WEBVTT

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 It's great to be with you guys.

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 I was worried it's going to feel really weird with all the men gone,

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! But I'm glad some of you are here.

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 So it's not too weird.

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 Please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 18.

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 If you don't have a Bible, please raise your hand.

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 We'd love to give you a copy that you can have.

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 And you can take it home with you and use it.

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 We're in Matthew 18, verse 21 to 35.

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 Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.

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 Father, again, Lord, we come to a topic

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 where we hear so many contradicting,

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 clamors from the world

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 that make it harder for us

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 to see with clarity

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 and to stand with conviction

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 on what you teach us here

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 about forgiveness.

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 So we ask God that your light,

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 the light of your Word,

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 would scatter all the fog that we live in.

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 And that you would

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 truly impress on us

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 the heavy weight

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 of our own sins

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 that

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 has been lifted by Jesus Christ,

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 our Savior.

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 So that in all our relations with

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 one another

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 and even the way we relate to our enemies

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 would be shaped

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 by that forgiveness

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 we've received from you.

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 Speak to us, God.

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 We need you.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Please stand if you are able.

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 Let us honor God

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 by standing as we read from His Word

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 and are addressed by Him.

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 Matthew 18, 21 to 35.

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 Then Peter came up and said to Him,

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 Lord,

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 how often will my brother sin against me

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 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,

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 but seventy-seven times.

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 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven

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 may be compared to a king

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 who wished to settle accounts

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 with his servants.

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 When he began to settle,

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 one was brought to him

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 who owed him 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

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 released him

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 and forgave him the debt.

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 But when that same servant

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 went out,

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 he found one of his 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

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 fell down 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 and went

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 and put him in prison

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 until he should pay the debt.

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 When his fellow servants

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 saw what had taken place,

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 they were greatly distressed

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 and they went and reported

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 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

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 have had mercy

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 on your fellow servant

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 as I had mercy on you?

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 And in anger,

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 his master delivered him

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 to the jailers

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 until he should pay

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 all his debt.

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 So also,

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 my heavenly father,

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 will do to every one of you

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 if you do not forgive

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 your brother from your heart.

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 This is God's holy

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 and authoritative word.

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 Please be seated.

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 There's a 5th century tragedy,

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 5th century BC,

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 tragedy written by Aeschylus

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 called Oresteia.

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 It means the tale of Oresteia.

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 And it's a foundational

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 Western text on revenge.

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 It begins with King Agamemnon

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 offering his daughter

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 as a sacrifice to the Greek gods

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 in hopes that he could secure

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 the favor and help

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 of the Greek gods

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 in the Trojan War

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 that he is fighting.

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 And then the programmatic line

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 that kind of sets the trajectory

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 for the rest of the trilogy

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 is this line,

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 blood once shed

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 cries out for more blood.

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 And you see that

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 over and over again.

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 And King Agamemnon's wife,

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 the queen,

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 the Clytemnestra,

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 then murders her husband,

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 Agamemnon,

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 to avenge her daughter.

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 And then after that,

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 his Agamemnon's son

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 kills his mother,

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 Clytemnestra,

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 to avenge the death

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 of his father.

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 And then the furies,

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 the Greek gods of vengeance,

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 then start pursuing Orestes.

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 It illustrates,

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 helpfully,

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 the endless cycle

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 of revenge.

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 But in our sinful world

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 where we often wrong others

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 and are often wronged

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 by others,

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 what can put an end

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 to all this anger

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 and bitterness

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 and resentment

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 and hatred

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 and revenge?

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 Even in a society like ours

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 that's governed

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 by the rule of law,

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 revenge has happened.

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 Personal vendetta

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 has infused

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 continue in gang violence

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 and mass shooting

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 by gunmen with grudges

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 and ethnic violence

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 and genocide

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 throughout the world.

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 After the breakup

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 of the Ottoman Empire,

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 the Turks killed Armenians

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 and Greeks,

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 and they in turn

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 killed Turks

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 and vice versa.

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 In the Rwandan genocide,

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 the Tutsis killed Hutus

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 and then the Hutus

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 killed Tutsis

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 and on and on and on.

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 And after the breakup

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 of the Yugoslavia,

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 the Serbs killed Albanians

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 saying,

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 you must understand,

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 it's just our revenge.

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 And then the Albanians

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 killed the Serbs

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 saying this is their

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 understandable desire

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 for revenge.

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 And this cycle

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 plays out

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 in the church as well.

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 Not in murder per se,

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 but in hatred.

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 Everyone who hates

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 his brother

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 is a murderer

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 says 1 John 3.15.

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 Of course,

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 we are quick

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 to justify ourselves.

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 Oh,

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 I don't hate

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 my brother.

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 I don't hate him.

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 I'm just shutting it

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 out of my life

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 completely

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 and then never

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 speaking to him

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 and acting like

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 he doesn't exist.

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 But Jesus says

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 in Matthew 5.21.26

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 that whoever is angry

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 with his brother

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 or insults his brother

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 has committed

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 murder of the heart.

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 There are no laws

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 against hating

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 someone in the heart.

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 So what solution

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 is there for that?

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 There's only one thing

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 that ends this

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 endless cycle

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 of anger,

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 hatred,

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 offense,

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 and violence

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 and Jesus' answer

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 is forgiveness.

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 Sitting in church

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 on a Sunday morning

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 that might not sound

00:08:07.980 --> 00:08:08.840
 like a radical idea

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 to you,

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 but forgiveness

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 has been

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 and remains

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 to this day

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 a very countercultural idea.

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 How many times

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 have you had thoughts

00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:17.940
 along these lines?

00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:20.000
 Oh, but you have

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 no idea

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 what she has done

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 to me.

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 If you only knew,

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 you would not expect

00:08:28.860 --> 00:08:29.439
 me to forgive

00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:30.040
 this person.

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 It's a popular

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 sentiment nowadays.

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 Why should the injured,

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 the still bleeding,

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 bear the onus

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 of forgiveness?

00:08:41.259 --> 00:08:42.659
 Thinks the main character

00:08:42.659 --> 00:08:44.059
 Kaya Clark

00:08:44.059 --> 00:08:45.120
 in Deliah Owens'

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 novel

00:08:45.460 --> 00:08:46.440
 Where the Crawdads Sing.

00:08:47.940 --> 00:08:49.560
 How many times

00:08:49.560 --> 00:08:50.300
 have you thought

00:08:50.300 --> 00:08:51.120
 something like this?

00:08:51.680 --> 00:08:52.320
 Forgiveness

00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:54.180
 dispenses with accountability.

00:08:55.480 --> 00:08:56.920
 It lets the offender

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 off the hook,

00:08:57.780 --> 00:08:58.560
 the perpetrator,

00:08:59.080 --> 00:08:59.760
 the abuser

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 off the hook,

00:09:00.820 --> 00:09:01.360
 leaving them

00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:02.520
 to keep hurting others

00:09:02.520 --> 00:09:03.300
 with impunity.

00:09:05.280 --> 00:09:06.800
 If you forgive someone

00:09:06.800 --> 00:09:07.720
 who hurt your family,

00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:08.400
 well, that means

00:09:08.400 --> 00:09:09.300
 you just didn't love

00:09:09.300 --> 00:09:10.440
 your family member enough.

00:09:12.920 --> 00:09:14.160
 In a cruder way,

00:09:14.900 --> 00:09:15.960
 one famous blogger

00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:16.180
 says,

00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:17.760
 to hell with forgiveness.

00:09:17.940 --> 00:09:18.700
 Forgiveness culture.

00:09:20.140 --> 00:09:21.080
 Calling for forgiveness

00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:22.360
 is tantamount

00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:23.680
 to another Abrahamic

00:09:23.680 --> 00:09:24.680
 culturally ingrained

00:09:24.680 --> 00:09:25.360
 guilt trip.

00:09:25.900 --> 00:09:26.380
 In short,

00:09:26.540 --> 00:09:27.840
 it is victim blaming.

00:09:30.580 --> 00:09:31.200
 You see,

00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:32.500
 forgiveness is not popular

00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:34.040
 in some circles.

00:09:35.060 --> 00:09:35.420
 In fact,

00:09:35.460 --> 00:09:36.060
 it has always

00:09:36.060 --> 00:09:37.140
 had its naysayers.

00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:37.720
 In his book,

00:09:37.820 --> 00:09:38.480
 Mere Christianity,

00:09:38.660 --> 00:09:39.620
 C.S. Lewis suggests

00:09:39.620 --> 00:09:41.000
 that this terrible duty

00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:41.560
 of forgiving

00:09:41.560 --> 00:09:42.680
 even our enemies

00:09:42.680 --> 00:09:43.520
 might be the most

00:09:43.520 --> 00:09:44.120
 unpopular

00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:45.340
 of the Christian virtues.

00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:47.000
 He continues,

00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:48.580
 everyone says

00:09:48.580 --> 00:09:50.360
 forgiveness is a lovely idea

00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:52.000
 until they have

00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:52.899
 something to forgive.

00:09:54.220 --> 00:09:54.919
 And then,

00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:55.980
 to mention the subject

00:09:55.980 --> 00:09:56.879
 at all is to be greeted

00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:58.000
 with howls of anger.

00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:00.159
 It is not that people

00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:01.519
 think this too high

00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:02.139
 and difficult

00:10:02.139 --> 00:10:02.639
 of virtue,

00:10:02.759 --> 00:10:03.539
 it is that they think

00:10:03.539 --> 00:10:04.360
 it hateful

00:10:04.360 --> 00:10:05.580
 and contemptible.

00:10:06.740 --> 00:10:07.700
 That sort of talk

00:10:07.700 --> 00:10:08.539
 makes them sick,

00:10:08.620 --> 00:10:09.000
 they say.

00:10:09.659 --> 00:10:10.500
 And half of you

00:10:10.500 --> 00:10:11.639
 already want to ask me,

00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:13.580
 I wonder how you'd feel

00:10:13.580 --> 00:10:14.360
 about forgiving

00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:15.080
 the Gestapo

00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:16.840
 if you were a Pole

00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:17.879
 or a Jew.

00:10:20.059 --> 00:10:21.620
 Should we always

00:10:21.620 --> 00:10:22.240
 forgive?

00:10:23.699 --> 00:10:24.699
 If yes,

00:10:25.220 --> 00:10:25.720
 how?

00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:28.939
 Where do we find

00:10:28.939 --> 00:10:30.340
 the emotional resources

00:10:30.340 --> 00:10:31.120
 for such

00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:32.899
 a Herculean task?

00:10:32.899 --> 00:10:36.259
 How do we forge

00:10:36.259 --> 00:10:37.000
 a character

00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:37.980
 strong enough

00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:38.699
 to dispense

00:10:38.699 --> 00:10:39.419
 such forgiveness?

00:10:41.699 --> 00:10:42.559
 In a brilliant,

00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:43.939
 simple parable,

00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:44.879
 Jesus answers

00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:45.600
 these questions

00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:46.100
 and more

00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:47.299
 and commands us

00:10:47.299 --> 00:10:48.539
 to forgive one another

00:10:48.539 --> 00:10:49.819
 as God in Christ

00:10:49.819 --> 00:10:50.480
 forgave you.

00:10:51.659 --> 00:10:52.079
 First,

00:10:52.139 --> 00:10:52.579
 we're going to talk

00:10:52.579 --> 00:10:53.720
 about the crushing debt.

