well good morning everyone it's great to be with you again i encourage you to keep your
bibles open at matthew 18 and also if you go to the st paul's app you'll find an outline
for today's message as we kick off on our mission month right now a former american footballer
with the miami dolphins was interviewed a number of years ago now by newsweek media
asking him specifically one of one of the questions they asked him was what motivated him
to go to university and to study university and eventually took him down the line of
becoming a footballer he said and his answer was really interesting he says my father
and my uncle were human cannonballs in the carnivals and my father said to me one day son either go to
university or become a human cannonball and he said then one day while i was working out the
decision which way to go he said my uncle was shot out of the cannon missed the net hit the ferris wheel
and died he said at that point i decided to go to university now self-reservation in that moment
seems a really good reason a good motive uh um there are motive however is one of those strange things to
work out because often motives are mixed uh and even for the christian in fact probably and especially
for the christian for instance what has motivated you this morning to tune into uh this service
uh what motivates you as a christian to do uh spiritual disciplines why read your bible why pray
what motivates you to give of your resources what motivates you to serve other people what motivates you to
show mercy and as we launch out into this uh season of mission month and thinking about sharing the hope
that we have in jesus the very first place you want to start is what is our motive to do such things
and this is really really really important for us to wrestle with as we as christians and as a church
as we seek to love the vulnerable and the needy of our community we love and the compassion the mercy of
jesus christ what is the motive for us doing so so if you've got the st paul's app open right now
you'll see i've got three points i want to go through the motive for sharing mercy
uh receiving hope leads to sharing hope and awakening to a life of sharing hope so here it is in a nutshell
our motive is in a nutshell before we launch into the rest of the today uh god impoverished his son
jesus christ on a cross so that all of his riches and health and righteousness and life could be given
to us those who trust in him that's it in a nutshell 2 corinthians chapter 5 verse 21 in the new testament
reveals this mercy transaction so clearly it says god made him talking about jesus
god made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him jesus we might become the righteousness
of god a couple of chapters later in 2 corinthians uh it's stated in pure economic terms for you know
the grace of our lord jesus christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor so that you
through his poverty might become rich the foundational core element of the christian faith
is that though poor all of humanity were being made rich through the mercy of god we were living in a
rubbish tip we by and by his grace god has clothed us with kingly robes and made us to sit down at his
royal banquet table god's grace has a powerful impact in every part of your life his grace
changes everything a person who knows that they have received mercy while an undeserving enemy of god
will have a heart of love and mercy and compassion for the most ungrateful and the difficult and the
unlovely of society this is in in absolute nutshell when a christian sees
alcoholics prisoners prostitutes drug addicts homeless refugees the broker the destitute of
society of society they know they're looking in a mirror
it is irrelevant if that particular christian has spent their entire life
as a respectable middle class person
they look at the broken and they say in the depths of their hearts
spiritually that's me i i i was that person even if physically and socially i've never been where they
are right now they are in desperate need of mercy and i spiritually was in desperate need of god's mercy to me
god gives mercy to the ungrateful and the wicked and that is what we were
and the powerful effect of his mercy and his grace in us is that we become
like the god of mercy and we show it to others so i want to unpack that that's in a nutshell i want to
