WELCOME- START OF PASSION WEEK

• BEGIN NEW SERIES ENCOUNTERS
• ENCOUNTERS JESUS HAD THIS SEASON

SET THE SCENE- MATTHEW 21 ( ALL 4 WRITERS SAY)

21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.

10 day of Nisan

    This was the day they selected the lamb to be sacrificed on the 14^th day- the day when Jesus this lamb would ride.

• He then says to them and us- I will take on the entire sin nature of these dirty people

• The mud was cleaner than the souls of the people

LIMO VEHICLE

• VLADIMIR PUTIN CAR

 HELICOPTER

• FORMER BRITTISH PRIME MINISTER
• RISHI SUNAK

TRAIN

• ARORMORED- FOOD SECURE- POWERED
• KIM JONG UN

 DONKEY

• LAST YEAR PASTOR STEPHEN WILLIS
• DONKEY- THIS CROSS DESGN ON ITS BACK

HORSE- A WAR HORSE                                

• RODE DONKEY MEANS YOU “COME” IN PEACE
• WAR HORSE MEANS YOU COME TO …
• SIZE DIFFERNCES ARE BIG
  
  

SCRIPTURE ZECHARIAH 9:9

  9. “REJOICE, O PEOPLE OF ZION! SHOUT IN TRIUMPH, O PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM!

SCRIPTURE ZECHARIAH 9:9

  9. LOOK YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU. HE IS RIGHTEOUS AND VICTORIOUS, YET HE IS HUMBLE, RIDING ON A DONKEY- RIDING ON A DONKEY’S FOAL.

SCRIPTURE ZECHARIAH 9:10

  10. I WILL REMOVE THE BATTLE CHARIOTS FROM ISRAEL AND THE WARHORSES FROM JERUSALEM.

 SCRIPTURE ZECHARIAH 9:10

  10. I WILL DESTROY ALL THE WEAPONS USED IN BATTLE, AND YOUR KING WILL BRING PEACE TO THE NATIONS.

• HOSANA-(SAVE NOW) PALM BRANCHES

SCRIPTURE 9:10                                           

  10. HIS REALM WILL STRETCH FROM SEA TO SEA AND FROM THE EUPHRATES RIVER TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.”

     THE VISUAL PICTURE DIFFERENCE

      JESUS ARRIVES ON A COLT- PEACE-HUMILITY

WASN’T THE FIRST KING TO ARRIVE DONKEY-

• SOLOMON RODE IN TO JERUSALEM

SCRIPTURE LUKE 19:41

  41. “AS HE APPROACHED JERUSALEM AND SAW THE CITY HE WEPT OVER IT.”

• WHY- WHY IS HE WEEPING?
• BECAUSE OF THE PAIN WILL SUFFER?

 PASSION WEEK FOCUS

    MATTHEW – 40 %- LAST WEEK OF JESUS LIFE

    MARK- 60 %

    LUKE 33 %

    JOHN- ALMOST 50 %

HOW MUCH TIME THIS WEEK IN REFLECTION?

• BE INTENTIONAL IN REPENTANCE- IN PRAISE

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:13                   

  13. “WOE TO YOU, TEACHERS OF THE LAW AND PHARISEES, YOU HYPOCRITES! (1)YOU SHUT THE DOOR OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IN PEOPLES FACES.

HYPOCRITE DEFINED

   A PERSON WHO PRETENDS TO HAVE MORAL STANDARDS OR OPINIONS THAT THEY DO NOT ACTUALLY HAVE.

    ACTOR

• Ain’t going to church- church is full of hypocrites-
  TRUE ON SOME LEVEL
• I also had some relatives and friends who loved Jesus and they were NOT hypocrites– do you know some real very real

THE HYPOCRISY STARTED 6 DAYS BEFORE THIS

JUDAS AND JESUS BEING ANOINTED- WOW

WHAT A JOKE THIS WAS – JUDAS

   WHEN YOU HEAR HYPCOCRITE- YOU THINK OF WHAT IT IS OR DO YOU PICTURE A FACE?