00:10:54.179 --> 00:10:54.480
 Secondly,

00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:55.480
 about the compassionate

00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:56.240
 master.

00:10:56.759 --> 00:10:57.279
 And then thirdly,

00:10:57.340 --> 00:10:57.779
 we'll talk about

00:10:57.779 --> 00:10:59.299
 the callous servant.

00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:01.460
 As is often the case,

00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:02.079
 Peter is the one

00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:02.759
 who first poses

00:11:02.759 --> 00:11:03.620
 the question to Jesus

00:11:03.620 --> 00:11:04.360
 in verse 21.

00:11:04.580 --> 00:11:04.800
 Lord,

00:11:05.300 --> 00:11:06.240
 how often

00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:07.400
 will my brother

00:11:07.400 --> 00:11:08.480
 sin against me

00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:09.800
 and I forgive him?

00:11:10.100 --> 00:11:11.800
 As many as seven times?

00:11:12.900 --> 00:11:13.980
 If you remember

00:11:13.980 --> 00:11:15.780
 last week's passage,

00:11:16.040 --> 00:11:16.800
 I mentioned to you

00:11:16.800 --> 00:11:17.940
 that some translations

00:11:17.940 --> 00:11:18.600
 like the NIV

00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:19.660
 and the NASB

00:11:19.660 --> 00:11:20.840
 omit the phrase

00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:21.620
 against you

00:11:21.620 --> 00:11:22.520
 in verse 15.

00:11:23.060 --> 00:11:23.660
 And I sided

00:11:23.660 --> 00:11:24.700
 with that translation.

00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:26.620
 There in verses

00:11:26.620 --> 00:11:27.700
 15 to 20,

00:11:27.800 --> 00:11:28.660
 the concern was

00:11:28.660 --> 00:11:29.379
 for the brother

00:11:29.379 --> 00:11:30.440
 or sister's welfare.

00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:31.900
 Trying to care for them

00:11:31.899 --> 00:11:32.740
 by confronting them

00:11:32.740 --> 00:11:33.399
 and bringing them

00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:33.939
 to repentance

00:11:33.939 --> 00:11:34.639
 from sin.

00:11:35.439 --> 00:11:36.500
 When fellow church members

00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:37.759
 sin and refuse to repent,

00:11:37.959 --> 00:11:39.139
 it is our responsibility

00:11:39.139 --> 00:11:40.220
 to bring loving correction.

00:11:40.379 --> 00:11:41.079
 And if they don't listen,

00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:42.059
 you bring one or two others

00:11:42.059 --> 00:11:43.100
 with you and do the same.

00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:44.240
 If they still don't listen,

00:11:44.299 --> 00:11:45.100
 you tell the church.

00:11:45.299 --> 00:11:46.539
 And if they still don't listen,

00:11:46.620 --> 00:11:47.860
 then you disfellowship.

00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:49.039
 You declare them

00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:49.860
 an unbeliever.

00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:51.679
 It's church discipline.

00:11:52.100 --> 00:11:52.639
 In hope that

00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:54.079
 that severe mercy

00:11:54.079 --> 00:11:54.639
 would bring

00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:55.500
 that erring member

00:11:55.500 --> 00:11:56.299
 to repentance.

00:11:56.939 --> 00:11:57.799
 That's how we are

00:11:57.799 --> 00:11:58.579
 to love and pursue

00:11:58.579 --> 00:11:59.299
 brothers and sisters

00:11:59.299 --> 00:11:59.779
 in Christ

00:11:59.779 --> 00:12:00.799
 who sin and stray

00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:01.579
 from the truth.

00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:02.839
 But now,

00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:04.359
 in verses 21 to 26,

00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:05.679
 Peter raises the question,

00:12:05.779 --> 00:12:06.419
 what about me?

00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:08.459
 What if

00:12:08.459 --> 00:12:09.799
 a brother or sister's sin

00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:11.500
 is against me

00:12:11.500 --> 00:12:12.299
 in particular?

00:12:12.859 --> 00:12:13.879
 What am I supposed

00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:14.359
 to do

00:12:14.359 --> 00:12:15.240
 with that personal

00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:16.419
 grievance and hurt?

00:12:17.859 --> 00:12:19.240
 This is a different question

00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:20.019
 from verse 15,

00:12:20.099 --> 00:12:20.599
 which is why

00:12:20.599 --> 00:12:21.579
 Jesus' prescription

00:12:21.579 --> 00:12:22.240
 is different.

00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:24.019
 The former question

00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:24.639
 is about how

00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:25.419
 the church

00:12:25.419 --> 00:12:26.599
 as a community

00:12:26.599 --> 00:12:27.679
 keeps one another

00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:28.259
 accountable.

00:12:28.259 --> 00:12:29.919
 the present question

00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:30.960
 is how we

00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:32.240
 personally keep

00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:33.379
 our own hearts

00:12:33.379 --> 00:12:34.039
 toward those

00:12:34.039 --> 00:12:35.000
 who sin against us.

00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:37.939
 The former question

00:12:37.939 --> 00:12:38.439
 is about

00:12:38.439 --> 00:12:39.639
 corporate accountability.

00:12:40.299 --> 00:12:41.259
 The latter is about

00:12:41.259 --> 00:12:42.220
 personal forgiveness.

00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:44.659
 Regardless of

00:12:44.659 --> 00:12:45.860
 the corporate response

00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:46.539
 of the church

00:12:46.539 --> 00:12:47.759
 to an erring member,

00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:48.919
 to an unrepentant sinner,

00:12:49.460 --> 00:12:50.379
 if the sin

00:12:50.379 --> 00:12:51.159
 that was directed

00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:52.220
 against us,

00:12:52.580 --> 00:12:54.179
 it is our personal

00:12:54.179 --> 00:12:54.899
 responsibility

00:12:54.899 --> 00:12:55.700
 to forgive.

00:12:55.700 --> 00:12:55.900
 forgive.

00:12:58.020 --> 00:12:59.280
 The same distinction

00:12:59.280 --> 00:13:00.200
 applies in the

00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:00.820
 civil court.

00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:02.520
 Personal forgiveness

00:13:02.520 --> 00:13:04.379
 does not obviate

00:13:04.379 --> 00:13:05.740
 institutional justice.

00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:08.640
 If someone murders

00:13:08.640 --> 00:13:09.460
 your family member,

00:13:09.900 --> 00:13:10.200
 yes,

00:13:10.340 --> 00:13:11.379
 it is your responsibility

00:13:11.379 --> 00:13:12.400
 to forgive

00:13:12.400 --> 00:13:13.480
 that murderer

00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:14.160
 personally

00:13:14.160 --> 00:13:14.940
 for the wrong

00:13:14.940 --> 00:13:15.580
 that he or she

00:13:15.580 --> 00:13:16.020
 has done,

00:13:16.280 --> 00:13:17.980
 but it is still

00:13:17.980 --> 00:13:19.820
 right and just

00:13:19.820 --> 00:13:21.000
 for that person

00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:21.860
 to be punished

00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:22.780
 to the full extent

00:13:22.780 --> 00:13:23.240
 of the law

00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:24.019
 in the civil court.

00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:26.980
 Personal forgiveness

00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:28.340
 and institutional justice

00:13:28.340 --> 00:13:29.560
 are not mutually

00:13:29.560 --> 00:13:30.200
 exclusive,

00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:31.779
 nor is our

00:13:31.779 --> 00:13:32.680
 personal forgiveness

00:13:32.680 --> 00:13:33.379
 inconsistent

00:13:33.379 --> 00:13:34.779
 with divine justice.

00:13:35.680 --> 00:13:36.659
 Romans 12, 9 says,

00:13:36.740 --> 00:13:37.139
 Beloved,

00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:38.580
 never avenge yourselves,

00:13:38.680 --> 00:13:39.180
 but leave it

00:13:39.180 --> 00:13:40.159
 to the wrath of God,

00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:41.120
 for it is written,

00:13:41.299 --> 00:13:42.279
 vengeance is mine,

00:13:42.379 --> 00:13:43.120
 I will repay,

00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:43.840
 says the Lord.

00:13:44.680 --> 00:13:45.620
 It is God

00:13:45.620 --> 00:13:46.759
 who will ultimately

00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:47.560
 avenge us

00:13:47.560 --> 00:13:48.419
 for all the evil

00:13:48.419 --> 00:13:49.080
 done to us

00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:49.879
 so that we don't

00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:50.500
 have to take

00:13:50.500 --> 00:13:51.340
 vengeance ourselves,

00:13:51.340 --> 00:13:53.560
 because God,

00:13:53.660 --> 00:13:54.500
 the sovereign judge,

00:13:54.540 --> 00:13:55.160
 will finally

00:13:55.160 --> 00:13:56.320
 execute justice.

00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:57.280
 We don't need

00:13:57.280 --> 00:13:58.379
 to become vigilantes

00:13:58.379 --> 00:13:59.560
 who take matters

00:13:59.560 --> 00:14:00.360
 into our own hands.

00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:03.460
 Romans 13, 1-4

00:14:03.460 --> 00:14:04.519
 echoes the same principle,

00:14:04.660 --> 00:14:05.220
 applying it

00:14:05.220 --> 00:14:06.480
 to the delegated authority

00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:07.280
 of civil authorities.

00:14:07.800 --> 00:14:08.620
 Let every person

00:14:08.620 --> 00:14:09.180
 be subject

00:14:09.180 --> 00:14:10.340
 to the governing authorities,

00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:11.780
 for there is no authority

00:14:11.780 --> 00:14:12.759
 except from God,

00:14:13.019 --> 00:14:14.139
 and those that exist

00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:15.139
 have been instituted

00:14:15.139 --> 00:14:15.720
 by God,

00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:16.980
 for rulers are not

00:14:16.980 --> 00:14:18.180
 a terror to good conduct

00:14:18.180 --> 00:14:18.920
 but to bad.

00:14:19.580 --> 00:14:20.500
 If you do wrong,

00:14:20.500 --> 00:14:21.279
 be afraid,

00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:21.960
 for he does not

00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:23.220
 bear the sword in vain,

00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:24.759
 for he is the servant

00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:25.259
 of God,

00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:26.659
 an avenger who carries

00:14:26.659 --> 00:14:27.659
 out God's wrath

00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:28.700
 on the wrongdoer.

00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:30.580
 So divine justice

00:14:30.580 --> 00:14:31.980
 and civil justice

00:14:31.980 --> 00:14:33.480
 are biblical realities,

00:14:33.860 --> 00:14:34.759
 and the call

00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:36.440
 to personal forgiveness

00:14:36.440 --> 00:14:37.019
 that we see

00:14:37.019 --> 00:14:37.860
 in this passage

00:14:37.860 --> 00:14:39.480
 does not nullify

00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:40.559
 either of those things.

00:14:42.919 --> 00:14:44.240
 So Peter's question

00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.659
 deals with personal forgiveness,

00:14:46.700 --> 00:14:47.679
 and Jesus' answer

00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:48.379
 does not speak

00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:49.139
 to what courts

00:14:49.139 --> 00:14:49.879
 should do

00:14:49.879 --> 00:14:50.600
 or what God

00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:51.679
 will ultimately do

00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:52.620
 in his final judgment.

00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:54.740
 He's asking,

00:14:55.399 --> 00:14:56.019
 Peter is asking

00:14:56.019 --> 00:14:56.960
 about the relationships

00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:58.199
 within the community

00:14:58.199 --> 00:14:58.939
 of God's people.

