You're listening to Mountain View Church Audio, Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City, Whitehorse UConn. Here's this week's message. Hi, welcome to Mountain View Church. My name is Byron, and I'm the Filipino pastor. Before we begin, I would like to invite you to connect with us by visiting our site at mountainview.church slash connect. Or you can text connect at 867-322-8001. Or if you are in-house, you can fill in the connect card and give it our welcome desk.
If you have children, I encourage you to bring your children to our Base Camp children's program, either 9.30 or 11 a.m. every Sunday. Or you can download the lessons online at mountainview.church slash base camp. We have also a program for your teenagers, the Mountain View Youth Group, every Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. For more info, visit mountainview.church slash youth. And if you have Filipino friends and relatives, please invite them to come every Sunday at 3 p.m. for our Tagalog worship service.
As we continue with our 14-week series, That Thing Jesus Said. Last Sunday, our topic is do not judge others. We learned that Jesus is warning against hypocritical self-righteous judgment. Today, we will be talking about forgiveness, where if unlocked, has the power that can heal relationships and set us free. My name's Aaron, and I'll be reading from Matthew chapter 6, verses 9 through 15. Pray then like this.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. So the title for our message today is Forgive Others While Unlocking the Power of Forgiveness.
As I've said, last Sunday, our message, we learned that Jesus said, do not judge. But how about if somebody did judge you and condemn you behind your back? Will you forgive? It's easy to say yes, but to act on that yes is a challenge. Why? Because forgiveness is one of the hardest things we are called to do as Christians. It's easy to love those who loved us, but what about those who hurt us? What about those who betray us or deeply wound us?
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount teaches us that forgiveness is not optional for his followers. It is central to our relationship with God and our relationship with others. So if we claim to be a Christian, this command is a must. I repeat, it is a must. In Matthew 6, 9 to 15, Jesus begins by teaching his disciples how to pray. And he gave them a simple yet profound structure or pattern for approaching God. The prayer begins with honoring God's holiness, seeking his kingdom, and trusting in his provision.
But remember, within this prayer, the request for forgiveness stands out. As it says, forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. In other translations, it's trespass. Why did Jesus include it in teaching prayer? You know why? Because it is part of confession. In Isaiah 59, 1-2, Isaiah said, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear.
But your inequities have made a separation between you and your God. And your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. So that's the reason why Jesus included forgiveness in when he teaches prayer. In order for us to acknowledge that we need forgiveness. In this petition, we recognize our own need for God's mercy. As we pray for forgiveness, we also acknowledge our responsibility to forgive others.
As you can see, there's a connection between receiving forgiveness from God and extending this forgiveness to those who wrong us. Jesus presents a clear and challenging command. If we want God's forgiveness, we must forgive others. This principle is not just a moral teaching. It is foundational to the Christian faith. It is the foundation of our Christian faith. Now let's dig deeper into this command. The command to forgive.
In Matthew 6, 14, the Greek word, that means to send away, to release, to cancel, or to forgive. So this word is in the imperative form, which means it is not a suggestion, but a command. Jesus is telling his followers, you must forgive. But what does it mean to forgive? Forgiveness is not passive. It's an active release. It means letting go of the offense and releasing the person from the debt they owe you. In the context of the New Testament,
Forgiveness is the removal of resentment and the cancellation of the debt or wrong done to you. It is choosing not to hold someone's sin against them, just as God chooses not to hold our sins against us. Although Jesus commanded us to forgive others, did you know that He also promised, there's also a promise. When we forgive others, God promised forgiveness. Jesus promised that if we forgive others, our Father in heaven will forgive us.
Avise is in the future tense, meaning God will act. He will forgive us in the future if we forgive others now. So it's a conditional promise. This does not mean that God's forgiveness is based on our works, but it's based on a heart that thoroughly understands forgiveness. That's why if we really understand forgiveness, if we really understand forgiveness from God, we will extend this forgiveness to others. Unforgiveness is an ongoing process. It's not just one time.
It's not a one-time act, but a continuous attitude that reflects the forgiveness we've received in Christ. So now the question is this, you want God's forgiveness? We must practice forgiving others. C.S. Lewis once said, to be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. So this quote reminds us about the grace we've received from God.
