WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading today comes from the book of Matthew, chapter 18.

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 Please follow along on the bulletin, on the screen, or on your own Bible.

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 Starting in verse 15, we read,

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 If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.

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 If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

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 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you,

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 that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

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 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.

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 And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

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 Truly, I said to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,

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 and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

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 Again, I said to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask,

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 it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

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 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

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 Then Peter came up and said to him,

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 Lord, how often will my brothers sin against me, and I forgive him?

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 As many as seven times?

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 Jesus said to him,

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 I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

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 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king

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 who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

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 When he began to settle,

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 one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

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 And since he could not pay,

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 his master ordered him to be sold,

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 with his wife and children,

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 and all that he had,

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 and payment to be made.

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 So the servant 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 everything.

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 And out of pity for him,

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 the master of that servant released him,

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 and forgave him the debt.

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 But when that same servant went out,

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 he found one of his fellow servants

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 who owed him a hundred denarii.

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 And seizing him,

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 he began to choke him, saying,

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 Pay what you owe.

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 So his fellow servant 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 and put him in prison

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 until he should pay the debt.

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 When his fellow servants saw

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 what had taken place,

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 they were greatly distressed.

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 And they went and reported to their master

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 all that had taken place.

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 Then 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 all that debt

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 because you pleaded with me.

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 And should not you have had mercy

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 on your fellow servant

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 as I have mercy on you?

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 And in anger,

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 his master delivered him

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 to the jailers

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 until he should pay 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 your brother

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 from your heart.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great.

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 Thank you, Anastasia.

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 Well, let's come before our Father

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 in prayer

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 as we look at this passage together.

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 Lord Jesus Christ,

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 Heavenly Father,

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 Holy Spirit,

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 we come before you this morning.

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 We open up our,

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 not only our hands,

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 but our hearts.

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 We want to hear from you.

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 We want you to speak to us, God.

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 Won't you minister to us?

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 Won't you heal us?

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 Won't you encourage us?

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 Won't you call us to yourself?

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 God, you know where each one of us

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 are at this morning.

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 You know our joys and our delights,

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 our pains and our fears.

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 Father, won't your word come and speak to us?

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 Lord, open up our hearts

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 as we open up your word, we pray.

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 In your wonderful name.

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 Amen.

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 If you have recently returned to Hong Kong

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 from being away for the whole summer

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 or the whole of 2022,

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 welcome back.

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 EJ and others, great to have you.

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 But you might be forgiven

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 in not recognizing half of the church.

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 And the reason is because

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 over the last six months or so,

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 there's been so much change at Watermark.

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 We've had to say goodbye

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 to a whole bunch of people.

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 Chris and Jen, Chris and Fiona,

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 Echo, Ryan and Catherine this week

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 went to Singapore.

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 We're going to be saying goodbye

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 to some more people

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 in the next couple of months.

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 But we've also had a whole lot

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 of new people coming,

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 which has been wonderful.

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 And that's been really exciting,

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 getting to know some new people

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 in the church.

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 It's been really great.

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 And so there's been lots of change.

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 One of the new people

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 that I hope does,

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 I hope, let me put it this way.

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 One of the guests

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 that I hope never comes to Watermark,

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 but may, but I hope

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 we're going to do everything we can

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 to shut him out,

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 is a guest called Mr. Conflict.

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 Mr. Conflict.

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 What do you do when conflict

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 comes to the church?

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 Well, for a number of us here,

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 you became a Christian at Watermark,

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 and Watermark is maybe

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 the only church that you know.

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 And my hope is that

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 it's been a good experience.

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 Hopefully you've been welcomed

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 with uncommon grace and humility.

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 But we also know that

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 that's not always the reality in church.

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 Sometimes at Watermark,

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 but maybe at another church as well,

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 many of us have experienced pain

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 and difficulty and conflict in the church.

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 In Matthew 16,

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 that we looked at a few weeks ago,

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 Jesus says,

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 I will build my church.

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 And in chapter 18,

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 which we looked at last week

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 and this morning,

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 Jesus is explaining his church,

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 how it's going to operate

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 and how his church is going to work.

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 And one of the things that we see

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 is that the church is made up

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 of people who are both saints,

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 but also sinners,

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 but also sufferers,

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 all at the same time.

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 So the church,

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 Christians are made up of

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 saints and sinners and sufferers.

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 The word saint doesn't mean

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 someone who is morally perfect

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 and got it all together.

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 The word saint means

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 someone who is set apart

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 to be part of Christ's kingdom,

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 belongs to Jesus.

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 And that's what the church

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 is made up of.

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 But the church is also

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 made up of sinners.

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 We heard this last week

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 where Niels explained to us,

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 all of us are needy sinners.

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 We are fallen.

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 We are broken.

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 We don't have it all together.

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 Oh, but the church

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 is also made up of sufferers

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 because we live in a broken world

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 and we feel the effect

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 and the scars of other people's sin

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 and brokenness in our lives.

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 And so the church is made up

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 of sinners and saints and sufferers

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 and not just as a collection,

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 but each one of us

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 carry that ourselves.

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 And so what that means is

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 the church does not consist

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 of those that are perfect people,

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 but those that are forgiven people.

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 Does that make sense?

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 And so in a church family

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 like Watermark,

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 hopefully as wonderful as it is,

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 it's not perfect.

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 At best, we're made to be

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 a foretaste of heaven,

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 a picture of glory in some ways,

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 this uncommon unity

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 that Claire spoke about.

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 But we're not perfect.

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 We're still going to make mistakes.

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 And sometimes that means

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 this conflict is going to arise.

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 And so in this passage,

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 Jesus is going to tell us two things.

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 He's going to say,

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 on the one hand,

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 don't be surprised

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 when there's relational sin

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 or conflict in the church

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 because the church is not perfect.

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 It's made up of imperfect people.

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 And so don't be surprised

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 when that happens as if,

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 oh my goodness,

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 I can't believe this.

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 But on the other hand,

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 Jesus says,

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 don't be okay with it.

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 Don't tolerate it.

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 Don't say,

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 oh well, you know,

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 hey, that's the way it is.

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 I guess we all just sinners,

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 so okay.

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 So don't be surprised,

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 but don't be okay with it.

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 And the reason is

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 because conflict and sin

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 is such a terrible thing.

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 It causes such breakdown

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 of relationship.

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 It causes such hurt and pain.

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 Sin always breaks relationship.

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 One with God,

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 vertically,

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 but also horizontally

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 with each other.

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 And so that's why

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 in our passage last week,

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 if you'll remember,

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 Neil's preached in verse six,

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 Jesus says,

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 if somebody causes

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 one of these little ones,

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 remember who the little ones?

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 They're not the children.

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 They're all of us.

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 If somebody causes

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 one of these little ones to sin,

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 it would be better

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 for a millstone

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 to be tied around his neck

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 and thrown into the sea.

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 That's how serious

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 Jesus is with sin.

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 He says,

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 if your right hand

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 causes you to sin,

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 hey, maybe you should

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 cut it off.

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 If your left foot

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 causes you to sin,

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 maybe cut it off.

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 It's better to end

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 into life maimed

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 than to have two limbs

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 and go to hell.

00:09:43.819 --> 00:09:44.479
 Jesus says,

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 sin is serious

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 and it's terrible.

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 And yet he says,

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 don't be overly surprised

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 when it happens

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 because the church

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 is not made up

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 of perfect people.

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 It's made up

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 of forgiven people.

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 Well,

00:09:58.279 --> 00:09:59.500
 in our passage today,

00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:00.379
 Matthew 18,

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 the question is this.

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 So how should we handle

00:10:04.419 --> 00:10:05.979
 relational conflict

00:10:05.979 --> 00:10:06.679
 in the church?

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 There's two stories

00:10:08.699 --> 00:10:09.559
 in our passage

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 and they both start off

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 with almost

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 the identical sentence.

00:10:12.459 --> 00:10:13.159
 If you've got your Bible,

00:10:13.159 --> 00:10:14.259
 look at verse 15

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 with me.

00:10:15.459 --> 00:10:16.159
 Jesus says,

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 if your brother

00:10:17.219 --> 00:10:18.480
 sins against you.

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 And then verse 21,

00:10:20.339 --> 00:10:20.980
 Peter starts off

00:10:20.980 --> 00:10:21.839
 the next section

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 saying this,

00:10:23.240 --> 00:10:23.459
 Lord,

00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:24.939
 how many times

00:10:24.939 --> 00:10:25.679
 should I allow

00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:26.360
 my brother

00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:27.620
 to sin against me

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 and I forgive him?

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 Two sentences

00:10:30.139 --> 00:10:31.000
 that start off

00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:32.799
 the two different sections

00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:34.159
 almost identically.

00:10:35.059 --> 00:10:36.019
 And so the question is this,

00:10:36.059 --> 00:10:37.159
 how do we handle

00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:38.399
 sin in the church?

00:10:38.500 --> 00:10:39.579
 Relational conflict.

00:10:39.580 --> 00:10:41.820
 When Jesus is talking

00:10:41.820 --> 00:10:42.580
 about a brother here,

00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:43.139
 he's not talking about

00:10:43.139 --> 00:10:44.200
 your biological brother,

00:10:44.280 --> 00:10:44.740
 he's talking about

00:10:44.740 --> 00:10:45.840
 another believer,

00:10:46.040 --> 00:10:46.139
 right?

00:10:46.139 --> 00:10:47.000
 A brother or sister

00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:47.620
 in Christ.

00:10:48.540 --> 00:10:48.940
 Friends,

00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:49.580
 how do we handle

00:10:49.580 --> 00:10:50.139
 it when somebody

00:10:50.139 --> 00:10:50.940
 lets you down?

00:10:51.540 --> 00:10:52.600
 When somebody treats you

00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:53.639
 in a way that you feel

00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:54.560
 dishonored

00:10:54.560 --> 00:10:55.940
 or embarrassed by them

00:10:55.940 --> 00:10:56.740
 or shamed by them?

00:10:57.520 --> 00:10:58.420
 Maybe you feel like

00:10:58.420 --> 00:10:59.280
 somebody has spoken

00:10:59.280 --> 00:11:00.520
 about you behind your back.

00:11:01.060 --> 00:11:01.879
 Or maybe somebody

00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:02.600
 says something

00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:03.500
 and then you find out

00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:04.500
 actually there's a whole

00:11:04.500 --> 00:11:05.060
 other story,

00:11:05.140 --> 00:11:06.040
 the reality is different

00:11:06.040 --> 00:11:06.800
 and you feel like

00:11:06.800 --> 00:11:07.560
 they've been dishonest

00:11:07.559 --> 00:11:07.939
 with you.

00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:09.639
 How do we handle

00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:10.739
 these kind of difficulties?

00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:11.839
 Somebody promises you

00:11:11.839 --> 00:11:12.439
 something and then

00:11:12.439 --> 00:11:13.139
 lets you down

00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:14.399
 and makes a lame excuse.

00:11:15.059 --> 00:11:15.939
 How do we handle

00:11:15.939 --> 00:11:16.979
 relational difficulty

00:11:16.979 --> 00:11:17.759
 in the church?

00:11:19.359 --> 00:11:19.799
 Well,

00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:21.539
 before we get to Jesus,

00:11:21.639 --> 00:11:22.699
 let's think about this.

00:11:23.419 --> 00:11:24.139
 Let me suggest

00:11:24.139 --> 00:11:24.839
 a couple of ways

00:11:24.839 --> 00:11:25.679
 we could handle it.

00:11:26.319 --> 00:11:27.819
 One way is you could say,

00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:28.619
 I'll trust you

00:11:28.619 --> 00:11:29.419
 the first time,

00:11:29.779 --> 00:11:30.539
 but thereafter

00:11:30.539 --> 00:11:31.500
 you let me down,

00:11:31.819 --> 00:11:32.799
 that's it, right?