00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:00.100
 He asks,

00:15:00.419 --> 00:15:00.439
 Lord,

00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:01.240
 how often

00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:02.480
 will my brother

00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:03.419
 sin against me

00:15:03.419 --> 00:15:04.439
 and I forgive him

00:15:04.439 --> 00:15:06.240
 as many as seven times?

00:15:07.259 --> 00:15:08.419
 Peter's understanding

00:15:08.419 --> 00:15:10.139
 of forgiving one's brother

00:15:10.139 --> 00:15:10.980
 comes from

00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:11.720
 the Old Testament,

00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:13.039
 Leviticus 19,

00:15:13.220 --> 00:15:14.120
 17 to 18.

00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:16.080
 You shall not hate

00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:16.679
 your brother

00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:17.460
 in your heart,

00:15:17.779 --> 00:15:18.779
 but you shall reason

00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:20.139
 frankly with your neighbor,

00:15:20.679 --> 00:15:21.779
 lest you incur sin

00:15:21.779 --> 00:15:22.480
 because of him.

00:15:22.820 --> 00:15:24.220
 You shall not take vengeance

00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:25.320
 or bear a grudge

00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:26.259
 against the sons

00:15:26.259 --> 00:15:27.299
 of your own people,

00:15:27.580 --> 00:15:28.519
 but you shall love

00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:29.600
 your neighbor as yourself.

00:15:29.740 --> 00:15:30.799
 I am the Lord.

00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:33.060
 Not taking vengeance

00:15:33.060 --> 00:15:34.700
 or bearing a grudge

00:15:34.700 --> 00:15:35.860
 against our neighbor

00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:36.500
 or a brother

00:15:36.500 --> 00:15:37.200
 in our community

00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:38.039
 is an expression

00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:39.240
 of our love for neighbor.

00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:41.080
 It's an entailment

00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:42.120
 of the second greatest

00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:42.660
 commandment

00:15:42.660 --> 00:15:43.740
 to love your neighbor

00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:44.920
 as yourself.

00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:46.540
 But remember,

00:15:46.900 --> 00:15:48.200
 earlier in chapter 5,

00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:49.460
 Jesus elevated

00:15:49.460 --> 00:15:50.040
 this command

00:15:50.040 --> 00:15:50.920
 to love your neighbor.

00:15:51.940 --> 00:15:52.340
 He said,

00:15:52.460 --> 00:15:52.920
 you have heard

00:15:52.920 --> 00:15:53.620
 that it was said,

00:15:54.139 --> 00:15:54.780
 you shall love

00:15:54.780 --> 00:15:55.340
 your neighbor

00:15:55.340 --> 00:15:56.879
 and hate your enemy.

00:15:57.720 --> 00:15:58.740
 But I say to you,

00:15:58.860 --> 00:15:59.920
 love your enemies

00:15:59.920 --> 00:16:01.040
 and pray for those

00:16:01.040 --> 00:16:01.960
 who persecute you.

00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:02.980
 For if you love

00:16:02.980 --> 00:16:03.680
 those who love you,

00:16:03.740 --> 00:16:04.920
 what reward will you get?

00:16:04.980 --> 00:16:06.140
 Do not even the tax collectors

00:16:06.140 --> 00:16:06.700
 do the same?

00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:07.900
 If you greet only

00:16:07.900 --> 00:16:08.500
 your brothers,

00:16:08.780 --> 00:16:10.020
 what reward will you get?

00:16:10.220 --> 00:16:10.920
 Do not even the Gentiles

00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:11.800
 do the same?

00:16:13.139 --> 00:16:14.440
 Love for brothers

00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:15.440
 and sisters in Christ,

00:16:15.560 --> 00:16:16.040
 Jesus says,

00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:16.780
 is not enough.

00:16:17.860 --> 00:16:18.700
 We must love

00:16:18.700 --> 00:16:19.540
 even our enemies.

00:16:21.180 --> 00:16:22.220
 And since love

00:16:22.220 --> 00:16:23.980
 entails not taking vengeance

00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:26.060
 and not holding a grudge,

00:16:26.800 --> 00:16:28.259
 it includes forgiveness.

00:16:30.940 --> 00:16:32.320
 So we are to forgive

00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:33.660
 our enemies as well,

00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:34.259
 even though what's

00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:35.120
 primarily in view

00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:35.759
 in this context

00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:36.740
 is forgiving

00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:37.800
 our brothers and sisters

00:16:37.800 --> 00:16:38.280
 in the context

00:16:38.280 --> 00:16:38.820
 of the church.

00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:38.860
 church.

00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:40.879
 This is helpful

00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:41.320
 to remember

00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:42.340
 when a fellow Christian

00:16:42.340 --> 00:16:43.440
 sins against us

00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:43.960
 repeatedly.

00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:45.980
 When your brother

00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:46.720
 or sister sins

00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:47.460
 against you

00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:48.440
 seven times

00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:51.920
 or 77 times

00:16:51.920 --> 00:16:54.460
 and they don't feel

00:16:54.460 --> 00:16:55.540
 sorry about it,

00:16:56.540 --> 00:16:57.660
 I could assure you

00:16:57.660 --> 00:16:58.240
 that person

00:16:58.240 --> 00:16:58.980
 no longer feels

00:16:58.980 --> 00:16:59.540
 like a brother

00:16:59.540 --> 00:17:00.460
 or a sister

00:17:00.460 --> 00:17:01.879
 or a friend

00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:02.860
 or even a neighbor.

00:17:03.460 --> 00:17:04.380
 That person starts

00:17:04.380 --> 00:17:05.080
 to feel like

00:17:05.080 --> 00:17:05.740
 an enemy.

00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:09.039
 But we are called

00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:09.539
 to love

00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:10.299
 and forgive

00:17:10.299 --> 00:17:10.980
 even our enemies.

00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:14.140
 Let's look at

00:17:14.140 --> 00:17:15.120
 Peter's question again.

00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:15.359
 Lord,

00:17:15.500 --> 00:17:16.059
 how often

00:17:16.059 --> 00:17:16.620
 will my brother

00:17:16.620 --> 00:17:17.400
 sin against me

00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:18.019
 and I forgive him?

00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:19.380
 As many as seven times?

00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:21.140
 The Jewish

00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:22.039
 rabbinical teaching

00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:23.359
 regarded three times

00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:24.579
 as a sufficient number

00:17:24.579 --> 00:17:25.200
 of times

00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:26.180
 to forgive someone,

00:17:26.700 --> 00:17:27.900
 which seems

00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:28.440
 pretty reasonable,

00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:28.700
 right?

00:17:29.120 --> 00:17:29.980
 So if Peter

00:17:29.980 --> 00:17:30.799
 was aware of that,

00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:31.759
 he is upping

00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:32.279
 the ante,

00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:33.299
 right?

00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:35.079
 Not three,

00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:36.519
 not four,

00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:37.799
 not five,

00:17:38.159 --> 00:17:38.859
 not six,

00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:39.960
 seven.

00:17:40.700 --> 00:17:41.279
 The number

00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:41.859
 of perfection.

00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:44.879
 If I say this

00:17:44.879 --> 00:17:45.259
 to Jesus,

00:17:45.379 --> 00:17:45.899
 surely I'm going

00:17:45.899 --> 00:17:46.339
 to get a pat

00:17:46.339 --> 00:17:46.779
 on the back.

00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:48.599
 Simon Bar-Jonah,

00:17:48.899 --> 00:17:49.519
 flesh and blood

00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:50.139
 has not revealed

00:17:50.139 --> 00:17:50.619
 this to you.

00:17:51.859 --> 00:17:52.639
 My father

00:17:52.639 --> 00:17:53.240
 who is in heaven.

00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:55.500
 But Jesus says

00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:56.139
 in verse 22,

00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:57.240
 I do not say

00:17:57.240 --> 00:17:58.359
 to you seven times,

00:17:59.139 --> 00:18:00.980
 but 77 times.

00:18:00.980 --> 00:18:03.240
 If the number seven

00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:04.559
 symbolizes perfection

00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:05.380
 and completeness,

00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:07.599
 then 77 is a hyperbolic

00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:09.480
 escalation of the number seven.

00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:11.339
 And it's an allusion

00:18:11.339 --> 00:18:12.700
 to Genesis 4, 24.

00:18:12.860 --> 00:18:13.420
 If you remember

00:18:13.420 --> 00:18:14.200
 when Cain,

00:18:14.360 --> 00:18:14.980
 after murdering

00:18:14.980 --> 00:18:15.640
 his brother Abel,

00:18:15.700 --> 00:18:16.440
 is exiled

00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:17.779
 further east of Eden,

00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:18.860
 he is afraid

00:18:18.860 --> 00:18:19.880
 that anyone who finds him

00:18:19.880 --> 00:18:20.539
 will kill him.

00:18:21.500 --> 00:18:22.559
 And so God offers him

00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:22.980
 protection.

00:18:23.140 --> 00:18:23.380
 He says,

00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:24.480
 if anyone kills Cain,

00:18:24.599 --> 00:18:25.440
 vengeance shall be

00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:26.640
 taken on him sevenfold.

00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:28.240
 And then later,

00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:29.539
 Cain's descendant,

00:18:29.539 --> 00:18:30.200
 to Lamech,

00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:31.200
 kills a man.

00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:33.339
 And then he boasts,

00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:34.599
 saying this,

00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:36.200
 if Cain's revenge

00:18:36.200 --> 00:18:37.240
 is sevenfold,

00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:38.599
 then Lamech's

00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:40.099
 is 77-fold.

00:18:42.500 --> 00:18:44.480
 That's the vengeful heart

00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:45.519
 of a sinful man.

00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:48.759
 Don't you tread on me,

00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:51.240
 because you'll have it

00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:51.980
 coming to you.

00:18:54.940 --> 00:18:56.180
 Not seven times,

00:18:56.460 --> 00:18:57.819
 77 times.

00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:59.960
 And then Jesus,

00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:00.899
 alluding to that,

00:19:01.099 --> 00:19:02.019
 flips it on his head.

00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:02.359
 He says,

00:19:02.439 --> 00:19:03.339
 I do not say to you,

00:19:03.419 --> 00:19:04.559
 forgive seven times,

00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:06.279
 but 77 times.

00:19:07.220 --> 00:19:08.899
 It's easy to gloss over

00:19:08.899 --> 00:19:09.759
 this familiar teaching,

00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:11.059
 but don't let it,

00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:12.159
 don't gloss over it.

00:19:12.159 --> 00:19:13.220
 Please let it sink in.

00:19:14.939 --> 00:19:15.899
 Jesus is not saying,

00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:16.359
 literally,

00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:17.819
 forgive 77 times,

00:19:17.899 --> 00:19:19.740
 and then 78th time,

00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:20.240
 oh,

00:19:20.879 --> 00:19:21.339
 that's it.

00:19:22.779 --> 00:19:23.419
 Game over.

00:19:24.700 --> 00:19:25.319
 He's saying,

00:19:25.399 --> 00:19:26.619
 forgive without limit.

00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:29.899
 If you are keeping count,

00:19:30.500 --> 00:19:32.419
 if you are keeping score,

00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:34.119
 you know,

00:19:34.339 --> 00:19:35.740
 this is the second time

00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:36.460
 you did this to me.

00:19:38.099 --> 00:19:40.359
 You always do this.

00:19:44.159 --> 00:19:45.639
 Then we are missing the mark.