And our responsibility to extend that grace to others. That's why, my friend, it is very important for us to forgive others. You know why? Because there is a warning if we don't forgive others. So you see, Jesus does not give a promise only. He also gives a warning. In verse 15, He says, But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
The phrase, means if you choose, if you choose not to forgive. So Jesus is clear. Unforgiveness is a barrier to receiving God's forgiveness. You will not be forgiven if you will not forgive. So why? What's the reason behind? Because when we refuse to forgive, we harden our hearts. And we miss out the freedom that comes with God's grace. If you will not forgive, unforgiveness keeps us chained to the past.
While forgiveness sets us free to move forward in peace and reconciliation. And you know why? If you don't forgive, people will not see God in you. Because forgiveness reflects God's heart. We need to act. We need to show to people that we are a follower of Christ. Forgiveness is a way for us to reflect the heart of God to the world. So when we forgive, we are imitating the grace that God has shown to us in Christ.
That's what Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4.32. He encouraged every children of God to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. So remember, we forgive not because the person deserves it, but because God forgave us when we didn't deserve it. So again, forgiveness is very difficult. Not only difficult, it is impossible. It is impossible if you...
will not understand God's forgiveness. So it's really important that we believe in God. Have someone betrayed you? Have you experienced being betrayed by someone you trust? It's very sinful because betrayal cuts deep, deep in our heart. And it's very hard to forgive someone, especially if you trusted him the most. If that someone is your spouse or a friend or even your best friend or a family member,
If they have broken that trust, you will feel hurt, confused, and of course you even get angry. But how do we respond as Christians? How do we react as Christians? We just acknowledge the pain. Acknowledge the pain. Acknowledge to God. Tell God, Lord, I'm hurt. I'm betrayed. And admit to God how much the situation, how much the hurt has affected you. Do not minimize the pain. God knows and understands your pain. Acknowledge the pain and inform God.
Because if you acknowledge your pain to God, then you will realize what's God's answer to you. His answer is forgive. Choose to forgive. Even if the person hasn't apologized, choose to forgive. You can forgive someone without excusing their actions. Of course, forgiveness is not about letting them off the hook, but about freeing yourself from the weight of bitterness. And once people that you trusted most hurt you,
It's very hard to rebuild that trust. Rebuilding trust takes time. So you see, forgiveness is an act of the will. You must will it. You must intentionally do it to trust against someone, to rebuild slowly. Even if you forgive, the relationship may need to change. Like Joseph in Genesis 50-20, who forgave his brothers who betrayed him, sold him into slavery, and broke his trust. His forgiveness wasn't...
Instantaneous. It's not with the click of the hand, but he chose to see God's bigger purpose and acting in grace. How about if somebody hurt you or harm you repeatedly? It's one thing to forgive a one-time offense, but it's another thing when someone hurts you over and over again. Have you experienced this kind of pain or hurt? People or somebody bullying you from time to time, every day, almost every day keeps bullying you. The pain builds. And you may feel those you have already forgiven them a hundred times.
So what happened? As if every time you meet, he harmed you. He harmed you. Every time you meet, he hurt you. What will you do? God said, choose to forgive. But this time you need to know how to set boundaries. Forgiveness doesn't mean that you allow someone to keep hurting you. It is important to establish healthy boundaries to protect yourself while forgiving them. And you know, forgiving repeatedly, if he hurt you repeatedly, forgive him repeatedly. It doesn't mean weakness.
Jesus told Peter to forgive 77 times in Matthew 18, 22, which only signifies that forgiving is an ongoing posture. It's an ongoing posture. Even if the same person wrongs you repeatedly, forgiving is still a choice. But it may also require that you have to address the behavior. Yes, you have to point out the behavior and help them or whoever hurt you, help them understand the impact of their actions. We need to tell them also in the face.
Aside from that, what shall we do? If they keep on hurting you, release the desire for revenge or retaliation. When someone keeps hurting you, of course you'll be tempted to seek revenge or become bitter. But forgiveness is freedom. You let go of the need to make things right on your own. You see, how did Jesus forgive his disciples even though they repeatedly failed him? Especially Peter. Peter denied him three times, but Jesus forgives them repeatedly. He did not stop forgiving them.
His forgiveness shows us that love covers a multitude of sins. In 1 Peter 4.8, it says, Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. If someone who hurt you is unwilling to repent, what will you do if someone refuses to apologize or even acknowledge that they've done anything wrong? Yeah, this can feel especially frustrating. Why? Because you still have to forgive them for their actions or attitude.