LANCE ARMSTRONG/HOLLYWOOD

• NOT PICKING ON LANCE- BUT HE TALKED
• HOLLYWOOD- EVERYONE GETS UPSET THEM

 SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:13

  13. YOU YOURSELVES DO NOT ENTER, NOR WILL YOU LET THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO.
    

 SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:23

  23. “WOE TO YOU, TEACHERS OF THE LAW AND PHARISEES, YOU HYPOCRITES! (2) YOU GIVE A TENTH OF YOUR SPICES-MINT, DILL, CUMIN.

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:23

  23. BUT YOU HAVE NEGLECTED THE MORE IMPORTANT MATTER OF THE LAW-JUSTICE, MERCY, AND FAITHFULNESS.

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:23

  23. YOU SHOULD HAVE PRACTICED THE LATTER, WITHOUT NEGELCTING THE FORMER.

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:24

  24. YOU BLIND GUIDES! YOU STRAIN OUT A GNAT BUT SWALLOW A CAMEL.”

 SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:25

  25. “WOE TO YOU, TEACHERS OF THE LAW AND PHARISEES, YOU HYPOCRITES! (3) CLEAN THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP AND DISH, BUT INSIDE THEY ARE FULL OF GREED AND SELF-INDULGENCE.

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:26

  26. BLIND PHARISEE! FIRST CLEAN THE INSIDE OF THE CUP AND DISH, AND THEN THE OUTSIDE ALSO WILL BE CLEAN.

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:27

  27. “WOE TO YOU, TEACHERS OF THE LAW AND PHARISEES, YOU HYPOCRITES! (4) YOU ARE LIKE WHITE WASHED TOMBS,

 SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:27

  27. WHICH LOOK BEAUTIFUL ON THE OUTSIDE BUT ON THE INSIDE ARE FULL OF BONES OF THE DEAD AND EVERYTHING UNCLEAN.

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 23:28

  28. IN THE SAME WAY, ON THE OUTSIDE YOU APPEAR TO PEOPLE AS RIGHTEOUS BUT ON THE INSIDE YOU ARE FULL OF HYPOCRISY AND WICKEDNESS.

QUOTE FRANCIS CHAN                             

   “IF GOD CARED ONLY ABOUT RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES, THEN THE PHARISEES WOULD HAVE BEEN HEROES OF THE FAITH.”

 QUOTE A.W. TOZER

   “A PHARISEE IS HARD ON OTHERS AND EASY ON HIMSELF, BUT A SPIRITUAL MAN IS EASY ON OTHERS AND HARD ON HIMSELF.”

RECORD PLAYER

• WHATS THE OPPOSITE OF HYPOCRISY?
• FIDELITY HIGH- FI ( HIGH FIDELITY)
• THIS RECORD SOUNDS EXACTY LIKE STUDIO

THE CHOSEN                                   

• RIGHTEOUS ANGER
• RELIGIOUS MEN WHO KNEW BETTER

WHO WAS JESUS REALLY TALKING TO HERE?

IN A SENSE HE WAS DONE TALKING TO PHARISEES

• HE’S INVITING THEM TO KILL HIM

QUOTE BRENNAN MANNING                

  “THE GREATEST SINGLE CAUSE OF ATHEISM IN THE WORLD TODAY IS CHRISTIANS WHO ACKNOWLEDGE JESUS WITH THEIR LIPS AND WALK OUT THE DOOR AND DENY HIM WITH THE LIFESTYLE. THAT IS WHAT AN UNBELIEVING WORLD SIMPLY FINDS UNBELIEVABLE

• OUR PUBLIC LIVES MUST BE AN EXTENSION OF THE WORK HE HAS DONE INWARDLY IN OUR PRIVATE LIVES

LENT IS THE PERFECT TIME TO REFLECT

TO EXAMINE OURSELVES

MIRROR TALK                                                              

• PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE MIRROR
• NOT ABOUT LOOKING AT WHO ELSE I SEE
• SEARCH ME OH GOD AND KNOW MY HEART,

SEE IF THERE IS ANY OFFENSIVE WAY IN ME.

