WEBVTT

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 Good morning. It's good to see each and every one of you guys here.

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 It's always a pleasure to be able to preach to you God's Word.

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 As many of you guys know, I'm in the same preaching course

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 actually that our brother Charlie's in, and that's why we get to preach

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 for you guys and get the opportunity. If you notice,

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 my wife Christine, she's going to be recording me, so I have to watch this recording

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 and have a physical reaction, cringing.

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 I'm writing an evaluation of my own preaching.

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 But I love you guys, and I love this church. It's an honor.

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 I consider it an honor and a privilege to be able to preach from this pulpit.

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 Our text today comes from Matthew 18,

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 verses 21 to 35. It's on the parable of the

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 unforgiving servant.

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 Out of the options of the texts that we could preach for our class, I chose this text

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 because of its reminder of its countercultural message

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 to forgive.

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 We as a culture, we don't celebrate forgiveness.

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 We celebrate getting one's due.

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 When

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 a protagonist in the movie,

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 he's mistreated, marginalized,

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 forgotten.

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 The movie doesn't conclude with him

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 forgiving.

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 I don't know. We wouldn't like that.

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 We want to see him grind.

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 We want to see him go through his training montages,

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 and we want to see him get his victory,

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 get his revenge.

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 Nowadays,

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 if you don't like

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 something that someone has done to you,

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 we cancel them.

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 We label them as toxic,

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 and we remove them as far as we can from our lives.

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 But forgiveness

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 is the one thing.

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 The super glue that keeps

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 all our relationships intact.

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 It's the glue that keeps our friendships,

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 our marriages,

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 this own church together.

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 If we stop being a forgiving people,

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 this church will stop,

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 will cease to exist.

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 That's how important this message of forgiveness is.

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 So if you don't have a Bible,

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 you'd like one,

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 please just raise your hand,

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 and one of our members would happily

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 get you a copy.

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 For the rest of you,

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 let's open up our Bibles

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 to Matthew 18,

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 21 to 35.

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 Let's bow our heads in prayer

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 for the reading and preaching of God's word.

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 Well, holy God,

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 I am your servant.

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 You are our king.

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 Pray that you would address us

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 by your word,

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 your infallible

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 and inspired word.

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 As we remember

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 that the inspiration

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 comes not from us,

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 not from my own intellect

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 or my own lips,

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 but it comes from your word.

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 I pray that we would understand

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 and apply the words

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 that you have for us today

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 that we could be

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 a forgiving church,

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 a counter-cultural,

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 radically forgiving church,

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 and that the world

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 will know us

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 by our love.

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 We cannot forgive

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 as you have called us to forgive

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 unless you help us,

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 unless you supply the love

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 that we need to forgive.

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 Pray you would meet us.

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 Holy Spirit,

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 draw us close to you.

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 Speak to us.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Please stand,

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 if you are able,

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 for the reading of God's

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 infallible word.

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 Starting from verse 21.

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 Then Peter came up

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 and said to him,

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 Lord,

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 how often

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 will my brother

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 sin against me?

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 And I forgive him.

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 As many as

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 seven times?

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 Jesus said to him,

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 I do not say to you

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 seven times,

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 but 77 times.

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 Therefore,

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 the kingdom of heaven

00:03:58.920 --> 00:03:59.720
 may be compared

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 to a king

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 who wished to settle

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 accounts with his servants.

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 When he began to settle,

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 one was brought to him

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 who owed him

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 10,000 talents.

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 And since he could not pay,

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 his master ordered him

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 to be sold

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 with his wife

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 and children

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 and all that he had

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 and payment

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 to be made.

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 So a servant

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 fell on his knees

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 imploring him,

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 have patience with me

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 and I will pay you

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 everything.

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 And out of pity

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 for him,

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 the master of that servant

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 released him

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 and forgave him

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 the debt.

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 But when that same servant

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 went out,

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 he found one of his

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 fellow servants

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 who owed him

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 just a hundred denarii,

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 a hundred denarii.

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 And seizing him,

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 he began to choke him

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 saying,

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 pay what you owe.

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 So his fellow servant

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 fell down

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 and pleaded with him,

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 have patience with me

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 and I will pay you.

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 He refused

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 and went

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 and put him in prison

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 until he should pay

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 the debt.

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 When his fellow servants

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 saw what had taken place,

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 they were greatly distressed.

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 And they went

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 and reported to their master

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 all that had taken place.

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 And his master summoned him

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 and said to him,

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 you wicked servant,

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 I forgave you

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 all that debt

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 because you pleaded with me.

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 And should you not

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 have had mercy

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 on your fellow servant

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 as I had mercy on you?

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 And in anger,

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 his master

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 delivered him

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 to the jailers

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 until he should pay

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 all his debt.

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 So also

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 my heavenly father

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 will do to every one of you

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 if you do not forgive

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 your brother

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 from your heart.

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 This is God's holy

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 and authoritative word.

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 You may be seated.

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 In her book,

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 The Hiding Place,

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 Corrie ten Boom

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 recounts her ministry

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 during World War II

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 of sheltering

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 and hiding Jews

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 after Nazi Germany

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 invaded her home country

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 of the Netherlands.

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 But on the last day

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 of February 1944,

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 a Dutch informant

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 essentially ratted her out.

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 So the entire

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 Ten Boom family

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 was forced

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 to go to

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 concentration camps.

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 And there,

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 her father

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 would quickly die.

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 Then Corrie

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 and her sister Betsy,

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 they were sent

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 to Ravensbruck,

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 which was a

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 woman's labor's camp

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 in Germany.

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 And slowly

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 but surely,

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 after the suffering

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 that they experienced,

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 her sister Betsy

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 would also die

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 there as well.

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 But God spared Corrie

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 due to

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 a clerical error,

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 essentially just a miracle.

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 He,

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 she was released

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 from the camp

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 when just one week later,

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 all the women

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 in her age group,

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 they were sent

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 to the gas chambers

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 to their death.

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 And God used her.

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 Years later

00:07:11.219 --> 00:07:11.939
 after the war

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 at a church service

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 in Munich,

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 she was sharing

00:07:16.419 --> 00:07:17.579
 the gospel of Christ

00:07:17.579 --> 00:07:20.240
 when she saw

00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:21.539
 that man,

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 that one man.

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 She knew him instantly.

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 He used to be

00:07:28.939 --> 00:07:29.659
 a Nazi guard

00:07:29.659 --> 00:07:30.439
 at Ravensbruck.

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 He was part

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 of the people

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 that killed

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 and tortured

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 my friends

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 and family.

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 And as the church

00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:40.319
 was emptying,

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 he would

00:07:41.779 --> 00:07:43.279
 go up to Corrie,

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 beaming,

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 thrusting out

00:07:46.579 --> 00:07:47.120
 his hand,

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 saying,

00:07:48.659 --> 00:07:49.579
 how grateful

00:07:49.579 --> 00:07:50.219
 I am

00:07:50.219 --> 00:07:50.859
 for your message,

00:07:50.979 --> 00:07:51.259
 Frowlin.

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 To think

00:07:53.359 --> 00:07:54.439
 that as you say,

00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:55.239
 he has washed

00:07:55.239 --> 00:07:56.739
 away my sins.

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 Can you

00:07:58.819 --> 00:07:59.579
 forgive me?

00:07:59.579 --> 00:08:04.000
 Any one of us

00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:04.800
 could imagine

00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:05.560
 what she would feel.

00:08:05.620 --> 00:08:05.939
 She wasn't

00:08:05.939 --> 00:08:06.819
 exactly happy

00:08:06.819 --> 00:08:07.459
 that this man

00:08:07.459 --> 00:08:08.659
 was in front of him

00:08:08.659 --> 00:08:09.800
 sticking out his hand

00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:10.680
 asking for her

00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:11.060
 forgiveness.

00:08:12.219 --> 00:08:12.519
 Instead,

00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:13.240
 angry,

00:08:13.659 --> 00:08:14.579
 vengeful thoughts

00:08:14.579 --> 00:08:15.459
 began to flood

00:08:15.459 --> 00:08:16.099
 her mind,

00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:17.779
 remembering

00:08:17.779 --> 00:08:19.000
 this man's

00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:20.139
 horrific sin.

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 I'll read

00:08:22.939 --> 00:08:23.560
 what Corrie said

00:08:23.560 --> 00:08:24.339
 about this encounter.

00:08:24.339 --> 00:08:25.919
 I tried

00:08:25.919 --> 00:08:26.579
 to smile.

00:08:27.899 --> 00:08:28.479
 I struggled

00:08:28.479 --> 00:08:29.419
 to raise my hand.

00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:30.939
 I could

00:08:30.939 --> 00:08:31.539
 not.

00:08:32.860 --> 00:08:33.639
 I felt

00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:34.139
 nothing,

00:08:34.819 --> 00:08:36.079
 not the slightest

00:08:36.079 --> 00:08:37.519
 spark of warmth

00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:38.519
 or charity.

00:08:40.079 --> 00:08:40.980
 So I breathed

00:08:40.980 --> 00:08:41.799
 a silent prayer,

00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:43.139
 Jesus,

00:08:43.899 --> 00:08:45.139
 I cannot

00:08:45.139 --> 00:08:45.679
 forgive him.

00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:47.419
 Give me

00:08:47.419 --> 00:08:48.299
 your forgiveness.

00:08:48.299 --> 00:08:48.539
 this.

00:08:50.359 --> 00:08:51.279
 As I took

00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:52.059
 his hand,

00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:53.740
 the most

00:08:53.740 --> 00:08:54.899
 incredible thing

00:08:54.899 --> 00:08:55.379
 happened.

00:08:56.679 --> 00:08:57.519
 Both Corrie

00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:59.740
 and I

00:08:59.740 --> 00:09:00.319
 are amazed

00:09:00.319 --> 00:09:01.019
 of what happened.

00:09:01.019 --> 00:09:03.919
 From her shoulder

00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:05.979
 along her arm,

00:09:06.500 --> 00:09:07.319
 through her hand,

00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:07.799
 the current

00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:08.839
 seemed to pass

00:09:08.839 --> 00:09:09.379
 along.

00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:11.319
 Into her heart

00:09:11.319 --> 00:09:12.399
 sprang up

00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:13.659
 a well of love

00:09:13.659 --> 00:09:14.620
 for this stranger

00:09:14.620 --> 00:09:15.319
 that almost

00:09:15.319 --> 00:09:16.319
 overwhelmed her.

00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:18.200
 just holding

00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:18.980
 his hand

00:09:18.980 --> 00:09:19.660
 for several

00:09:19.660 --> 00:09:20.040
 moments

00:09:20.040 --> 00:09:20.960
 and her eyes

00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:22.120
 filled with tears,

00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:22.820
 she proclaimed,

00:09:23.520 --> 00:09:24.700
 I forgive you,

00:09:24.840 --> 00:09:25.080
 brother,

00:09:25.780 --> 00:09:26.360
 with all

00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:27.180
 my heart.

00:09:29.580 --> 00:09:30.300
 This is

00:09:30.300 --> 00:09:31.020
 an amazing

00:09:31.020 --> 00:09:31.620
 testimony

00:09:31.620 --> 00:09:33.200
 of powerful

00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:33.660
 forgiveness,

00:09:33.900 --> 00:09:34.620
 but Corrie

00:09:34.620 --> 00:09:35.060
 and I,

00:09:35.560 --> 00:09:36.080
 we both

00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:36.600
 don't share

00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:37.080
 this story

00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:38.040
 to be in awe

00:09:38.040 --> 00:09:38.580
 of her

00:09:38.580 --> 00:09:39.500
 or her faith.