00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:48.460
 1 Corinthians 13, 5 says

00:19:48.460 --> 00:19:50.879
 that love is not resentful.

00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:52.880
 Literally,

00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:53.380
 literally,

00:19:53.940 --> 00:19:54.500
 in the Greek,

00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:55.320
 that means love

00:19:55.320 --> 00:19:57.760
 does not count up wrongdoing.

00:19:58.660 --> 00:19:59.780
 The NIV renders it as

00:19:59.780 --> 00:20:01.460
 love keeps no record

00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:02.320
 of wrongs.

00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:04.260
 And if you understand

00:20:04.260 --> 00:20:05.340
 this command rightly,

00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:06.720
 in our cultural climate,

00:20:06.840 --> 00:20:08.600
 this is an outrageous command.

00:20:10.600 --> 00:20:11.140
 Sure,

00:20:11.520 --> 00:20:12.780
 if that person wrongs me

00:20:12.780 --> 00:20:13.660
 once or twice,

00:20:14.860 --> 00:20:15.180
 okay,

00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:17.400
 maybe on a good day

00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:17.860
 if I'm feeling

00:20:17.860 --> 00:20:18.740
 especially gracious,

00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:19.539
 maybe I'll forgive

00:20:19.539 --> 00:20:20.340
 even three times.

00:20:20.740 --> 00:20:21.820
 But what do you mean

00:20:21.820 --> 00:20:23.320
 77 times?

00:20:23.940 --> 00:20:24.820
 What do you mean

00:20:24.820 --> 00:20:26.360
 forgive without limit?

00:20:27.120 --> 00:20:27.860
 This person

00:20:27.860 --> 00:20:29.340
 is an incorrigible

00:20:29.340 --> 00:20:30.940
 repeat offender.

00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:34.180
 Are you guilt tripping me

00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:34.920
 as the victim?

00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:36.500
 You would have me

00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:37.279
 let the offender

00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:37.960
 off the hook?

00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:40.340
 Do you know how damaging

00:20:40.340 --> 00:20:41.380
 that kind of teaching is?

00:20:41.380 --> 00:20:44.900
 If you can't see

00:20:44.900 --> 00:20:45.540
 the scandal

00:20:45.540 --> 00:20:46.260
 of this command,

00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:47.400
 then you have yet

00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:48.440
 to wrestle with it

00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:50.040
 enough.

00:20:51.800 --> 00:20:52.720
 Jesus knows

00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:53.880
 that this radical command

00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:55.200
 requires an explanation

00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:56.020
 and so

00:20:56.020 --> 00:20:58.700
 he tells this parable

00:20:58.700 --> 00:20:59.700
 of the unforgiving servant.

00:21:00.660 --> 00:21:02.440
 He says in verses 23-24,

00:21:02.580 --> 00:21:03.200
 therefore the kingdom

00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:03.600
 of heaven

00:21:03.600 --> 00:21:04.240
 may be compared

00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:04.860
 to a king

00:21:04.860 --> 00:21:05.980
 who wished to settle

00:21:05.980 --> 00:21:07.200
 accounts with his servants.

00:21:08.060 --> 00:21:08.780
 When he began

00:21:08.780 --> 00:21:09.600
 to settle,

00:21:10.060 --> 00:21:10.880
 one was brought

00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:11.420
 to him

00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:12.100
 who owed him

00:21:12.100 --> 00:21:13.660
 10,000 talents.

00:21:15.380 --> 00:21:16.780
 Since this is a metaphor,

00:21:17.260 --> 00:21:17.780
 it's a parable

00:21:17.780 --> 00:21:18.560
 for the kingdom

00:21:18.560 --> 00:21:19.260
 of heaven,

00:21:19.380 --> 00:21:20.180
 the king here

00:21:20.180 --> 00:21:21.220
 represents God.

00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:22.520
 And a servant

00:21:22.520 --> 00:21:23.120
 of this king

00:21:23.120 --> 00:21:23.620
 owes him

00:21:23.620 --> 00:21:24.880
 10,000 talents.

00:21:25.620 --> 00:21:26.540
 One talent

00:21:26.540 --> 00:21:27.120
 was about

00:21:27.120 --> 00:21:28.840
 6,000 denarii

00:21:28.840 --> 00:21:30.960
 and one denarius

00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:33.400
 was a common laborer's

00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:35.040
 day's wage,

00:21:35.140 --> 00:21:36.220
 a full day's wage.

00:21:37.520 --> 00:21:38.520
 And so this servant

00:21:38.520 --> 00:21:39.500
 owes the king

00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:41.960
 60 million denarii.

00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:45.299
 So even if he works

00:21:45.299 --> 00:21:46.799
 seven days a week

00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.960
 for 365 days a year

00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:49.599
 without ever

00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:50.700
 taking a day off,

00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:51.880
 he would need to work

00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:55.380
 for 164,383 years

00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:57.039
 to repay this

00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:58.599
 as a common laborer.

00:22:00.140 --> 00:22:01.480
 Now let me adjust that

00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:02.460
 for inflation for you.

00:22:02.460 --> 00:22:05.680
 A living wage

00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:06.120
 in Boston,

00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:06.640
 Cambridge,

00:22:06.740 --> 00:22:07.299
 Newton area

00:22:07.299 --> 00:22:08.019
 is estimated

00:22:08.019 --> 00:22:10.299
 at $32.46 an hour.

00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:12.100
 That's the minimum

00:22:12.100 --> 00:22:13.100
 hourly pay

00:22:13.100 --> 00:22:14.059
 that a full-time

00:22:14.059 --> 00:22:15.140
 worker needs

00:22:15.140 --> 00:22:15.799
 in order to care

00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:16.420
 for his need

00:22:16.420 --> 00:22:17.299
 and his family's need.

00:22:18.500 --> 00:22:19.519
 If we count

00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:20.360
 for an eight-hour

00:22:20.360 --> 00:22:20.900
 workday,

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:21.980
 that's $260

00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:22.920
 per day.

00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:24.700
 That's a day's wage

00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:26.220
 for a common laborer

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:27.000
 in our area.

00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:28.619
 So $260

00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:29.579
 is the modern

00:22:29.579 --> 00:22:30.180
 equivalent of

00:22:30.180 --> 00:22:31.000
 one denarius

00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:32.359
 and since one talent

00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:34.539
 is 6,000 denarii,

00:22:34.619 --> 00:22:35.180
 let's multiply

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:36.579
 260 by 6,000

00:22:36.579 --> 00:22:37.000
 and you get

00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:39.259
 $1,560,000.

00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:40.319
 That's the equivalent

00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:41.160
 of one talent.

00:22:42.539 --> 00:22:43.200
 And this servant

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:43.680
 owes the king

00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:44.920
 10,000 talents.

00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:46.339
 So multiply

00:22:46.339 --> 00:22:48.000
 1.56 million

00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:49.900
 to 10,000

00:22:49.900 --> 00:22:50.299
 and you get

00:22:50.299 --> 00:22:51.759
 $15.6 billion.

00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:56.920
 It's an unimaginably

00:22:56.920 --> 00:22:57.879
 large sum of money.

00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:00.519
 And even trying

00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:01.220
 to quantify

00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:02.099
 and calculate it

00:23:02.099 --> 00:23:02.460
 like this

00:23:02.460 --> 00:23:03.099
 actually misses

00:23:03.099 --> 00:23:03.480
 the point

00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:04.480
 because a talent

00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:05.859
 was the largest

00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:07.140
 monetary unit

00:23:07.140 --> 00:23:08.619
 used in that day

00:23:08.619 --> 00:23:08.900
 and age.

00:23:08.980 --> 00:23:09.619
 It's the largest

00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:10.339
 sum of money,

00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:11.720
 amount of money

00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:12.559
 you could use.

00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:14.000
 And 10,000

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:15.420
 is the largest

00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:16.180
 number

00:23:16.180 --> 00:23:17.660
 that the Greek

00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:18.099
 language

00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:18.879
 had a name for,

00:23:18.940 --> 00:23:19.460
 had a specific

00:23:19.460 --> 00:23:20.000
 name for.

00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.700
 It's the largest

00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:22.480
 monetary unit,

00:23:22.619 --> 00:23:23.279
 largest number,

00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:24.200
 10,000.

00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:25.200
 It's basically

00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:26.099
 infinity.

00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:28.440
 A money

00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:29.180
 you could never

00:23:29.180 --> 00:23:30.480
 hope to pay back

00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:31.220
 what we would

00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:32.140
 call gazillions

00:23:32.140 --> 00:23:32.779
 of dollars.

00:23:34.420 --> 00:23:35.480
 A crushing

00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:35.859
 debt.

00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:38.359
 Even

00:23:38.359 --> 00:23:39.619
 $200,000

00:23:39.619 --> 00:23:40.720
 of school loans

00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:41.400
 is crippling

00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:42.160
 for most people.

00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:43.579
 It's the kind

00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:43.839
 of debt

00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:44.380
 that stresses

00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:44.980
 people out

00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:45.480
 and alters

00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:46.339
 their life choices.

00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:47.700
 But this is not

00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:48.579
 even a fraction

00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:50.039
 of that,

00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:51.759
 what the servant

00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.299
 owes the king.

00:23:54.939 --> 00:23:55.779
 Imagine being

00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:56.279
 weighed down

00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:56.679
 with something

00:23:56.679 --> 00:23:57.179
 like that.

00:23:58.039 --> 00:23:58.699
 And that's

00:23:58.699 --> 00:23:59.099
 the debt

00:23:59.099 --> 00:23:59.799
 of sin

00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:00.720
 that we all

00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:01.379
 owe to God.

00:24:03.079 --> 00:24:03.740
 Remember the

00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:04.379
 prayer that Jesus

00:24:04.379 --> 00:24:04.939
 taught us in

00:24:04.939 --> 00:24:05.500
 Matthew 6,

00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:05.939
 12.

00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:06.960
 Forgive us

00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:08.099
 our debts

00:24:08.099 --> 00:24:09.659
 as we also

00:24:09.659 --> 00:24:10.179
 have forgiven

00:24:10.179 --> 00:24:11.220
 our debtors.

00:24:12.659 --> 00:24:13.059
 And then

00:24:13.059 --> 00:24:13.579
 two verses

00:24:13.579 --> 00:24:13.919
 later,

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:14.659
 Jesus explains,

00:24:14.740 --> 00:24:15.099
 and this is

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:15.919
 the only line

00:24:15.919 --> 00:24:16.639
 in that prayer

00:24:16.639 --> 00:24:17.179
 that Jesus

00:24:17.179 --> 00:24:18.199
 explains further.

00:24:18.579 --> 00:24:19.119
 For if you

00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:20.159
 forgive others

00:24:20.159 --> 00:24:21.359
 their trespasses,

00:24:21.679 --> 00:24:22.319
 your heavenly

00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:23.199
 Father will

00:24:23.199 --> 00:24:24.379
 also forgive you.

00:24:24.619 --> 00:24:25.000
 But if you

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:25.419
 do not

00:24:25.419 --> 00:24:26.059
 forgive others

00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:26.939
 their trespasses,

00:24:27.099 --> 00:24:27.559
 neither will

00:24:27.559 --> 00:24:28.139
 your Father

00:24:28.139 --> 00:24:28.879
 forgive your

00:24:28.879 --> 00:24:29.659
 trespasses.