JESUS HUMILITY WAS ON FULL DISPLAY

HE WASN’T THE ONLY LEADER WHO EVER ROAD A DONKEY

BUT MANY SCHOLARS BELIEVE IT WAS 2 ANIMALS

DONKEY AND THEN A FOAL- EVEN SMALLER

https://www.bible.com/events/49585583

Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus 

Encounters Part 1 

The Pharisee’s 

Today we begin our Easter teaching series called Encounters. Throughout this series we will be looking at encounters that Jesus had with people to see how it changed their lives and what we can learn for our lives today. 

Our series begins today with Jesus encountering the Pharisee’s in Matthew 23. This particular encounter we are looking at today, happens on Tuesday of passion week. 

Throughout the gospel accounts you will read of different encounters with the Pharisee’s and legal experts. 

The Pharisee’s were a group of Jewish religious folks who had completely separated their lives from normal activity to dedicate themselves to the strict observing of the law of Moses. They were the best of the best as far as being religious goes. 

The Legal experts or scribes (depending on your translation) that are also mentioned here in the text- They were professional religious intellectuals. They were highly trained in the law of Moses, they were often asked to teach and give rulings when there was a dispute. 

After multiple failed attempts to trap Jesus in his words, Jesus turns his attention to the crowds of people in the temple and addresses them. That’s where we pick up in Matthew 23 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭7‬‬ 

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. 

Jesus reveals that most of what these Pharisee’s were doing, was for show, was to impress other people- Jesus says “don’t do that” 

After speaking to the crowds, he then turns his attention directly to the Pharisee’s and legal experts and begins to reveal what’s really behind all of their religious practices. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭13‬-‭14‬‬ 

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. 

The word hypocrite here means to be a play actor, a pretender. A person who does right things for the wrong reasons. A person who says one thing and does another. 

Jesus calls the Pharisee’s and legal experts hypocrites because all of their religious rules and activities actually prevent people from finding God- and they themselves don’t even have a relationship with him. They are pretending. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭15‬-‭22‬‬ 

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are. “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it. 

Here Jesus seems to be calling out a convoluted system of swearing oaths- by the temple, by things inside of it- they had a whole system established for how serious something needed to be sworn in. 

For Jesus, he says let your yes be yes and your no be no. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭23‬-‭24‬‬ 

“You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God’s Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea how silly you look, writing a life story that’s wrong from start to finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons? 

The Pharisee’s were so attune to religious details, they would tithe on their spices and seasonings. That itself wasn’t the problem. 

They were hypocrites because they took tithing to that level of detail, but they failed to look after the major things like justice, peace, and faith. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭25‬-‭28‬‬ 

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. 

The Pharisee’s and scribes had a beautiful exterior of religious ceremony and piety- but inside it was gross, full of violence and pleasure seeking. 

What was on the outside, did not match the inside, and that’s a brig problem for Jesus. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭29‬-‭32‬‬ 

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started! 

Today as we read about the encounter with Jesus and Pharisee’s we should be careful not to miss the real encounter that matters the most for us today. And that’s Jesus encounter with hypocrisy. 

The real enemy of this passage is not the pharisee’s or the legal experts. It’s not the Law or the Jewish people. It’s the hypocrisy of people claiming the name of God and not living his life. 

And friends that is an enemy that crosses generations, cultures, and all sorts of experience. Right into my life and yours. 

This is not about being mad at the Pharisee’s, or hypocrites in our world today- it’s about taking an honest look in the mirror and asking: Lord, is there hypocrisy in me? 

The danger of hypocrisy is that it can cause us not to enter the kingdom of heaven.Both to miss the fullness of Christ now, and after we die, that we might miss eternity in heaven. 

And the other danger of hypocrisy in our life, is that it might cause OTHERS to miss the kingdom of God. 