00:09:40.440 --> 00:09:41.320
 The source

00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:41.800
 that Corrie

00:09:41.800 --> 00:09:42.380
 tapped into

00:09:42.380 --> 00:09:43.120
 wasn't the

00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:43.960
 endless reservoir

00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:45.200
 of her own love,

00:09:45.280 --> 00:09:46.300
 but it was God's.

00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.400
 See,

00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:49.100
 the fulcrum

00:09:49.100 --> 00:09:50.620
 that the world's

00:09:50.620 --> 00:09:51.600
 healing turns upon

00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:53.620
 is not our own

00:09:53.620 --> 00:09:54.280
 innate goodness,

00:09:54.580 --> 00:09:55.200
 but it's Jesus'

00:09:55.460 --> 00:09:56.400
 radical forgiveness

00:09:56.400 --> 00:09:57.060
 for us.

00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:00.080
 And that's why

00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:01.140
 we can ultimately

00:10:01.140 --> 00:10:02.120
 obey the main

00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:03.000
 point of our passage,

00:10:03.560 --> 00:10:04.760
 that we are to

00:10:04.760 --> 00:10:06.440
 forgive without

00:10:06.440 --> 00:10:06.920
 limit,

00:10:07.500 --> 00:10:08.400
 without limit,

00:10:09.040 --> 00:10:10.240
 ultimately because

00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:11.420
 God has forgiven

00:10:11.420 --> 00:10:12.480
 us that much more.

00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:14.560
 And in this,

00:10:14.660 --> 00:10:15.280
 he promises

00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:16.199
 to give us

00:10:16.199 --> 00:10:16.659
 the love

00:10:16.659 --> 00:10:17.339
 that we need

00:10:17.339 --> 00:10:17.679
 to be able

00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:18.120
 to love

00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:18.819
 our enemies,

00:10:19.220 --> 00:10:19.659
 to love

00:10:19.659 --> 00:10:20.139
 our offenders.

00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:21.860
 So in this sermon,

00:10:21.959 --> 00:10:22.679
 we're going to talk

00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:23.559
 about the command

00:10:23.559 --> 00:10:24.759
 of forgiveness,

00:10:25.220 --> 00:10:26.620
 the conviction

00:10:26.620 --> 00:10:27.500
 that you need

00:10:27.500 --> 00:10:28.019
 to be able

00:10:28.019 --> 00:10:28.439
 to forgive

00:10:28.439 --> 00:10:29.059
 in this way,

00:10:29.439 --> 00:10:30.579
 and the consequences

00:10:30.579 --> 00:10:31.299
 of forgiveness.

00:10:31.539 --> 00:10:32.039
 In other words,

00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:32.819
 we're called

00:10:32.819 --> 00:10:33.399
 to forgive

00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:34.120
 without limit,

00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:35.860
 forgive because

00:10:35.860 --> 00:10:36.360
 we have been

00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:37.360
 forgiven so much

00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:37.639
 more,

00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:39.000
 and forgive

00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:39.779
 because of

00:10:39.779 --> 00:10:40.500
 the consequences.

00:10:40.500 --> 00:10:44.039
 our passage

00:10:44.039 --> 00:10:44.919
 opens with

00:10:44.919 --> 00:10:45.740
 disciple Peter

00:10:45.740 --> 00:10:46.860
 coming to Jesus

00:10:46.860 --> 00:10:48.519
 and asking him

00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:49.440
 how frequently

00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:50.419
 must he forgive

00:10:50.419 --> 00:10:51.200
 his fellow brother

00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:52.139
 who sinned

00:10:52.139 --> 00:10:52.620
 against him.

00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:54.419
 You see,

00:10:54.539 --> 00:10:55.639
 it's really a natural

00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:56.539
 question to what

00:10:56.539 --> 00:10:57.519
 Jesus said earlier

00:10:57.519 --> 00:10:58.159
 in the passage

00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:00.460
 in verses 15

00:11:00.460 --> 00:11:01.159
 to 17.

00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:02.399
 In that passage,

00:11:02.539 --> 00:11:03.500
 Jesus teaches

00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:04.120
 his disciples

00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:05.000
 to confront

00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:06.080
 the sin that they

00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:07.539
 see in brothers

00:11:07.539 --> 00:11:08.120
 and sisters,

00:11:08.379 --> 00:11:09.179
 unrepentant sin.

00:11:09.179 --> 00:11:11.539
 And if they

00:11:11.539 --> 00:11:13.079
 remain unrepentant,

00:11:13.159 --> 00:11:14.620
 they must continue

00:11:14.620 --> 00:11:15.899
 to escalate the issue

00:11:15.899 --> 00:11:17.179
 and the stakes

00:11:17.179 --> 00:11:18.019
 until they have

00:11:18.019 --> 00:11:18.639
 to come to the

00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:19.319
 decision where

00:11:19.319 --> 00:11:20.919
 they remove

00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:21.599
 that person,

00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:22.379
 remove that

00:11:22.379 --> 00:11:23.339
 unrepentant person

00:11:23.339 --> 00:11:23.979
 from their midst

00:11:23.979 --> 00:11:24.399
 altogether.

00:11:24.839 --> 00:11:25.839
 This is widely

00:11:25.839 --> 00:11:26.620
 known for the

00:11:26.620 --> 00:11:27.339
 instructions of

00:11:27.339 --> 00:11:28.019
 church discipline

00:11:28.019 --> 00:11:29.219
 and even

00:11:29.219 --> 00:11:30.059
 excommunication.

00:11:31.939 --> 00:11:33.240
 But if they

00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:33.579
 repent,

00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:34.079
 which is the

00:11:34.079 --> 00:11:34.740
 whole entire

00:11:34.740 --> 00:11:35.479
 purpose of

00:11:35.479 --> 00:11:36.319
 church discipline

00:11:36.319 --> 00:11:37.099
 is to get

00:11:37.099 --> 00:11:37.859
 them to repent,

00:11:37.860 --> 00:11:39.500
 they have

00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:40.300
 gained their

00:11:40.300 --> 00:11:41.019
 brother and

00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:41.700
 sister back.

00:11:42.700 --> 00:11:43.399
 So Peter

00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:44.320
 naturally asks

00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:45.500
 just then how

00:11:45.500 --> 00:11:46.519
 many times do

00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:47.080
 I have to

00:11:47.080 --> 00:11:47.440
 forgive?

00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:48.180
 How many times

00:11:48.180 --> 00:11:48.720
 do I have to

00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:49.519
 go through this

00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:49.820
 cycle?

00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:52.200
 How many times

00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:53.240
 must I decide

00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:54.240
 to live with

00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:54.759
 the painful

00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:55.639
 consequences of

00:11:55.639 --> 00:11:56.220
 someone else's

00:11:56.220 --> 00:11:58.019
 sin and not

00:11:58.019 --> 00:11:58.700
 hold it against

00:11:58.700 --> 00:11:58.940
 them?

00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:01.440
 You see,

00:12:01.500 --> 00:12:02.039
 Peter's question

00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:02.820
 is one that

00:12:02.820 --> 00:12:04.779
 many, many of

00:12:04.779 --> 00:12:05.259
 us have asked

00:12:05.259 --> 00:12:05.600
 before.

00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:07.639
 Let me ask

00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:09.080
 you a series

00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:09.879
 of diagnostic

00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:10.519
 questions to

00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:11.420
 see if your

00:12:11.420 --> 00:12:11.860
 limit of

00:12:11.860 --> 00:12:12.180
 forgiveness,

00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:13.120
 your patience

00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:13.680
 has ever been

00:12:13.680 --> 00:12:14.019
 tested.

00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:15.340
 Number one,

00:12:15.860 --> 00:12:16.360
 number one,

00:12:17.180 --> 00:12:17.820
 are you a

00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:18.200
 driver?

00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:19.960
 Are you a

00:12:19.960 --> 00:12:20.540
 driver in

00:12:20.540 --> 00:12:21.759
 Boston specifically?

00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:22.820
 That'll test

00:12:22.820 --> 00:12:23.320
 your patience.

00:12:24.540 --> 00:12:25.440
 Number two,

00:12:26.500 --> 00:12:27.019
 do you have

00:12:27.019 --> 00:12:27.460
 roommates?

00:12:29.700 --> 00:12:30.519
 You guys are

00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:31.040
 roommates, I

00:12:31.040 --> 00:12:31.460
 know some of

00:12:31.460 --> 00:12:31.840
 you guys are

00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:32.279
 roommates in

00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:32.560
 here, don't

00:12:32.560 --> 00:12:32.960
 look at each

00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:33.279
 other here.

00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:35.279
 number three,

00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:36.120
 do you have

00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:36.679
 parents?

00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:38.019
 Do you have

00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:38.339
 siblings?

00:12:40.079 --> 00:12:40.919
 Family relationships

00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:41.559
 can get really

00:12:41.559 --> 00:12:41.879
 messy.

00:12:43.059 --> 00:12:43.740
 Number four,

00:12:43.819 --> 00:12:44.220
 this is a big

00:12:44.220 --> 00:12:45.079
 one, are you

00:12:45.079 --> 00:12:45.519
 married?

00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:51.159
 So that last

00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:52.039
 question, Ruth

00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:53.279
 Graham, wife to

00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:54.339
 famous evangelist

00:12:54.339 --> 00:12:55.299
 Billy Graham, has

00:12:55.299 --> 00:12:57.579
 widely stated one

00:12:57.579 --> 00:12:58.919
 time, the happy

00:12:58.919 --> 00:13:00.740
 union, the happy

00:13:00.740 --> 00:13:01.959
 marriage is the

00:13:01.959 --> 00:13:02.759
 union of two

00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:03.679
 good forgivers.

00:13:04.659 --> 00:13:05.360
 Unless you think

00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:06.240
 that they had a

00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:07.419
 perfect marriage,

00:13:07.939 --> 00:13:08.860
 because after all

00:13:08.860 --> 00:13:09.879
 it's Billy and

00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:11.539
 Ruth Graham, during

00:13:11.539 --> 00:13:12.240
 an interview she

00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:13.059
 was asked if she

00:13:13.059 --> 00:13:13.799
 had ever

00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:15.419
 contemplated divorcing

00:13:15.419 --> 00:13:15.740
 Billy.

00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:18.259
 And to that she

00:13:18.259 --> 00:13:19.500
 quit back, divorce?

00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:21.340
 No.

00:13:22.100 --> 00:13:22.539
 Murder?

00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:23.960
 Yes.

00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:28.500
 But the reality

00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:29.139
 is whether you're

00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:30.840
 married or not, the

00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:31.559
 bottom line is if

00:13:31.559 --> 00:13:32.000
 you're in a

00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:32.699
 relationship with

00:13:32.699 --> 00:13:33.679
 any other fellow

00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:34.500
 human being, any

00:13:34.500 --> 00:13:36.859
 other sinner, you

00:13:36.859 --> 00:13:38.179
 will experience the

00:13:38.179 --> 00:13:39.339
 need to forgive and

00:13:39.339 --> 00:13:40.219
 to ask for forgiveness

00:13:40.219 --> 00:13:41.339
 and to go through that

00:13:41.339 --> 00:13:42.599
 cycle again and again

00:13:42.599 --> 00:13:43.000
 and again.