unpack that as we launch into matthew 18 if you've got that bible that parable in front of you helps us to show
helps us see how a god's grace to us motivates a life of grace
now just before this in matthew 18 the parable there jesus been talking about how to handle things
when someone sins against you and so peter his apostle asks him a question lord how many times
shall i forgive my brother and sister who sins against me
he says and then he goes and answers his own question up to seven times
now the attitude of the rabbis uh jewish rabbis at that time
was that you would forgive your brother no more than three times
you know three strikes and then you're out
and so peter at this point is probably thinking well i'll go a bit further than that
uh and you know jesus should be pretty happy with that that response
but jesus gives a stunning response in verse 22
i tell you not seven times but 77 times
now some commentators say that he he means literally 77 times others say well actually in fact he meant seven
by 70 times he means 490 times the reality is either either alternative
really misses the point of what jesus says
because to try and calculate 77 or 590 is to go back to the pedantic calculation
of forgiveness and mercy that jesus is rejecting at this point
forgiveness and mercy is unlimited that's his point
that is what god's grace towards us is it is unlimited
and to make the point clear jesus then launches into this parable
there's a man here's a character there's a man who owes a king
10 000 bags of gold it was a debt that according to verse 25 of matthew 18
was not able to be paid now that's an understatement
the original language refers to a debt as 10 000 talents
now the talent was the highest unit of currency
and 10 000 was the highest greek numeral
so the idea here of this is that it's meant to convey the largest sum imaginable
something what we might say it's just like squillions of dollars or something like that
in fact the debt was a thousand times to get this
in the this is first century palestine
this particular debt was a thousand times
the annual revenue of galilee judea samaria and idumea combined
it's like taking all foreign debt globally
and lumping on the responsibility of one human being
to pay it back
totally beyond imagination
for those who first heard this
impossible to pay this debt back
and yet
even though this particular character is bankrupt
multiple multiple times over
this particular servant still has a sense of pride
he has not grasped the enormity of his bankruptcy
have a look at what he says in verse 26
at this the servant fell on his knees before him
be patient with me he begged
and i will pay you back everything
so he hadn't quite understood that there was no way he could pay it back
no amount of time no amount of patience on behalf of the king
would ever see this servant paying back this money
he is utterly bankrupt
he is powerless
he is helpless
no ability whatsoever to trade out of this situation
you see if you go back to luke 10
the other passage was read to us
law
an expert of the law comes up to jesus and says
so
what does it mean to love my neighbor
and the law expert in the parable of the good samaritan
failed to grasp this concept as well
he the law expert and both these men in this parable
are the man on the road to jericho
beaten helpless destitute
couldn't do a thing to save themselves
and both the law expert in luke 10
the two servants here
all in the same position
in need of mercy
they are as what the rest of the new testament would say
they are dead spiritually
ephesians 2 says of all of humanity
that we are dead in our transgressions and sins
and as we know dead people don't cut deals
they don't pay back loans
and that is the bible's view of our state before god
spiritually dead
bankrupt
multiple times over
no amount of trading on our behalf
will ever pay back what we owe god
now of course the king here who
in matthew 18 in this parable
the king who represents god
understood the plight of this servant
more than the servant did
have a look at verse 27
it says the servant's master took pity on him
cancelled his debt
let him go
see this ultimately this story is about
our god
and the way that he graciously treats us
we who are bankrupt
before god
with a debt of sin
that we could never be
that could never be repaid by us