Author Brennen Manning says: “The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” 

That’s the twin danger of hypocrisy. 

Today we seek the Lord in dealing with hypocrisy in our life. We ask him to search our hearts, to reveal to us the places of our own hypocrisy, and to lead us to repentance. 

How can we live “strong in grace.”? 

The answer is quite plain and simple:  

We grow strong in grace when we understand God’s unconditional forgiveness of us, then learn to unconditionally forgive others. 

God calls us to grow strong in giving grace to others — growing in Christlikeness 

Giving grace to another person is simply to forgive them, unconditionally, just as God forgave us through Christ 

SO, WHAT IS FORGIVENESS? 

Forgiveness = Deliberate release of anger, resentment, and other negative feelings toward someone who has wronged you 

GRUDGE (Merriam-Webster) 

• A persistent, long-lasting feeling of deep-seated resentment, bitterness, or ill will toward someone, often stemming from a past insult, injury, or perceived wrongdoing. It involves holding onto anger rather than letting it go, sometimes leading to a desire for retaliation or a continued refusal to forgive.  

• Not all negative emotions are the same.  

• Healthy anger motivates action, sets boundaries, and seeks solutions.  

• Grudges, however, act as long-lasting emotional weights with negative outcomes. 

It  negatively impacts your relationship with God. 

It negatively impacts your other relationships. 

It affects your health. — mentally and physically 

It affects your soul 

Hebrews 12:14-15 (tells us what happens when we fall short of grace): 

• Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 

Ephesians 4:30-32 

• 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN? 

Oswald Chambers. 

We trample the blood of the Son of God if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only explanation for the forgiveness of God and for the unfathomable depth of His forgetting is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the outcome of our personal realization of the atonement which He has worked out for us. It does not matter who or what we are; there is absolute reinstatement into God by the death of Jesus Christ and by no other way, not because Jesus Christ pleads, but because He died. It is not earned, but accepted. All the pleading which deliberately refuses to recognize the Cross is of no avail; it is battering at a door other than the one that Jesus has opened. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement is a propitiation whereby God, through the death of Jesus, makes an unholy man holy. 

“The purpose of the cross,” someone observed, “is to repair the irreparable.” 

• “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother who he has seen, how can he love God who he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20-21 NKJV). 

• If our relationship with God is so intricately connected with how we relate to others, it won’t be surprising then for us to read what Jesus said 

• Matthew 6:14-15 (directly after teaching them how to pray ‘Lord’s Prayer’) 

• 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.  

• Matthew 6:12 

•  And forgive us our debts, 
      as we also have forgiven our debtors. 

• Imagine that, before we get this warning from Jesus (14-15), Jesus told us to ask God for grace (forgiveness) but only at the same level and frequency as the forgiveness we extend to others.  

• Whether we admit it or not, we often think we have the right to “punish” others because they have hurt us or offended us. We believe we are justified in withholding forgiveness from them. 

Unforgiveness is inherently contradictory to godliness 

“Often it is the case that we judge others by their worst actions, and we judge ourselves by our best intentions.” 

Just as we don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, someone you know may not deserve yours.  

• It doesn’t matter 

• We are still commanded to forgive them because we have been forgiven so much first. 

“The devil doesn’t care if you go to church or read your Bible as long as you don’t apply it to your life.” 

THE LITMUS TEST FOR GRACE  

Have you extended the grace of God, the grace of forgiveness, towards the person(s) who has hurt you the most and least deserves it? 

Forgiveness is an action you must choose, rather than a feeling you must create 

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR AND IT’S YOURS TODAY 

Repent of unforgiveness & Release it so you no longer carry that anger/resentment/grudge no matter how justified you feel in doing so. 

The Hurdle of Unforgiveness

Recap – Pastor Jared has been sharing over the past few weeks about the hurdles to our faith sharing and asking to evaluate us where we are in these potential hurdles and how they are impeding us?