00:13:45.099 --> 00:13:46.399
 Every one of us has

00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:47.219
 experienced the

00:13:47.219 --> 00:13:49.879
 frustration of, just

00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:50.839
 why is this person

00:13:50.839 --> 00:13:51.339
 like this?

00:13:52.539 --> 00:13:53.779
 Why would he say

00:13:53.779 --> 00:13:54.539
 something like this?

00:13:54.679 --> 00:13:56.159
 Why can't she be more

00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:56.819
 understanding?

00:13:57.679 --> 00:13:58.779
 Why doesn't he ever

00:13:58.779 --> 00:14:01.240
 learn how many times

00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:02.220
 do I have to forgive?

00:14:04.339 --> 00:14:05.279
 So Peter, the

00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:06.159
 faithful student, he

00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:07.279
 takes a stab at that

00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:07.579
 question.

00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:09.860
 He asks, seven times,

00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:10.139
 Lord?

00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:12.519
 His instincts are

00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:13.279
 really in the right

00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:14.139
 place because he's

00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:15.279
 being quite generous

00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.439
 according to the Jewish

00:14:16.439 --> 00:14:17.819
 standard at that time.

00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:19.919
 They were taught to

00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:21.159
 forgive up to three

00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:21.600
 times.

00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:23.459
 Essentially it's a

00:14:23.459 --> 00:14:24.839
 three strikes and you're

00:14:24.839 --> 00:14:25.259
 out rule.

00:14:25.259 --> 00:14:28.740
 And so with that

00:14:28.740 --> 00:14:29.819
 instinct, he more than

00:14:29.819 --> 00:14:30.939
 doubles that limitation

00:14:30.939 --> 00:14:32.240
 hoping that he'd get a

00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:35.279
 blessed are you, Simon

00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:36.439
 bar Jonah, not a get

00:14:36.439 --> 00:14:37.159
 behind me, Satan.

00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:41.580
 But what Jesus says in

00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:42.679
 response, it's quite

00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:43.360
 astonishing.

00:14:43.819 --> 00:14:44.360
 If you think about it,

00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:45.120
 if you sit with it, it's

00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:45.659
 astonishing.

00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:48.279
 He says, I do not say to

00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:49.200
 you seven times.

00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:50.980
 That phrase indicates he's

00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:52.700
 rewriting what the Jewish

00:14:52.700 --> 00:14:54.000
 teachings of that time

00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:54.259
 are.

00:14:54.259 --> 00:14:56.500
 I do not say to you seven

00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:59.600
 times, but 77 times.

00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:02.659
 You guys all know that he's

00:15:02.659 --> 00:15:04.100
 not being literal here.

00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:05.600
 It's not that you're just

00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:08.220
 waiting until the 77th time.

00:15:08.379 --> 00:15:10.159
 No, it's that if you're

00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:12.319
 counting at all, you've got

00:15:12.319 --> 00:15:12.639
 it wrong.

00:15:13.480 --> 00:15:15.379
 If you are keeping a record

00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:16.899
 of wrongs, you've got it

00:15:16.899 --> 00:15:17.200
 wrong.

00:15:20.179 --> 00:15:23.080
 Jesus wants us all to

00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:24.480
 forgive without limit.

00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:27.280
 Without keeping a record of

00:15:27.280 --> 00:15:29.180
 wrongs, this is a radical,

00:15:29.800 --> 00:15:31.360
 far-reaching, community-

00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:33.680
 transforming call to forgive.

00:15:35.780 --> 00:15:37.740
 If you sit with that and you

00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:39.840
 think about it, you might

00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:41.139
 start to have some questions

00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:43.379
 about that radical call.

00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:46.400
 You might ask, surely this

00:15:46.400 --> 00:15:48.400
 doesn't mean to forgive

00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.159
 ceaselessly.

00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:52.500
 What if my offender isn't even

00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:53.159
 repentant?

00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:55.000
 What if he's not even sorry

00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:55.459
 about that?

00:15:57.379 --> 00:15:58.799
 And in this fallen world, I

00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:00.459
 know that this applies to some

00:16:00.459 --> 00:16:02.319
 of you whose lives have been

00:16:02.319 --> 00:16:03.740
 tragically torn apart about

00:16:03.740 --> 00:16:05.360
 people who don't even seem to

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:05.620
 care.

00:16:08.459 --> 00:16:10.240
 And so I think it's important to

00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:13.259
 clarify that forgiveness is not

00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:15.139
 the same thing as reconciliation.

00:16:15.139 --> 00:16:18.240
 We have to make that distinction.

00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:20.639
 Forgiveness is the basis of

00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:22.659
 reconciliation, but that does not

00:16:22.659 --> 00:16:23.860
 mean that they are one and the

00:16:23.860 --> 00:16:24.419
 same thing.

00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:26.980
 Forgiveness, again, is the loving

00:16:26.980 --> 00:16:28.860
 disposition toward an enemy,

00:16:29.019 --> 00:16:31.419
 toward an offender, and rejecting,

00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:33.960
 taking vengeance into your own

00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:34.360
 hands.

00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:37.620
 But complete reconciliation requires

00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:38.539
 three things.

00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:40.779
 It requires the offender's

00:16:40.779 --> 00:16:41.200
 repentance.

00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:44.000
 Repentance, it requires a change

00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:46.540
 pattern of living, and it requires

00:16:46.540 --> 00:16:47.720
 a rebuilding of trust.

00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:51.140
 Only then a relationship can be

00:16:51.140 --> 00:16:52.960
 built back to what it once was.

00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:57.640
 Forgiveness does not allow unrepentant

00:16:57.640 --> 00:17:00.259
 abusers to continue to go on

00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:00.580
 abusing.

00:17:01.780 --> 00:17:03.900
 We're not called to reconcile every

00:17:03.900 --> 00:17:06.200
 broken relationship because sometimes

00:17:06.840 --> 00:17:08.180
 those things are just simply out of

00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:08.759
 our hands.

00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:12.940
 But nonetheless, the command is that we

00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:15.980
 are always required to forgive from

00:17:15.980 --> 00:17:16.500
 our hearts.

00:17:17.980 --> 00:17:20.599
 We must always be ready to be able to

00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:23.019
 transact that forgiveness once that

00:17:23.019 --> 00:17:24.879
 time comes that is appropriate.

00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:29.720
 Because Jesus still calls us to love

00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:31.879
 our enemies and to pray for those who

00:17:31.879 --> 00:17:32.539
 persecute you.

00:17:33.059 --> 00:17:34.759
 And theologically, it's not because we

00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:37.160
 first repented that Jesus saved us.

00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:39.240
 No, we were dead in our sins.

00:17:39.860 --> 00:17:42.380
 God is the one who spoke life into

00:17:43.060 --> 00:17:45.019
 these dry bones and led us to

00:17:45.019 --> 00:17:45.380
 repentance.

00:17:45.700 --> 00:17:47.120
 We didn't even know that we needed to

00:17:47.120 --> 00:17:47.480
 repent.

00:17:48.700 --> 00:17:51.000
 But nonetheless, he extended his mercy in

00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:52.759
 such an incredible way.

00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.420
 And in the same way, we are called to

00:17:57.420 --> 00:17:59.700
 love and forgive our offenders even when

00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:00.660
 they don't ask for forgiveness.

00:18:00.660 --> 00:18:00.800
 forgiveness.

00:18:02.600 --> 00:18:04.140
 But you might continue to object.

00:18:05.140 --> 00:18:08.000
 It's not just to continue to forgive this

00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:08.560
 way, right?

00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:11.500
 Some people need to face justice.

00:18:13.900 --> 00:18:16.259
 Again, I say it's important to define

00:18:16.259 --> 00:18:17.840
 forgiveness carefully.

00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:21.440
 Forgiving is the rejection of taking

00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.680
 personal vengeance or payback into your

00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:24.300
 own hands.

00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:27.240
 Forgiving is not forgetting.

00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:32.740
 In other words, forgiveness looks like

00:18:32.740 --> 00:18:35.440
 not being the judge, the jury, and the

00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:38.420
 executioner of our offender, but forgiving

00:18:38.420 --> 00:18:42.240
 instead trusts God and sometimes trusting

00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:46.759
 his appointed governing system to uphold and

00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:48.480
 carry out institutional justice.

00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:58.599
 But still, Jesus calls us to love our enemy, to

00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:02.360
 want the very best for them, to want heaven for

00:19:02.360 --> 00:19:02.599
 them.

00:19:03.940 --> 00:19:06.740
 Because our unbelievably gracious God wants the

00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:07.620
 same thing for them.

00:19:09.900 --> 00:19:13.240
 That's why Rachel Den Hollander, the first woman to

00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:16.500
 speak up against sexual assaulter Larry Nassar, the

00:19:16.500 --> 00:19:19.799
 disgraced former team doctor of the U.S.

00:19:20.140 --> 00:19:21.700
 Women's National Gymnastics Team.

00:19:22.299 --> 00:19:25.359
 She said this in her viral testimony against him at his

00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:25.960
 criminal trial.

00:19:27.079 --> 00:19:32.160
 I pray you experience the soul-crushing weight of guilt

00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:38.500
 so that you may someday experience true repentance and

00:19:38.500 --> 00:19:42.240
 true forgiveness from God, which you need far more than

00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:43.119
 forgiveness from me.

00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:45.979
 Although I extend that to you as well.

00:19:47.379 --> 00:19:50.859
 In that testimony, she offers both forgiveness and

00:19:50.859 --> 00:19:53.359
 calls the judge to uphold justice.

00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:56.679
 She even calls for the highest level of institutional

00:19:56.679 --> 00:19:58.139
 punishment for Nassar.

00:19:59.259 --> 00:20:02.019
 You see, those things need not to be mutually exclusive.

00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:08.739
 Sometimes forgiving is loving our enemy by helping that

00:20:08.740 --> 00:20:12.059
 person see the soul-crushing weight of guilt, as she says,

00:20:12.620 --> 00:20:15.240
 through the cold water wake-up call of justice.

00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:22.960
 And so we must obey Jesus' command to forgive endlessly and

00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:23.579
 countlessly.

00:20:24.700 --> 00:20:26.000
 Even if they don't repent.

00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:28.940
 Even if they need to face institutional justice.

00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:34.080
 But again, if you compare the context of this earlier passage, the

00:20:34.080 --> 00:20:37.480
 context we're talking about is it's a repentant Christian brother.

00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:42.100
 So then how much more should you forgive ceaselessly?

00:20:43.600 --> 00:20:48.700
 So forgive your fellow Christian whom you won after confronting his or

00:20:48.700 --> 00:20:49.140
 her sin.

00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:56.960
 Forgive even if it costs you time, blood, tears, sleep, money.

00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:59.140
 Forgive in your heart.

00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:03.000
 Even the person that you excommunicated from your church and is

00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:03.620
 repentant.

00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:06.259
 Are you ready to do that?

00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:12.920
 And if that same brother sins against you again, maybe in the same

00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:16.600
 exact way, and he repents, forgive.

00:21:16.599 --> 00:21:16.839
 Forgive.

00:21:18.919 --> 00:21:34.179
 And then he sins against you again and repents, forgive.

00:21:34.699 --> 00:21:38.259
 And when he sins against you again and repents, what do you think Jesus'

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:39.419
 answer will be?

00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:41.779
 Yes, forgive again.

