to illustrate a single truth or principle about life in Him.

b.   parables are not elaborate stories meant to communicate all kinds of deep theological things.

c.   they’re simple, true to life illustrations of one thing, one point Jesus wants to get across to His followers.

d.   we err in our study of the parables when we make all the various parts of the story stand for different things and then go running off after them on a rabbit hunt.

e. the parables were told by Jesus in a specific context, and were meant to illustrate a specific lesson – to get across a singular truth.

2.   Such is the case here.  And that’s why Jesus begins this parable, as He does so many, with the words, “the kingdom of heaven is like . . . ”

a.   the Kingdom of heaven refers to the reign, the rule of God.

b.   it speaks, not of a geographical location with physical borders, but of a people over whom God rules as Sovereign Master & King.

c.   Jesus begins the parable this way because He wants the disciples to understand that to be ruled by God means to live with forgiveness as one of the primary operating principles of our lives.

d.   the kingdom of heaven is populated by a people who are not only forgiven, they are forgiving.

e.   forgiveness is to heaven what air is to earth.

²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

3.   As the setting for this parable, Jesus drew a story from one of the Gentile nations that bordered Israel.

a.   though this setting is from a Gentile court, it’s one the Jews would have well understood.

b.   there’s a king and the time has come for his court officials to come and give account.

c.   using the traditions of the day, they were probably tax-collectors who were responsible for collecting taxes from the various regions of the kingdom.

d.   it’s been some time since they’d come to settle accounts and one of the collectors has neglected his duties.

²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

4.   As soon as Jesus said this, the disciples’ mouths would have dropped open -- this was an astronomical amount!

a.   the annual tax collected in Galilee to support Herod was 200 talents!

b.   in Judea and Samaria, regions that were far more wealthy than poor & humble Galilee, the annual revenue was only 600 talents!

5.   The talent was a unit of weight and at this time would refer to silver because silver was the primary medium of monetary exchange.

a.   a talent is 75 lbs., so this guy owed some 750,000 lbs. of silver!

b.   that’s $4¾ million, and factoring in inflation, this guy’s debt was in the billions in today’s values!

6.   That’s the point Jesus was making – there was no way this man could pay what He owed – ever!  So -

²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.

7.   This is the way debts were settled in Gentile nations.

a.   if you fell into a debt you could not pay, all your possessions were confiscated and sold.

b.   and if this didn’t settle the debt, then you and your family were sold into slavery.

c.   the price for a slave at this time was about 3 years of the average person’s wage.

d.   so even if this man and his family were sold, they would mark hardly a dent in his debt.

²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’

8.   At this point the debtor-servant speaks up and with the most pathetic appeal asks for patience.

9.   If he’s just given some time, he can make amends and pay the debt, he claims.

10. Could he?  Of course not!  The debt is bigger than he could ever pay.

11. But this is his last chance and says anything to keep from suffering the fate that’s been decreed for him by the king.

12. This pathetic appeal brings forth a response of mercy on the part of his master.

²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

13. Note that – the king didn’t just delay the payment of the debt – he discharged it altogether.  He counted it as paid off.

a.   the words Jesus used here speak sending something away.

b.   the king released this guy of his debt, his responsibility for having to pay it was over!

14. At this point in the story, as the disciples listened – they would be stunned with the generosity of the king.

a.   if they were listening closely and had put themselves in the story as certainly they would,

b.   for Jesus was a master story-teller and that’s what a good story-teller does, he/she is able to make the story come alive so that you feel like you’re a part of it;

c.   then at this point, they would relate to the story as the forgiven servant,

d.   and they would be simply overwhelmed by the grace and mercy of the king.

e.   the sense of relief at being released from the debt, the sense of relief from the close call of judgment –

f.    why, it would all combine to fill them with joy and celebration!

15. But Jesus is not done with His story.  Everything so far has just been the preface, the set up for the real point of the parable.

²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii;

16. A denarius was a coin equal to about 16 cents and was the common man’s daily wage.

a.   a hundred denarii was about a hundred days worth of work,

b.   and while not insignificant, it was still a paltry sum compared to the vast fortune he’d just been forgiven of.

c.   in fact, that is the comparison Jesus wants the disciples to make –  a hundred denarii was a pittance compared to 10,000 talents.

17. In light of the servant’s being forgiven such a huge debt, he’s going to look at this guy who owes him this little amount and take the guy by the hand and say, “Brother – forget it!”  RIGHT?  That is what the disciples are thinking!

²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’

18. This man, coming out of the king’s presence debt-free, doesn’t take this guy who owes him a pittance by the hand to extend the same mercy, he takes him by the throat and demands that he pay up!”

19. At this turn in the story, the disciples who’re listening are outraged!

20. This just ought not be – this guy is clearly messed up and isn’t acting in a manner at all appropriate for someone who’s just enjoyed such an incredibly wonderful turn of good fortune in being dismissed from his debt.

21. Jesus takes this outrage of the disciples and weaves it in to the story.

²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.

22. This second debtor uses the identical words as the first man.

23. But there’s no compassion, no mercy this time.

24. Even though the payment of the debt was in fact highly likely, the man had the one who owed him thrown in to the debtor’s prison where he virtually ensured the debt would not be paid!

25. The other servants were stunned by this man’s actions and knew they were contrary to the king’s ways, so they told him what had happened.

³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

26. Which of course, was an impossible debt to pay, and certainly not going to be exacted by the tormentors over to whom he was turned.