Are we attempting to live a saved life without actually giving our life to Jesus, have we fully surrendered and received the gift of sanctification that frees us from a desire to live in the depths of sin, and then he reminded us the destruction that even a little bit of sin will bring to our lives (or our water!).

This morning, we will look at another hurdle that often impedes our faith. This hurdle is one that will keep us bound, keep us stuck, cause physical illness, and even paralyze us in hopes to hurt another – the hurdle of unforgiveness.

I don’t want you to stop listening before we even dive in this morning so I want to speak to those of you in the room that may have suffered deep betrayal, hurt, or abuse – whatever your story – forgiveness is essential BUT is not forgetting, it is not validating a persons poor choices.  Forgiveness is not an invitation to more hurt, it is an invitation in Christ for healing. It does not even require reconciliation it is an invitation to our release and restoration.

And though it does not require reconciliation with those relationships that need boundaries or are no longer continued at all–  I will also remind you that all relationships this side of heaven at some point will require forgiveness – even the best ones.

PRAY

When I heard we were going to tackle hurdles to our faith – I chuckled as I remembered in middle school being asked by a friend if I would run track with her and be on her hurdle relay team – I think that is what its called.  We ran with our batons and passed it as we also ran and jumped over the hurdles. We even went home with a metal from a huge track and field event that we had the opportunity to participate in.  Wow! Cant you just see me jumping over hurdles with ease?  Me neither, not now. It is only a fond memory, and  I can only think of the physical pain that would result if I attempted anything remotely like that now.  For me it feels more like a wall than difficulty or an obstacle.

Do we feel the same way about forgiving those in our lives that have wronged us.  It is more than a hurdle – it’s a wall, it feels impossible.  You may be thinking to yourself, You don’t know what I’ve been through, what they did, what they said – if I forgive I will give freedom to hurt me again, it will validate their behavior, or they don’t deserve it. 

Forgiveness is a gift … a gift I just can’t give them.

And for those moments you carry – I am truly sorry.  This is a tough message but one with deep hope on the other side.

FORGIVENESS is a GIFT that we have all been given the opportunity to receive, and one we CERTAINLY don’t deserve.

Isaiah 53:5 

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed”.

We have all been given opportunity for forgiveness of our sins through his name –  through his wounds. All of us simply by believing, by receiving.

 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7

This is the foundation of our faith – the gift we are given through Christ. He bought our redemption by his blood, his sacrifice allows for the forgiveness of our sin according to the riches of His incredible, indescribable grace.  We have (present tense) redemption as we say yes to him and invite him in.

If you have not received him as your Savior – that is the most important message of forgiveness that you should hear this morning. He died to provide forgiveness for our sins, to provide redemption when we do not deserve it, when we will never deserve it. That’s what makes it the greatest gift.

Receiving this gift available to us is foundational to our Christian faith.

As we walk out our journey, recipients of this grace, we will be faced with our own decisions to forgive.

You may feel the nudge of the holy spirit in you saying okay it’s your turn!  You know the elbow nudge that parents give their kids when they want them to listen to what the Pastor is saying or want to spur them on to take a step of courage toward what is good?

Let’s take a look at scripture.

Join me in Matthew 18:21-35

 – key verses will be on the screen

Matthew 18:21-35

New International Version

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^[a]

²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold^[b] was brought to him. ²⁵ 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.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.^[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Now, lets flip back a few chapters to Matthew 6 where we find Jesus giving his sermon on the mount –  specifically in verse 9 – 13 where he gives us the Lords prayer –  every line giving us a direction as to a child

Its says

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,^[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.^[b]’

And goes on to say:

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

This my friends is a command for those of us in Christ.  It is a command and any command he gives – He will equip us and we can trust it is for our good.

He does not direct us this way to harm us but to heal us.

This command ultimately is for our freedom. 

What if we say no ?

What does it look like to remain in unforgiveness?

Take a look at this picture on the screen.  This is a picture of Kudzu – this is  an ornamental plant intended for shading porches,     and later promoted in the 1930s-1950s as a crucial solution for soil erosion control. 