This is what we call, we have to forgive them unconditionally. Jesus didn't wait for the people who crucified him to ask for forgiveness. You see, in Luke 23, 34, Jesus was crucified and the people in front of him keeps mocking him, hurting him, hurled insults on him. But what did he do? He just prayed, Father, forgive them for they do not know what they're doing. So this kind of people, if they refuse to repent, we pray for them. Prayer can soften both your heart and theirs.
Prayer could bring conviction and healing on their heart. And for these people that don't repent, let God be the judge. God calls us to forgive, but he is the ultimate judge of those who wrong us. Trust him to deal with the person in his time and way. You see, like, you know Stephen, the first martyr? He was stoned to death. But is he angry to those people? No. He prayed for those who were killing him, asking God not to hold their sin against them. You can find that in Acts 7.60.
When Stephen said, and falling to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this in against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. So what happened? Forgiveness releases both you and the person who had wronged you into God's hands. So sometimes we are hurt and we don't see the real picture. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we don't have the answer or understanding we need. We are hurt, but we don't know why. The hurt is still too fresh and questions remain unanswered. Why did it happen to me? What shall we do?
If you are hurt, somebody hurt you, how will you forgive when you don't know the reason? Just release the need for full understanding. Just offer that to God. It's okay to have questions or to reason with them, but forgiveness is about letting go of the need to understand everything. Trust God. Trust in His sovereignty. When we forgive, we trust God with the outcome. Trusting that He will redeem what was broken and work all things together for our good, which we can see in Romans 8.28.
then we'll just focus on God's grace. When questions linger, turn your heart back to the grace God has shown you. Forgiveness is possible when we focus on the grace given to us rather than the injustice done to us. So as I give you an example just now about Joseph, Joseph did not have all the answers when his brother sold him to slavery, but he trusted God's plan and forgave them, knowing that God was working all things for good. So you see, forgiveness is not easy.
But it is necessary for our spiritual health and our relationship with God. The cost of forgiveness is too high. It traps us in bitterness, keeps us from experiencing God's forgiveness and destroy relationships. But when we choose to forgive, we experience freedom. It's freedom from the chains of bitterness, freedom from the cycle of revenge, and freedom from the past that wants to control your future. That is the power of forgiveness. When we forgive others, we open the door to God's healing. There's a door opened. It's God's healing, peace, and freedom. We experience peace. We experience the joy of being reconciled to God and to others.
As Jesus said in Matthew 6.14, when we forgive, our Heavenly Father will forgive us. So the act of forgiveness is not about denying the wrong done to us, but about understanding and acknowledging God's mercy and choosing to extend that mercy to others. Your choice and my choice will influence not only our spiritual life, but also our inner peace and relationship with others. So now the question for everyone. Do you need to forgive someone today? Is there somebody in your mind now?
that until now you have been forgiven. Remember, forgiveness doesn't mean you forget the hurt or even that you have to restore the relationship in the same way it was before. But it does mean releasing them from the debt they owe you, choosing to love them in the way Christ loved you. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Let us pray. Father, we're coming here today in front of you. We understand, Lord, it is difficult to forgive others, especially if the person who hurt us
who betrayed our trust is close to us. Sometimes it's really difficult to forgive others. But thank you for reminding us that in the first place you have forgiven us. Lord, thank you for forgiving us. Give us the strength and the power to forgive others so that, Lord, we will be free. We will be free from bitterness. We will be free from the cycle of retaliation. Lord, thank you for your words. And we pray.
That starting today, we will practice forgiveness in our lives. And we know that we cannot do it without you, Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, empower us to forgive others as you have forgiven us. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Hey, Matthew. I'm Alex, and this is Ruben, and we are both young adults. And if you are too, listen up. So today at 12 o'clock, we are having our fun walk outside. Like I said, it's starting at 12 o'clock. So if you came to the first service, you can head home, maybe have breakfast, maybe have an early lunch, depending on who you are. If you came to the second service, that's great. You can just hang out. And then, like I said, we're going to head out at 12. We're going to walk on the Millennium Trail. So dress warm. And yeah, it should be a great time of hanging out, getting to know one another, and just enjoying the day. Hope to see you there.
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