00:21:41.779 --> 00:21:48.359
 And that forgiveness should naturally follow its way outside the church too.

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:53.579
 You must forgive the person who's cut you in line and cut open your heart and

00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:55.059
 forgive everyone in between.

00:21:56.220 --> 00:22:00.779
 Forgive your parents, your siblings, your spouse, your boss, your roommate.

00:22:01.899 --> 00:22:03.220
 Forgive your previous church.

00:22:03.399 --> 00:22:04.240
 Forgive your pastor.

00:22:05.899 --> 00:22:11.000
 Forgive insults, stealing, gossiping, backbiting, betrayal, and selfishness.

00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:12.720
 Forgive without limit.

00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:14.319
 Forgive even if it hurts.

00:22:15.819 --> 00:22:20.779
 So with one final objection, you might plea, this is impossible.

00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:23.240
 I can't do this.

00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:24.539
 This is so hard.

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:26.700
 You're right.

00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:29.220
 It is impossible for you.

00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:33.319
 This kind of forgiveness is nothing short of a miracle.

00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:36.899
 But with God, all things are possible.

00:22:38.259 --> 00:22:40.619
 It all begins with his love.

00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:43.919
 And that's why we can forgive limitlessly.

00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:46.200
 Because we were forgiven limitlessly.

00:22:46.639 --> 00:22:50.500
 We need to have that conviction if we are to ever forgive in this way.

00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:58.200
 So to prove this point, Jesus launches into his parable of the unforgiving servant.

00:22:58.680 --> 00:23:04.380
 He compares the kingdom of heaven to a king who wished to settle his accounts with his servants.

00:23:05.880 --> 00:23:07.920
 And we meet this one servant in particular.

00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:17.500
 And we found out that he has an astronomical, almost an incalculable debt of 10,000 talents to the king.

00:23:18.360 --> 00:23:20.779
 And to put that into terms that you might better understand,

00:23:21.600 --> 00:23:24.980
 a talent was originally a weight of 30 kigs of metal.

00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:26.440
 So it's typically silver.

00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:35.740
 And a common laborer at that time would expect to make around two talents over the course of his entire life.

00:23:37.500 --> 00:23:45.240
 If you do the math, simple math, you would have to work 5,000 lifetimes to be able to pay this debt back off.

00:23:47.660 --> 00:23:53.539
 And if you want to look at the sheer dollar amount of silver, it's roughly about a quarter of a billion dollars.

00:23:53.539 --> 00:23:57.259
 For a lowly servant, that is a shocking amount of debt.

00:23:57.379 --> 00:23:59.420
 How does that even happen?

00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:01.579
 How bad with your money do you have to be?

00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:07.500
 And back then, there was no filing for bankruptcy.

00:24:07.740 --> 00:24:09.899
 There's no lowering of your credit score.

00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:13.299
 There's no limited access to new loans.

00:24:13.879 --> 00:24:14.180
 No, no.

00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:15.680
 In those days, you lost everything.

00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:16.740
 You lost all your possessions.

00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:20.960
 And on top of that, you were thrown to prison, a cold, miserable prison,

00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:23.019
 until you could pay all your debt back.

00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:27.720
 And for this man, because of the sheer debt that he owed,

00:24:28.059 --> 00:24:30.779
 this is essentially equivalent to a lifetime sentence.

00:24:31.420 --> 00:24:34.460
 No, more accurately, this is a 5,000 lifetimes sentence.

00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:41.079
 And on top of that, verse 25 says that the rest of his family would be thrown into prison.

00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:50.619
 A man, he's called to be the provider, the protector of his family.

00:24:50.639 --> 00:24:57.119
 He's to make sure that his family is provided for physically, spiritually, and financially.

00:24:57.679 --> 00:24:59.859
 He's supposed to be the rock of his family.

00:24:59.859 --> 00:25:05.079
 But instead, you're looking at a man who made a complete failure of his life.

00:25:05.139 --> 00:25:06.159
 He is a complete wreck.

00:25:06.939 --> 00:25:11.719
 He's a complete failure as a husband, as a father, and as a servant.

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:18.180
 And before we keep going and point and mock,

00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:22.880
 don't forget that the point of this parable is that Jesus is actually talking about us.

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:32.400
 Every one of us, each one of us, is this lowly servant with an insurmountable debt to the great king.

00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:35.940
 Now, you might push back, but really?

00:25:37.580 --> 00:25:38.320
 Is this me?

00:25:39.240 --> 00:25:42.380
 You know, I don't think I've made a wreck in my life.

00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:44.640
 I have a steady job.

00:25:45.560 --> 00:25:46.380
 You know, good family.

00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:48.019
 I've got a two-bed, two-bath in Cambridge.

00:25:48.840 --> 00:25:50.000
 Keep my nose clean.

00:25:50.840 --> 00:25:51.460
 Keep out of trouble.

00:25:51.600 --> 00:25:54.019
 I'm really not that bad compared to other people in this life.

00:25:54.140 --> 00:25:55.660
 But the things are pretty good for me.

00:25:56.820 --> 00:25:59.259
 And if you're like this, this is you,

00:25:59.259 --> 00:26:05.259
 you're missing the fact that Jesus is using an analogy of extreme financial debt

00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:10.319
 to convey your extreme spiritual debt before a most holy God.

00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:16.079
 It's been said that the heinousness of sin lies not so much in the nature of sin committed,

00:26:16.619 --> 00:26:20.900
 but as in the greatness of the person sinned against.

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:29.119
 In school, I had a frustrating experience witnessing a undergrad,

00:26:29.259 --> 00:26:33.200
 a freshman who spent a mere month studying this one subject,

00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:37.660
 wrongly claim in lecture that he knew better than the professor

00:26:37.660 --> 00:26:42.700
 who spent decades upon decades spilling her blood, sweat, tears,

00:26:42.859 --> 00:26:44.920
 trying to study the subject.

00:26:45.539 --> 00:26:46.579
 And he was completely wrong.

00:26:46.980 --> 00:26:49.359
 But he still kept on claiming that he knew better.

00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:56.019
 That pales in comparison to what we do with our God.

00:26:57.819 --> 00:27:02.439
 The creator God, infinite in wisdom, infinite in power and perspective.

00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:07.479
 He said, follow me in my ways, and you will find life and life abundant.

00:27:07.899 --> 00:27:10.299
 But to that, we said, nah.

00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:15.839
 Yeah, my ways, I think my ways are in fact higher than your ways.

00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:18.799
 My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

00:27:19.220 --> 00:27:20.819
 I can create my own happiness.

00:27:21.019 --> 00:27:22.159
 I can create my own destiny.

00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:24.279
 I have my own meaning.

00:27:24.379 --> 00:27:25.139
 Thank you very much.

00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:27.139
 And you know what this is called?

00:27:27.220 --> 00:27:28.339
 This is called sin.

00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:33.680
 And scripture teaches that just one of them merits eternal damnation.

00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:38.279
 And it's not like that one good deed can cancel out one bad deed.

00:27:38.340 --> 00:27:39.539
 That's not how this works.

00:27:42.039 --> 00:27:46.640
 The only way out is that the almighty judge just might spare you.

00:27:48.560 --> 00:27:52.940
 Maybe you do acknowledge some spiritual debt to the king.

00:27:53.820 --> 00:27:57.100
 But you underestimate the severity that you owe.

00:27:57.560 --> 00:27:58.580
 The debt that you owe.

00:27:59.860 --> 00:28:03.200
 You operate as if you owe God $10,000.

00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:04.640
 Maybe even $20,000.

00:28:04.740 --> 00:28:06.559
 But not hundreds of millions.

00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:14.720
 And with enough elbow grease and grit, you think you could pay it back and get even with God.

00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:18.500
 When you operate like that, you know what you can become?

00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:21.279
 You become like this tiny little boat.

00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:25.039
 Tossed by the whims of the seas.

00:28:26.620 --> 00:28:28.240
 You get high.

00:28:29.220 --> 00:28:30.120
 You get elevated.

00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:32.299
 When you feel like you're doing well.

00:28:32.299 --> 00:28:34.279
 When you, you know, I'm reading my Bible a lot.

00:28:34.419 --> 00:28:36.339
 And doing a lot of good things.

00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:37.500
 I'm paying back my debt.

00:28:37.960 --> 00:28:41.240
 But then the next day you come crashing back down.

00:28:41.339 --> 00:28:42.259
 When you mess up.

00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:46.319
 When you do that thing that you said you wouldn't do again.

00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:50.700
 Always tossed by the waves of the seas.

00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:51.879
 Going up.

00:28:52.159 --> 00:28:52.720
 Coming down.

00:28:53.019 --> 00:28:53.839
 Never stable.

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:55.059
 Never secure.

00:28:55.059 --> 00:28:57.079
 This is the definition.

00:28:57.079 --> 00:29:01.659
 The quintessential definition of the instability that works righteousness gets you in your life.

00:29:03.879 --> 00:29:06.919
 No, the debt is far worse than you can imagine.

00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:10.660
 We've all made a wreck of our lives.

00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:13.400
 And had a debt that we can never hope to pay.

00:29:13.400 --> 00:29:17.820
 And when we see how incredible this debt is.

00:29:18.080 --> 00:29:19.480
 We see that there's no way out of it.

00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:23.600
 The only right response is to repent before the king.

00:29:23.960 --> 00:29:25.780
 And to beg him for free mercy.

00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:28.240
 But in my heart.

00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:31.300
 What I see in others' hearts lately.

00:29:31.700 --> 00:29:32.759
 I don't see repentance.

00:29:34.860 --> 00:29:37.420
 I see whitewashing.

00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:39.460
 Oh, you know, that's not that bad.

00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:42.740
 I see self-pity.

00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:44.500
 I'm sorry.

00:29:44.860 --> 00:29:45.519
 I'm sorry.

00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:47.480
 For what it cost me.

00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:49.100
 I'm sorry for getting caught.

00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:52.200
 I see blame shifting.

00:29:52.360 --> 00:29:53.319
 Oh, it's not my fault.

00:29:53.420 --> 00:29:54.079
 It's her fault.

00:29:54.140 --> 00:29:54.680
 It's his fault.

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:57.440
 I see self-flagellation.

00:29:57.519 --> 00:29:58.480
 I'm going to whip myself.

00:29:58.600 --> 00:29:59.680
 I'm going to feel so bad.

00:29:59.799 --> 00:30:00.759
 So I make up for it.

00:30:02.340 --> 00:30:03.660
 And as we see in this parable.

00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:05.819
 I see a promise to repay.

00:30:07.360 --> 00:30:08.640
 That last one is the servant.

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:09.380
 What's the servant?

00:30:09.460 --> 00:30:10.539
 Tries to pull off.

00:30:10.880 --> 00:30:12.180
 When he comes before the king.

00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:13.600
 He falls on his knees and implores him.

00:30:13.700 --> 00:30:15.000
 Have patience with me.

00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:16.340
 And I will pay you everything.

00:30:17.380 --> 00:30:18.620
 Everything he claims.

00:30:19.420 --> 00:30:20.039
 If you think about it.

00:30:20.059 --> 00:30:22.160
 This is an incredibly audacious claim.

00:30:22.860 --> 00:30:24.180
 For a lowly servant.

00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:26.600
 Whose financial record is in the net negative.

00:30:26.819 --> 00:30:28.920
 For 5,000x times.

00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:31.700
 What he could ever hope to make in his entire life.