While now considered a major invasive pest in the U.S., it was initially treated as a beneficial agricultural tool.  It is now known as “the vine that ate the south”. 

I remember as a little girl seeing this along sections of route 11 in the little town I grew up in – always fascinated at how it covered everything.

It starts out as this small plant with one intended purpose to shade and protect. and  then it becomes a invasive vine that overtakes forests, structures, and all the beauty around it. It overtakes the trees by smothering them, blocking sunlight, and creating excessive weight that breaks branches or uproots them.

Unforgiveness is the root of bitterness and just like we see here, it takes over, it festers and it suffocates us both physically, emotionally, and spiritually – we become just like these trees… trapped.

HURDLES

Physically – this root  – it will make us ill. Bitterness settles in as anger and resentment.  It causes us to live in constant in a mode of fight or flight. Leading to constant changes in our heart rate, blood pressure, and immune response.  These changes increase the effects of depression, heart disease and diabetes.  Now not everyone suffering from these illnesses are the result of unforgiveness – but for many it is the very reason.

Emotional bondage becomes another trap.  We believe we are holding something over another for hurting us – causing them some sort of discomfort, vengeance or harm – when truly we are not at all – the only person we are hurting is ourself. It can cause us to be harsh, sarcastic, condemning – leading to nasty distorted thinking toward others…even toward those it is not intended for.

Have you ever heard the quote? “Holding onto anger/unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die”

And this bitter root of unforgiveness also effects our spiritual life in a crippling way– hindering our relationship with God – causing us to miss his grace.

Holding on to unforgiveness depletes our ability to have peace and joy.

We live in a cycle of judgement and condemnation – missing yet again out on the mercy our Savior desire to show us.

            James 2:12-13 says

                        Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³ because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

And ultimately, it will hinder our connection and conversation with Jesus.   These effects my friends are soul injuries.

               So lets revisit our Matthew text…

First we saw Peter asking – how many times do I have to forgive my brother or sister if they sin against me?

He asks 7x?

No – replies the Lord 70 x7.

Jesus is correcting Peter here – saying, “STOP! Forgiveness should not be limited by a number. Essentially, he is saying “as many times as it takes”. Limitless forgiveness.

He then gave a view of what the kingdom of heaven is like – a king who forgave a servants unfathomable-crippling debt (200,000 years’ worth of wages)  and then when the servant had a the opportunity to forgive a debt that was 600,000 times less than the debt he was just forgiven- he refused.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

 We are reminded that our Lord us expects us to forgive as he forgives – even when forgiving seems unfathomable.

As we saw in the Sermon on the Mount he repeats this command to us, when he teaches us to pray…

               Lets pray the Lords prayer together using phrases debts and debtors.

Right in the middle of the prayer where we are being taught to pray – the importance of forgiveness is reiterated. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Our release, our forgiveness matters.

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15

What would it look like today if the only forgiveness and grace you received was the same grace and forgiveness you gave others?

You know the old adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” … the one we sang on the playground but along the way we discovered it was a lie. We don’t have to pretend it doesn’t hurt – we just don’t want to hold onto the offense so it continues to hurt us more.

Forgiven people, forgive people. -Dave Wilson

What has a greater impact in our lives, the abundant grace of forgiveness God has given us or the root of unforgiveness living in us.

Forgiveness is not a condition of our salvation, but a expectation as a result of the gift we have been given in Him.      (REPEAT)

If the unwillingness to forgive grips us – it begs us to ask if we fully grasp what he has done for us in Christ.

This command is ultimately to our benefit because our Lord wants us to live in freedom, peace, and on a path to healing.  He again will be our help through the power of his holy spirit. WE can simply begin by asking him to search our hearts.

Lets watch this together. – PRODIGAL SON VIDEO

Our Lord does not ask us to forgive to hurt us – he asks us to forgive for our healing and his glory. He says hang out your white sheet, pull up the roots of bitterness – I have more for you. As we sing, lean into him – pressing in trusting him to meet you here.