00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:34.179
 Do you know the saying,

00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:35.899
 if you hurt me once,

00:11:36.059 --> 00:11:36.639
 shame on you.

00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:37.639
 You hurt me twice,

00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:38.480
 shame on me.

00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:39.399
 I don't know if you know

00:11:39.399 --> 00:11:40.019
 that saying, right?

00:11:40.059 --> 00:11:40.779
 It means I'll trust you

00:11:40.779 --> 00:11:41.439
 the first time,

00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:42.740
 but if you hurt me

00:11:42.740 --> 00:11:44.199
 and I trust you again,

00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:45.019
 that's my fault

00:11:45.019 --> 00:11:45.779
 for trusting you.

00:11:46.340 --> 00:11:47.259
 So maybe you feel like,

00:11:47.319 --> 00:11:48.500
 I'll trust you the first time,

00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:50.139
 but you've got one shot at it,

00:11:50.319 --> 00:11:51.220
 don't let me down.

00:11:51.819 --> 00:11:52.399
 After that,

00:11:52.419 --> 00:11:53.100
 I'm going to withdraw

00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:53.919
 and just retreat.

00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:56.419
 Maybe you could feel like,

00:11:56.779 --> 00:11:56.879
 hey,

00:11:56.919 --> 00:11:57.559
 I've been hurt down

00:11:57.559 --> 00:11:58.519
 by people in the past,

00:11:58.580 --> 00:11:59.480
 maybe my parents

00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:00.779
 or a colleague

00:12:00.779 --> 00:12:01.519
 or a friend,

00:12:01.779 --> 00:12:02.559
 maybe the pastor

00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:03.659
 at my previous church.

00:12:04.299 --> 00:12:04.500
 Actually,

00:12:04.580 --> 00:12:05.580
 so I'm going to build up

00:12:05.580 --> 00:12:06.820
 my wall around me

00:12:06.820 --> 00:12:07.520
 and I'm going to just

00:12:07.520 --> 00:12:08.900
 keep my distance from people

00:12:08.900 --> 00:12:10.560
 and not really let anyone in.

00:12:11.400 --> 00:12:11.940
 I don't know if you know

00:12:11.940 --> 00:12:13.660
 the song by Paul Simon

00:12:13.660 --> 00:12:14.860
 back in the 80s,

00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:15.820
 I Am a Rock.

00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:16.920
 He says,

00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:18.639
 I have no need for friendship.

00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:20.580
 Friendship causes pain.

00:12:21.020 --> 00:12:22.100
 If I never loved,

00:12:22.200 --> 00:12:23.300
 I never would have cried.

00:12:23.740 --> 00:12:25.160
 So I built up the walls.

00:12:25.320 --> 00:12:26.180
 I am a rock.

00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:27.220
 I am an island.

00:12:27.800 --> 00:12:29.360
 For a rock feels no pain

00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:31.220
 and an island never cries.

00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:33.020
 Maybe that's how you feel, right?

00:12:33.019 --> 00:12:34.319
 I've been hurt in the past.

00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:35.480
 I'm going to build up my walls.

00:12:35.579 --> 00:12:36.919
 I'm not going to let anybody in.

00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:38.939
 Maybe there's another way

00:12:38.939 --> 00:12:40.379
 to handle difficulty

00:12:40.379 --> 00:12:41.679
 and that is

00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:42.740
 to take the advice

00:12:42.740 --> 00:12:43.600
 of social media.

00:12:44.340 --> 00:12:45.279
 What does social media

00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:46.179
 tell us these days?

00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:48.159
 If any relationship

00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:49.539
 causes you stress

00:12:49.539 --> 00:12:50.419
 or anxiety,

00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:51.980
 it's a toxic relationship,

00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:53.779
 you cut them off, right?

00:12:54.899 --> 00:12:55.819
 That's the thinking

00:12:55.819 --> 00:12:56.740
 of our world, right?

00:12:57.100 --> 00:12:58.039
 Toxic relationships

00:12:58.039 --> 00:12:59.000
 are bad for you.

00:12:59.419 --> 00:13:00.779
 That person's dead to me.

00:13:00.939 --> 00:13:01.720
 I don't have time

00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:02.740
 for toxic relationships.

00:13:02.740 --> 00:13:03.539
 Someone causes you

00:13:03.539 --> 00:13:04.379
 stress and anxiety,

00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:06.039
 you just cut them off.

00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:09.840
 How should we as a church

00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:12.299
 handle relational difficulty

00:13:12.299 --> 00:13:15.180
 when conflict comes to church?

00:13:16.200 --> 00:13:17.680
 Well, Jesus is going to give us

00:13:17.680 --> 00:13:18.560
 two bits of wisdom

00:13:18.560 --> 00:13:19.299
 in this passage

00:13:19.299 --> 00:13:20.659
 that go right against

00:13:20.659 --> 00:13:22.960
 the grain of popular culture.

00:13:23.580 --> 00:13:24.100
 And so let's see

00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:24.879
 what Jesus says

00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:25.639
 in our passage.

00:13:26.180 --> 00:13:27.419
 The first thing Jesus says

00:13:27.419 --> 00:13:27.820
 is this.

00:13:28.279 --> 00:13:29.360
 Don't hide from

00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:30.360
 relational conflict.

00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:31.720
 Talk about it.

00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:33.800
 Don't ignore it.

00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:35.040
 Sweep it under the rug.

00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:36.680
 Pretend it doesn't exist.

00:13:37.220 --> 00:13:38.180
 No, go talk about it.

00:13:38.259 --> 00:13:38.840
 Address it.

00:13:39.340 --> 00:13:40.680
 Look at verse 15

00:13:40.680 --> 00:13:41.240
 with me

00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:42.180
 in your Bible.

00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:43.340
 Neil spoke about this

00:13:43.340 --> 00:13:43.759
 last week,

00:13:43.820 --> 00:13:44.440
 but let's look at it

00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:45.060
 again briefly.

00:13:45.580 --> 00:13:46.120
 Verse 15,

00:13:46.220 --> 00:13:46.740
 Jesus says,

00:13:47.160 --> 00:13:47.800
 If your brother

00:13:47.800 --> 00:13:48.820
 sins against you,

00:13:49.060 --> 00:13:50.800
 then put on a friendly face

00:13:50.800 --> 00:13:51.379
 at church

00:13:51.379 --> 00:13:52.040
 and pretend

00:13:52.040 --> 00:13:52.960
 nothing has happened

00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:53.840
 in order to maintain

00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:54.399
 the peace.

00:13:55.180 --> 00:13:55.519
 No, no,

00:13:55.560 --> 00:13:56.620
 he doesn't say that.

00:13:57.000 --> 00:13:57.340
 He says,

00:13:57.340 --> 00:13:58.019
 No, if your brother

00:13:58.019 --> 00:13:58.920
 sins against you,

00:13:59.259 --> 00:14:00.540
 go and talk to him

00:14:00.540 --> 00:14:01.160
 about it.

00:14:01.700 --> 00:14:02.879
 Tell him his fault,

00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:03.460
 his offense,

00:14:03.540 --> 00:14:04.300
 between him

00:14:04.300 --> 00:14:05.600
 and you alone.

00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:07.740
 Now,

00:14:07.899 --> 00:14:08.879
 the way that Matthew

00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:09.420
 writes this,

00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:10.300
 it sounds pretty

00:14:10.300 --> 00:14:11.379
 black and white, right?

00:14:11.700 --> 00:14:12.840
 Somebody does something,

00:14:12.940 --> 00:14:13.560
 you just go to them

00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:13.820
 and say,

00:14:14.220 --> 00:14:14.780
 Hey, Buster,

00:14:15.019 --> 00:14:16.000
 you messed up.

00:14:16.620 --> 00:14:17.580
 Let's sort it out.

00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:19.019
 Well, in reality,

00:14:19.180 --> 00:14:19.879
 life's not often

00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:21.160
 that black and white, right?

00:14:21.780 --> 00:14:22.639
 It's not always

00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:23.180
 that clear.

00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:23.699
 And so maybe

00:14:23.699 --> 00:14:24.559
 a better way

00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:25.679
 of talking about it

00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:26.879
 is if somebody,

00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:27.919
 if you feel like

00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:28.879
 somebody's hurt you

00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:29.939
 or offended you

00:14:29.939 --> 00:14:30.979
 or done something

00:14:30.979 --> 00:14:31.519
 against you,

00:14:31.819 --> 00:14:33.120
 a good way to handle it

00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:34.039
 is to go and say,

00:14:34.539 --> 00:14:35.519
 Hey, I feel like

00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:36.259
 this has happened.

00:14:36.359 --> 00:14:37.139
 Am I understanding

00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:38.259
 the situation right?

00:14:38.719 --> 00:14:39.019
 Or,

00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:40.620
 my impression is that

00:14:40.620 --> 00:14:41.539
 you said this,

00:14:41.599 --> 00:14:42.620
 but then this happened

00:14:42.620 --> 00:14:43.639
 and that feels like

00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:44.179
 there's a disconnect.

00:14:44.339 --> 00:14:45.419
 Can we talk about this?

00:14:45.939 --> 00:14:46.559
 So rather than just

00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:47.120
 going and saying,

00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:48.319
 You sucker,

00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:49.879
 this is what you did,

00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:50.859
 there's a way

00:14:50.859 --> 00:14:51.579
 to approach it

00:14:51.579 --> 00:14:53.159
 that requires humility

00:14:53.159 --> 00:14:54.000
 and wisdom

00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:54.659
 and grace.

00:14:55.259 --> 00:14:56.740
 But Jesus' point here

00:14:56.740 --> 00:14:58.139
 is don't just sweep it

00:14:58.139 --> 00:14:58.879
 under the rug,

00:14:59.339 --> 00:15:00.480
 pretend nothing's happened,

00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:02.019
 actually go and talk

00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:02.559
 to your brother

00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:03.779
 or your sister about it.

00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:04.819
 See, I feel like

00:15:04.819 --> 00:15:05.620
 this might have happened.

00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:06.980
 Can we talk about this?

00:15:08.319 --> 00:15:09.059
 And so our job

00:15:09.059 --> 00:15:09.639
 is not to be

00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:11.639
 the chief prosecuting officer

00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:12.379
 in the church

00:15:12.379 --> 00:15:12.939
 to go around

00:15:12.939 --> 00:15:13.860
 telling everybody

00:15:13.860 --> 00:15:14.620
 their fault.

00:15:15.259 --> 00:15:15.500
 No, no,

00:15:15.539 --> 00:15:16.100
 that's just going to

00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:17.039
 make people defensive.

00:15:17.740 --> 00:15:18.279
 If we do it

00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:18.860
 with humility,

00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:20.500
 people will have humility

00:15:20.500 --> 00:15:21.240
 to hear it

00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:21.980
 and receive it.

00:15:22.019 --> 00:15:22.860
 But Jesus' point

00:15:22.860 --> 00:15:23.220
 is this,

00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:24.480
 when something comes up,

00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:26.180
 when someone has wronged you,

00:15:26.700 --> 00:15:27.560
 go and talk to them

00:15:27.560 --> 00:15:28.060
 about it.

00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:29.360
 Now,

00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:31.379
 why should we do this?

00:15:32.139 --> 00:15:32.899
 Is it because

00:15:32.899 --> 00:15:33.879
 we want to put people

00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:34.560
 in their place?

00:15:35.139 --> 00:15:35.820
 Is it a bit too much

00:15:35.820 --> 00:15:36.580
 pride in the church

00:15:36.580 --> 00:15:37.000
 and so we've just

00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:37.919
 got to humble people

00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:38.360
 a little bit,

00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:39.200
 bring them down

00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:40.220
 a notch or two?

00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:42.000
 Or maybe the reason

00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:42.519
 is because

00:15:42.519 --> 00:15:43.980
 actually my reputation

00:15:43.980 --> 00:15:44.680
 has been tattered

00:15:44.680 --> 00:15:45.659
 and I want to restore

00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:46.539
 my reputation

00:15:46.539 --> 00:15:47.639
 in the community.