00:30:33.160 --> 00:30:34.900
 Whether he's making just excuses.

00:30:35.299 --> 00:30:37.220
 Or he's that bold.

00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:38.759
 Or maybe he's just that bad at math.

00:30:38.759 --> 00:30:40.980
 This is not repentance here.

00:30:43.379 --> 00:30:46.619
 Friends, I think that this is one of the hardest things.

00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:49.680
 Maybe the hardest thing to do in Christianity.

00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:53.320
 Is to accept free grace.

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:55.960
 To humble yourself.

00:30:55.960 --> 00:30:59.539
 And to declare that I can never pay back the debt that I owe.

00:31:00.779 --> 00:31:03.200
 To believe that I made a wreck of my life.

00:31:03.320 --> 00:31:04.380
 And the only source.

00:31:04.779 --> 00:31:05.720
 The only solution.

00:31:06.340 --> 00:31:07.320
 Is not internal.

00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:09.019
 Not if I dig down deep enough.

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:10.820
 But it's external.

00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:11.799
 Outside of me.

00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:14.079
 I need not my own righteousness.

00:31:14.339 --> 00:31:15.419
 But I need a foreign.

00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:16.399
 I need an alien.

00:31:16.779 --> 00:31:17.879
 An external righteousness.

00:31:18.059 --> 00:31:19.039
 To cover my sins.

00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:22.299
 You see, that's why the gospel is so offensive.

00:31:23.419 --> 00:31:26.220
 It says that we are more sinful than we'd like to believe.

00:31:26.440 --> 00:31:29.759
 Because the only way out is by free grace.

00:31:29.759 --> 00:31:34.319
 I find it ironic that we love free stuff.

00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:35.319
 I love free stuff.

00:31:35.379 --> 00:31:36.400
 I'd be the first to admit it.

00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:43.299
 But I'd also be the first to admit that I don't want things to be that free.

00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:44.319
 You know?

00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:47.439
 I don't want your charity.

00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:49.299
 I don't want your pity.

00:31:49.899 --> 00:31:51.279
 I can do it myself.

00:31:51.379 --> 00:31:51.839
 I got it.

00:31:52.819 --> 00:31:55.419
 But that's the message of the gospel.

00:31:56.759 --> 00:32:01.019
 We're chosen not because of any particular aspect about us.

00:32:01.740 --> 00:32:02.480
 Really, God?

00:32:02.500 --> 00:32:05.079
 You didn't choose me because of what I could do for you?

00:32:05.139 --> 00:32:06.039
 Because of my intellect?

00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:07.139
 Because of my skill set?

00:32:07.200 --> 00:32:07.679
 My resume?

00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:08.839
 My good looks?

00:32:08.939 --> 00:32:09.379
 My humor?

00:32:09.879 --> 00:32:10.619
 My money?

00:32:11.700 --> 00:32:12.039
 No.

00:32:12.039 --> 00:32:12.099
 No.

00:32:13.059 --> 00:32:16.639
 God did not choose us because of anything about us.

00:32:16.899 --> 00:32:19.500
 He chose us in spite of us.

00:32:20.220 --> 00:32:24.460
 If people saw a film of your life, all your thoughts and all your deeds,

00:32:24.519 --> 00:32:27.399
 you know what people would say about you, about God?

00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:32.099
 They would say, wow, God could love someone like him, like her?

00:32:33.079 --> 00:32:34.359
 He would die for her?

00:32:38.259 --> 00:32:40.920
 If you're offended by some of the things that you've heard in your life,

00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:52.259
 try, you were a wretched sinner, you were rebellious, foolish, blind, ignorant, lost, immoral, adulterous,

00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:55.720
 nothing to offer God but your disobedience.

00:32:55.720 --> 00:33:01.140
 I think some of the things that we've been offended by kind of pales in comparison to something like that.

00:33:03.319 --> 00:33:09.700
 Knowing our spiritual condition, therefore, is the only way to deal with this debt,

00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:14.640
 the only way to deal with this debt is by falling on our knees, falling on our faces,

00:33:15.059 --> 00:33:20.100
 pleading with the master, not pretending, not pretending like we can pay back anything.

00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:23.899
 The master in this parable, he knows this too.

00:33:24.779 --> 00:33:27.579
 Observe how he responds back to the servant in verse 27.

00:33:28.459 --> 00:33:31.240
 Our text doesn't say, convinced he'd get his money back,

00:33:31.919 --> 00:33:33.859
 the money, the master forgave him.

00:33:35.079 --> 00:33:38.139
 No, this is, there's no, you scratch my back, I scratch yours.

00:33:39.399 --> 00:33:42.139
 He doesn't think that this is a smart financial investment.

00:33:42.899 --> 00:33:45.500
 No, he says, out of pity for him.

00:33:45.500 --> 00:33:48.240
 It's no sweeter words.

00:33:48.779 --> 00:33:52.359
 The high and mighty king, by pitying this poor man,

00:33:52.500 --> 00:33:54.619
 saved this man and his family,

00:33:55.359 --> 00:33:58.259
 saves their life from a lifetime in prison.

00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:03.319
 See, the only thing that's more shocking in this parable

00:34:03.319 --> 00:34:06.079
 than this incalculable debt that this lowly servant,

00:34:06.180 --> 00:34:08.739
 I like how could he even possibly gain that much debt?

00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:11.860
 The only thing more shocking is that the king,

00:34:11.860 --> 00:34:17.400
 he could forgive it, just like that, free of charge.

00:34:18.360 --> 00:34:22.840
 How rich must this king be in money and in mercy

00:34:22.840 --> 00:34:24.599
 to let that kind of debt slide?

00:34:26.140 --> 00:34:30.019
 Brothers and sisters, in Christ, the same is true of our heavenly king.

00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:32.700
 Our God is rich in mercy.

00:34:34.539 --> 00:34:38.680
 His well, or his grace is a well so deep

00:34:38.680 --> 00:34:41.180
 that we will never reach the bottom of.

00:34:41.179 --> 00:34:43.339
 You can dive over and over and over

00:34:43.339 --> 00:34:44.699
 and you'll never reach the bottom.

00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:47.799
 There is no limit to God's forgiveness

00:34:47.799 --> 00:34:49.579
 if we simply just ask.

00:34:51.179 --> 00:34:52.839
 You see, some of us operate as if

00:34:52.839 --> 00:34:55.500
 our heavenly fathers, like our earthly fathers,

00:34:56.339 --> 00:34:58.519
 that we're only just a few mistakes away

00:34:58.519 --> 00:35:00.739
 from messing up this relationship

00:35:00.739 --> 00:35:01.960
 and ruining it all.

00:35:03.219 --> 00:35:03.399
 No.

00:35:04.319 --> 00:35:07.799
 Nehemiah 9 teaches us that God is ready.

00:35:07.800 --> 00:35:11.360
 He is at the ready to forgive you.

00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.600
 I love that word.

00:35:12.680 --> 00:35:13.300
 He's ready.

00:35:14.060 --> 00:35:15.940
 He's gracious and merciful,

00:35:16.420 --> 00:35:19.280
 slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:23.120
 He is ready to embrace you and to forgive you.

00:35:23.240 --> 00:35:25.280
 He sits at the edge of his seat,

00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:28.820
 ready to run towards his prodigal son or daughter

00:35:28.820 --> 00:35:29.700
 who's come back home.

00:35:29.699 --> 00:35:34.559
 He's never begrudgingly receiving you back

00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:36.019
 with an attitude of,

00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:38.339
 you try this again and you see what happens.

00:35:39.619 --> 00:35:40.179
 No.

00:35:40.939 --> 00:35:45.500
 He removes our sin as far as the east is from the west.

00:35:45.699 --> 00:35:48.559
 That means the distance between our sin and us

00:35:48.559 --> 00:35:50.059
 is in an infinite space.

00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:54.099
 He casts all our sins to the depths of the sea.

00:35:54.099 --> 00:35:57.099
 He operates as if we never sinned,

00:35:57.559 --> 00:35:59.000
 just like the son.

00:36:00.380 --> 00:36:03.039
 In the high priestly prayer in John 17,

00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:06.039
 we read that the father loves us

00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:10.839
 as he loves the son with the same kind of love.

00:36:11.539 --> 00:36:13.900
 That's mind-boggling.

00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:14.839
 That's incredible.

00:36:16.319 --> 00:36:19.920
 There's no limit of the forgiveness that he has for you.

00:36:20.299 --> 00:36:21.460
 He loves you.

00:36:21.659 --> 00:36:22.339
 He loves you.

00:36:22.340 --> 00:36:23.140
 He loves you.

00:36:25.140 --> 00:36:27.460
 And see that love ultimately displayed

00:36:27.460 --> 00:36:28.940
 at the cross of Christ

00:36:28.940 --> 00:36:34.000
 because God is both perfectly forgiving

00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:35.300
 and perfectly just.

00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:36.820
 Because of that fact,

00:36:37.140 --> 00:36:39.480
 someone had to pick up the tab

00:36:39.480 --> 00:36:41.940
 even when we walk away scotch-free.

00:36:43.300 --> 00:36:45.420
 And that someone is Jesus Christ

00:36:45.420 --> 00:36:49.300
 who spilt his blood to pay for your endless debt.

00:36:49.300 --> 00:36:54.500
 See the expensive price it costs to atone for your sin.

00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:58.120
 In the Old Testament, under Mosaic law,

00:36:59.100 --> 00:37:03.780
 Israelites were commanded to sacrifice animals pure and spotless.

00:37:04.460 --> 00:37:05.960
 The best of the best.

00:37:06.660 --> 00:37:08.160
 That blood, that animal,

00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:10.140
 it was meant to hurt your wallet a little bit.

00:37:10.139 --> 00:37:14.099
 How much more precious

00:37:14.099 --> 00:37:17.420
 is the blood of the incarnate God?

00:37:20.299 --> 00:37:23.299
 Jesus, the exact embodiment of God,

00:37:23.779 --> 00:37:25.239
 the most important,

00:37:25.539 --> 00:37:26.420
 most powerful,

00:37:26.639 --> 00:37:28.379
 most lovely human being

00:37:28.379 --> 00:37:29.319
 in all the universe,

00:37:29.460 --> 00:37:30.179
 in all history,

00:37:30.339 --> 00:37:32.199
 who existed before time began,

00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:34.699
 he spilt his precious blood for you

00:37:34.699 --> 00:37:37.679
 in order to buy you.

00:37:37.719 --> 00:37:40.119
 That was the only payment sufficient to buy you.

00:37:40.139 --> 00:37:42.879
 That's how deeply in debt that you were in.

00:37:44.019 --> 00:37:45.599
 But then on the flip side,

00:37:46.519 --> 00:37:49.579
 that's how precious you are to God

00:37:49.579 --> 00:37:51.939
 that he would send his one and only son to die for you.

00:37:54.599 --> 00:37:57.259
 Paul writes that though he was rich,

00:37:57.939 --> 00:37:59.980
 yet for your sake he became poor

00:37:59.980 --> 00:38:03.019
 so that you, by his poverty,

00:38:03.139 --> 00:38:04.199
 might become rich.

00:38:06.219 --> 00:38:09.159
 So as a result of this unbelievable act of kindness,

00:38:09.659 --> 00:38:10.380
 shouldn't the servant

00:38:10.380 --> 00:38:12.880
 be transformed from the inside out?

00:38:12.960 --> 00:38:14.519
 Isn't that the natural response?

