HEART THAT SHOWS MERCY

Matt.18:15-35

Several months ago, I had the opportunity to hear Dan Winkler present a lesson at MSOP lectures with the title, “Heart that Shows Mercy.” I called it a masterpiece. I want to present that lesson to the best of my ability this morning. The concept of a heart that is willing to forgive. James stated in James 2:13—For he shall have judgment w/o mercy, that hat shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” Luke would write for us, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful”(Lk. 6:36). This is a challenge for all of us. I need the mercy of my Father. If I am to receive the mercy of the Father, I must be wiling to be merciful.

Notice what Jesus said in Mark 11:25,26… We must be forgiving. Forgiveness is a subject that is so confusing to people today. It is confusing to us for at least two reasons (1). Because, too often we forgive prematurely. Article with the title, “When Forgiveness is sin.” When would that ever be the case? If we extend forgiveness prematurely, it is sin. Look at Luke 17:3—take heed (be warned)…if he repents, forgive him. Does not say, if he sins against you, if he shrugs it off, forgive him. If he repents! If he returns… forgive him. The word repent means “to change the way you think.” If I change the way I think, I will change the way I live. I am obliged to forgive someone, when they change the way they think based on the offense that was administered. I am to forgive the way God forgives. God never forgives prior to repentance taking place. His forgiveness is based on repentance.

(2). Sometimes it is not granted at all. Questions that sometimes come up. How can we forget and move on after forgiving someone? Do we really forgive? Why is forgiveness so difficult, so hard? Forgiveness is truly a difficult concept for us to grasp. We have to grasp the very meaning and meat of what mercy is all about.

I) Matthew 18:15-35 (We will notice definition, difficulty, disposition needed)

A) Definition

1) Notice some words that are important to this study. (Mark them, underline)

(a) Forgive (v.21, 27, 32, 35)

(b) Patience (v. 26, 29

(c) Compassion (v.27, 33),

(d) Pity (v. 33).

2) The context of this passage is a heart that is willing to show mercy, a heart that is willing to forgive.

3) Meaning is remission, freedom, liberty.

(a) Liberate from guilt, from past sins. To be free from this is forgiveness.

(b) To forgive is to liberate another from the guilt of their offense

(c) Give them their freedom.

(d) As long as forgiveness is not granted, the individual remains shackled by the chains of guilt from their heart to your heart.

4) It is the heart of mercy, it is the willingness to forgive that unlocks the bolt, sets the individual free and allows that individual to live in accordance with your own heart as if the offense never took place. Too be liberated.

5) Until you are willing to do this, not only is the unforgiven in chains, you the unforgiving are bound in chains of grief as well.

B) A word picture is also painted. To set before us the concept of forgiveness (19,20)

1) He is teaching forgiveness, conflict resolution in this context.

2) Here is how you go about it.

(a) Agree on earth (sumphoneo)—symphony, to sound together, to speak together, to have harmony.

(b) The first thing that is essential is that we speak to each other, not about each other.

(c) It is not, talking about that person, it is about talking to that person that is involved in mercy. This is the word picture that Jesus is painting for us to understand this concept.

(d) Where two or three are gathered. Gathered and remain gathered together (Perfect tense)

(1st) Together, to go together.

(2nd) You go together and you continually go together.

(3rd) Not church assembly, not Sunday night attendance.

(4th) Gathered together in context is concept of conflict resolution.

(5th) Where two individuals have come to talk to each other, they have resolved their differences and now they walk together, they go together and they continue to go together.

3) Forgiveness means you must talk to one another. Liberate the offender from his/her offense and guilt of the same and then go together, and remain together as if the offense never happened.

4) “I’m not sure I can do that!” then do not get on you knees and ask for forgiveness.

(a) You don’t give it, you don’t get it (Mark 11:26)

(b) James 2—you don’t show it, it will not be shown.

(c) This is serious business.

5) An excellent commentary on this text is Hebrews 10:2—no more consciousness of sin.

6) What is forgiveness: it is where you have no more consciousness of sin, of the offense, as far as the guilt is concerned.

(a) Consciousness –to know together.