00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:31.099
 Our debts

00:24:31.099 --> 00:24:32.099
 are a metaphor

00:24:32.099 --> 00:24:32.740
 for our

00:24:32.740 --> 00:24:33.519
 trespasses

00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:34.079
 and sins

00:24:34.079 --> 00:24:34.839
 against God.

00:24:35.899 --> 00:24:36.259
 Do you

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:36.899
 know that

00:24:36.899 --> 00:24:38.059
 our sins

00:24:38.059 --> 00:24:39.439
 are so grave

00:24:39.439 --> 00:24:40.939
 that we owe

00:24:40.939 --> 00:24:41.839
 an infinite

00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:42.720
 debt to God?

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.019
 So many

00:24:46.019 --> 00:24:46.500
 people in the

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:46.980
 world fail

00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:47.619
 to recognize

00:24:47.619 --> 00:24:49.119
 this because

00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:49.579
 they suffer

00:24:49.579 --> 00:24:50.919
 from PGPS,

00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:52.819
 pretty good

00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:53.479
 person syndrome.

00:24:56.619 --> 00:24:57.539
 It's endemic.

00:24:58.419 --> 00:24:58.939
 Oh, I don't

00:24:58.939 --> 00:24:59.599
 think I'm super

00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:00.039
 or anything,

00:25:00.239 --> 00:25:00.759
 but you know,

00:25:01.059 --> 00:25:01.939
 I'm just as good

00:25:01.939 --> 00:25:02.659
 as the next guy

00:25:02.659 --> 00:25:04.079
 or the next gal.

00:25:04.359 --> 00:25:04.839
 I'm a pretty

00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:05.359
 good person.

00:25:06.359 --> 00:25:07.159
 Of course,

00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:08.159
 I've done some

00:25:08.159 --> 00:25:08.659
 bad things,

00:25:08.659 --> 00:25:09.599
 but you know,

00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:11.959
 that guy's so

00:25:11.959 --> 00:25:12.479
 much worse.

00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:15.900
 that's what most

00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:16.440
 people in their

00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:17.180
 prideful delusion

00:25:17.180 --> 00:25:17.539
 think,

00:25:18.039 --> 00:25:18.799
 but that's not

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.160
 the case

00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:19.579
 according to

00:25:19.579 --> 00:25:19.839
 Jesus.

00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:21.319
 Our debt of

00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:22.519
 sin is

00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:24.640
 10,000 talents,

00:25:25.799 --> 00:25:26.599
 an infinite

00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:27.019
 debt.

00:25:28.180 --> 00:25:28.799
 Law-breaking

00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:30.039
 offenses in our

00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:30.500
 society get

00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:31.160
 classified into

00:25:31.160 --> 00:25:32.039
 three broad

00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:32.680
 categories,

00:25:32.940 --> 00:25:33.019
 right?

00:25:33.099 --> 00:25:33.940
 An infraction

00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:35.680
 is the least

00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:36.259
 serious,

00:25:36.500 --> 00:25:37.299
 smallest offense,

00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:38.500
 five days in

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:39.220
 prison and or

00:25:39.220 --> 00:25:40.259
 up to $5,000

00:25:40.259 --> 00:25:40.819
 fine.

00:25:40.819 --> 00:25:41.899
 Next is a

00:25:41.899 --> 00:25:42.439
 misdemeanor,

00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:43.799
 which is punishable

00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:44.480
 by up to one

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:45.019
 year in prison

00:25:45.019 --> 00:25:46.000
 and or $100,000

00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:46.539
 fine.

00:25:47.099 --> 00:25:47.839
 The worst,

00:25:47.939 --> 00:25:48.439
 most serious

00:25:48.439 --> 00:25:49.119
 crime is a

00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:49.419
 felony,

00:25:50.159 --> 00:25:51.079
 which is punishable

00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:51.579
 by up to

00:25:51.579 --> 00:25:52.240
 lifetime in

00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:52.740
 prison or

00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:53.519
 death and

00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:53.960
 or by a

00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:55.000
 $250,000

00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:55.500
 fine.

00:25:57.079 --> 00:25:57.839
 I hope that's

00:25:57.839 --> 00:25:58.139
 accurate.

00:25:58.279 --> 00:25:58.679
 The lawyers in

00:25:58.679 --> 00:25:59.019
 the room can

00:25:59.019 --> 00:25:59.500
 correct me if

00:25:59.500 --> 00:25:59.779
 it's not.

00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:01.559
 Sometimes we

00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:02.059
 can think that

00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:02.619
 our sins are

00:26:02.619 --> 00:26:03.099
 like these

00:26:03.099 --> 00:26:04.119
 minor infractions.

00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:06.159
 Ah,

00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:09.099
 not that bad.

00:26:09.939 --> 00:26:10.500
 But think about

00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:10.980
 it this way.

00:26:12.059 --> 00:26:13.240
 God is our

00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:14.720
 creator and

00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:16.119
 ruler, but

00:26:16.119 --> 00:26:17.480
 all of us at

00:26:17.480 --> 00:26:18.200
 some point in

00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:18.759
 our lives have

00:26:18.759 --> 00:26:20.680
 denied him, we

00:26:20.680 --> 00:26:21.279
 have rebelled

00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:21.920
 against his

00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:22.900
 rule, and we

00:26:22.900 --> 00:26:23.519
 have sought to

00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:24.359
 be masters of

00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:25.099
 our own fate.

00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:27.019
 And in living

00:26:27.019 --> 00:26:27.940
 like we are

00:26:27.940 --> 00:26:28.859
 the captains of

00:26:28.859 --> 00:26:29.640
 our own ships,

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.200
 we have sought

00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:31.460
 to usurp God's

00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:32.880
 throne and be

00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:33.460
 God.

00:26:35.420 --> 00:26:36.500
 Romans 5.10

00:26:36.500 --> 00:26:37.079
 describes

00:26:37.079 --> 00:26:37.839
 unrepentant

00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:38.819
 humanity as

00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:39.980
 God's enemies.

00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:42.000
 According to

00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:42.839
 Ephesians 2.2,

00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:43.519
 we were all

00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:44.200
 once following

00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:44.819
 the prince of

00:26:44.819 --> 00:26:45.400
 the power of

00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:46.640
 the air, the

00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:47.180
 spirit that is

00:26:47.180 --> 00:26:47.839
 now at work in

00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:49.099
 the sons of

00:26:49.099 --> 00:26:49.799
 disobedience.

00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:53.019
 In other words,

00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:54.299
 all sinners have

00:26:54.299 --> 00:26:55.920
 levied war against

00:26:55.920 --> 00:26:57.200
 God as his

00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:58.000
 enemies, and we

00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.980
 have adhered to

00:26:58.980 --> 00:26:59.640
 and followed

00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:00.880
 Satan, the prince

00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:01.460
 of the power of

00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:01.940
 the air, his

00:27:01.940 --> 00:27:02.220
 enemy.

00:27:03.339 --> 00:27:04.420
 In our world,

00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:05.359
 we call that

00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:06.240
 treason.

00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:10.140
 treason against

00:27:10.140 --> 00:27:10.579
 the U.S.

00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:11.759
 government is

00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:12.779
 not an

00:27:12.779 --> 00:27:13.539
 infraction or

00:27:13.539 --> 00:27:14.140
 a misdemeanor,

00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:15.120
 it's a felony

00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:18.640
 punishable by the

00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:19.519
 severest sentence.

00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:23.180
 In our court,

00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:25.519
 there are

00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:26.579
 mitigating factors

00:27:26.579 --> 00:27:27.160
 to consider,

00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:28.460
 things that can

00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:29.980
 lessen the

00:27:29.980 --> 00:27:31.480
 severity of a

00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:32.380
 sentence for a

00:27:32.380 --> 00:27:32.980
 crime committed.

00:27:32.980 --> 00:27:35.039
 for example,

00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:35.940
 if it was a

00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:36.640
 person's first

00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:37.380
 time offense,

00:27:37.500 --> 00:27:38.180
 if they have a

00:27:38.180 --> 00:27:39.440
 clean prior record,

00:27:39.620 --> 00:27:40.559
 that's a mitigating

00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:40.980
 factor.

00:27:42.339 --> 00:27:43.220
 Another one is if

00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:44.500
 the victim of

00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:45.120
 the crime is

00:27:45.120 --> 00:27:46.360
 also culpable,

00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.259
 worthy of blame

00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:47.920
 in some way.

00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:50.339
 But what

00:27:50.339 --> 00:27:51.420
 mitigating factor

00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:52.700
 do we have

00:27:52.700 --> 00:27:54.519
 in our treason

00:27:54.519 --> 00:27:55.220
 against God?

00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:01.160
 God has been

00:28:01.160 --> 00:28:02.079
 nothing but good

00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:02.620
 and generous

00:28:02.619 --> 00:28:03.139
 and gracious

00:28:03.139 --> 00:28:03.979
 to all of us.

00:28:04.919 --> 00:28:05.619
 Everything that

00:28:05.619 --> 00:28:06.219
 we know to be

00:28:06.219 --> 00:28:06.899
 good, it comes

00:28:06.899 --> 00:28:07.419
 from him.

00:28:10.339 --> 00:28:11.500
 He has no,

00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:12.339
 he deserves

00:28:12.339 --> 00:28:13.099
 no blame.

00:28:14.539 --> 00:28:15.179
 Not only that,

00:28:15.219 --> 00:28:15.939
 this is not our,

00:28:16.019 --> 00:28:17.239
 we are not people

00:28:17.239 --> 00:28:17.859
 with a clean

00:28:17.859 --> 00:28:18.219
 record.

00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:18.799
 We have a

00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.699
 lengthy record

00:28:19.699 --> 00:28:20.159
 of sin.

00:28:21.699 --> 00:28:22.319
 We're not

00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:22.759
 first time

00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:23.119
 offenders.

00:28:25.639 --> 00:28:26.359
 I can say

00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:27.019
 still more about

00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:27.439
 the gravity

00:28:27.439 --> 00:28:27.899
 of our own

00:28:27.899 --> 00:28:28.139
 sin.

00:28:28.359 --> 00:28:29.319
 If you swat

00:28:29.319 --> 00:28:29.819
 a fly,

00:28:30.819 --> 00:28:31.539
 no one cares.

00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.799
 If you slap

00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.399
 a person

00:28:33.399 --> 00:28:34.639
 and that person

00:28:34.639 --> 00:28:35.319
 files a police

00:28:35.319 --> 00:28:35.720
 report,

00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:36.319
 then you can

00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:36.839
 go to jail

00:28:36.839 --> 00:28:37.399
 for physical

00:28:37.399 --> 00:28:38.019
 assault or

00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:38.339
 battery.

00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:40.920
 The difference

00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:41.480
 in punishment

00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:42.680
 is not because

00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:43.720
 the two acts,

00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:44.519
 swatting and

00:28:44.519 --> 00:28:45.000
 slapping,

00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:45.700
 are all that

00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:46.000
 different.

00:28:46.139 --> 00:28:46.740
 They're basically

00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:47.480
 the same thing.

00:28:48.839 --> 00:28:49.579
 The difference

00:28:49.579 --> 00:28:50.059
 in punishment

00:28:50.059 --> 00:28:51.359
 lies in the

00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:51.960
 dignity,

00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:52.500
 the difference

00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:53.240
 in the value

00:28:53.240 --> 00:28:53.960
 and the dignity

00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:55.019
 between a fly

00:28:55.019 --> 00:28:55.559
 and a person.