27. As I said, a parable is meant to teach one lesson, one truth.

28. So now that we have a firm grasp on what’s taking place in the story itself – what IS the lesson Jesus wants the disciples to take away?

29. What does this parable teach us about what it means to live in the Rule of God and Reign of Christ?

30. Jesus makes it crystal clear in v. 35 . . .

D.  V. 35

³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

1.   It was a common practice among the Jews to refer to sin as a debt owed to God.

2.   Jesus taught us to prayer, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;” He was referring not to monetary debts but to moral and spiritual debts.

3.   In this parable, Jesus draws both a comparison and a contrast between the debt we owe to God, and the debts others owe us.

4.   God has forgiven us a debt we could never repay – our sins are a dark, ugly, heinous blot that could never be expunged by our own effort.

a.   any good deed we could ever do could never compensate for even the smallest sin,

b.   because any good thing we could do, would really be required of us anyway.

c.   as the James 4:17 says, 

To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

d.   so we could never make up for the sins we’ve committed by doing some good work.

e.   sin incurs a debt that must be paid, but we cannot pay it!

f.    there is only One who can – Jesus Christ.  That’s what the Cross is all about – it’s the place where our massive sin-debt was paid.

5.   Like the first man in the story, there comes a point at which we realize a reckoning is coming and we have a debt that has to be paid.

a.   we’re pained with the sudden revelation we cannot pay it, so we cry out to God for mercy.

b.   and mercy is what He shows – moved with compassion, He sends our debt away from us, just as the king did in this story.

c.   Psalm 103:12 • As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

d.   Micah 7:19 • He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.

e.   then He posts a sign, “No Fishing Allowed!”

6.   But Jesus wants His followers to understand that there’s a necessary follow through to the forgiveness we receive from God.

7.   It isn’t just something we receive, it’s something we must also extend.

8.   If we have TRULY entered the place of forgiveness before God, then it will be the ground we stand on before others as well.

9.   Like the first man in the parable – we must come to see things in the right perspective:

a.   our sins before God are of far greater seriousness and scope than any sin, hurt, offense or crime that has been committed against us.

b.   and if God could discharge our debt, then certainly we can discharge the debts owed us!

10. Years after her concentration camp experiences in Nazi Germany, Corrie ten Boom met one of the cruelest German guards she had ever known in prison.

a.   he had humiliated and degraded her and her sister.

b.   he had jeered & visually raped them as they stood in the delousing showers.

c.   now, years later, he stood before her with his hand outstretched and said, “Will you forgive me?”

d.   Corrie’s sister had died in the camp at the hands of men just like this.

e.   she said: “I stood there with coldness clutching at my heart, but I know that the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. I prayed, Jesus, help me! Woodenly, mechanically I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me and I experienced an incredible thing. The current started in my shoulder, raced down into my arms and sprang into our clutched hands. Then this warm reconciliation seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. ‘I forgive you, brother,’ I cried with my whole heart. For a long moment we grasped each other's hands, the former guard, the former prisoner. I have never known the love of God so intensely as I did in that moment!”

f.    to forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.

11. Jesus calls for us to forgive for the simple reason that He wants to destroy the works of the devil.    [1 John 3:8]

12. As the Savior, He wants to deliver us from sin, not just our sins, but the sins of others.

13. As long as we hold on to our hurts, as long as we cling to the offences committed against us and claim a right to exact revenge, the effect of the sin lives on!

14. Sin is defeated, not by getting even, but by forgiving.

15. Freedom is the birthright of every born again believer.  But unforgiveness is a self-imposed prison only we have the key to.

III.  CONCLUSION

A.  From The Heart

1.   As we close, look at v. 35 once more

“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

2.   This whole section began with Peter asking how many times he should forgive someone.

3.   Jesus’ answer was, “Peter, it’s not a matter of how many times, but simply how.”

4.   We’re to forgive from the heart!  Forgiveness is to frame our hearts, our lives, our will!

5.   It’s not something we dole out, offense by offense, counting up the total and saying, “Okay, that’s the end,” when some magic number roles round.

6.   Forgiveness is not an item we hand out like pieces of candy.

7.   It’s a posture of our heart and will that says, no matter what you do, I will not hold it against you!

8.   Monday we celebrate Martin Luther King’s BD.  He said, “Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a permanent attitude.”

9.   Because we’re fallen and not yet perfect, we’re going to fail, hurt, offend, & insult one another; 

a.   & while for one another’s good, we ought to call attention to what’s offended, and maybe at some points even have to insist on some drastic action so that we can overcome the tendency to sin,

b.   we must not hold it against one another, despise each other for it, hate, misuse or abuse one another, or in any way exact revenge.

10. We must adopt this attitude: Even before you hurt me, I forgive you!

11. In dealing with forgiveness, it’s one of those topics all Christians realize the need of.

12. As CS Lewis once said, “We all agree that forgiveness is a beautiful idea until we have to practice it.”

13. The problem with seeing forgiveness as something we pass out one offense at a time is that it’s reactive, and really tough to do once an offense has been given!

a.   it’s human nature to react to hurt,

b.   it almost a reflex of the soul to strike back.

14. And this is why we must see forgiveness not as reactive, but pro-active, and why it needs to be in place BEFORE THE HURTS COME.

15. Erwin Lutzer has said it well – “You must choose to forgive whoever has wronged you. Forgiveness is not an emotion, it is a decision of the will.”

B.  The Key

1.   The key to being able to do this is made clear in this parable –

2.   We must keep things in the proper perspective and see our forgiveness by God as so amazing, so wonderful, it shapes our hearts toward a gratitude that overflows in forgiveness.