00:15:48.580 --> 00:15:48.840
 No, no,

00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:49.360
 actually look at

00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:50.240
 what Jesus says here,

00:15:50.300 --> 00:15:51.039
 verse 15,

00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:52.860
 because if he listens

00:15:52.860 --> 00:15:53.299
 to you,

00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:54.719
 you've gained your brother

00:15:54.719 --> 00:15:55.559
 or your sister.

00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:57.500
 Jesus' point here,

00:15:57.539 --> 00:15:58.240
 his motivation,

00:15:58.679 --> 00:15:59.679
 is love.

00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:01.059
 It's to restore

00:16:01.059 --> 00:16:01.839
 the relationship,

00:16:02.199 --> 00:16:03.319
 to restore trust,

00:16:03.699 --> 00:16:04.679
 to rebuild

00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:05.399
 the relationship

00:16:05.399 --> 00:16:06.379
 that's been hurt.

00:16:06.819 --> 00:16:07.699
 The goal here

00:16:07.699 --> 00:16:08.899
 is to love someone.

00:16:09.059 --> 00:16:10.379
 It's a form of love

00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:11.539
 to honor them enough

00:16:11.539 --> 00:16:12.599
 to go and talk to them

00:16:12.599 --> 00:16:12.899
 and say,

00:16:13.459 --> 00:16:14.620
 hey, I know this is difficult,

00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:15.659
 but I feel like

00:16:15.659 --> 00:16:16.319
 this has happened.

00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:17.599
 Can we talk about this?

00:16:18.420 --> 00:16:19.200
 It's the same thing

00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:19.759
 Jesus says

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.659
 in the section before,

00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:20.960
 right?

00:16:21.320 --> 00:16:21.800
 He says,

00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:22.779
 if someone's got

00:16:22.779 --> 00:16:24.480
 a hundred sheep

00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:26.379
 and one wanders off,

00:16:26.500 --> 00:16:27.440
 it's easy to think,

00:16:27.680 --> 00:16:28.420
 ah, it's just one,

00:16:28.460 --> 00:16:29.220
 I've still got 99.

00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:30.240
 Actually,

00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:31.519
 go and leave those 99

00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:32.040
 where they are

00:16:32.040 --> 00:16:33.440
 and you go after the one.

00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:34.480
 Friends,

00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:35.300
 it's easy to think,

00:16:35.820 --> 00:16:37.120
 I've got 99 other friends

00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:37.580
 in church,

00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:38.460
 it's okay if I lose

00:16:38.460 --> 00:16:38.940
 one or two.

00:16:39.420 --> 00:16:40.259
 No, no, no.

00:16:40.540 --> 00:16:41.660
 No, leave those 99,

00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:43.080
 they'll still be there.

00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:44.779
 You go after the one,

00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:45.100
 say,

00:16:45.560 --> 00:16:46.960
 hey, can we talk about this?

00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:48.360
 Now,

00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.159
 the reality is

00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:49.899
 that sometimes

00:16:49.899 --> 00:16:51.019
 it doesn't always go

00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:52.440
 as well as that,

00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:52.740
 right?

00:16:53.180 --> 00:16:53.980
 You go and you talk

00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:54.519
 to someone

00:16:54.519 --> 00:16:55.740
 and you say,

00:16:56.180 --> 00:16:57.519
 hey, can we talk about this?

00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:58.820
 And they push back

00:16:58.820 --> 00:16:59.620
 and they don't want

00:16:59.620 --> 00:17:00.200
 to talk about it

00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:01.040
 or they get defensive

00:17:01.040 --> 00:17:01.620
 and they say,

00:17:01.700 --> 00:17:02.700
 no, it's not the case

00:17:02.700 --> 00:17:04.640
 or they maybe twist it on you

00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:04.940
 and say,

00:17:05.019 --> 00:17:06.039
 actually, it's your fault.

00:17:06.360 --> 00:17:07.360
 If you hadn't done this,

00:17:07.420 --> 00:17:08.559
 I wouldn't have done this.

00:17:09.099 --> 00:17:10.380
 And what does Jesus say?

00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:11.079
 Do we just say,

00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:12.120
 okay, well, I tried.

00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:13.160
 I guess I'll just avoid

00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:13.759
 that person.

00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:15.660
 No, look what he says.

00:17:15.980 --> 00:17:16.299
 He says,

00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:18.019
 go and take somebody with you.

00:17:18.619 --> 00:17:19.680
 Maybe take a friend

00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.740
 or a CG leader

00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:21.539
 or an elder

00:17:21.539 --> 00:17:22.460
 and say,

00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:23.339
 hey, I really want

00:17:23.339 --> 00:17:24.000
 to talk through this.

00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:24.980
 I really want to store

00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:25.599
 the relationship.

00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:26.899
 Can we talk through

00:17:26.899 --> 00:17:27.639
 what happened here?

00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:29.279
 And eventually,

00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:30.119
 that person still

00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:31.279
 doesn't want to talk about it

00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:32.579
 or maybe the members

00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:33.319
 need to get involved

00:17:33.319 --> 00:17:33.680
 and say,

00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:35.019
 hey, when we've joined

00:17:35.019 --> 00:17:35.419
 this church,

00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:36.460
 we agreed this is how

00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:37.460
 we're going to handle things

00:17:37.460 --> 00:17:38.399
 and this isn't how

00:17:38.399 --> 00:17:38.879
 we handle it.

00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:40.379
 Let's really talk about it.

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:42.240
 But Jesus' point is here.

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:44.160
 When there's relational difficulty,

00:17:44.299 --> 00:17:45.880
 you feel like someone's hurt you

00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:46.779
 or let you down,

00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:48.400
 don't ignore it.

00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:49.720
 Don't pretend it.

00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:51.019
 Go and talk to them.

00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:52.900
 And the reason is this.

00:17:52.980 --> 00:17:54.460
 Because relational conflict

00:17:54.460 --> 00:17:56.240
 is like food

00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:57.720
 that's going moldy

00:17:57.720 --> 00:17:59.000
 at the back of the fridge.

00:17:59.640 --> 00:17:59.900
 Right?

00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:01.680
 Do you know what that is like?

00:18:02.140 --> 00:18:03.220
 You open the fridge

00:18:03.220 --> 00:18:04.900
 and there's some noodles

00:18:04.900 --> 00:18:07.059
 from like three weeks ago

00:18:07.059 --> 00:18:08.619
 and there's some stuff

00:18:08.619 --> 00:18:09.419
 growing on it

00:18:09.419 --> 00:18:11.839
 or you untapped the milk

00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:12.899
 and you can smell it

00:18:12.899 --> 00:18:13.879
 and it smells terrible.

00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:15.480
 Oh, it's so easy

00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:16.359
 just to close the fridge

00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:17.419
 and leave it to someone else.

00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:18.480
 Especially if you live

00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:19.740
 in like a commune

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:20.259
 or a digs

00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:21.359
 with other students, right?

00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:22.539
 Say, I'm just going to leave it.

00:18:22.579 --> 00:18:23.659
 It'll be someone else's problem.

00:18:24.259 --> 00:18:25.919
 But it doesn't go away, does it?

00:18:26.179 --> 00:18:27.579
 It's just going to get worse.

00:18:28.579 --> 00:18:29.700
 Or even more serious,

00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:30.740
 imagine you go to the doctor

00:18:30.740 --> 00:18:32.639
 and you say,

00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:33.839
 I'm just not feeling well.

00:18:33.879 --> 00:18:34.740
 And he does a scan

00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:36.420
 and he finds a growth

00:18:36.420 --> 00:18:37.120
 or a lump

00:18:37.120 --> 00:18:39.019
 and he feels like,

00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:40.120
 I really want to go

00:18:40.120 --> 00:18:40.980
 on holiday next week.

00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:41.960
 This is not very convenient.

00:18:42.140 --> 00:18:42.900
 I'm just going to pretend

00:18:42.900 --> 00:18:43.539
 it's not there.

00:18:44.420 --> 00:18:45.819
 That's not going to help things.

00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:46.839
 It's not going to disappear

00:18:46.839 --> 00:18:47.579
 on its own.

00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:48.799
 It doesn't just vanish.

00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:50.200
 No, no, no.

00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:51.339
 You deal with it.

00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:52.880
 You move towards it.

00:18:53.640 --> 00:18:54.220
 Hey, can I tell you

00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:55.460
 where I see this the most often

00:18:55.460 --> 00:18:56.620
 in my life?

00:18:58.299 --> 00:19:00.339
 With my marriage to Claire, right?

00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:02.960
 Sometimes I know

00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:04.059
 you'd never believe it,

00:19:04.059 --> 00:19:05.679
 but just hypothetically, right?

00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:07.339
 Something happens between us

00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:09.059
 and there's some misunderstanding

00:19:09.059 --> 00:19:11.240
 and I feel like,

00:19:11.339 --> 00:19:13.559
 and then I tell myself,

00:19:13.679 --> 00:19:14.339
 I don't want to avoid,

00:19:14.419 --> 00:19:15.139
 I don't want to deal with this.

00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:16.059
 I'm just going to avoid it.

00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:16.799
 And I tell myself,

00:19:16.879 --> 00:19:17.819
 it's not a big deal.

00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:18.579
 It's just,

00:19:18.679 --> 00:19:19.319
 if I ignore it,

00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:20.139
 it's going to go away.

00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:21.960
 And what happens

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:23.059
 after two or three days,

00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:24.079
 I'm thinking about it

00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:25.099
 and I start to think,

00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:25.960
 I said this

00:19:25.960 --> 00:19:27.000
 and then she said this

00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:27.879
 and then I said

00:19:27.879 --> 00:19:28.720
 we're going to do this

00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:29.980
 and then she went and did this

00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:31.259
 and I'm replaying it

00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:32.079
 over in my mind

00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:33.079
 and I'm telling myself,

00:19:33.259 --> 00:19:34.059
 it's not a big deal,

00:19:34.139 --> 00:19:34.859
 it's just going to go away.

00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:35.819
 But what's happening,

00:19:36.419 --> 00:19:37.359
 it's still there

00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:39.240
 and then two days later,

00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:40.659
 something small happens

00:19:40.659 --> 00:19:41.639
 and what do you think

00:19:41.639 --> 00:19:42.619
 comes out of my mouth?

00:19:43.139 --> 00:19:44.319
 A whole volcano

00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:45.279
 of frustration

00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:46.819
 and emotion, right?

00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:48.639
 And in that moment,

00:19:48.779 --> 00:19:49.579
 I wish,

00:19:50.159 --> 00:19:50.759
 oh my goodness,

00:19:50.859 --> 00:19:52.059
 I wish just two days ago,

00:19:52.139 --> 00:19:52.579
 I'd said,

00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:53.500
 hey love,

00:19:53.559 --> 00:19:54.199
 I feel like,

00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:55.240
 I feel like there's something

00:19:55.240 --> 00:19:55.799
 between us

00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:56.680
 or hey love,

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:57.659
 I feel misunderstood,

00:19:57.859 --> 00:19:59.039
 can we talk about this?

00:19:59.659 --> 00:20:01.139
 I wish I had done it

00:20:01.139 --> 00:20:02.619
 and I regret,

00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:03.639
 I didn't.

00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:04.599
 Friends,

00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:05.700
 let's not let that happen

00:20:05.700 --> 00:20:06.379
 in the church.

00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:07.899
 Let's not stew on things

00:20:07.899 --> 00:20:08.879
 or bury things

00:20:08.879 --> 00:20:10.119
 or leave them unaddressed.

00:20:10.659 --> 00:20:11.619
 Don't come to church

00:20:11.619 --> 00:20:12.500
 with a fake smile,

00:20:13.059 --> 00:20:14.299
 pretending everything's wonderful

00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:15.539
 and in our heart,

00:20:15.619 --> 00:20:16.919
 actually we are seething.