00:28:55.559 --> 00:28:59.899
 the gravity

00:28:59.899 --> 00:29:00.539
 of the offense

00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:01.200
 and the severity

00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:01.859
 of the punishment

00:29:01.859 --> 00:29:03.220
 depends not only

00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:03.899
 on the nature

00:29:03.899 --> 00:29:04.460
 of the act

00:29:04.460 --> 00:29:04.940
 itself,

00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:05.879
 but on the

00:29:05.879 --> 00:29:06.759
 worth of the

00:29:06.759 --> 00:29:07.659
 object of that

00:29:07.659 --> 00:29:08.159
 offense.

00:29:08.399 --> 00:29:09.099
 So how much

00:29:09.099 --> 00:29:09.839
 more then does

00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:10.359
 this principle

00:29:10.359 --> 00:29:11.419
 apply to God?

00:29:13.299 --> 00:29:14.619
 God is infinitely

00:29:14.619 --> 00:29:15.460
 worthy of our

00:29:15.460 --> 00:29:16.579
 faith and obedience

00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:17.099
 and worship.

00:29:18.539 --> 00:29:19.339
 And for that reason,

00:29:19.419 --> 00:29:20.519
 to sin against him

00:29:20.519 --> 00:29:21.579
 merits infinite

00:29:21.579 --> 00:29:22.480
 punishment.

00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:24.500
 As we sometimes

00:29:24.500 --> 00:29:25.160
 read in one of

00:29:25.160 --> 00:29:25.700
 our confessions

00:29:25.700 --> 00:29:26.220
 of sins,

00:29:26.660 --> 00:29:27.339
 let us never

00:29:27.339 --> 00:29:28.180
 forget that we

00:29:28.180 --> 00:29:29.120
 have an eternal

00:29:29.120 --> 00:29:30.160
 duty to love,

00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:30.759
 honor,

00:29:30.839 --> 00:29:31.519
 and obey you,

00:29:31.960 --> 00:29:32.740
 that you are

00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:33.779
 infinitely worthy

00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:34.319
 of such,

00:29:34.779 --> 00:29:35.680
 that if we fail

00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:36.740
 to glorify you,

00:29:36.839 --> 00:29:37.519
 we are guilty

00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:38.920
 of infinite evil

00:29:38.920 --> 00:29:39.920
 that merits

00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:41.000
 infinite punishment

00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:42.360
 for sin is the

00:29:42.360 --> 00:29:43.400
 violation of an

00:29:43.400 --> 00:29:44.839
 infinite obligation.

00:29:47.079 --> 00:29:48.140
 Our sin

00:29:48.140 --> 00:29:48.819
 deserves

00:29:48.819 --> 00:29:49.620
 eternal

00:29:49.620 --> 00:29:50.200
 punishment,

00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:51.400
 not merely

00:29:51.400 --> 00:29:52.120
 because of what

00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:52.859
 we have done,

00:29:53.019 --> 00:29:54.119
 but especially

00:29:54.119 --> 00:29:55.259
 because of whom

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:56.059
 we have sinned

00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:56.519
 against.

00:29:59.619 --> 00:30:00.459
 Even in our

00:30:00.459 --> 00:30:00.859
 society,

00:30:00.979 --> 00:30:01.659
 there are criminals

00:30:01.659 --> 00:30:02.539
 who get sentenced

00:30:02.539 --> 00:30:03.159
 to punishment

00:30:03.159 --> 00:30:04.239
 that goes well

00:30:04.239 --> 00:30:04.919
 beyond their

00:30:04.919 --> 00:30:05.619
 lifetime.

00:30:06.479 --> 00:30:06.939
 For example,

00:30:07.099 --> 00:30:07.819
 Dylan Roof,

00:30:09.019 --> 00:30:09.859
 the racist

00:30:09.859 --> 00:30:10.659
 neo-Nazi

00:30:10.659 --> 00:30:11.339
 gunman who

00:30:11.339 --> 00:30:12.279
 shot and killed

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:13.339
 nine African

00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:14.099
 Americans while

00:30:14.099 --> 00:30:14.599
 they were doing

00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:15.339
 Bible study in

00:30:15.339 --> 00:30:15.819
 a church in

00:30:15.819 --> 00:30:16.139
 Charleston,

00:30:16.259 --> 00:30:16.739
 South Carolina

00:30:16.739 --> 00:30:17.500
 in 2015.

00:30:18.059 --> 00:30:18.679
 He received a

00:30:18.679 --> 00:30:19.219
 death penalty

00:30:19.219 --> 00:30:19.979
 in federal court,

00:30:20.139 --> 00:30:21.259
 but that wasn't

00:30:21.259 --> 00:30:21.559
 it.

00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:22.319
 That wasn't

00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:22.539
 all.

00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:23.339
 He also

00:30:23.339 --> 00:30:24.299
 received nine

00:30:24.299 --> 00:30:25.940
 consecutive life

00:30:25.940 --> 00:30:26.519
 sentences,

00:30:27.180 --> 00:30:28.240
 life without

00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:28.559
 parole.

00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:30.940
 How does one

00:30:30.940 --> 00:30:31.980
 man pay nine

00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:32.680
 life sentences?

00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:33.740
 Obviously,

00:30:33.859 --> 00:30:34.700
 he can't pay for

00:30:34.700 --> 00:30:34.900
 it.

00:30:36.339 --> 00:30:37.539
 The point is

00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:38.480
 that his guilt,

00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:39.559
 his punishment,

00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:42.259
 what he deserves

00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:43.099
 is greater than

00:30:43.099 --> 00:30:43.599
 what he can

00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:44.319
 himself pay

00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:46.059
 with his one

00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:46.400
 life.

00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:49.120
 That's what

00:30:49.120 --> 00:30:50.640
 all our sins

00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:51.340
 are like.

00:30:54.860 --> 00:30:55.640
 I imagine

00:30:55.640 --> 00:30:55.900
 like,

00:30:56.220 --> 00:30:58.140
 I don't think

00:30:58.140 --> 00:30:58.620
 I've seen this

00:30:58.620 --> 00:30:58.840
 movie,

00:30:58.940 --> 00:30:59.220
 but I think

00:30:59.220 --> 00:30:59.600
 I've seen a

00:30:59.600 --> 00:30:59.900
 trailer.

00:31:00.060 --> 00:31:00.420
 I think there's

00:31:00.420 --> 00:31:00.960
 a movie called

00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:01.480
 Edge of

00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:01.940
 Tomorrow or

00:31:01.940 --> 00:31:02.460
 something where

00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:03.140
 a guy gets

00:31:03.140 --> 00:31:03.660
 stuck in a

00:31:03.660 --> 00:31:04.180
 time loop,

00:31:04.820 --> 00:31:05.220
 and then he

00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:06.580
 somehow gets

00:31:06.580 --> 00:31:07.140
 stuck in a

00:31:07.140 --> 00:31:07.519
 time loop,

00:31:07.560 --> 00:31:07.900
 and then he

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:08.519
 dies, he

00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:08.980
 gets killed,

00:31:09.120 --> 00:31:09.560
 and then he

00:31:09.560 --> 00:31:10.280
 goes back and

00:31:10.280 --> 00:31:10.660
 starts over,

00:31:10.740 --> 00:31:11.180
 and he dies

00:31:11.180 --> 00:31:11.980
 again, and

00:31:11.980 --> 00:31:13.240
 he dies again.

00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:15.440
 And that's

00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:15.799
 what we

00:31:15.799 --> 00:31:16.160
 deserve.

00:31:17.980 --> 00:31:18.839
 We can't

00:31:18.839 --> 00:31:19.380
 pay for it

00:31:19.380 --> 00:31:19.660
 with our

00:31:19.660 --> 00:31:20.120
 lifetime.

00:31:21.099 --> 00:31:21.779
 We must

00:31:21.779 --> 00:31:22.819
 pay infinitely.

00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:24.259
 That's why

00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:24.920
 hell is

00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:25.980
 described earlier

00:31:25.980 --> 00:31:26.400
 in verse

00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:27.339
 eight as an

00:31:27.339 --> 00:31:28.500
 eternal fire

00:31:28.500 --> 00:31:30.079
 where torment

00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:31.099
 goes up forever

00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:31.660
 and ever.

00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:35.079
 I know this

00:31:35.079 --> 00:31:35.680
 is a harsh

00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:36.400
 reality, but

00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:37.180
 it is the

00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:38.039
 reality that we

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:39.120
 must reckon

00:31:39.120 --> 00:31:39.700
 with because

00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:41.019
 if the weight

00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:42.519
 of the crushing

00:31:42.519 --> 00:31:43.200
 debt,

00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:44.259
 does not

00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:45.160
 sink in,

00:31:45.819 --> 00:31:46.279
 we cannot

00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:46.700
 rightly

00:31:46.700 --> 00:31:47.660
 appreciate the

00:31:47.660 --> 00:31:48.359
 forgiveness of

00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:48.700
 God in

00:31:48.700 --> 00:31:49.079
 Christ.

00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:51.640
 And therefore,

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:52.380
 we also cannot

00:31:52.380 --> 00:31:53.039
 forgive others

00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:53.539
 as Christ

00:31:53.539 --> 00:31:54.279
 commends us if

00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:54.980
 we don't get

00:31:54.980 --> 00:31:55.740
 this truth

00:31:55.740 --> 00:31:56.180
 first.

00:31:58.839 --> 00:31:59.559
 Given this

00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:00.160
 crushing debt,

00:32:00.220 --> 00:32:00.559
 the servant

00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:01.019
 could not

00:32:01.019 --> 00:32:02.160
 possibly pay it

00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:02.460
 back.

00:32:03.259 --> 00:32:03.599
 So what

00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:04.039
 happens in

00:32:04.039 --> 00:32:04.900
 verses 25 to

00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:05.519
 26 is

00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:06.000
 expected.

00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:06.799
 And since

00:32:06.799 --> 00:32:07.400
 he could not

00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:08.579
 pay, his

00:32:08.579 --> 00:32:09.319
 master ordered

00:32:09.319 --> 00:32:09.779
 him to be

00:32:09.779 --> 00:32:10.839
 sold with

00:32:10.839 --> 00:32:11.599
 his wife and

00:32:11.599 --> 00:32:12.120
 children and

00:32:12.120 --> 00:32:12.559
 all that he

00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:12.940
 had and

00:32:12.940 --> 00:32:13.420
 payment to

00:32:13.420 --> 00:32:13.799
 be made.

00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:14.220
 So the

00:32:14.220 --> 00:32:14.799
 servant fell

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:15.120
 on his

00:32:15.120 --> 00:32:15.840
 knees imploring

00:32:15.840 --> 00:32:16.600
 him, have

00:32:16.600 --> 00:32:17.420
 patience with

00:32:17.420 --> 00:32:17.960
 me and I

00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:18.759
 will pay you

00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:19.400
 everything.

00:32:20.660 --> 00:32:21.019
 This was a

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:21.640
 common way to

00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:21.960
 deal with

00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:22.700
 unpaid debt

00:32:22.700 --> 00:32:23.140
 in the ancient

00:32:23.140 --> 00:32:23.779
 world to the

00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:24.340
 debtor together

00:32:24.340 --> 00:32:24.680
 with his

00:32:24.680 --> 00:32:25.259
 family and all

00:32:25.259 --> 00:32:25.779
 his belongings

00:32:25.779 --> 00:32:26.420
 would be sold

00:32:26.420 --> 00:32:27.660
 to slavery to

00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:28.340
 their master.