00:38:16.059 --> 00:38:18.420
 Verse 28 says that instead he goes out

00:38:18.420 --> 00:38:20.340
 and finds a fellow servant

00:38:20.340 --> 00:38:22.420
 who owed him 100 denarii,

00:38:22.920 --> 00:38:26.559
 which is 600,000 times less

00:38:26.559 --> 00:38:28.500
 than what he had just been forgiven of.

00:38:28.500 --> 00:38:30.639
 600,000 times less.

00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:32.219
 If you use the same numbers,

00:38:32.300 --> 00:38:34.099
 this is roughly 400 bucks.

00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:38.320
 Instead of showing the same forgiveness

00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:39.659
 that he received,

00:38:39.800 --> 00:38:41.460
 he violently seizes

00:38:41.460 --> 00:38:42.639
 and he chokes him.

00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:43.800
 He chokes the dude.

00:38:45.280 --> 00:38:47.159
 Demanding to pay back what he owes.

00:38:48.260 --> 00:38:51.360
 Notice what the servant pleads with him then.

00:38:51.639 --> 00:38:53.639
 He pleads the exact same thing,

00:38:53.679 --> 00:38:54.400
 almost verbatim.

00:38:54.400 --> 00:38:57.639
 Except this time,

00:38:57.740 --> 00:38:59.019
 it was very much plausible

00:38:59.019 --> 00:39:01.320
 for this servant to pay him back 400 bucks

00:39:01.320 --> 00:39:04.059
 compared to 10,000 talents.

00:39:04.920 --> 00:39:06.539
 Instead of showing the same mercy

00:39:06.539 --> 00:39:07.500
 that he had received,

00:39:07.760 --> 00:39:09.099
 he throws him into jail

00:39:09.099 --> 00:39:10.940
 until he should pay what he owe.

00:39:12.780 --> 00:39:14.079
 Now this man, technically,

00:39:14.340 --> 00:39:17.579
 he had every right to do this

00:39:17.579 --> 00:39:20.599
 because the fellow servants owed him money.

00:39:20.599 --> 00:39:23.480
 He had the individual right

00:39:23.480 --> 00:39:24.480
 to send him to jail.

00:39:25.719 --> 00:39:27.819
 But compare that to the reaction

00:39:27.819 --> 00:39:28.940
 of the bystanders.

00:39:29.619 --> 00:39:30.559
 They witnessed this

00:39:30.559 --> 00:39:32.799
 and felt deep in their bones

00:39:32.799 --> 00:39:35.639
 that exercising his right

00:39:35.639 --> 00:39:37.219
 was so wrong

00:39:37.219 --> 00:39:39.460
 in light of the mercy

00:39:39.460 --> 00:39:40.739
 that this man had received.

00:39:42.039 --> 00:39:43.079
 See that the equation

00:39:43.079 --> 00:39:45.420
 is completely flipped upside down.

00:39:45.420 --> 00:39:47.519
 He wants to equate for God's mercy,

00:39:47.980 --> 00:39:48.579
 his forgiveness,

00:39:48.820 --> 00:39:51.380
 his unbelievable love to us.

00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:54.960
 Moreover, this parable uses a phrase,

00:39:55.680 --> 00:39:56.360
 fellow servant.

00:39:56.460 --> 00:39:57.800
 It uses it four times.

00:39:58.420 --> 00:40:00.039
 I think it's meant to emphasize

00:40:00.039 --> 00:40:01.300
 the parity,

00:40:01.760 --> 00:40:03.960
 the equality between the servants

00:40:03.960 --> 00:40:05.119
 and the disparity

00:40:05.119 --> 00:40:07.680
 between the servants and the king.

00:40:08.139 --> 00:40:08.900
 But in station,

00:40:09.400 --> 00:40:09.940
 and in power,

00:40:10.039 --> 00:40:10.559
 and significance.

00:40:10.559 --> 00:40:13.279
 What that means is that

00:40:13.279 --> 00:40:15.000
 this fellow servant,

00:40:15.099 --> 00:40:16.500
 he's just a servant like him.

00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:18.940
 He's no better than him.

00:40:19.579 --> 00:40:20.500
 If he received mercy

00:40:20.500 --> 00:40:21.619
 from the high king,

00:40:21.980 --> 00:40:23.199
 ought he forgive his equal?

00:40:24.039 --> 00:40:24.440
 And likewise,

00:40:24.599 --> 00:40:25.659
 if we received

00:40:25.659 --> 00:40:27.259
 life-changing mercy

00:40:27.259 --> 00:40:28.639
 from the master

00:40:28.639 --> 00:40:29.639
 who reigns on high,

00:40:29.880 --> 00:40:30.619
 how much more

00:40:30.619 --> 00:40:31.960
 should we extend forgiveness

00:40:31.960 --> 00:40:33.960
 to our fellow brothers and sisters

00:40:33.960 --> 00:40:35.360
 whom we are no better than?

00:40:35.420 --> 00:40:36.539
 We are all equal to.

00:40:36.539 --> 00:40:40.599
 So when you are offended,

00:40:41.079 --> 00:40:42.059
 when you are hurt

00:40:42.059 --> 00:40:43.679
 by someone else's sin,

00:40:44.539 --> 00:40:44.920
 forgive,

00:40:45.579 --> 00:40:46.920
 because you have been forgiven

00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:47.820
 much more.

00:40:48.519 --> 00:40:49.880
 When it comes to you forgiving,

00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:50.840
 you guys are all smart.

00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:53.019
 I know that our church is smart.

00:40:53.099 --> 00:40:53.639
 I want you guys

00:40:53.639 --> 00:40:54.699
 to remember this number.

00:40:55.219 --> 00:40:56.139
 Remember this ratio

00:40:56.139 --> 00:40:57.559
 that Jesus presents to us.

00:40:57.639 --> 00:41:00.079
 It's 600,000 to one.

00:41:01.719 --> 00:41:03.019
 That's the ratio of debt

00:41:03.019 --> 00:41:04.099
 that we have been forgiven

00:41:04.099 --> 00:41:06.099
 compared to the debt

00:41:06.099 --> 00:41:07.299
 that we have to forgive others.

00:41:09.559 --> 00:41:10.860
 That's the first motivation

00:41:10.860 --> 00:41:12.179
 of why we should forgive.

00:41:12.900 --> 00:41:14.059
 The parable also reminds us

00:41:14.059 --> 00:41:14.420
 to forgive

00:41:14.420 --> 00:41:15.500
 because of the consequences

00:41:15.500 --> 00:41:16.779
 if we don't.

00:41:18.119 --> 00:41:19.059
 Wrapping up the parable,

00:41:19.179 --> 00:41:20.279
 the fellow servants

00:41:20.279 --> 00:41:21.259
 report him to the king

00:41:21.259 --> 00:41:22.860
 and in his righteous anger,

00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:23.779
 he proclaims,

00:41:24.360 --> 00:41:25.759
 you wicked servant.

00:41:26.199 --> 00:41:27.619
 I forgave you all that debt

00:41:27.619 --> 00:41:28.960
 because you pleaded with me

00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:31.079
 and should you not have had mercy

00:41:31.079 --> 00:41:31.900
 on your fellow servant

00:41:31.900 --> 00:41:33.199
 as I had mercy on you.

00:41:34.179 --> 00:41:35.960
 So he reinstates the debt

00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:37.619
 throws him to the jailers.

00:41:39.139 --> 00:41:40.099
 Actually, some translations

00:41:40.099 --> 00:41:41.619
 have torturers here

00:41:41.619 --> 00:41:43.220
 which just goes to show

00:41:43.220 --> 00:41:45.400
 how severe the consequences are

00:41:45.400 --> 00:41:46.280
 for unforgiveness.

00:41:48.159 --> 00:41:50.199
 Jesus makes the final admonition

00:41:50.199 --> 00:41:52.679
 of this parable very clear.

00:41:53.500 --> 00:41:54.900
 Forgive your brother and sister

00:41:54.900 --> 00:41:55.800
 from your heart.

00:41:56.920 --> 00:41:58.880
 From the very core of who you are,

00:41:59.340 --> 00:42:00.420
 everything of your being,

00:42:00.559 --> 00:42:00.760
 forgive.

00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:02.740
 If you don't,

00:42:03.540 --> 00:42:04.800
 the same will happen to you.

00:42:06.440 --> 00:42:07.420
 Forgiving from your heart

00:42:07.420 --> 00:42:09.000
 means that you can't claim

00:42:09.000 --> 00:42:11.440
 to be solid with this person

00:42:11.440 --> 00:42:13.420
 but still than ever

00:42:13.420 --> 00:42:15.620
 treat them so differently.

00:42:17.440 --> 00:42:19.640
 Treat them a little bit colder

00:42:19.640 --> 00:42:20.220
 than before.

00:42:21.720 --> 00:42:23.080
 Your answers get shorter.

00:42:24.780 --> 00:42:25.940
 Your run-ins are less frequent

00:42:25.940 --> 00:42:27.460
 because you're trying to avoid them.

00:42:27.460 --> 00:42:30.920
 Your look becomes more like a scowl.

00:42:32.240 --> 00:42:33.280
 Forgiving from your heart

00:42:33.280 --> 00:42:34.420
 means that you can't claim

00:42:34.420 --> 00:42:35.780
 to be good with this person

00:42:35.780 --> 00:42:38.400
 but now you're withholding,

00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:39.720
 giving the benefit of the doubt.

00:42:41.159 --> 00:42:42.280
 Now you assume the worst

00:42:42.280 --> 00:42:42.960
 about him or her.

00:42:43.920 --> 00:42:44.940
 Instead of bearing,

00:42:46.000 --> 00:42:46.400
 believing,

00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:47.260
 hoping,

00:42:47.380 --> 00:42:48.300
 and enduring all things,

00:42:48.400 --> 00:42:49.460
 you curse,

00:42:49.820 --> 00:42:50.539
 you doubt,

00:42:51.280 --> 00:42:52.039
 you suspect,

00:42:52.240 --> 00:42:53.119
 and you blame

00:42:53.119 --> 00:42:54.000
 all things.

00:42:54.000 --> 00:42:57.599
 If we withhold forgiveness

00:42:57.599 --> 00:42:58.900
 from our fellow servants,

00:42:59.219 --> 00:43:01.840
 we become like doormats

00:43:01.840 --> 00:43:03.099
 for Satan.

00:43:03.460 --> 00:43:04.960
 We become just doormats

00:43:04.960 --> 00:43:06.099
 for him to simply

00:43:06.099 --> 00:43:07.480
 walk into our lives

00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:08.239
 and wreak havoc

00:43:08.239 --> 00:43:09.780
 on our relationships,

00:43:10.119 --> 00:43:11.179
 on our livelihoods.

00:43:11.420 --> 00:43:12.820
 If we withhold forgiveness,

00:43:13.019 --> 00:43:14.400
 we become enslaved

00:43:14.400 --> 00:43:15.960
 and imprisoned

00:43:15.960 --> 00:43:17.380
 by our pasts,

00:43:17.860 --> 00:43:18.860
 always thinking about

00:43:18.860 --> 00:43:19.780
 what happened to us,

00:43:20.300 --> 00:43:21.179
 what we could have done,

00:43:21.239 --> 00:43:22.119
 what we should have said,

00:43:22.119 --> 00:43:24.199
 never letting that wound heal,

00:43:24.319 --> 00:43:25.440
 always living in the past,

00:43:25.539 --> 00:43:26.779
 never going into the future.