00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:17.799
 No,

00:20:17.879 --> 00:20:18.859
 let's talk about it.

00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:19.839
 Let's address it.

00:20:19.919 --> 00:20:22.059
 Let's restore the conflict.

00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:23.460
 Let's humbly,

00:20:23.639 --> 00:20:24.039
 graciously,

00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:25.220
 love one another

00:20:25.220 --> 00:20:26.359
 enough to talk about it.

00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:27.859
 Now,

00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:29.480
 in the second passage,

00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:30.500
 second story,

00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.019
 Jesus gives us

00:20:32.019 --> 00:20:33.079
 another bit of wisdom

00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:34.440
 and this is even harder

00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:36.759
 and Jesus' wisdom is this.

00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:37.879
 Firstly,

00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:38.839
 we said,

00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:40.440
 don't hide from it,

00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:41.359
 talk about it.

00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:42.220
 Secondly,

00:20:42.379 --> 00:20:42.960
 Jesus says,

00:20:43.059 --> 00:20:44.500
 don't hold on to it

00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:46.220
 but release it.

00:20:47.339 --> 00:20:49.079
 Look at verse 21 with me.

00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:50.460
 Peter says,

00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:50.899
 Lord,

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:53.240
 how often will my brother

00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:53.819
 or sister

00:20:53.819 --> 00:20:54.819
 sin against me

00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:55.899
 and I forgive them?

00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:56.339
 Now,

00:20:56.379 --> 00:20:57.399
 that's a great question,

00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:57.720
 right?

00:20:58.700 --> 00:20:59.799
 That's a great question.

00:21:00.159 --> 00:21:00.879
 How many times

00:21:00.879 --> 00:21:01.919
 should somebody come to you

00:21:01.919 --> 00:21:02.119
 and say,

00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:02.379
 listen,

00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:03.119
 I've messed up,

00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:03.919
 please forgive me

00:21:03.919 --> 00:21:04.500
 and you say,

00:21:04.619 --> 00:21:05.179
 it's okay,

00:21:05.679 --> 00:21:06.599
 it's behind us.

00:21:07.399 --> 00:21:07.659
 Now,

00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:09.759
 the rabbis in Jesus' day

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:11.139
 based on some scripture

00:21:11.139 --> 00:21:11.919
 in the Old Testament

00:21:11.919 --> 00:21:13.659
 thought three was a good number,

00:21:13.879 --> 00:21:14.119
 right?

00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:15.220
 Amos 1 and 2.

00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:15.700
 So they said,

00:21:16.139 --> 00:21:17.539
 three times you forgive your brother,

00:21:17.639 --> 00:21:18.419
 the fourth time,

00:21:18.759 --> 00:21:19.379
 that's it.

00:21:19.659 --> 00:21:20.379
 They're not listening.

00:21:21.159 --> 00:21:21.319
 Well,

00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:22.679
 Peter's a very generous guy

00:21:22.680 --> 00:21:23.580
 and so he says,

00:21:23.779 --> 00:21:24.980
 seven times,

00:21:25.080 --> 00:21:25.340
 Lord.

00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:27.759
 And look at what Jesus says.

00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:30.140
 I tell you not seven times

00:21:30.140 --> 00:21:31.860
 but 77 times

00:21:31.860 --> 00:21:33.140
 or the Greek could be

00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:35.519
 70 times seven times,

00:21:35.600 --> 00:21:35.920
 right?

00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:38.820
 Jesus' point here

00:21:38.820 --> 00:21:40.080
 is not that you keep on

00:21:40.080 --> 00:21:40.880
 forgiving somebody

00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:41.720
 until you get to

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:43.519
 number 491,

00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:44.220
 right?

00:21:44.220 --> 00:21:45.559
 and then finally

00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:46.960
 entitled to take revenge.

00:21:47.500 --> 00:21:48.440
 490 strikes

00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:49.160
 and then you're out.

00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:49.880
 No,

00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:50.980
 Jesus' point here

00:21:50.980 --> 00:21:52.380
 is don't keep score.

00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:53.480
 Don't even count.

00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:55.140
 If somebody comes to you

00:21:55.140 --> 00:21:55.480
 and says,

00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:55.960
 hey,

00:21:56.019 --> 00:21:56.700
 I messed up,

00:21:56.779 --> 00:21:57.559
 I'm really sorry,

00:21:58.180 --> 00:21:59.100
 just forgive them.

00:21:59.200 --> 00:21:59.839
 Let it go.

00:22:01.160 --> 00:22:01.819
 Jesus' point here

00:22:01.819 --> 00:22:02.420
 is if someone

00:22:02.420 --> 00:22:03.120
 lets you down

00:22:03.120 --> 00:22:03.839
 and messes up

00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:04.960
 and they really come

00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:05.860
 and ask for forgiveness,

00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:06.880
 don't say,

00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:07.100
 well,

00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:08.140
 this is the fourth time,

00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:09.680
 this is the seventh time.

00:22:10.180 --> 00:22:11.500
 If they really are sorry,

00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:12.839
 let it be to you

00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:14.839
 like this is the very first time

00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:15.720
 that it's happening.

00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:18.640
 Now,

00:22:19.099 --> 00:22:19.859
 Jesus here

00:22:19.859 --> 00:22:21.059
 is not talking about

00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:22.319
 brushing aside

00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:23.740
 serious

00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:26.500
 cases of abuse,

00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:27.500
 right?

00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:28.180
 If somebody comes

00:22:28.180 --> 00:22:29.279
 and abuses you

00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:30.240
 physically,

00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:31.099
 emotionally,

00:22:31.779 --> 00:22:32.200
 sexually,

00:22:33.380 --> 00:22:34.140
 Jesus is not saying,

00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:34.559
 ah,

00:22:34.779 --> 00:22:35.099
 whatever,

00:22:35.339 --> 00:22:36.099
 just forgive them,

00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:36.420
 you know,

00:22:36.460 --> 00:22:37.039
 you're a Christian,

00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:37.859
 just let it go.

00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:38.700
 No,

00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:38.799
 no,

00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:39.059
 friends,

00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:40.259
 when there's cases of that,

00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:41.160
 you may need to walk

00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:42.380
 with a professional,

00:22:42.540 --> 00:22:43.080
 a counselor,

00:22:43.800 --> 00:22:44.580
 there's deep,

00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:45.640
 deep pain involved,

00:22:45.700 --> 00:22:45.940
 right?

00:22:46.560 --> 00:22:47.420
 And so Jesus is not

00:22:47.420 --> 00:22:48.259
 just brushing it off

00:22:48.259 --> 00:22:48.500
 saying,

00:22:48.580 --> 00:22:48.720
 ah,

00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:49.060
 whatever.

00:22:49.980 --> 00:22:51.000
 But Jesus is also

00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:51.820
 not saying that

00:22:51.820 --> 00:22:52.740
 forgiving somebody

00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:53.380
 is the same

00:22:53.380 --> 00:22:54.800
 as excusing somebody.

00:22:55.360 --> 00:22:56.080
 And that's an important

00:22:56.080 --> 00:22:56.680
 difference,

00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:56.960
 right?

00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:58.580
 Excusing somebody

00:22:58.580 --> 00:22:59.140
 is saying

00:22:59.140 --> 00:23:00.460
 there's some reason,

00:23:00.580 --> 00:23:00.920
 there's some

00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:02.620
 extenuating circumstances

00:23:02.620 --> 00:23:03.800
 why they're not

00:23:03.800 --> 00:23:05.000
 really responsible

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:06.240
 for what happened.

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:07.240
 So,

00:23:07.320 --> 00:23:07.640
 for instance,

00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:07.880
 right,

00:23:07.880 --> 00:23:08.540
 you've got a meeting

00:23:08.540 --> 00:23:09.120
 with somebody

00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:10.500
 and they

00:23:10.500 --> 00:23:11.899
 don't arrive

00:23:11.899 --> 00:23:12.599
 for your meeting.

00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:13.779
 They just don't show up.

00:23:14.479 --> 00:23:15.259
 And they phone you

00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:15.759
 and they say,

00:23:16.439 --> 00:23:17.399
 I'm so sorry,

00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:18.839
 it's my fault

00:23:18.839 --> 00:23:19.619
 entirely,

00:23:19.919 --> 00:23:20.899
 please forgive me.

00:23:21.159 --> 00:23:21.319
 Okay,

00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:22.319
 they're asking for forgiveness,

00:23:22.500 --> 00:23:22.699
 right?

00:23:23.339 --> 00:23:24.359
 But if somebody phones you

00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:24.699
 and says,

00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:26.239
 I'm so sorry,

00:23:26.399 --> 00:23:27.179
 please forgive me,

00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:28.679
 just before I left

00:23:28.679 --> 00:23:29.639
 the office last night,

00:23:29.719 --> 00:23:30.619
 my boss gave me

00:23:30.619 --> 00:23:31.739
 this huge presentation.

00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:32.959
 And so I worked

00:23:32.959 --> 00:23:34.039
 until like 2 a.m.

00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:35.319
 And just when I was

00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:35.920
 going to bed,

00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:38.000
 my dog got sick

00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:38.680
 and started vomiting

00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:39.500
 all over the couch.

00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:40.359
 And I,

00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:41.039
 it was an emergency,

00:23:41.159 --> 00:23:42.180
 so I had to take my dog

00:23:42.180 --> 00:23:42.759
 to the vet

00:23:42.759 --> 00:23:43.940
 and you'll never believe

00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:44.299
 what happened.

00:23:44.359 --> 00:23:45.139
 I got to the vet

00:23:45.139 --> 00:23:46.700
 and there was somebody else

00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:47.899
 with their pet lion

00:23:47.899 --> 00:23:49.139
 and their lion

00:23:49.139 --> 00:23:50.399
 was attacking my dog

00:23:50.399 --> 00:23:51.639
 and I didn't get to sleep

00:23:51.639 --> 00:23:52.379
 until like 8 o'clock

00:23:52.379 --> 00:23:52.859
 this morning.

00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:53.819
 I'm so sorry.

00:23:54.500 --> 00:23:55.359
 What are they saying?

00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:57.039
 They're not asking

00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:57.680
 for forgiveness,

00:23:57.879 --> 00:23:58.359
 they're asking

00:23:58.359 --> 00:23:59.319
 to be excused,

00:23:59.359 --> 00:23:59.519
 right?

00:23:59.559 --> 00:23:59.940
 They're saying,

00:24:00.159 --> 00:24:01.399
 it's not really my fault.

00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:02.960
 Here are all the reasons

00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:04.319
 why I'm not responsible.

00:24:05.600 --> 00:24:06.779
 But when somebody's

00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:08.460
 asking to be excused,

00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:10.079
 what they're really saying

00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:11.480
 is the offense

00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:12.220
 that I've caused

00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:13.340
 is not that big

00:24:13.340 --> 00:24:15.539
 or it didn't really hurt you

00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:17.100
 or it's not really my fault.

00:24:18.100 --> 00:24:18.900
 But that's not what

00:24:18.900 --> 00:24:20.000
 Jesus is talking about here.

00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:21.819
 Excusing somebody

00:24:21.819 --> 00:24:22.539
 is saying the offense

00:24:22.539 --> 00:24:23.319
 wasn't their fault.

00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:24.180
 Forgiving them

00:24:24.180 --> 00:24:25.200
 is releasing them

00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:26.700
 even though it was their fault.

00:24:27.940 --> 00:24:28.980
 Jesus says we need

00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:29.900
 to forgive somebody

00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:31.180
 who sins against us.

00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:32.519
 He's not asking us

00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:33.420
 just to excuse them.

00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:34.200
 He's not asking us

00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:34.579
 to say,

00:24:35.220 --> 00:24:35.500
 well,

00:24:35.579 --> 00:24:36.220
 I guess it wasn't

00:24:36.220 --> 00:24:37.119
 really that bad.