00:32:29.100 --> 00:32:29.880
 But even that

00:32:29.880 --> 00:32:30.580
 would not go

00:32:30.580 --> 00:32:31.900
 far enough to

00:32:31.900 --> 00:32:32.660
 pay this

00:32:32.660 --> 00:32:34.519
 astronomical debt.

00:32:34.519 --> 00:32:34.559
 debt.

00:32:36.619 --> 00:32:37.079
 And given

00:32:37.079 --> 00:32:37.839
 this reality,

00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:38.839
 the servant's

00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:39.500
 assurance to

00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:40.160
 the master is

00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:40.759
 laughable.

00:32:41.559 --> 00:32:42.339
 Have patience

00:32:42.339 --> 00:32:43.599
 with me and I

00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:44.139
 will pay you

00:32:44.139 --> 00:32:44.599
 everything.

00:32:46.339 --> 00:32:47.019
 Imagine the

00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:47.400
 master's

00:32:47.400 --> 00:32:47.960
 person, oh

00:32:47.960 --> 00:32:48.480
 yeah, really?

00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:49.579
 You're going to

00:32:49.579 --> 00:32:50.119
 pay everything?

00:32:52.119 --> 00:32:52.980
 How do you

00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:53.920
 exactly intend

00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:54.500
 to do that?

00:32:55.559 --> 00:32:56.119
 Can you live

00:32:56.119 --> 00:32:58.259
 for 164,383

00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:58.579
 years?

00:32:58.579 --> 00:33:02.399
 This betrays

00:33:02.399 --> 00:33:02.839
 the servant's

00:33:02.839 --> 00:33:03.199
 delusion.

00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:04.879
 And that

00:33:04.879 --> 00:33:05.319
 brings us to

00:33:05.319 --> 00:33:05.819
 the master's

00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:06.439
 response, the

00:33:06.439 --> 00:33:06.839
 second point,

00:33:06.899 --> 00:33:07.480
 the compassionate

00:33:07.480 --> 00:33:07.919
 master.

00:33:08.119 --> 00:33:08.579
 He says in

00:33:08.579 --> 00:33:09.299
 verse 27,

00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:10.240
 and out of

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:11.019
 pity for him,

00:33:11.379 --> 00:33:11.839
 the master

00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:12.279
 of that servant

00:33:12.279 --> 00:33:13.179
 released him

00:33:13.179 --> 00:33:14.000
 and forgave him

00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:14.419
 the debt.

00:33:15.579 --> 00:33:16.299
 The master

00:33:16.299 --> 00:33:16.879
 knows better

00:33:16.879 --> 00:33:17.399
 than the servant.

00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:18.099
 He knows that

00:33:18.099 --> 00:33:18.460
 the servant

00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:19.059
 could never

00:33:19.059 --> 00:33:20.379
 pay it back.

00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:21.279
 And knowing

00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:22.419
 this, instead

00:33:22.419 --> 00:33:23.539
 of despising

00:33:23.539 --> 00:33:24.159
 the servant,

00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:24.899
 the master

00:33:24.899 --> 00:33:25.740
 has pity for

00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:25.899
 him.

00:33:27.240 --> 00:33:28.159
 The translation

00:33:28.160 --> 00:33:29.220
 out of pity

00:33:29.220 --> 00:33:30.320
 is a rendering

00:33:30.320 --> 00:33:30.840
 of a Greek

00:33:30.840 --> 00:33:31.180
 word that

00:33:31.180 --> 00:33:31.880
 literally means

00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:32.600
 the viscera

00:33:32.600 --> 00:33:33.880
 or the bowels,

00:33:34.180 --> 00:33:34.820
 the inward

00:33:34.820 --> 00:33:35.820
 parts of the

00:33:35.820 --> 00:33:37.080
 person that

00:33:37.080 --> 00:33:37.740
 went out

00:33:37.740 --> 00:33:38.320
 toward that

00:33:38.320 --> 00:33:38.640
 servant.

00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:40.400
 We might say

00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:40.779
 in English

00:33:40.779 --> 00:33:41.259
 that his

00:33:41.259 --> 00:33:42.920
 heart leapt

00:33:42.920 --> 00:33:44.320
 out for

00:33:44.320 --> 00:33:44.779
 the servant.

00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:47.480
 This is what

00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:48.500
 we observe

00:33:48.500 --> 00:33:49.100
 about Jesus

00:33:49.100 --> 00:33:49.840
 time and time

00:33:49.840 --> 00:33:50.320
 again throughout

00:33:50.320 --> 00:33:50.740
 the Gospel

00:33:50.740 --> 00:33:51.160
 of Matthew.

00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:51.620
 In Matthew

00:33:51.620 --> 00:33:52.519
 9,36, when

00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:53.060
 he saw the

00:33:53.060 --> 00:33:53.560
 crowds, he

00:33:53.560 --> 00:33:54.640
 says he had

00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:55.600
 compassion, it's

00:33:55.600 --> 00:33:56.200
 the same word

00:33:56.200 --> 00:33:57.040
 for them.

00:33:57.779 --> 00:33:58.100
 Why?

00:33:58.160 --> 00:33:58.800
 Because they

00:33:58.800 --> 00:33:59.500
 were harassed

00:33:59.500 --> 00:33:59.980
 and helpless

00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:00.660
 like sheep

00:34:00.660 --> 00:34:01.420
 without a

00:34:01.420 --> 00:34:01.720
 shepherd.

00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:04.220
 This is the

00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:05.019
 remarkable thing

00:34:05.019 --> 00:34:05.460
 about our

00:34:05.460 --> 00:34:06.140
 God and about

00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:06.600
 our Savior

00:34:06.600 --> 00:34:07.220
 Jesus, that

00:34:07.220 --> 00:34:08.079
 when he sees

00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:08.980
 people who

00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:09.700
 are morally

00:34:09.700 --> 00:34:11.159
 repulsive, the

00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:12.000
 kind of people

00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:13.159
 that society

00:34:13.159 --> 00:34:13.820
 holds in

00:34:13.820 --> 00:34:15.300
 contempt, the

00:34:15.300 --> 00:34:16.260
 inexcusable

00:34:16.260 --> 00:34:17.460
 debtors with

00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:18.559
 crushing debts,

00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:19.740
 instead of

00:34:19.740 --> 00:34:20.840
 seeing them and

00:34:20.840 --> 00:34:21.920
 having contempt

00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:23.500
 for them, our

00:34:23.500 --> 00:34:24.119
 God has

00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:24.500
 pity.

00:34:25.700 --> 00:34:26.019
 He has

00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:26.539
 compassion.

00:34:26.539 --> 00:34:28.539
 God has

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:29.539
 compassion.

00:34:29.539 --> 00:34:29.980
 And out of

00:34:29.980 --> 00:34:30.579
 that pity, the

00:34:30.579 --> 00:34:31.000
 master and

00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:31.679
 servant released

00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:32.500
 him and forgave

00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:33.079
 him the debt.

00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:35.440
 Consider the

00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:36.019
 staggering

00:34:36.019 --> 00:34:36.840
 generosity of

00:34:36.840 --> 00:34:37.320
 this master.

00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:38.860
 He doesn't

00:34:38.860 --> 00:34:39.400
 opt for

00:34:39.400 --> 00:34:41.300
 helping him

00:34:41.300 --> 00:34:42.079
 out with the

00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:43.639
 budget or

00:34:43.639 --> 00:34:44.219
 creating a

00:34:44.219 --> 00:34:44.880
 debt management

00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:46.239
 plan or

00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:46.920
 offering debt

00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:47.679
 consolidation.

00:34:48.519 --> 00:34:48.860
 No, he

00:34:48.860 --> 00:34:49.900
 simply forgives

00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:51.380
 the debt, all

00:34:51.380 --> 00:34:52.759
 of it, all

00:34:52.759 --> 00:34:53.880
 10,000 talents.

00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:55.500
 And that's

00:34:55.500 --> 00:34:56.240
 not an easy

00:34:56.240 --> 00:34:56.660
 feat.

00:34:58.059 --> 00:34:58.640
 When you

00:34:58.640 --> 00:34:59.340
 forgive someone

00:34:59.340 --> 00:35:00.099
 of their debt,

00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:01.240
 where does all

00:35:01.240 --> 00:35:01.860
 the debt go?

00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:04.760
 It doesn't

00:35:04.760 --> 00:35:05.300
 just vanish

00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:05.960
 into thin air

00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:06.320
 and then you

00:35:06.320 --> 00:35:06.860
 get the money

00:35:06.860 --> 00:35:07.400
 back from the

00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:08.019
 federal government,

00:35:08.119 --> 00:35:08.300
 no.

00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:11.720
 Someone has

00:35:11.720 --> 00:35:12.440
 to absorb

00:35:12.440 --> 00:35:13.599
 the debt.

00:35:14.360 --> 00:35:15.079
 And if you

00:35:15.079 --> 00:35:16.059
 forgive someone

00:35:16.059 --> 00:35:17.059
 the debt that

00:35:17.059 --> 00:35:17.660
 they owe you,

00:35:18.119 --> 00:35:19.260
 you are

00:35:19.260 --> 00:35:19.820
 absorbing

00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:21.119
 that debt,

00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:22.099
 that loss.

00:35:22.099 --> 00:35:25.380
 when someone

00:35:25.380 --> 00:35:25.920
 wrecks your

00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:26.599
 car, the

00:35:26.599 --> 00:35:27.119
 offender could

00:35:27.119 --> 00:35:27.880
 apologize to

00:35:27.880 --> 00:35:28.179
 you and say,

00:35:28.259 --> 00:35:28.699
 I'm really

00:35:28.699 --> 00:35:29.179
 sorry.

00:35:30.019 --> 00:35:30.639
 And maybe you

00:35:30.639 --> 00:35:31.119
 will tell that

00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:31.759
 person, oh, it

00:35:31.759 --> 00:35:32.480
 happens to the

00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:33.000
 best of us,

00:35:33.059 --> 00:35:33.860
 don't sweat it.

00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:35.139
 But then what

00:35:35.139 --> 00:35:35.920
 happens to the

00:35:35.920 --> 00:35:36.539
 wrecked car?

00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:39.619
 That car is

00:35:39.619 --> 00:35:40.420
 still wrecked and

00:35:40.420 --> 00:35:41.360
 somebody has to

00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:41.960
 pay for it, it's

00:35:41.960 --> 00:35:42.319
 either going to

00:35:42.319 --> 00:35:42.799
 be you or

00:35:42.799 --> 00:35:43.039
 them.

00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:46.400
 Our debt of

00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:46.920
 sin doesn't

00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:47.599
 just vanish

00:35:47.599 --> 00:35:48.239
 into thin air,

00:35:48.279 --> 00:35:48.759
 it has to be

00:35:48.759 --> 00:35:49.579
 paid by

00:35:49.579 --> 00:35:50.039
 somebody.

00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:51.659
 And in this

00:35:51.659 --> 00:35:52.319
 case, it's

00:35:52.319 --> 00:35:53.099
 the master,

00:35:53.759 --> 00:35:54.519
 God himself,

00:35:54.659 --> 00:35:55.440
 who absorbs

00:35:55.440 --> 00:35:56.359
 our debt of

00:35:56.359 --> 00:35:56.759
 sin, and

00:35:56.759 --> 00:35:57.259
 that's what we

00:35:57.259 --> 00:35:57.799
 see on the

00:35:57.799 --> 00:35:58.159
 cross.