have been forgiven
a debt
our sin against god
has been piling up
load of bad debt
hour
after hour
day
after day
week after week
month after month
year after year
our entire lives
but god
in his gracious action
in the lord jesus christ
has wiped it clean
wiped it clean
god has forgiven us a debt
that we could never pay back
and the words of this servant
this first servant
be patient with me
and i'll pay you back
everything
is so pitifully untrue
for us as well
no amount of good activity
not even good christian activity
no amount of pulling up our socks
and rolling up our sleeves
trying a little harder
will morally do it
our debt against god
is phenomenal
we are bankrupt
we don't have the ability
the power
to trade out of it
and god
and god comes along
in jesus christ
and as 2 corinthians 5 says
swap positions with us
he's cancelled the debt
he's taken our debt
upon himself
and he's given us
his righteousness
now i'm fully aware
that there are people
tuned in this morning
for you right now
this is the first time
you've heard this
can i encourage you
to receive
this
god's gracious gift
to you in the lord jesus
and have your debt
against god cancelled
if you want to know
a bit more about
adrian's already been up here
and talked about it
we're doing an investigating
christianity course
in the coming weeks
only a couple of weeks away
jump onto that
do not let this moment
pass for you
so what happens now
you see
having experienced
hope
receiving hope
leads to sharing hope
and that's the remarkable twist
that comes in this story
in matthew 18
when this servant
who has been forgiven
an incalculable debt
goes out
from that moment
and
just make sure
that another servant
of his
who owes him
a few dollars
pays him back
right down
to the very last cent
verse 28
have a look at it
it's just ridiculous
but when that servant
went out
he found one of his
fellow servants
who owed him
a hundred silver coins
he grabbed him
began to choke him
pay back me
what you owe
he demanded
and his fellow servant
fell on his knees
and he begged him
be patient with me
and I will pay you back
but he refused
instead
he went off
and had the man
thrown
into prison
until he could pay
back the debt
now
it's
just
unthinkable
the fact that
the second servant's
debt
is one
six hundred
thousandth
of the first
debt
emphasizes the
ludicrous nature
of the behavior
of that first
servant
whose servant
has been forgiven
everything
the point
here is
that any
limitation
on grace
on forgiveness
on mercy
on compassion
shows
that this
first servant
shows
is totally
inconceivable
the second servant
pleaded for mercy
he says to me
be patient
and I will pay
you back
which is exactly
what the first
servant asked
the difference is
this second servant
could have
but instead
the first servant
had him thrown
into prison
where he would
not be able
to work
and he could
not earn
the money
to pay
the debt
back
and therefore
it will
never be
cancelled
the one
who had
been shown
mercy
refused
to show
mercy
it is an
unthinkable
response
to God's
mercy to us
in Jesus
and yet
that's the way
a person
talks
whose
Christianity
is simply
a group
of ideas
and it's
not an
experience
of precious
mercy
of God
in the Lord
Jesus Christ
it's a person
whose Christianity
is all truth
no treasure
all choices
no cherishing
all logic
about Christ
and no love
for Christ
all decision
and no delight
and we see it
in Matthew 18
let's keep reading
verse 32
then the master
called the servant
in
this is the king
calling in the first
servant
you wicked
servant
I cancelled
all that debt
of yours
because you
begged me
to
shouldn't you
have had mercy
on your fellow
servant
just as I had
on you
and in anger
his master
handed him over
to the jailers
to be tortured
until he should
pay back
all he owed
and this is
how my heavenly
father will
treat each
of you
unless you
forgive your
brother and
sister
from your
heart
now Jesus
purpose
in telling
this parable
is to teach
the principle
of unconditional
forgiveness
the ministry
of mercy
compassion
grace
has the exact
same motivation
and the exact
same rationale
the grace
of God
to us
in the Lord
Jesus Christ
the grace
of God
is dynamic
and life
changing
God's grace
his compassion
his love
his mercy
his forgiveness
motivates
grace
compassion
love
mercy
forgiveness
sharing hope
in us
the only
true
and enduring
motivation
for the