00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:38.440
 Just, you know,

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:39.200
 move on.

00:24:39.740 --> 00:24:40.160
 He's saying no,

00:24:40.220 --> 00:24:40.819
 it was bad.

00:24:40.879 --> 00:24:41.440
 It was painful.

00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:42.619
 What they did was wrong.

00:24:43.420 --> 00:24:44.339
 But can you find

00:24:44.339 --> 00:24:45.099
 in your heart

00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:46.960
 to release them anyway?

00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:49.379
 When Jesus talks

00:24:49.379 --> 00:24:50.319
 about forgiveness here,

00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:51.460
 he's talking about

00:24:51.460 --> 00:24:52.639
 what Tim Keller says,

00:24:53.099 --> 00:24:54.539
 refusing to nurse

00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:55.480
 the grudge

00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:56.240
 in our heart

00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:58.240
 or replay the wrongdoing

00:24:58.240 --> 00:24:59.660
 over in our mind,

00:24:59.960 --> 00:25:00.279
 right?

00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:01.819
 in our hearts

00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:02.460
 and our minds.

00:25:02.920 --> 00:25:03.639
 C.S. Lewis says,

00:25:04.099 --> 00:25:05.180
 to forgive somebody

00:25:05.180 --> 00:25:06.740
 is to make every effort

00:25:06.740 --> 00:25:07.559
 to kill

00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:08.980
 every taste

00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:09.799
 of resentment

00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:10.399
 or bitterness

00:25:10.399 --> 00:25:11.279
 in my heart,

00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:12.700
 every desire

00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:13.639
 to pay back,

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:14.559
 humiliate,

00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:15.720
 or to see the person

00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:16.220
 suffer.

00:25:17.619 --> 00:25:18.680
 It's to release

00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:19.480
 the moral debt

00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:20.759
 that that person owes me

00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:21.720
 for their wrongdoing.

00:25:22.819 --> 00:25:23.240
 Now, of course,

00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:23.839
 that doesn't mean

00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:25.019
 that there's no consequences

00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:26.339
 to their wrongdoing.

00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:28.579
 Somebody really lets you down

00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:29.980
 again and again and again.

00:25:30.519 --> 00:25:31.559
 It may take a while

00:25:31.559 --> 00:25:32.779
 to rebuild the trust.

00:25:33.159 --> 00:25:33.699
 It doesn't mean

00:25:33.699 --> 00:25:34.619
 that you just necessarily

00:25:34.619 --> 00:25:35.740
 trust them straight away,

00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:37.399
 but you can release them

00:25:37.399 --> 00:25:38.259
 from the moral debt

00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:38.980
 that they owe you.

00:25:39.659 --> 00:25:40.679
 Somebody talks about you

00:25:40.679 --> 00:25:41.460
 behind your back

00:25:41.460 --> 00:25:42.559
 or lies to you

00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:43.299
 again and again,

00:25:43.679 --> 00:25:44.839
 there's consequences to that.

00:25:44.899 --> 00:25:45.919
 Somebody does something

00:25:45.919 --> 00:25:46.980
 really egregious,

00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:48.399
 they may go to jail

00:25:48.399 --> 00:25:49.500
 and have to face

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:50.259
 the consequences.

00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:51.759
 So forgiving them

00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:52.220
 doesn't mean

00:25:52.220 --> 00:25:53.460
 not facing consequences,

00:25:53.919 --> 00:25:55.199
 but it means releasing them

00:25:55.199 --> 00:25:56.480
 of the bitterness

00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:57.620
 in our own hearts

00:25:57.620 --> 00:25:58.339
 the resentment

00:25:58.339 --> 00:25:59.700
 and the moral debt

00:25:59.700 --> 00:26:00.579
 that they owe us.

00:26:02.120 --> 00:26:03.319
 Jesus is calling us

00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:04.720
 to kill every taste

00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:05.339
 of resentment

00:26:05.339 --> 00:26:06.220
 in our hearts

00:26:06.220 --> 00:26:08.180
 and to release the person

00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:09.599
 from our hearts.

00:26:10.620 --> 00:26:12.620
 Now, on the one hand,

00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:13.740
 as we spoke about earlier,

00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:15.779
 popular culture says,

00:26:16.339 --> 00:26:17.720
 hey, if somebody hurts you,

00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:19.140
 you cut them off, right?

00:26:19.220 --> 00:26:19.880
 They're causing you

00:26:19.880 --> 00:26:20.680
 stress and anxiety,

00:26:21.059 --> 00:26:22.920
 just find other friends.

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.900
 On the other hand,

00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:25.900
 there's another approach

00:26:25.900 --> 00:26:27.060
 that popular culture has

00:26:27.060 --> 00:26:28.000
 and it says this,

00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:30.000
 to forgive somebody

00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:30.960
 is the best thing

00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:32.040
 that you can do

00:26:32.040 --> 00:26:33.540
 because that's actually

00:26:33.540 --> 00:26:34.420
 the way that you

00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:35.300
 are going to be free

00:26:35.300 --> 00:26:35.880
 from the pain

00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:36.860
 that they're causing you.

00:26:37.380 --> 00:26:38.060
 In other words,

00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:39.519
 culture tells us

00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:40.600
 if you hold on

00:26:40.600 --> 00:26:41.140
 to resentment

00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:41.780
 and bitterness,

00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:43.700
 it's like drinking a poison

00:26:43.700 --> 00:26:44.780
 that's only going to cause

00:26:44.780 --> 00:26:45.860
 your own heart pain

00:26:45.860 --> 00:26:47.680
 and it's better to release them

00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:48.680
 so that you can be free.

00:26:49.600 --> 00:26:51.019
 And that is definitely true.

00:26:51.540 --> 00:26:52.080
 I don't know if you know

00:26:52.080 --> 00:26:53.500
 the famous phrase, right?

00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:54.920
 Holding on to bitterness

00:26:54.920 --> 00:26:56.359
 is like drinking poison

00:26:56.359 --> 00:26:57.500
 and waiting for someone else

00:26:57.500 --> 00:26:57.980
 to die.

00:26:58.480 --> 00:26:59.599
 And that's definitely true.

00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:01.359
 If you refuse

00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:02.180
 to forgive somebody,

00:27:02.359 --> 00:27:04.140
 you are inextricably tied

00:27:04.140 --> 00:27:05.039
 to that person,

00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:06.559
 even if you don't want to be.

00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:08.079
 Even if that person

00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:08.960
 moves to the other side

00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:09.480
 of the world

00:27:09.480 --> 00:27:11.500
 or even if they pass away

00:27:11.500 --> 00:27:12.180
 and die,

00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:13.799
 you are still bound to them

00:27:13.799 --> 00:27:14.920
 if you can't forgive them.

00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:16.400
 And so that is true,

00:27:17.140 --> 00:27:19.440
 but that's not Jesus' motivation.

00:27:20.420 --> 00:27:21.880
 Jesus gives another motivation

00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:22.700
 in this passage.

00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:25.400
 Jesus gives us a reason

00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:26.960
 to practice radical,

00:27:27.180 --> 00:27:28.360
 undeserved forgiveness

00:27:28.360 --> 00:27:29.200
 and grace,

00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:30.760
 not because of what

00:27:30.760 --> 00:27:32.040
 it will do to us,

00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:33.520
 but because of what

00:27:33.520 --> 00:27:35.460
 He has already done for us.

00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:37.740
 Jesus compels us

00:27:37.740 --> 00:27:38.560
 to forgive those

00:27:38.560 --> 00:27:39.140
 that have hurt us,

00:27:39.180 --> 00:27:40.140
 not because of what

00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:41.720
 you can do for yourself,

00:27:42.300 --> 00:27:43.160
 but because of what

00:27:43.160 --> 00:27:44.180
 He has done for you.

00:27:45.220 --> 00:27:46.200
 And so Jesus tells

00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:47.180
 this parable

00:27:47.180 --> 00:27:48.860
 that Anastasia read to us.

00:27:48.859 --> 00:27:50.619
 He says there's this guy

00:27:50.619 --> 00:27:53.119
 who owes 10,000 talents.

00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:54.740
 Now in the first century,

00:27:54.879 --> 00:27:56.279
 a talent was the highest

00:27:56.279 --> 00:27:59.039
 currency available.

00:27:59.279 --> 00:27:59.859
 It was the highest

00:27:59.859 --> 00:28:03.159
 unit of currency.

00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:04.759
 And 10,000

00:28:04.759 --> 00:28:05.759
 was the highest

00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:06.899
 Greek numeral.

00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:08.659
 So Jesus here is saying

00:28:08.659 --> 00:28:11.259
 an obscene amount

00:28:11.259 --> 00:28:12.019
 of money, right?

00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:13.059
 Robert Gundry,

00:28:13.139 --> 00:28:14.159
 one of the commentators,

00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:15.899
 says a gazillion dollars.

00:28:16.299 --> 00:28:16.459
 Okay,

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.119
 so that's how much

00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:17.740
 this guy earns.

00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:18.819
 So here's a guy,

00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:20.720
 he owes a gazillion dollars,

00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:21.559
 more than you can

00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:22.579
 even fathom.

00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:23.980
 And one day,

00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:25.460
 his loan is recalled.

00:28:26.380 --> 00:28:28.400
 And he's doomed, right?

00:28:28.620 --> 00:28:29.039
 There's nothing

00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:29.859
 he can do about it.

00:28:30.200 --> 00:28:31.240
 He can't pay it back.

00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:32.859
 He can't trade his way

00:28:32.859 --> 00:28:33.559
 out of his debt.

00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:35.279
 He can't sell himself

00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:36.140
 into slavery

00:28:36.140 --> 00:28:37.500
 and pay off his debt.

00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:39.059
 There's nothing he can do.

00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:40.279
 He's dead.

00:28:40.779 --> 00:28:41.599
 He's doomed.

00:28:42.359 --> 00:28:42.880
 And so the man

00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:43.660
 falls on his knees

00:28:43.660 --> 00:28:44.039
 and he says,

00:28:44.180 --> 00:28:45.200
 Lord, have mercy

00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:46.000
 with me.

00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:47.460
 Have patience with me.

00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:48.980
 I will repay you

00:28:48.980 --> 00:28:49.880
 everything I owe.

00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:51.120
 Which is a lie.

00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:52.140
 He can't repay it.

00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:53.440
 He's never going

00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:54.160
 to repay it back.

00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:56.519
 And amazingly,

00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:58.160
 this king,

00:28:58.360 --> 00:28:59.079
 this master,

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:00.880
 for some reason,

00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:02.539
 decides to give him

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:03.460
 grace and mercy.

00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:05.259
 And he doesn't just

00:29:05.259 --> 00:29:06.120
 give him more time

00:29:06.120 --> 00:29:06.960
 to get his affairs

00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:07.460
 in order

00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:08.860
 or to restructure

00:29:08.860 --> 00:29:09.519
 his loan.

00:29:10.160 --> 00:29:10.759
 He says,

00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:11.920
 do you know what?

00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:13.360
 Take your debt

00:29:13.360 --> 00:29:14.140
 that you owe me

00:29:14.140 --> 00:29:15.640
 and write it off.

00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:17.540
 He takes the contract

00:29:17.540 --> 00:29:18.840
 note and he tears it up.

00:29:19.360 --> 00:29:20.500
 He completely just

00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:21.300
 writes off

00:29:21.300 --> 00:29:22.200
 this guy's debt.

00:29:22.860 --> 00:29:23.160
 He says,

00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:23.920
 you owe me nothing.

00:29:25.300 --> 00:29:25.940
 Insane, right?

00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:26.380
 Amazing.

00:29:27.560 --> 00:29:27.759
 Now,

00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:28.640
 a gazillion dollars

00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:29.840
 doesn't really make sense to us.

00:29:29.880 --> 00:29:30.759
 So picture yourself

00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:31.380
 in this situation.