The alters are open as we sing – there will be people in the back to pray with you.

WEEK 3 OF SERIES ON HURLDES

  A TEMPORARY OBSTACLE OR DIFFICULTY, A BARRIER A WALL OF FENCE.  NOT A DEAD END

WEEK 1 HURDLE- READ FIRE AIM                                          

   IS IT POSSIBLE SOMEONE IS TRYING TO

• LOOK LIKE A GRAPE- ACT LIKE A GRAPE- SMELL LKE A GRAPE TASTE LIKE A GRAPE – AND THEY ARE NOT SAVED

WEEK 2-

• WHAT ARE POSSIBLE HURDLES FOR US AS CHRISTIAN PEOPLE RELATED TO CULTURE?

WEEK 3.  …

STEALTH BOMBER                                             

• February 23 2008, Spirit of Kansas, a B-2 STEALTH BOMBER Spirit  crashed.
• aircraft  destroyed, crew members EJECT
• The accident marked the first operational loss of a B‑2 bomber
• TINY SENSOR FROM UNDER WINDSHILED
• 1/100^TH OF 1 % OF COST OF PLANE HUMIDITY SENSOR
• estimated loss of US$1.4 billion- NOW 2 BILLION.       

TODAY WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES ON HURDLES

• WHAT KEEPS US FROM EXPERIENCING FULLNESS OF LIFE WITH GOD?
• EVEN A TINY THING- A SMALL SIN IN OUR LIVES IS TOO MUCH
• IS YOUR LIFE FREE FROM THE CONTAMINATION OF SIN – HOW DID WE GET HERE?                              

SCRIPTURE GENESIS 2:15

    15. “THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN AND PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO WORK IT AND TAKE CARE OF IT”

SCRIPTURE GENESIS 2:16

  16. AND THE LORD GOD COMMANDED THE MAN, “YOU ARE FREE TO EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN;

SCRIPTURE GENESIS 2:17

  17. BUT YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, FOR WHEN YOU EAT FROM IT YOU WILL CERTAINLY DIE.”

• PERFECT UNION- HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER
• NEED YOU TO KNOW ALL THIS IS YOURS
• JUST ONE SMALL THING- ALL OF IT- BUT …

AN OUTSIDE VOICE- THE DEVIL ARRIVES

 SCRIPTURE GENESIS 3:3                                   

   3. BUT DID GOD SAY, “YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE.”

SCRIPTURE GENESIS 3:4

   4. “YOU WILL NOT CERTAINLY DIE,” THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN.

SCRIPTURE GENESIS 3:5

   5. FOR GOD KOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT FROM IT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED, AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL.

SCRIPTURE GENESIS 3:6

   6. WHEN THE WOMAN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD AND PLEASING TO THE EYE, AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM

SCRIPTURE GENESIS 3:6

   6. SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS WITH HER, AND HE ATE IT.

• RELATIONSHIP FRACTURED- ONE BITE?
• THE INTENDED DESIGN NOW BROKEN

SCRIPTURE GENESIS 3:8

   8. “AND THEY HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD GOD WALKING IN THE GARDEN IN THE COOL OF THE DAY.”

SCRIPTURE GENESIS 3:8

   8. AND ADAM AND HIS WIFE HID THEMSELVES FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD GOD AMONGST THE TREES OF THE GARDEN

• RELATIONSHIP BROKEN-YET GOD PURSUES THEM

• SIN IS … WE DON’T EVEN USE THE WORD
• SIN COULD BE SOMEONE ELSE SALVATION
• DO SOMETHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG DO IT ANYWAY.
• DANGEROUS/RISKY/UNFORGIVING

SIN: WILLFUL VIOLATION TO THE KNOWN LAW OF GOD

SLIDE 16: TEN COMMANDMENTS

• SERVE THE LORD ONLY DON’T TAKE LORDS NAME IN VAIN
• REMEMBER THE SABBATH (NOT AS SERIOUS)
• HONOR YOUR MOM AND DAD DON’T KILL- BIGGER ONE
• DON’T COMMIT ADULTERY
• DON’T STEAL DON’T BEAR FALSE WITNESS
• DON’T COVET NEIGHBORS WIFE OR GOODS

SCRIPTURE 1 JOHN 1:5

   5. THIS IS THE MESSAGE WE HAVE HEARD FROM HIM AND DECLARE TO YOU. GOD IS LIGHT; IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL.