Christian
to love
their neighbor
that is
all people
is an
experience
and the
grace
and the
mercy
of God
in Jesus
if we
know that
we are
sinners
saved
by grace
alone
we will be
both open
and generous
to the
outcast
and the
unlovely
now let me
just make a
point here
when secular
people say
that I don't
need your
Christian
faith
in order
to
practice
moral
behavior
that is
it's
possible
for me
to love
people
regardless
of your
faith
as a
secular
person
they are
right
they don't
need God
to love
someone
in many
ways
in fact
if you
look at
our
society
at the
moment
our
society
is more
committed
to things
like social
justice
universal
benevolence
and human
rights
than any
civilization
has ever
seen
things like
suffering
death
famine
flood
earthquakes
pestilence
war
can
waken up
in our
society
wide
movements
of sympathy
and practical
solidarity
in ways
that have
not been
known
before
people
but
right
actions
don't
always
come
from
right
motives
and
that's
why
we've
got to
constantly
check
our
motives
for
instance
right
actions
can come
from the
feeling
of superiority
to others
it can
pump up
our
fragile
egos
I feel
better
about
myself
when I
find
people
who
are
less
fortunate
than
me
this
applies
also
to
the
religious
person
who
believes
that
God
will
favour
them
because
of
their
morality
and
their
respectability
they
normally
have
contempt
people
like
this
religious
people
would
normally
have
contempt
for
the
outcast
and
the
unlovable
they
think
things
like
I've
worked
really
hard
to
get
where
I
am
to
get
what
I've
got
they
can
do
the
same
that's
the
language
of the
moralist
and the
legalist
another
motivation
to act
in mercy
is the
opposite
of the
big
brother
superiority
motive
it is
simple
anger
over
injustice
we can
be moved
with a
burning
indignation
against
racism
and oppression
and sexism
and this
inevitably
requires us
to demonise
one group
of people
in order
to help
another group
of people
one
neighbour
has to
become
my
enemy
in order
for another
neighbour
to experience
my love
and strangely
these acts
of benevolence
and mercy
are really
powered by
hatred
and contempt
for people
certain
groups of
people
what we
need
as
Christians
is to
be
awakened
to a
life
of
sharing
hope
a
Christian's
motive
for the
alleviation
of poverty
inequality
injustice
suffering
is the
extension
of the
radical
love
that we
have
received
from God
which is
unconditional
and for
all
people
it's the
realisation
that I
am
only
where I
am
by the
sheer
and
unmerited
mercy
of God
in Jesus
I am
completely
equal
with
every
other
human
being
that's
the
language
of the
person
who has
grasped
and experienced
the grace
and the
mercy
of God
in Jesus
God
God's
love
motivates
our love
by humbling
us
showing us
that we
are love
sinners
so that
spending
ourselves
for others
is not
to be
based on
a sense
of superiority
but on
having
been shown
our lack
of it
Christians
know that
all things
wrong
will be
put right
by Jesus
and it
is a
powerful
incentive
to love
even our
enemy
that's
what the
secularist
or the
moralist
or the
legalist
cannot
do
they
cannot
give
their
life
for
their
enemies
as
Jesus
has
given
his
life
for
his
so
Christians
not only
have a
deeper
motivation
to love
their
neighbor
but also
a much
stronger
hope
when they
do
according
to the
Bible
this
world
this
it's
in the
end
is going
to be
renewed
the
promise
of the
resurrection
of Jesus
is that
we
too
will be
raised
with him
with new
and perfect
bodies
forever
all
injustice
or suffering
or disease
and death
is going to be
wiped away
for all of
eternity
Jesus
and Isaiah
and James
and John
and Paul
use the
ministry of
mercy
as a way
to judge
between
true and
false
Christianity
a sensitive
social
conscience
and a
life
poured
out
in the
deeds
of
mercy
to
the
needy
is
the
inevitable
sign
of a
person
who
has
grasped
the
mercy
of
God
deep
in
their
heart
for the
poor
and the
needy
lays
dormant
in
every
Christian
until
someone
comes
along
and
preaches
on
God's
mercy
in
connection
to the
ministry
of
mercy
and
hope
and
compassion
so if
you like
what it
does
is it
pushes
a button
deep
in the
soul
that
begins
the
process
of
waking
us
up
to
a
full
grasp
of
God's
grace
and
for
it
being
outworked
in
our
life
so if
this
has not
been
convincing
for you
this
morning
let me
try
someone
else
who's
done
it
I'll
give
you an
example
of this
kind
of
preaching
Scottish
minister