00:29:31.540 --> 00:29:31.880
 Imagine

00:29:31.880 --> 00:29:33.440
 you've got a credit card

00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:35.600
 and you're not really careful

00:29:35.600 --> 00:29:37.759
 and you spend wildly on it

00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:38.759
 and you do a whole lot

00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:39.560
 of crazy things

00:29:39.560 --> 00:29:40.040
 and you make some

00:29:40.040 --> 00:29:41.020
 really bad decisions

00:29:41.019 --> 00:29:42.480
 and you feel like

00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:42.980
 you're wealthy

00:29:42.980 --> 00:29:43.680
 and you get into

00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:44.400
 tons of debt.

00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:46.059
 And before you know it,

00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:47.279
 your credit card statement

00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:48.940
 says you're half a million dollars

00:29:48.940 --> 00:29:49.220
 in debt,

00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:50.619
 $500,000 in debt.

00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.180
 Maybe even more,

00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:53.220
 maybe a million dollars,

00:29:53.319 --> 00:29:53.440
 okay?

00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:55.339
 A million dollars you owe.

00:29:56.639 --> 00:29:57.539
 But in addition to that,

00:29:57.660 --> 00:29:58.339
 you actually bought

00:29:58.339 --> 00:29:58.940
 an apartment

00:29:58.940 --> 00:29:59.720
 a few years ago

00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:00.639
 when times were good

00:30:00.639 --> 00:30:02.059
 and you mortgaged it

00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:02.720
 up to the hilt

00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:03.700
 and now you own

00:30:03.700 --> 00:30:05.400
 $20 million on your apartment

00:30:05.400 --> 00:30:07.460
 and you just lost your job

00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:09.279
 and now you owe

00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:10.779
 over $20 million,

00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:12.259
 you've got no job,

00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:12.960
 no income,

00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:14.660
 you're in deep trouble,

00:30:14.759 --> 00:30:14.980
 right?

00:30:16.099 --> 00:30:16.599
 And so one day

00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:17.259
 your bank manager

00:30:17.259 --> 00:30:17.859
 phones you

00:30:17.859 --> 00:30:18.680
 and says,

00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:18.819
 hey,

00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:19.720
 we need to talk about

00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:20.359
 your loan,

00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:21.720
 the money that you owe us

00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:23.859
 and you don't know

00:30:23.859 --> 00:30:24.379
 what to say.

00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.259
 And so you say,

00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:26.440
 listen,

00:30:26.500 --> 00:30:27.079
 I'm really busy,

00:30:27.139 --> 00:30:27.839
 I'll call you later

00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:28.859
 and you don't call back

00:30:28.859 --> 00:30:29.920
 and he phones

00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:30.480
 and you avoid

00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:31.359
 his phone calls

00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:33.000
 and eventually

00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:33.720
 he comes around

00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:34.259
 to your house,

00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:34.539
 right?

00:30:34.619 --> 00:30:35.099
 And you say,

00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:35.440
 listen,

00:30:36.399 --> 00:30:37.399
 I'm in deep trouble,

00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:37.680
 right?

00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:38.840
 I don't know

00:30:38.840 --> 00:30:39.560
 how I'm going to pay you,

00:30:39.660 --> 00:30:40.340
 $20 million.

00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:42.120
 I don't know

00:30:42.120 --> 00:30:43.240
 but I'll make a plan.

00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:45.080
 Anyway,

00:30:45.180 --> 00:30:46.019
 the next day

00:30:46.019 --> 00:30:47.539
 you get a phone call

00:30:47.539 --> 00:30:48.320
 and your bank manager

00:30:48.320 --> 00:30:48.740
 says,

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:50.460
 I'm feeling generous today,

00:30:50.500 --> 00:30:51.360
 I'm going to write off

00:30:51.360 --> 00:30:52.320
 that million dollars

00:30:52.320 --> 00:30:53.019
 that you owe us.

00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:54.920
 You go online

00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:56.259
 to your credit card

00:30:56.259 --> 00:30:56.759
 and you see

00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:58.900
 the total

00:30:58.900 --> 00:31:00.259
 says zero.

00:31:01.860 --> 00:31:02.299
 Unbelievable.

00:31:02.940 --> 00:31:03.740
 Oh my goodness.

00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:04.100
 I mean,

00:31:04.100 --> 00:31:04.840
 isn't that a good thing?

00:31:05.799 --> 00:31:06.159
 Well,

00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:07.079
 you phone your manager

00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:07.699
 and you say,

00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:08.799
 that's incredible

00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:10.279
 and he says,

00:31:10.579 --> 00:31:11.139
 oh by the way,

00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:11.740
 your mortgage

00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:13.579
 is gone as well.

00:31:13.919 --> 00:31:14.619
 It's zero.

00:31:15.399 --> 00:31:16.659
 He's cancelled

00:31:16.659 --> 00:31:17.859
 your debt.

00:31:18.220 --> 00:31:18.480
 I mean,

00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:19.039
 $20 million.

00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:20.639
 I would feel

00:31:20.639 --> 00:31:21.220
 pretty happy,

00:31:21.339 --> 00:31:21.939
 pretty free.

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:23.539
 The chain on your,

00:31:23.859 --> 00:31:25.179
 the burden on your shoulders

00:31:25.179 --> 00:31:25.939
 is gone,

00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:26.319
 right?

00:31:27.639 --> 00:31:27.919
 Well,

00:31:27.919 --> 00:31:28.699
 that's what's happened

00:31:28.699 --> 00:31:29.500
 to this guy

00:31:29.500 --> 00:31:30.339
 and more.

00:31:30.980 --> 00:31:31.199
 And so,

00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.599
 he walks down the street

00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:33.819
 and he's dancing

00:31:33.819 --> 00:31:34.779
 and he's singing

00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:36.839
 and he sees this guy

00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:38.859
 who owes him $5,000

00:31:38.859 --> 00:31:40.679
 and he says,

00:31:41.539 --> 00:31:41.879
 Phoebe,

00:31:42.460 --> 00:31:43.480
 you owe me $5,000

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:45.899
 and he goes up to her

00:31:45.899 --> 00:31:46.720
 and he says,

00:31:46.799 --> 00:31:47.319
 when are you going

00:31:47.319 --> 00:31:47.960
 to pay me?

00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:48.759
 Sorry,

00:31:48.859 --> 00:31:49.119
 Phoebe,

00:31:49.259 --> 00:31:49.659
 picked on you.

00:31:50.139 --> 00:31:51.519
 He sees his friend Bob,

00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:51.720
 right?

00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:51.960
 He says,

00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:52.220
 Bob,

00:31:52.220 --> 00:31:52.980
 when are you going

00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:53.619
 to pay me?

00:31:54.019 --> 00:31:54.779
 $5,000.

00:31:55.000 --> 00:31:55.539
 You owe me,

00:31:55.579 --> 00:31:56.339
 you said you're going

00:31:56.339 --> 00:31:56.859
 to pay me

00:31:56.859 --> 00:31:58.539
 and his friend comes

00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:58.980
 and says,

00:31:59.539 --> 00:31:59.659
 hey,

00:31:59.700 --> 00:32:00.879
 my wife's in hospital.

00:32:01.159 --> 00:32:02.039
 I've just had to pay.

00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:03.680
 I'm getting paid tomorrow.

00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:05.279
 I'll pay you this week.

00:32:06.059 --> 00:32:06.960
 And what does he do?

00:32:07.379 --> 00:32:07.920
 He says,

00:32:08.119 --> 00:32:10.379
 you lying scoundrel.

00:32:10.779 --> 00:32:12.099
 And he takes his Bob

00:32:12.099 --> 00:32:12.839
 and he throws him

00:32:12.839 --> 00:32:13.220
 on the floor

00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:14.379
 and he starts punching him

00:32:14.379 --> 00:32:15.119
 and kicking him

00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:16.279
 and drags him off

00:32:16.279 --> 00:32:17.240
 to the police station.

00:32:19.659 --> 00:32:19.839
 Well,

00:32:19.859 --> 00:32:20.920
 look at what Jesus says.

00:32:22.940 --> 00:32:23.720
 Jesus says,

00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:24.359
 the master,

00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:25.559
 in his anger,

00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:27.920
 the master who forgave

00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:28.379
 his debt,

00:32:28.460 --> 00:32:29.920
 will deliver such a man

00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:31.220
 to the torturers

00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:33.180
 until all his debt

00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:34.000
 is paid.

00:32:35.940 --> 00:32:36.420
 Why?

00:32:37.560 --> 00:32:38.680
 Because here's a man

00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:40.340
 that's received radical,

00:32:40.460 --> 00:32:41.620
 radical mercy

00:32:41.620 --> 00:32:44.000
 and that radical mercy

00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:44.620
 he's received

00:32:44.620 --> 00:32:45.480
 is disconnected

00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:46.840
 from the rest of his life

00:32:46.840 --> 00:32:48.620
 and he does not know

00:32:48.620 --> 00:32:49.400
 how to extend

00:32:49.400 --> 00:32:50.360
 even a fraction

00:32:50.360 --> 00:32:51.120
 of that mercy

00:32:51.120 --> 00:32:52.300
 to others.

00:32:53.700 --> 00:32:54.180
 Friends,

00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:54.940
 you see what Jesus

00:32:54.940 --> 00:32:55.759
 is saying here?

00:32:57.340 --> 00:32:58.320
 Jesus is saying that

00:32:58.319 --> 00:32:59.819
 if you're a follower of Jesus,

00:33:00.019 --> 00:33:01.339
 we were like the servant.

00:33:01.619 --> 00:33:02.779
 We were in the deepest

00:33:02.779 --> 00:33:04.119
 debt possible.

00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:05.619
 And like the servant,

00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:07.299
 we couldn't even come close

00:33:07.299 --> 00:33:08.460
 to paying off our debt.

00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:10.419
 And so like the servant,

00:33:10.619 --> 00:33:11.519
 the only thing

00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:12.259
 that we could do

00:33:12.259 --> 00:33:13.639
 was to get on our knees

00:33:13.639 --> 00:33:14.599
 before our father

00:33:14.599 --> 00:33:14.939
 and say,

00:33:15.159 --> 00:33:15.439
 Lord,

00:33:15.539 --> 00:33:16.220
 have mercy.

00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:17.619
 Lord,

00:33:17.700 --> 00:33:18.339
 have mercy.

00:33:19.299 --> 00:33:19.659
 Friends,

00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:20.439
 Jesus says that

00:33:20.439 --> 00:33:21.220
 if you're a Christian

00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:21.799
 this morning,

00:33:21.939 --> 00:33:22.659
 you're not a Christian

00:33:22.659 --> 00:33:23.619
 because of anything

00:33:23.619 --> 00:33:25.439
 you did to repay your debt.

00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:27.360
 no human being

00:33:27.360 --> 00:33:28.140
 could pay back

00:33:28.140 --> 00:33:28.920
 the debt that they owed.

00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:29.900
 No human being

00:33:29.900 --> 00:33:30.820
 could merit

00:33:30.820 --> 00:33:32.120
 or earn God's grace.

00:33:32.759 --> 00:33:33.580
 The only way

00:33:33.580 --> 00:33:34.600
 that you become a Christian

00:33:34.600 --> 00:33:35.900
 is to cling

00:33:35.900 --> 00:33:37.019
 onto that old

00:33:37.019 --> 00:33:37.940
 rugged cross

00:33:37.940 --> 00:33:38.360
 and say,

00:33:38.539 --> 00:33:38.960
 God,

00:33:39.059 --> 00:33:40.059
 have mercy.

00:33:41.160 --> 00:33:42.240
 The only chance

00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:42.640
 we have

00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:43.340
 is to plead

00:33:43.340 --> 00:33:44.180
 for the undeserved

00:33:44.180 --> 00:33:45.240
 mercy of Jesus.