00:43:27.960 --> 00:43:29.259
 If we withhold forgiveness,

00:43:29.420 --> 00:43:31.359
 we become bitter people.

00:43:32.799 --> 00:43:34.099
 And as the famous quote goes,

00:43:34.219 --> 00:43:35.739
 we ultimately drink

00:43:35.739 --> 00:43:37.539
 the poison of bitterness

00:43:37.539 --> 00:43:38.819
 hoping that the other person

00:43:38.819 --> 00:43:39.699
 will drop dead.

00:43:41.579 --> 00:43:43.819
 Those are all infectious consequences

00:43:43.819 --> 00:43:45.299
 of unforgiveness in our lives.

00:43:45.299 --> 00:43:47.139
 If we don't deal with it now,

00:43:47.239 --> 00:43:48.719
 that infection will spread

00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:49.819
 and it'll spread.

00:43:49.820 --> 00:43:52.820
 But the greatest consequence

00:43:53.420 --> 00:43:54.519
 unforgiveness has

00:43:54.519 --> 00:43:56.200
 is on your final standing

00:43:56.200 --> 00:43:56.940
 before God.

00:43:58.400 --> 00:43:59.840
 As the parable opens,

00:44:00.160 --> 00:44:01.140
 the kingdom of heaven

00:44:01.140 --> 00:44:02.080
 is coming.

00:44:02.340 --> 00:44:03.160
 It is coming.

00:44:04.820 --> 00:44:05.600
 And one day,

00:44:05.680 --> 00:44:06.559
 the heavenly king

00:44:06.559 --> 00:44:08.120
 will settle his accounts

00:44:08.120 --> 00:44:09.400
 with all his servants.

00:44:12.820 --> 00:44:14.640
 And what our spiritual

00:44:14.640 --> 00:44:16.559
 balance sheet says

00:44:16.559 --> 00:44:19.059
 will have eternal consequences

00:44:19.059 --> 00:44:20.360
 for our souls.

00:44:21.599 --> 00:44:22.659
 Learning from this parable,

00:44:22.860 --> 00:44:24.820
 we must be wary

00:44:24.820 --> 00:44:27.179
 of forfeiting the forgiveness

00:44:27.179 --> 00:44:28.679
 that we have received

00:44:28.679 --> 00:44:29.980
 if we fail

00:44:29.980 --> 00:44:31.380
 to forgive our fellow

00:44:31.380 --> 00:44:32.820
 brothers and sisters around us.

00:44:34.739 --> 00:44:35.699
 And while this forgiveness

00:44:35.699 --> 00:44:37.179
 is freely given,

00:44:37.980 --> 00:44:39.799
 be very careful

00:44:39.799 --> 00:44:42.119
 not to presume on it.

00:44:42.820 --> 00:44:45.139
 That's an extremely dangerous thought.

00:44:45.139 --> 00:44:47.500
 In other words,

00:44:47.599 --> 00:44:49.639
 there is a motivating fear

00:44:49.639 --> 00:44:50.739
 of punishment

00:44:50.739 --> 00:44:52.019
 in this parable.

00:44:52.440 --> 00:44:53.420
 There's no denying it.

00:44:54.699 --> 00:44:56.480
 And while the more fundamental motive

00:44:56.480 --> 00:44:57.199
 to forgive

00:44:57.199 --> 00:44:59.159
 is in fact gratitude

00:44:59.159 --> 00:45:00.159
 and imitation

00:45:00.159 --> 00:45:01.099
 of the mercy

00:45:01.099 --> 00:45:01.799
 that we receive

00:45:01.799 --> 00:45:02.839
 from the great high king,

00:45:03.139 --> 00:45:04.460
 at the same time,

00:45:04.759 --> 00:45:06.219
 Jesus does still appeal

00:45:06.219 --> 00:45:07.319
 to our self-interest.

00:45:09.159 --> 00:45:10.019
 So today,

00:45:10.119 --> 00:45:11.219
 Jesus is asking you,

00:45:11.219 --> 00:45:13.599
 what will you choose?

00:45:15.259 --> 00:45:16.959
 Are you going to be found rich

00:45:16.959 --> 00:45:18.779
 in this union with Christ

00:45:18.779 --> 00:45:19.779
 by free grace,

00:45:20.259 --> 00:45:21.899
 by admitting your need

00:45:21.899 --> 00:45:23.159
 and accepting the pity

00:45:23.159 --> 00:45:24.339
 and mercy of our God

00:45:24.339 --> 00:45:25.959
 and imitating that forgiveness

00:45:25.959 --> 00:45:27.219
 to your offenders?

00:45:28.219 --> 00:45:29.619
 Or are you going to forfeit

00:45:29.619 --> 00:45:30.319
 that grace

00:45:30.319 --> 00:45:32.379
 by withholding it altogether,

00:45:33.339 --> 00:45:34.599
 by refusing to forgive?

00:45:34.599 --> 00:45:39.839
 Jesus loves us so much

00:45:39.839 --> 00:45:41.799
 that he warns us clearly.

00:45:43.319 --> 00:45:44.839
 How you measure other people

00:45:44.839 --> 00:45:45.639
 in this life

00:45:45.639 --> 00:45:47.619
 will be how God measures you.

00:45:49.339 --> 00:45:50.239
 Let me say that again

00:45:50.239 --> 00:45:50.819
 to make that clear.

00:45:50.920 --> 00:45:52.779
 How you measure other people

00:45:52.779 --> 00:45:53.619
 in this life

00:45:53.619 --> 00:45:55.279
 will be how God measures you.

00:45:56.559 --> 00:45:57.679
 If you measure others

00:45:57.679 --> 00:45:58.940
 with grace and charity,

00:45:59.079 --> 00:45:59.799
 God will measure you

00:45:59.799 --> 00:46:00.339
 the same way.

00:46:01.159 --> 00:46:02.019
 If you measure others

00:46:02.019 --> 00:46:03.239
 with a wrathful,

00:46:03.420 --> 00:46:03.719
 vengeance,

00:46:03.719 --> 00:46:05.079
 a sinic spirit,

00:46:05.480 --> 00:46:07.319
 God will do the same for you.

00:46:08.879 --> 00:46:10.779
 Because if you staunchly refuse

00:46:10.779 --> 00:46:12.579
 to offer amazing grace

00:46:12.579 --> 00:46:13.199
 to others,

00:46:13.279 --> 00:46:14.139
 that's evidence

00:46:14.139 --> 00:46:16.859
 that you likely haven't experienced it

00:46:16.859 --> 00:46:17.639
 in the first place.

00:46:18.919 --> 00:46:20.439
 You probably haven't repented,

00:46:21.859 --> 00:46:23.959
 receiving an unbelievable debt forgiven.

00:46:26.419 --> 00:46:28.000
 Still, I want to say

00:46:28.000 --> 00:46:28.699
 and hear me clearly,

00:46:29.000 --> 00:46:29.819
 this doesn't mean

00:46:29.819 --> 00:46:31.399
 that we are saved by our works.

00:46:31.519 --> 00:46:32.359
 We're not saved

00:46:32.360 --> 00:46:34.539
 by our perfect forgiveness.

00:46:34.780 --> 00:46:35.860
 We have already talked about

00:46:35.860 --> 00:46:36.460
 how this grace

00:46:36.460 --> 00:46:37.340
 is completely free.

00:46:38.640 --> 00:46:39.579
 Jesus is not saying

00:46:39.579 --> 00:46:40.780
 that he starts the work

00:46:40.780 --> 00:46:41.920
 that we then have to forgive

00:46:41.920 --> 00:46:43.480
 or we have to then finish

00:46:43.480 --> 00:46:44.840
 by our perfect obedience.

00:46:45.980 --> 00:46:48.599
 It's not that we forgive others first

00:46:48.599 --> 00:46:49.820
 in order to prove to God

00:46:49.820 --> 00:46:50.780
 that we are good.

00:46:51.519 --> 00:46:53.500
 No, we never twist God's arm

00:46:53.500 --> 00:46:54.620
 into loving us.

00:46:55.019 --> 00:46:55.660
 No, this forgiveness

00:46:55.659 --> 00:46:57.399
 forgiveness is an outpouring,

00:46:57.539 --> 00:46:59.179
 an overflow of results

00:46:59.179 --> 00:47:00.899
 of the forgiveness

00:47:00.899 --> 00:47:01.799
 you had received.

00:47:03.719 --> 00:47:04.659
 And if you have received

00:47:05.299 --> 00:47:05.879
 this forgiveness,

00:47:06.879 --> 00:47:08.259
 the command is crystal clear.

00:47:09.039 --> 00:47:09.719
 Brothers and sisters,

00:47:09.920 --> 00:47:10.099
 forgive.

00:47:11.759 --> 00:47:13.019
 There's someone on your heart

00:47:13.019 --> 00:47:14.039
 right now

00:47:14.039 --> 00:47:15.879
 that the spirit

00:47:15.879 --> 00:47:16.899
 is putting on you,

00:47:17.940 --> 00:47:19.219
 telling you to forgive

00:47:19.219 --> 00:47:19.819
 that person,

00:47:21.339 --> 00:47:22.339
 saying, hey, it's time.

00:47:22.340 --> 00:47:24.960
 It's time to let go

00:47:24.960 --> 00:47:25.440
 of that bitterness.

00:47:26.960 --> 00:47:28.059
 It's time to forgive.

00:47:30.300 --> 00:47:31.260
 If you want to grow

00:47:31.260 --> 00:47:31.860
 in forgiveness

00:47:31.860 --> 00:47:33.460
 but don't know how,

00:47:33.559 --> 00:47:34.720
 let me close

00:47:34.720 --> 00:47:35.960
 with just a few steps

00:47:35.960 --> 00:47:36.620
 that you can take.

00:47:37.860 --> 00:47:38.600
 Number one,

00:47:39.640 --> 00:47:40.840
 fall on your face

00:47:40.840 --> 00:47:41.920
 in desperate prayer.

00:47:43.680 --> 00:47:44.900
 Sean taught a class yesterday

00:47:44.900 --> 00:47:47.120
 on the power of prayer.

00:47:47.119 --> 00:47:50.659
 Loving someone

00:47:50.659 --> 00:47:51.940
 who has hurt you deeply

00:47:51.940 --> 00:47:54.039
 is one of the greatest reminders

00:47:54.039 --> 00:47:55.539
 that we cannot obey God

00:47:55.539 --> 00:47:57.539
 without his amazing grace,

00:47:57.619 --> 00:47:58.159
 his strength.

00:47:58.239 --> 00:47:59.219
 We can't do it on our own.

00:48:00.500 --> 00:48:01.219
 But the prayer

00:48:01.219 --> 00:48:02.500
 of a righteous person

00:48:02.500 --> 00:48:03.420
 has great power

00:48:03.420 --> 00:48:04.219
 as it is working.

00:48:05.639 --> 00:48:06.299
 Corrie Ten Boom

00:48:06.299 --> 00:48:06.799
 was a woman

00:48:06.799 --> 00:48:08.299
 with a nature like ours.

00:48:09.099 --> 00:48:09.579
 She prayed

00:48:09.579 --> 00:48:10.619
 that she could forgive

00:48:10.619 --> 00:48:11.599
 her Nazi captors.

