Promise of Forgiveness
Sunday | February 19, 2023
*ray@crossroadsny.org*
Promise of forgiveness says, “I will seek to be better instead of bitter when someone burns me.”
Matthew 6:12 / CSB, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
1
Matthew 18:21-23 / CSB, “Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?” 22 “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven. 23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants..”
Psalm 119:125 / NLT, “Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws.”
First John 4:1 / TLB, “Don’t always believe everything you hear just because someone says it is a message from God: test it first to see if it really is.”
2
Matthew 14:25-27 / ESV, “When he began to settle accounts, one who owed ten thousand talents was brought before him. 25 Since he did not have the money to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. 26 “At this, the servant fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 Then the master of that servant had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan. 28 “That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 “At this, his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he wasn’t willing. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. 31 When the other servants saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. 32 Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’
Luke 6:36 / CSB, “Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”
3
Matthew 18:34-35 / CSB, “And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”
Romans 12:21 / ESV, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
My Next Steps:
+ Read Matthew 18
+ Memorize Matthew 6:12; Luke 6:36; Romans 12:21
+ Forgive quickly but trust slowly
+ Bring a guest to church next Sunday (9 am, 11 am, or 6 pm)