SCRIPTURE 1 JOHN 1:6

    6. IF WE CLAIM TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM AND YET WALK IN DARKNESS, WE LIE AND DO NOT LIVE OUT THE TRUTH.

SCRIPTURE 1 JOHN 1:7

   7. BUT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT, WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS, HIS SON, PURIFIES US FROM ALL SIN.  (YOU CANNOT MANAGE SIN)

   THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD.               

    DRAWN FROM EMMANUELS VEINS`

    AND SINNERS PLUNGE BENEATH THAT FLOOD

    LOSE ALL THEIR GUILTY STAIN

SCRIPTURE MARK 7:20

  20. HE WENT ON: “WHAT COMES OUT OF A PERSON IS WHAT DEFILES THEM.

SCRIPTURE MARK 7:21

  21. FOR IT IS FROM WITHIN, OUT OF A PERSONS HEART, THAT EVIL THOUGHTS COME-SEXUAL IMMORALITY, THEFT, MURDER,

 SCRIPTURE MARK 7:22

  22. ADULTERY, GREED, MALICE, DECEIT, LEWDNESS, ENVY, SLANDER, ARROGANCE, AND FOLLY.

SCRIPTURE MARK 7:23

  23. ALL THESE COME FROM INSIDE A PERSON AND DEFILE A PERSON.”

PICTURE OF DOG KOBE GRIFFIN

• THIS DOG LOOKS CUTE/FUN/FRIENDLY
• He embodies both a sinful nature and sinful behavior.

• All of the forgiveness and correction we have given him, not affected the sinful dog nature inside of him.

SLIDE 25: SCRIPTURE GALATIONS 5:19                        

  19. THE ACTS OF THE FLESH ARE OBVIOUS: SEXUAL IMMORALITY, IMPURITY, AND DEBAUCHURY;

 SCRIPTURE GALATIONS 5:20

  20. IDOLATRY AND WITHCRAFT; HATRED, DISCORD, JEALOUSY, FITS OF RAGE, SELFISH AMBITION, DISSENSIONS, FACTIONS

SCRIPTURE GALATIONS 5:21

  21. AND ENVY; DRUNKENESS, ORGIES, AND THE LIKE. I WARN YOU, AS I DID BEFORE, THAT THOSE WHO LIVE LIKE THIS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

• NOW BREATHE- WE DIDN’T SEE CATALOG-
• JUST READ LIST OF THINGS CONTRARY TO GOD

SCRIPTURE GALATIONS 5:22

  22. “BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, FORBEARANCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF CONTROL.

 SCRIPTURE  JOHN 16:13

  13. BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN; HE WILL SPEAK ONLY WHAT HE HEARS, AND HE WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS YET TO COME.”

 PICTURE OF BASEBALL GAME  W B CLASSIC  

• STORY OF A MAN- CATCHER
• ELEM SCHOOL-HS/ COLLEGE/ ADULT LEAGUE
• CAUGHT OVER 1000 BASEBALL GAMES
• COACH-FAN-PARENT-SPORTSWRITER/OPPONENT
• OUR PITCHER STRUGGLING-INJURED
• HE STAYED OUT ALL NIGHT/ DOESN’T LIKE YOU
• PLEASE CHANGE SIZE OF THE PLATE-

Can I ask you this morning-Is your life free from the contamination of sin? THE SMALLEST THING?

• DO WE THINK EVERYONE ENDS UP IN HEAVEN ?

• TABLETS TO CLEAN AND PURIFY