00:33:46.519 --> 00:33:47.420
 Miroslav Wolf

00:33:47.420 --> 00:33:48.180
 says this,

00:33:48.539 --> 00:33:50.240
 forgiveness flounders

00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:51.539
 when we not only

00:33:51.539 --> 00:33:52.299
 exclude those

00:33:52.299 --> 00:33:53.080
 that have hurt us

00:33:53.080 --> 00:33:53.779
 from the community

00:33:53.779 --> 00:33:54.500
 of humanity,

00:33:54.500 --> 00:33:56.140
 but we exclude

00:33:56.140 --> 00:33:56.740
 ourselves

00:33:56.740 --> 00:33:57.700
 from the community

00:33:57.700 --> 00:33:58.279
 of sinners.

00:33:59.059 --> 00:34:00.500
 That's a profound thought.

00:34:01.480 --> 00:34:02.339
 Forgiveness fails

00:34:02.339 --> 00:34:03.380
 when we look at others

00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:03.839
 and we say,

00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:04.720
 there's something

00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:06.059
 less than human about you.

00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:06.539
 There's something

00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:07.740
 different about you.

00:34:08.059 --> 00:34:08.940
 But we also look

00:34:08.940 --> 00:34:09.380
 at ourselves

00:34:09.380 --> 00:34:09.800
 and we say,

00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.300
 there's something

00:34:10.300 --> 00:34:11.320
 different about me.

00:34:11.780 --> 00:34:12.880
 All those suckers

00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:13.519
 out there are sinners

00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:14.300
 but there's something

00:34:14.300 --> 00:34:15.460
 different about me.

00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:17.980
 And so C.S. Lewis

00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:18.780
 famously said,

00:34:18.860 --> 00:34:19.539
 to be a Christian

00:34:19.539 --> 00:34:20.559
 means to forgive

00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:21.800
 the inexcusable

00:34:21.800 --> 00:34:23.619
 because in Christ

00:34:23.619 --> 00:34:24.679
 God forgave

00:34:24.679 --> 00:34:25.940
 the inexcusable

00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:26.900
 in me.

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:29.059
 Friends,

00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:29.400
 you know that

00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:30.319
 that's true for me,

00:34:30.460 --> 00:34:31.019
 your pastor.

00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:33.900
 I am infinitely worse

00:34:33.900 --> 00:34:34.799
 than you can imagine.

00:34:35.900 --> 00:34:36.859
 Some of you know

00:34:36.859 --> 00:34:38.920
 a lot of bad stuff

00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:39.400
 about me.

00:34:39.759 --> 00:34:40.699
 You don't even know

00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:41.880
 the beginning of it.

00:34:43.159 --> 00:34:44.179
 Jesus Christ

00:34:44.179 --> 00:34:44.699
 forgave

00:34:44.699 --> 00:34:46.239
 the inexcusable

00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:48.880
 crap in my life

00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:51.420
 and therefore

00:34:51.420 --> 00:34:53.420
 Jesus says,

00:34:53.519 --> 00:34:53.760
 Kevin,

00:34:53.860 --> 00:34:54.660
 can you extend

00:34:54.660 --> 00:34:55.559
 a little bit of mercy

00:34:55.559 --> 00:34:56.180
 to those that

00:34:56.180 --> 00:34:56.860
 have let you down?

00:34:58.460 --> 00:34:59.720
 In Romans 2,

00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:00.340
 verse 4,

00:35:00.420 --> 00:35:00.840
 there's this

00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:01.780
 incredible verse.

00:35:01.860 --> 00:35:02.380
 It's kind of like

00:35:02.380 --> 00:35:03.380
 a bedrock verse

00:35:03.380 --> 00:35:04.079
 for our church.

00:35:04.880 --> 00:35:05.460
 He says this,

00:35:05.539 --> 00:35:06.420
 don't you know

00:35:06.420 --> 00:35:07.980
 that the kindness

00:35:07.980 --> 00:35:08.660
 of God

00:35:08.660 --> 00:35:09.880
 is meant to lead us

00:35:09.880 --> 00:35:10.680
 to repentance?

00:35:12.280 --> 00:35:13.320
 That's a foundational

00:35:13.320 --> 00:35:14.380
 verse for our church.

00:35:15.140 --> 00:35:15.380
 Friends,

00:35:15.780 --> 00:35:16.539
 Christians are those

00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:17.300
 who live lives

00:35:17.300 --> 00:35:17.980
 of confession

00:35:17.980 --> 00:35:18.760
 and repentance

00:35:18.760 --> 00:35:19.940
 daily.

00:35:20.560 --> 00:35:21.019
 Why?

00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:22.180
 Not because of

00:35:22.180 --> 00:35:23.019
 God's severity.

00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:25.060
 It's not God's harshness

00:35:25.060 --> 00:35:25.600
 that leads me

00:35:25.600 --> 00:35:26.140
 to repentance.

00:35:26.620 --> 00:35:28.060
 It's not God's

00:35:28.060 --> 00:35:29.280
 severity

00:35:29.280 --> 00:35:30.740
 that causes me

00:35:30.740 --> 00:35:31.519
 to fall on my knees.

00:35:31.940 --> 00:35:32.920
 It's His kindness.

00:35:33.480 --> 00:35:34.660
 It's His compassion.

00:35:35.220 --> 00:35:36.920
 It's His tenderheartedness.

00:35:37.380 --> 00:35:38.120
 When I see

00:35:38.120 --> 00:35:39.460
 how God has treated

00:35:39.460 --> 00:35:41.100
 a rebel like me,

00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:42.300
 it causes me

00:35:42.300 --> 00:35:43.000
 to get on my knees

00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:43.300
 and say,

00:35:43.440 --> 00:35:44.220
 oh God,

00:35:44.300 --> 00:35:45.180
 I'm so grateful.

00:35:45.860 --> 00:35:46.980
 Come and change me.

00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:48.519
 But do you see

00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:49.480
 what Jesus is saying

00:35:49.480 --> 00:35:50.120
 in this story?

00:35:50.940 --> 00:35:52.080
 The kindness of God

00:35:52.080 --> 00:35:53.160
 not only leads us

00:35:53.160 --> 00:35:55.260
 to repentance,

00:35:55.560 --> 00:35:56.700
 it also leads us

00:35:56.700 --> 00:35:57.920
 to forgiveness.

00:36:00.300 --> 00:36:01.539
 To forgive somebody

00:36:01.539 --> 00:36:02.420
 is to give them

00:36:02.420 --> 00:36:03.720
 what they do not deserve.

00:36:04.220 --> 00:36:05.840
 To give undeserved mercy

00:36:05.840 --> 00:36:06.740
 in response

00:36:06.740 --> 00:36:08.600
 to the undeserved harm

00:36:08.600 --> 00:36:09.720
 that they've caused us.

00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:11.140
 And that means

00:36:11.140 --> 00:36:11.640
 that forgiveness

00:36:11.640 --> 00:36:13.420
 is always extremely costly.

00:36:14.039 --> 00:36:14.740
 It costs you

00:36:14.740 --> 00:36:15.760
 your right to be angry.

00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:17.040
 It costs you

00:36:17.040 --> 00:36:17.560
 your right

00:36:17.560 --> 00:36:18.840
 to vindication.

00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:20.220
 It costs you

00:36:20.220 --> 00:36:20.860
 your right

00:36:20.860 --> 00:36:22.700
 to a reputation

00:36:22.700 --> 00:36:23.520
 in the community.

00:36:24.120 --> 00:36:24.860
 It costs you

00:36:24.860 --> 00:36:25.300
 your right

00:36:25.300 --> 00:36:26.420
 to feel like a victim.

00:36:27.120 --> 00:36:27.920
 To forgive somebody

00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:29.820
 is always extremely costly.

00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:31.220
 And yet,

00:36:31.300 --> 00:36:32.460
 for those who are in Christ

00:36:32.460 --> 00:36:33.440
 who have experienced

00:36:33.440 --> 00:36:34.620
 the kindness of Jesus,

00:36:34.780 --> 00:36:35.980
 it's no cost at all.

00:36:36.460 --> 00:36:37.320
 And the reason is

00:36:37.320 --> 00:36:38.060
 because Jesus

00:36:38.060 --> 00:36:39.220
 has not only forgiven

00:36:39.220 --> 00:36:39.840
 our debt,

00:36:40.180 --> 00:36:41.580
 He's given us Himself.

00:36:41.579 --> 00:36:41.900
 Friends,

00:36:43.719 --> 00:36:45.340
 if Jesus has given you

00:36:45.340 --> 00:36:46.219
 a new name

00:36:46.219 --> 00:36:47.840
 and a new identity

00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:49.980
 and a name

00:36:49.980 --> 00:36:50.880
 that's welcome

00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:51.699
 into His family

00:36:51.699 --> 00:36:53.000
 and a purpose

00:36:53.000 --> 00:36:53.819
 and a hope

00:36:53.819 --> 00:36:54.619
 and a future

00:36:54.619 --> 00:36:56.619
 and a new track record,

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:58.199
 if Jesus has given you

00:36:58.199 --> 00:36:58.699
 Himself,

00:36:59.759 --> 00:37:00.940
 what are you and I

00:37:00.940 --> 00:37:02.139
 looking to that person

00:37:02.139 --> 00:37:02.900
 that is so hard

00:37:02.900 --> 00:37:03.460
 to forgive

00:37:03.460 --> 00:37:04.679
 to give us

00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:06.059
 that Jesus Himself

00:37:06.059 --> 00:37:07.360
 has not really given us?

00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:10.099
 And so in Ephesians 4,

00:37:10.180 --> 00:37:11.280
 the Apostle Paul says,

00:37:11.400 --> 00:37:12.039
 he writes to these

00:37:12.039 --> 00:37:12.740
 young Christians

00:37:12.740 --> 00:37:13.200
 and he says,

00:37:13.460 --> 00:37:14.460
 put away all bitterness.

00:37:15.140 --> 00:37:16.039
 Put away anger.

00:37:16.200 --> 00:37:17.180
 Put away the malice.

00:37:17.680 --> 00:37:18.960
 Be kind to one another.

00:37:19.160 --> 00:37:20.079
 Tenderhearted.

00:37:20.720 --> 00:37:21.940
 Forgive one another

00:37:21.940 --> 00:37:24.640
 just as God in Christ

00:37:24.640 --> 00:37:26.140
 has forgiven you.

00:37:27.280 --> 00:37:27.780
 Friends,

00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:29.000
 when we are unaware

00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:30.000
 or we forget

00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:31.059
 our profound,

00:37:31.420 --> 00:37:31.840
 daily,

00:37:32.079 --> 00:37:33.039
 ongoing need

00:37:33.039 --> 00:37:33.620
 for forgiveness,

00:37:34.220 --> 00:37:35.579
 we lose not only

00:37:35.579 --> 00:37:36.260
 the pattern

00:37:36.260 --> 00:37:37.500
 but also the power

00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:38.780
 to forgive those

00:37:38.780 --> 00:37:39.580
 that hurt us.

00:37:40.460 --> 00:37:41.940
 Jesus' forgiveness of us

00:37:41.940 --> 00:37:43.320
 is not only the pattern,

00:37:43.800 --> 00:37:45.020
 it's not only the law,

00:37:45.160 --> 00:37:46.440
 it's also the power,

00:37:46.640 --> 00:37:47.340
 the motivation

00:37:47.340 --> 00:37:49.040
 to forgive those

00:37:49.040 --> 00:37:50.460
 that have hurt us.

00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:53.860
 In Jesus Christ

00:37:53.860 --> 00:37:54.600
 and His grace,

00:37:54.720 --> 00:37:55.720
 we know that we have

00:37:55.720 --> 00:37:56.580
 all that we need,

00:37:56.760 --> 00:37:57.820
 undeservedly so.

00:37:58.480 --> 00:38:00.040
 And so we can release those

00:38:00.040 --> 00:38:01.660
 that have undeservedly

00:38:01.660 --> 00:38:02.360
 hurt us

00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:03.940
 or taken from us.