(b) I’m forgiven, I don’t have to think about it anymore, because God will not.

7) That is what I am obliged to give to my fellowman when he/she is penitent for the offense rendered against me.

(a) I am obliged to liberate them from the offense, from the guilt of it.

(b) Talk to them about it and then walk with them as though the offense never happened w/o a consciousness of guilt.

(c) That is the definition of forgiveness.

II) Difficulty of forgiveness.

A) All of us know this is a difficult thing to do for two reasons.

1) Because of Peter’s question.

2) Because of Lord’s illustration in response to the question.

B) Peter’s question. Rabbinic teaching forgive no more than three times (Amos 2:1) in one day.

1) Peter’s doubled and added one for good measure.

(a) Jesus said NO! Until 70 x 7

(b) Peter asking this question implies that it is hard to do. Why would he ask if it wasn’t?

(c) Look at context (vss. 15-18). How often do you have to do this?

(d) This is a hard thing to do. If you have ever tried to apply the concept to your own life, you know how difficult it is.

2) “I will forgive, but I will not forget!”

(a) Then forget it.

(b) There is to be no more consciousness of sin.

(c) If Peter struggled with this, we should not be surprised that we struggle with it.

C) Lord’s illustration in response to the question shows it is difficult to do.

1) Scene 1 (vss. 23-27).

(a) Servant owes his servant 10,000 talents.

(b) Forgave the servant—compassion.

2) Scene 2 (vss. 28-31)

(a) Forgiven servants finds one who owes him a hundred pence.

(b) Matt. 20:2—pence or denarii was a day’s wage.

(c) He owes about four months wages.

(d) If this man who had been forgiven who owed 10,000 talents were to pay his debt back, he would have to work almost 350 years w/o ever taking a day off. Five lifetimes worth. Impossible!

(e) He will not forgive someone else.

3) Scene 3 (vss. 32-34)

(a) Took back before the master

(b) Vs. 32—wicked… vs. 34—wroth)

(c) Delivered to tormentors—life sentence.

4) Story tells me forgiveness is difficult.

5) He was forgiven, then became unforgiven because he would not extend forgiveness.

6) This is a difficult proposition..

D) You ever had someone say something about you, not to you. (elders, preachers, deacons, Bible class teachers, members of the church of Christ).

E) You ever had someone talk about your wife, or your children.

1) (Sen. Obama—leave my wife alone)

2) You talk about me all you want, but you leave my wife and children alone.

F) We have such a tenacity to our spirit when it comes to being wronged.

1) I can forget a 1,000 compliments, but I cannot forget a single offense.

2) That is how it seems at times.

G) We have seen the definition, the difficulty, now…

III) The Disposition that is essential to forgiveness.

A) Just maybe this is why it is so hard. It takes a special heart that is not only capable, but willing to do this.

B) We have noticed three words at the beginning of this lesson. They are the three components that make for a forgiving heart.

C) Patience(v.26,29)-long in coming to anger.

1) Take it and take it (I Cor. 13:4)

2) I will never know the heart of Jesus until I am willing to take the chip off my own shoulder, until I throw the black book away, until I am long in coming to anger.

D) Moved with compassion (v.27).

1) Moved with the greatest of all virtues toward your fellow man.

2) How many times do we read in the Bible when Jesus showed compassion.

3) Moved with compassion. Heart willing to feel for others.

E) Pity or mercy (v.33)—reach out and help the wretched.

1) Get inside the skin of another human being and change places, then act accordingly.

2) Before I say something to someone that might be hurtful, I pause and I trade places.

3) Col. 4:6—think and then act accordingly.

4) Trade places with you and then act as if I were you.

F) A heart that is capable of forgiveness has these three things.

G) When I can put all of this together, then and only then will I know what Jesus meant in verse 35… “from his heart.”

Con: Forgiveness is an opportunity to change the past. Those are rare opportunities. Show the world the heart of Jesus. I am grateful for a Savior who is willing to forgive and he challenges me to do the same. When I obey the gospel, God will forgive me. Maybe your heart is calloused, please repent and know the freedom of forgiveness. You can know the joy of his mercy.