00:48:12.719 --> 00:48:13.299
 And in her heart,

00:48:13.380 --> 00:48:14.279
 no bitterness reigned

00:48:14.279 --> 00:48:15.039
 upon her.

00:48:15.039 --> 00:48:17.139
 It's obviously not

00:48:17.139 --> 00:48:18.139
 what James 5 says

00:48:18.139 --> 00:48:20.139
 but forgiving feels

00:48:20.139 --> 00:48:21.179
 as much of a miracle

00:48:21.179 --> 00:48:22.420
 as not reigning

00:48:22.420 --> 00:48:23.940
 for three and a half years.

00:48:25.779 --> 00:48:26.440
 So pray.

00:48:26.980 --> 00:48:27.940
 Pray on your own.

00:48:29.059 --> 00:48:29.599
 Pray with others.

00:48:29.800 --> 00:48:30.679
 Pray with your pastors.

00:48:32.039 --> 00:48:32.920
 Confess your sins

00:48:32.920 --> 00:48:33.940
 of unforgiveness.

00:48:34.719 --> 00:48:35.559
 Pray for yourself.

00:48:35.940 --> 00:48:36.960
 Pray for your offender.

00:48:38.820 --> 00:48:39.739
 Famous theologian

00:48:39.739 --> 00:48:40.800
 Dietrich Bonhoeffer said,

00:48:40.980 --> 00:48:42.360
 I can no longer condemn

00:48:42.360 --> 00:48:43.460
 or hate a brother

00:48:43.460 --> 00:48:44.599
 for whom I pray.

00:48:45.039 --> 00:48:46.900
 No matter how much

00:48:46.900 --> 00:48:47.920
 trouble he causes me.

00:48:47.980 --> 00:48:48.940
 Because in prayer,

00:48:49.639 --> 00:48:50.699
 we begin to see

00:48:50.699 --> 00:48:51.960
 that person

00:48:51.960 --> 00:48:53.219
 as God sees them.

00:48:53.880 --> 00:48:54.820
 As someone

00:48:54.820 --> 00:48:55.699
 already forgiven

00:48:55.699 --> 00:48:56.440
 or someone

00:48:56.440 --> 00:48:57.380
 that God longs

00:48:57.380 --> 00:48:57.900
 to forgive.

00:48:59.779 --> 00:49:00.380
 Number two,

00:49:01.000 --> 00:49:01.360
 remember,

00:49:01.779 --> 00:49:02.579
 keep that in mind.

00:49:03.279 --> 00:49:03.920
 That ratio

00:49:03.920 --> 00:49:05.880
 of 600,000 to one.

00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:07.759
 Bonhoeffer also said,

00:49:07.960 --> 00:49:08.779
 if my sinfulness

00:49:08.779 --> 00:49:09.500
 appears to me

00:49:09.500 --> 00:49:09.940
 in any way

00:49:09.940 --> 00:49:10.719
 any smaller

00:49:10.719 --> 00:49:12.219
 or less detestable

00:49:12.219 --> 00:49:12.820
 in comparison

00:49:12.820 --> 00:49:13.960
 to the sins of others,

00:49:13.960 --> 00:49:15.599
 I am still

00:49:15.599 --> 00:49:16.360
 not recognizing

00:49:16.360 --> 00:49:17.119
 my sinfulness

00:49:17.119 --> 00:49:17.659
 at all.

00:49:18.820 --> 00:49:19.659
 So remember

00:49:19.659 --> 00:49:20.340
 that ratio.

00:49:20.900 --> 00:49:21.320
 Repent

00:49:21.320 --> 00:49:22.900
 of your incredible

00:49:22.900 --> 00:49:23.720
 debt of sin.

00:49:24.039 --> 00:49:24.500
 Once you see

00:49:24.500 --> 00:49:24.860
 that God

00:49:24.860 --> 00:49:25.639
 has forgiven you,

00:49:25.940 --> 00:49:27.039
 600,000

00:49:27.039 --> 00:49:28.380
 of your sins

00:49:28.380 --> 00:49:28.880
 ought to

00:49:28.880 --> 00:49:30.400
 forgive just one

00:49:30.400 --> 00:49:30.880
 of your brothers.

00:49:32.559 --> 00:49:33.380
 Number three,

00:49:33.539 --> 00:49:35.139
 trust in God's justice.

00:49:36.000 --> 00:49:36.800
 God will never

00:49:36.800 --> 00:49:37.820
 let any

00:49:37.820 --> 00:49:39.619
 sin go unpunished.

00:49:39.619 --> 00:49:41.299
 either upon

00:49:41.299 --> 00:49:41.819
 the son

00:49:41.819 --> 00:49:42.460
 or upon

00:49:42.460 --> 00:49:42.940
 the offender.

00:49:43.839 --> 00:49:44.659
 He will make

00:49:44.659 --> 00:49:45.359
 all things

00:49:45.359 --> 00:49:46.460
 that are wrong,

00:49:46.519 --> 00:49:47.219
 he will make them right.

00:49:48.000 --> 00:49:49.239
 He will vindicate

00:49:49.239 --> 00:49:49.880
 the righteous.

00:49:50.799 --> 00:49:51.539
 Trust in

00:49:51.539 --> 00:49:52.480
 the ultimate

00:49:52.480 --> 00:49:52.940
 justice

00:49:52.940 --> 00:49:53.380
 that God

00:49:53.380 --> 00:49:53.799
 will bring.

00:49:55.099 --> 00:49:55.440
 Four,

00:49:55.519 --> 00:49:56.599
 this is my last point.

00:49:58.059 --> 00:49:58.359
 Rinse

00:49:58.359 --> 00:49:59.039
 and repeat.

00:50:00.440 --> 00:50:00.779
 Forgiveness

00:50:00.779 --> 00:50:01.359
 is both

00:50:01.359 --> 00:50:02.179
 an event

00:50:02.179 --> 00:50:03.359
 and a process.

00:50:04.159 --> 00:50:04.839
 For the most

00:50:04.839 --> 00:50:05.239
 painful

00:50:05.239 --> 00:50:05.900
 of hurts,

00:50:06.960 --> 00:50:07.239
 forgiveness

00:50:07.239 --> 00:50:07.819
 needs to be

00:50:07.820 --> 00:50:08.780
 a daily choice.

00:50:10.360 --> 00:50:11.200
 The reality

00:50:11.200 --> 00:50:11.780
 is that

00:50:11.780 --> 00:50:12.140
 forgiveness

00:50:12.140 --> 00:50:13.019
 is messy.

00:50:13.460 --> 00:50:14.240
 Life is messy.

00:50:15.200 --> 00:50:15.700
 It's not

00:50:15.700 --> 00:50:16.380
 usually linear.

00:50:17.519 --> 00:50:18.180
 Some days

00:50:18.180 --> 00:50:18.680
 are harder

00:50:18.680 --> 00:50:19.260
 than others.

00:50:20.180 --> 00:50:20.519
 It's okay.

00:50:22.260 --> 00:50:22.780
 Just pick

00:50:22.780 --> 00:50:23.380
 yourself up

00:50:23.380 --> 00:50:24.000
 and rinse

00:50:24.000 --> 00:50:24.400
 and repeat.

00:50:25.640 --> 00:50:26.160
 Keep praying.

00:50:27.080 --> 00:50:27.740
 Keep remembering

00:50:27.740 --> 00:50:28.440
 that ratio.

00:50:30.000 --> 00:50:30.559
 Keep trusting

00:50:30.559 --> 00:50:31.039
 in God's

00:50:31.039 --> 00:50:31.519
 justice.

00:50:32.680 --> 00:50:33.180
 May we,

00:50:34.260 --> 00:50:34.960
 Trinity Cambridge

00:50:34.960 --> 00:50:35.400
 Church,

00:50:35.559 --> 00:50:35.960
 be known

00:50:35.960 --> 00:50:36.500
 by our

00:50:36.500 --> 00:50:37.140
 forgiving hearts.

00:50:37.139 --> 00:50:38.359
 toward one

00:50:38.359 --> 00:50:38.639
 another

00:50:38.639 --> 00:50:39.179
 and towards

00:50:39.179 --> 00:50:39.519
 the world.

00:50:40.519 --> 00:50:40.960
 Let's pray.

00:50:43.460 --> 00:50:44.159
 If you,

00:50:44.420 --> 00:50:44.519
 Lord,

00:50:44.619 --> 00:50:45.279
 kept a record

00:50:45.279 --> 00:50:45.839
 of sins,

00:50:46.359 --> 00:50:46.619
 Lord,

00:50:46.719 --> 00:50:47.199
 who could

00:50:47.199 --> 00:50:47.679
 stand?

00:50:47.960 --> 00:50:48.559
 But with you

00:50:48.559 --> 00:50:48.980
 there is

00:50:48.980 --> 00:50:49.460
 forgiveness

00:50:49.460 --> 00:50:50.699
 so that we

00:50:50.699 --> 00:50:50.960
 can,

00:50:51.119 --> 00:50:51.699
 with reverence,

00:50:51.779 --> 00:50:52.379
 serve you.

00:50:55.259 --> 00:50:55.859
 Thank you,

00:50:55.940 --> 00:50:56.099
 God,

00:50:56.179 --> 00:50:56.679
 for your

00:50:56.679 --> 00:50:57.359
 unbelievable

00:50:57.359 --> 00:50:58.159
 grace towards

00:50:58.159 --> 00:50:58.539
 us.

00:50:59.619 --> 00:50:59.920
 Wretched,

00:51:01.599 --> 00:51:01.900
 weary,

00:51:03.339 --> 00:51:04.079
 adulterous,

00:51:04.359 --> 00:51:04.719
 sinful,

00:51:05.099 --> 00:51:05.460
 lost

00:51:05.460 --> 00:51:06.599
 people,

00:51:07.340 --> 00:51:07.940
 your children,

00:51:08.099 --> 00:51:08.380
 you have

00:51:08.380 --> 00:51:08.880
 saved,

00:51:09.380 --> 00:51:09.619
 you have

00:51:09.619 --> 00:51:09.940
 redeemed.

00:51:10.079 --> 00:51:10.619
 Help us

00:51:10.619 --> 00:51:12.579
 to be like

00:51:12.579 --> 00:51:12.780
 you.

00:51:13.000 --> 00:51:13.420
 We want to

00:51:13.420 --> 00:51:14.000
 be like you,

00:51:14.119 --> 00:51:14.599
 to be able

00:51:14.599 --> 00:51:15.220
 to forgive

00:51:15.220 --> 00:51:15.900
 the people

00:51:15.900 --> 00:51:16.659
 in our lives,

00:51:17.139 --> 00:51:17.720
 to extend

00:51:17.720 --> 00:51:18.480
 that amazing

00:51:18.480 --> 00:51:19.039
 grace that

00:51:19.039 --> 00:51:19.340
 we have

00:51:19.340 --> 00:51:19.780
 received,

00:51:20.380 --> 00:51:21.220
 so that the

00:51:21.220 --> 00:51:21.699
 world will

00:51:21.699 --> 00:51:22.079
 know us

00:51:22.079 --> 00:51:22.579
 by our

00:51:22.579 --> 00:51:22.880
 love.

00:51:24.460 --> 00:51:25.119
 In Jesus'

00:51:25.240 --> 00:51:25.460
 name we

00:51:25.460 --> 00:51:25.639
 pray.

00:51:25.639 --> 00:51:26.720
 Amen.

00:51:26.719 --> 00:51:26.819
 Amen.