Robert
Murray
Mishane
preached
this
message
to
Scottish
Christians
in
Scottish
cities
in
1838
let me
just
quote
from
it
I
fear
that
there
are
some
Christians
among
you
to
whom
Christ
will
not
be
able
to
say
on
the
last
day
well
done
good
and
faithful
servant
referring
to
Matthew
25
your
hardy
dwelling
rises
amongst
the
thousands
who
are
scarcely
a fire
to
warn
themselves
at
and
have
but
little
clothing
to
keep
out
the
biting
frost
and
yet
you
don't
darken
their
door
you
heave
aside
perhaps
at a
distance
but
you
do
not
visit
them
my
friends
I'm
concerned
for
the
poor
but
I'm
actually
more
concerned
for
you
I
don't
know
that
Christ
will
say
to
you
on
that
great
day
I
don't
know
what
he
will
say
to
you
on
that
great
day
you
say
you
follow
Christ
but
you
don't
care
for
his
poor
I
fear
that
there
may
be
many
hearing
me
who
now
know
well
that
they
may
not
even
be
Christians
at all
because
they
don't
love
to
give
now
dear
friends
some
of you
pray
night
and day
to be
branches
of the
true
vine
you
pray
to be
made
all
over
in
the
image
of
Christ
if
so
you
must
be
like
him
in
giving
though
he
was
rich
yet
for
your
sakes
he
became
poor
some
object
to
this
my
money
is
my
own
my
answer
Christ
might
well
have
said
my
blood
is
my
own
my
life
is
my
own
another
objects
the
poor
are
undeserving
my
answer
Christ
might
have
said
they
are
wicked
rebels
shall
I
lay
down
my
life
for
these
no
he
left
the
99
and
came
after
the
lost
he
gave
his
blood
for
the
undeserving
yet
another
objects
the
poor
might
abuse
it
my
answer
Christ
might
have
said
the
same
yes
with
far
greater
truth
Christ
knew
that
thousands
would
trample
upon
his
blood
under
their
feet
that
they
would
despise
it
that
they
would
make
it
an
excuse
for
sinning
more
yet
he
gave
his
own
blood
oh
my
dear
Christians
if
you
would
be
like
Christ
give
much
give
often
give
freely
to
the
vile
and
the
poor
the
thankless
and
the
undeserving
Christ
is
glorious
and
happy
and
so
will
you
be
it
is
not
your
money
I
want
he
says
but
your
happiness
remember
his
own
words
it
is
more
blessed
to
give
than
to
receive
and
so
is
the
spirit
of
God
waking
you
up
from
a
deep
slumber
the
parable
of
the
good
Samaritan
just
a
little
bit
that
we
read
and
the
parable
of
the
unmerciful
servant
which
we
just
looked
at
are
the
pattern
of
God's
mercy
his
mercy
generates
a
life
of
sharing
hope
and
mercy
and
so
I
invite
you
I
urge
you
to
lay
aside
any
remnant
of
self
goodness
that
you
think
that
you
might
still
have
admit
your
total
spiritual
bankruptcy
drink
deeply
of
the
infinite
grace
of
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
and
the
mercy
of
God
and
then
in
deep
awareness
and
appreciation
for
the
hope
that
you
now
have
that
you've
received
live
a
life
of
sharing
hope
what
that
looks
like
is
going
to be
unpacked
for
us
more
over
the
coming
weeks
including
some
of the
projects
that
we're
going
to
take
on
as
practical
steps
forward
but
let me
just
close
briefly
on a
note
of
thanksgiving
I am
grateful
that we
as a
church
have been
increasingly
moving
in this
direction
becoming
increasingly
generous
to
others
and
just
at the
end
of last
year
we
put
together
a
drought
appeal
to help
Narrabri
Anglican
Parish
going
through
difficult
times
because of
the
drought
and as
of
Friday
we're
going
to
continue
that
drought
appeal
as
of
Friday
I
spoke
to
the
vickery
there
at
Narrabri
and he
was
just
so
thankful
for
our
partnership
so let
me
just
end
with a
note
of
gratitude
and
thankfulness
as I
read to
you
the note
that he
sent
me
Steve
I
want
to
thank
you
both
for
the
conversation
this
morning
and
for
the
incredible
generosity
that
St.
Paul's
has
extended
towards
God's
mob
at
Narrabri
Anglican
Church
we are
preaching
on
Matthew
9
35
to
10
15
this
weekend
and
the
compassion
and
generosity
that
are
mentioned
there
stand
out
in
your
care
of
us
in
Narrabri
the
region
is
looking
marvellous
at the
moment
but
the
hold
of
the
drought
remains
firm
and
the
pressures
of
COVID-19
are
significant
as
you
and
we
try
to
navigate
our
way
through
constant
decisions
and
the
limitations
that
this
broken
world
is
placing
on
us
we
are
thankful
for
the
tangible
reminder
of
God's
provision
in
your
partnership
please
extend
our
thanks
to
God's
mob
that
meets
under
your
care
and
your
leadership
at
St.
Paul's
Chatswood
let's
continue
in that
ministry
of grace
and mercy
to others
in need
bless
il
to
y
ổi
is