00:38:04.980 --> 00:38:05.480
 And so friends,

00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:06.119
 if you're a Christian

00:38:06.119 --> 00:38:06.740
 this morning

00:38:06.740 --> 00:38:07.500
 and you feel

00:38:07.500 --> 00:38:08.400
 the deep pain

00:38:08.400 --> 00:38:09.659
 of being wronged

00:38:09.659 --> 00:38:10.340
 or being hurt,

00:38:11.139 --> 00:38:12.139
 can I ask you,

00:38:12.159 --> 00:38:12.860
 can I urge you

00:38:12.860 --> 00:38:14.099
 to come to Jesus?

00:38:14.820 --> 00:38:16.360
 I can't heal that pain.

00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:18.320
 I can't repay back

00:38:18.320 --> 00:38:19.059
 what has been taken

00:38:19.059 --> 00:38:19.639
 from you.

00:38:20.159 --> 00:38:21.539
 But Jesus Christ can.

00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:23.000
 And He'll give you

00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:23.719
 more than what's been

00:38:23.719 --> 00:38:24.539
 taken from you.

00:38:25.340 --> 00:38:25.539
 Friends,

00:38:25.599 --> 00:38:26.039
 can I urge you

00:38:26.039 --> 00:38:26.740
 to come to Him

00:38:26.740 --> 00:38:27.240
 this morning?

00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:28.699
 Come in your pain,

00:38:28.820 --> 00:38:29.800
 come in your tears,

00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:31.380
 come in your agony,

00:38:31.380 --> 00:38:32.900
 and ask Christ

00:38:32.900 --> 00:38:33.740
 to wash you

00:38:33.740 --> 00:38:35.160
 with His grace.

00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:36.840
 Friends,

00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:37.539
 in the church

00:38:37.539 --> 00:38:38.500
 we have both sinners

00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:39.539
 and saints

00:38:39.539 --> 00:38:40.800
 and sufferers.

00:38:41.200 --> 00:38:42.059
 Not only across

00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:42.800
 the church family

00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:44.300
 but within each one of us.

00:38:44.940 --> 00:38:45.640
 And that means

00:38:45.640 --> 00:38:46.180
 that we shouldn't be

00:38:46.180 --> 00:38:47.200
 surprised or shocked

00:38:47.200 --> 00:38:48.280
 when things don't go

00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:49.059
 perfectly well

00:38:49.059 --> 00:38:49.559
 in the church.

00:38:50.119 --> 00:38:51.260
 And yet at the same time

00:38:51.260 --> 00:38:51.860
 because we're meant

00:38:51.860 --> 00:38:52.880
 to be a taste of heaven,

00:38:53.320 --> 00:38:54.160
 we shouldn't be okay

00:38:54.160 --> 00:38:54.640
 with it.

00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:55.980
 We should mourn it

00:38:55.980 --> 00:38:56.840
 and grieve it.

00:38:57.700 --> 00:38:58.320
 And so how do we

00:38:58.320 --> 00:38:58.780
 handle it

00:38:58.780 --> 00:39:00.019
 when someone wrongs us?

00:39:00.380 --> 00:39:01.019
 How do we handle

00:39:01.019 --> 00:39:01.980
 conflict in church?

00:39:02.740 --> 00:39:03.680
 Well, we graciously

00:39:03.680 --> 00:39:04.340
 and humbly

00:39:04.340 --> 00:39:05.980
 move towards that person.

00:39:06.620 --> 00:39:07.079
 And we say,

00:39:07.180 --> 00:39:07.880
 I want to restore

00:39:07.880 --> 00:39:08.539
 the relationship.

00:39:08.680 --> 00:39:09.720
 Can we talk about it?

00:39:10.280 --> 00:39:10.980
 But we don't just

00:39:10.980 --> 00:39:11.720
 go towards them

00:39:11.720 --> 00:39:12.180
 to do that.

00:39:12.240 --> 00:39:13.400
 We also go towards them

00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:15.460
 with unfathomable grace

00:39:15.460 --> 00:39:16.880
 because of the grace

00:39:16.880 --> 00:39:18.360
 that we've received

00:39:18.360 --> 00:39:19.740
 in Christ Jesus.

00:39:20.940 --> 00:39:21.340
 Friends,

00:39:21.360 --> 00:39:22.000
 I'd love to pray

00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:23.559
 for us this morning

00:39:23.559 --> 00:39:24.200
 but Natalie,

00:39:24.300 --> 00:39:24.800
 do you want to come

00:39:24.800 --> 00:39:26.300
 and lead us

00:39:26.300 --> 00:39:26.600
 in song?

00:39:27.420 --> 00:39:28.120
 We're going to pray

00:39:28.120 --> 00:39:28.840
 in a few minutes time

00:39:28.840 --> 00:39:29.940
 but before we do that

00:39:29.940 --> 00:39:30.880
 I want to just take a,

00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:32.580
 give us a minute or two

00:39:32.580 --> 00:39:33.600
 just to reflect

00:39:33.600 --> 00:39:35.940
 and just to sit quietly

00:39:35.940 --> 00:39:38.460
 and just to think.

00:39:39.840 --> 00:39:40.840
 And maybe as we do that

00:39:40.840 --> 00:39:41.519
 maybe I can actually

00:39:41.519 --> 00:39:41.960
 just pray

00:39:41.960 --> 00:39:43.000
 and ask God the Holy Spirit

00:39:43.000 --> 00:39:43.880
 to speak to us.

00:39:43.880 --> 00:39:54.079
 friends,

00:39:54.140 --> 00:39:54.579
 what has God

00:39:54.579 --> 00:39:55.900
 been saying to you

00:39:55.900 --> 00:39:56.360
 this morning?

00:39:57.700 --> 00:39:59.180
 If you're a human being

00:39:59.180 --> 00:40:00.300
 the chances are

00:40:00.300 --> 00:40:02.619
 somebody's hurt you

00:40:02.619 --> 00:40:03.300
 or let you down.

00:40:04.539 --> 00:40:05.340
 If you've lived

00:40:05.340 --> 00:40:06.400
 for more than five years

00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:07.059
 in this world,

00:40:07.500 --> 00:40:08.420
 more than five minutes,

00:40:09.260 --> 00:40:11.220
 somebody's caused

00:40:11.219 --> 00:40:11.899
 some offense,

00:40:12.819 --> 00:40:14.899
 somebody's treated

00:40:14.899 --> 00:40:15.619
 you unfairly.

00:40:18.099 --> 00:40:18.539
 Friends,

00:40:18.579 --> 00:40:19.339
 I really am convinced

00:40:19.339 --> 00:40:19.939
 that God wants

00:40:19.939 --> 00:40:20.759
 to heal some of us

00:40:20.759 --> 00:40:21.139
 this morning.

00:40:21.239 --> 00:40:21.699
 He wants us

00:40:21.699 --> 00:40:22.699
 to set us free.

00:40:24.379 --> 00:40:25.199
 He wants us

00:40:25.199 --> 00:40:26.639
 to demonstrate

00:40:26.639 --> 00:40:28.619
 the undeserved kindness

00:40:28.619 --> 00:40:30.339
 that maybe those people

00:40:30.339 --> 00:40:31.079
 don't deserve

00:40:31.079 --> 00:40:34.279
 but He wants us

00:40:34.279 --> 00:40:34.679
 to

00:40:34.679 --> 00:40:38.279
 be free

00:40:38.279 --> 00:40:39.980
 and to receive

00:40:39.980 --> 00:40:40.619
 His grace

00:40:40.619 --> 00:40:41.879
 so that we can

00:40:41.879 --> 00:40:42.559
 extend grace.

00:40:42.659 --> 00:40:43.119
 And so God,

00:40:43.179 --> 00:40:43.879
 the Holy Spirit,

00:40:44.879 --> 00:40:46.059
 I ask you God,

00:40:46.119 --> 00:40:46.739
 won't you come

00:40:46.739 --> 00:40:47.739
 and speak to us?

00:40:50.079 --> 00:40:50.739
 Won't you come

00:40:50.739 --> 00:40:51.399
 and heal us?

00:40:52.480 --> 00:40:53.039
 Won't you come

00:40:53.039 --> 00:40:53.859
 and minister to us?

00:40:53.899 --> 00:40:54.239
 I pray.

00:40:54.239 --> 00:40:54.339
 Amen.

00:40:54.339 --> 00:40:54.399
 Amen.

00:40:54.399 --> 00:40:54.460
 Amen.

00:40:54.460 --> 00:40:54.500
 Amen.

00:40:54.500 --> 00:40:54.940
 Amen.

00:40:54.940 --> 00:40:55.000
 Amen.

00:40:55.000 --> 00:40:55.059
 Amen.

00:40:55.059 --> 00:40:56.500
 Amen.

00:40:56.500 --> 00:40:56.940
 Amen.

00:40:56.940 --> 00:40:57.059
 Amen.

00:40:57.059 --> 00:40:57.559
 Amen.

00:40:57.559 --> 00:40:58.440
 Amen.

00:40:58.440 --> 00:40:58.559
 Amen.

00:40:58.559 --> 00:40:58.980
 Amen.

00:40:58.980 --> 00:40:59.000
 Amen.

00:41:04.679 --> 00:41:05.259
 Amen.

00:41:09.319 --> 00:41:09.980
 Amen.

00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:17.219
 Amen.

00:41:17.239 --> 00:41:17.539
 Amen.

00:41:17.539 --> 00:41:28.460
 Amen.

00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:58.440
 Thank you.

00:41:58.460 --> 00:42:28.440
 Thank you.

00:42:28.460 --> 00:42:58.440
 Thank you.

00:42:58.460 --> 00:43:03.460
 In Psalm 139, the psalmist writes,

00:43:03.860 --> 00:43:04.599
 Search me, O God.

00:43:05.380 --> 00:43:06.500
 Know my heart.

00:43:07.960 --> 00:43:09.699
 Try me and know my thoughts.

00:43:11.900 --> 00:43:14.340
 See if there's any grievous way in me.

00:43:16.099 --> 00:43:18.059
 Lead me in the way of the everlasting life.

00:43:18.059 --> 00:43:23.900
 Father, we make that our prayer today.

00:43:27.099 --> 00:43:29.920
 God, come and lead us in the way of everlasting life.

00:43:34.159 --> 00:43:35.599
 Come and set us free, God.

00:43:35.599 --> 00:43:35.659
 Amen.

00:43:40.139 --> 00:43:42.779
 Jesus, we confess that we need you this morning.

00:43:46.219 --> 00:43:48.400
 We need you because we need your grace.

00:43:48.400 --> 00:43:54.980
 But we also need you, God, to give us the ability to give grace to others.

00:43:54.980 --> 00:43:55.980
 Amen.

00:43:55.980 --> 00:43:56.980
 Amen.

00:44:07.440 --> 00:44:11.980
 In Luke chapter 4, Jesus starts his ministry, and he quotes from Isaiah 61.

00:44:11.980 --> 00:44:13.519
 He says,

00:44:13.519 --> 00:44:18.800
 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news.

00:44:19.800 --> 00:44:27.340
 He sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, to set free those that are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

00:44:27.340 --> 00:44:33.180
 Father, Jesus, won't you come and set us free?

00:44:35.160 --> 00:44:37.100
 Won't you come and minister to our hearts?

00:44:40.780 --> 00:44:45.320
 Father, we confess it's so hard to sometimes let go of pain in the past.

00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:53.079
 It's so hard, God, to forgive those that have hurt us or wronged us.

00:44:53.079 --> 00:45:04.179
 Jesus, we pray that as the gospel gets into our heart and as we reflect on the amazing and good news of the gospel,

00:45:06.360 --> 00:45:16.279
 that you also change us and help us and heal us and help us to be gracious to those around you.

00:45:23.079 --> 00:45:26.679
 Jesus, come and have your way, we pray.

00:45:29.219 --> 00:45:29.579
 Amen.