00:36:00.519 --> 00:36:01.279
 Sometimes I

00:36:01.279 --> 00:36:01.579
 think we're

00:36:01.579 --> 00:36:02.199
 so familiar

00:36:02.199 --> 00:36:02.819
 with the

00:36:02.819 --> 00:36:03.179
 idea of

00:36:03.179 --> 00:36:03.879
 divine forgiveness

00:36:03.879 --> 00:36:04.279
 that we

00:36:04.279 --> 00:36:05.079
 almost think

00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:05.920
 that God's

00:36:05.920 --> 00:36:06.619
 forgiveness is

00:36:06.619 --> 00:36:08.359
 easy or

00:36:08.359 --> 00:36:08.940
 cheap.

00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:11.219
 But do you

00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:11.599
 know how

00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:12.460
 frequently God

00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:12.940
 says in

00:36:12.940 --> 00:36:13.940
 God's word

00:36:13.940 --> 00:36:14.440
 that he will

00:36:14.440 --> 00:36:15.219
 not let the

00:36:15.219 --> 00:36:15.719
 guilty go

00:36:15.719 --> 00:36:16.279
 unpunished?

00:36:18.159 --> 00:36:18.940
 When God

00:36:18.940 --> 00:36:19.799
 reveals his

00:36:19.799 --> 00:36:20.420
 name and his

00:36:20.420 --> 00:36:20.980
 character in

00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:21.760
 Exodus 34

00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:22.480
 verse 7, he

00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:23.260
 says that he

00:36:23.260 --> 00:36:24.400
 will by no

00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:25.380
 means clear the

00:36:25.380 --> 00:36:25.740
 guilty.

00:36:28.039 --> 00:36:28.740
 Concerning the

00:36:28.740 --> 00:36:29.380
 angel of the

00:36:29.380 --> 00:36:29.679
 Lord who

00:36:29.679 --> 00:36:30.500
 represents him,

00:36:30.579 --> 00:36:31.159
 God says in

00:36:31.159 --> 00:36:32.500
 Exodus 23, 21,

00:36:32.900 --> 00:36:33.699
 pay careful

00:36:33.699 --> 00:36:34.599
 attention to him

00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:35.219
 and obey his

00:36:35.219 --> 00:36:35.500
 voice.

00:36:35.760 --> 00:36:36.639
 Do not rebel

00:36:36.639 --> 00:36:37.260
 against him,

00:36:37.340 --> 00:36:38.840
 for he will

00:36:38.840 --> 00:36:40.059
 not pardon your

00:36:40.059 --> 00:36:40.719
 transgression.

00:36:40.920 --> 00:36:41.179
 Why?

00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:42.240
 Because my

00:36:42.240 --> 00:36:42.920
 name is in

00:36:42.920 --> 00:36:43.119
 him.

00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:45.599
 When the

00:36:45.599 --> 00:36:46.440
 Israelites claim

00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:46.880
 that they will

00:36:46.880 --> 00:36:47.539
 serve the Lord,

00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:48.639
 Joshua tells them

00:36:48.639 --> 00:36:49.800
 off in Joshua 24,

00:36:49.800 --> 00:36:51.019
 19, you are

00:36:51.019 --> 00:36:51.800
 not able to

00:36:51.800 --> 00:36:52.160
 serve the

00:36:52.160 --> 00:36:54.360
 Lord, for he

00:36:54.360 --> 00:36:54.940
 is a holy

00:36:54.940 --> 00:36:55.420
 God.

00:36:55.700 --> 00:36:56.200
 He is a

00:36:56.200 --> 00:36:56.920
 jealous God

00:36:56.920 --> 00:36:57.300
 and he will

00:36:57.300 --> 00:36:58.380
 not forgive your

00:36:58.380 --> 00:36:59.240
 transgressions or

00:36:59.240 --> 00:36:59.860
 your sins.

00:37:00.900 --> 00:37:02.039
 God is not an

00:37:02.039 --> 00:37:02.620
 appeaser.

00:37:03.580 --> 00:37:04.820
 He is not a

00:37:04.820 --> 00:37:05.680
 people pleaser.

00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:07.440
 He understands

00:37:07.440 --> 00:37:08.560
 the gravity of

00:37:08.560 --> 00:37:08.900
 sin.

00:37:12.660 --> 00:37:13.640
 He doesn't make

00:37:13.640 --> 00:37:14.440
 light of sin and

00:37:14.440 --> 00:37:15.180
 say, oh, that's

00:37:15.180 --> 00:37:15.920
 okay, no big

00:37:15.920 --> 00:37:16.139
 deal.

00:37:19.500 --> 00:37:21.500
 He is holy like

00:37:21.500 --> 00:37:23.079
 nobody else and

00:37:23.079 --> 00:37:24.059
 he understands

00:37:24.059 --> 00:37:25.340
 gravity of sin like

00:37:25.340 --> 00:37:26.680
 nobody else and

00:37:26.680 --> 00:37:27.559
 he, by his very

00:37:27.559 --> 00:37:28.639
 nature and his

00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:30.099
 character, does not

00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:31.000
 clear the guilty

00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:31.760
 because he is

00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:32.360
 just.

00:37:34.539 --> 00:37:36.200
 If anything, it

00:37:36.200 --> 00:37:37.000
 should be harder

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:38.500
 and more unnatural

00:37:38.500 --> 00:37:39.740
 for God to forgive

00:37:39.740 --> 00:37:40.880
 sins than for us to

00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.539
 forgive sins.

00:37:41.539 --> 00:37:45.019
 the sins committed

00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:45.940
 against him are

00:37:45.940 --> 00:37:46.759
 greater than the

00:37:46.759 --> 00:37:47.599
 sins that are ever

00:37:47.599 --> 00:37:48.699
 committed against us

00:37:48.699 --> 00:37:50.440
 and he is more

00:37:50.440 --> 00:37:51.619
 holy than the best

00:37:51.619 --> 00:37:52.480
 of humanity could

00:37:52.480 --> 00:37:53.259
 ever hope to be.

00:37:54.139 --> 00:37:54.759
 Don't you

00:37:54.759 --> 00:37:55.779
 personally find it

00:37:55.779 --> 00:37:56.659
 easier to

00:37:56.659 --> 00:37:59.340
 forgive people or

00:37:59.340 --> 00:38:00.460
 to relate to people

00:38:00.460 --> 00:38:01.179
 who struggle with

00:38:01.179 --> 00:38:01.639
 sins that you

00:38:01.639 --> 00:38:02.219
 struggle with?

00:38:05.119 --> 00:38:05.840
 And then,

00:38:06.139 --> 00:38:06.980
 likewise, don't you

00:38:06.980 --> 00:38:08.000
 find it harder to

00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:09.659
 have compassion on

00:38:09.659 --> 00:38:10.440
 people who struggle

00:38:10.440 --> 00:38:11.300
 with sin, things that

00:38:11.300 --> 00:38:11.960
 you don't struggle

00:38:11.960 --> 00:38:12.500
 with at all?

00:38:16.340 --> 00:38:17.000
 Well then,

00:38:17.180 --> 00:38:17.560
 shouldn't it be

00:38:17.560 --> 00:38:18.720
 easier as fellow

00:38:18.720 --> 00:38:19.780
 sinners for us to

00:38:19.780 --> 00:38:20.620
 have compassion on

00:38:20.620 --> 00:38:21.140
 other sinners?

00:38:23.100 --> 00:38:23.700
 And yet, this

00:38:23.700 --> 00:38:24.440
 parable teaches us

00:38:24.440 --> 00:38:25.860
 that it is God who

00:38:25.860 --> 00:38:27.080
 does not sin.

00:38:28.420 --> 00:38:29.080
 He is the one who

00:38:29.080 --> 00:38:29.880
 has compassion on

00:38:29.880 --> 00:38:30.080
 us.

00:38:32.720 --> 00:38:34.500
 And in Psalm 130,

00:38:34.600 --> 00:38:35.320
 verse 3 to 4,

00:38:35.400 --> 00:38:36.180
 if you, O Lord,

00:38:36.240 --> 00:38:37.280
 should mark iniquities,

00:38:37.380 --> 00:38:38.460
 O Lord, who could

00:38:38.460 --> 00:38:38.980
 stand?

00:38:39.500 --> 00:38:40.500
 But with you there

00:38:40.500 --> 00:38:41.200
 is forgiveness

00:38:41.199 --> 00:38:42.199
 that you may be

00:38:42.199 --> 00:38:42.619
 feared.

00:38:44.739 --> 00:38:46.339
 God chooses not to

00:38:46.339 --> 00:38:47.719
 keep a record of

00:38:47.719 --> 00:38:48.119
 our sins.

00:38:48.179 --> 00:38:49.239
 He chooses not to

00:38:49.239 --> 00:38:50.359
 count it against us

00:38:50.359 --> 00:38:51.079
 when we come to

00:38:51.079 --> 00:38:52.079
 Christ for forgiveness.

00:38:54.460 --> 00:38:55.419
 And it's that

00:38:55.419 --> 00:38:56.059
 forgiveness that

00:38:56.059 --> 00:38:57.159
 makes us fear him,

00:38:57.919 --> 00:38:59.319
 to want to obey him,

00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:01.500
 want to please him.

00:39:01.500 --> 00:39:05.300
 in the master's forgiveness

00:39:05.300 --> 00:39:06.099
 in this parable, we

00:39:06.099 --> 00:39:07.039
 learn what it means to

00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:07.760
 forgive, and we can

00:39:07.760 --> 00:39:08.519
 break it down into

00:39:08.519 --> 00:39:10.099
 four main steps.

00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:12.059
 The first step of

00:39:12.059 --> 00:39:12.860
 forgiveness is an

00:39:12.860 --> 00:39:13.320
 accounting.

00:39:15.059 --> 00:39:16.099
 He says in verse 24

00:39:16.099 --> 00:39:16.960
 that when the master

00:39:16.960 --> 00:39:18.019
 began to settle

00:39:18.019 --> 00:39:19.539
 accounts with his

00:39:19.539 --> 00:39:21.219
 servants, one was

00:39:21.219 --> 00:39:21.840
 brought to him who

00:39:21.840 --> 00:39:23.039
 owed him 10,000

00:39:23.039 --> 00:39:23.480
 talents.

00:39:24.880 --> 00:39:26.000
 In order to forgive,

00:39:26.300 --> 00:39:27.400
 we must first grapple

00:39:27.400 --> 00:39:28.400
 with the gravity of the

00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:28.820
 offense.

00:39:28.820 --> 00:39:30.960
 If we skip this step,

00:39:31.019 --> 00:39:32.300
 then we end up offering

00:39:32.300 --> 00:39:33.700
 cheap grace to people.

00:39:34.620 --> 00:39:35.660
 Oh, your sin is not a

00:39:35.660 --> 00:39:36.059
 big deal.

00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:38.760
 If we flippantly tell

00:39:38.760 --> 00:39:39.780
 people who have been

00:39:39.780 --> 00:39:41.380
 gravely wronged to

00:39:41.380 --> 00:39:42.820
 forgive their offender

00:39:42.820 --> 00:39:43.920
 without a true

00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:44.940
 accounting for the

00:39:44.940 --> 00:39:46.240
 damage done, then we

00:39:46.240 --> 00:39:47.340
 become like Job's

00:39:47.340 --> 00:39:48.160
 friends who are

00:39:48.160 --> 00:39:49.220
 miserable comforters.

00:39:49.219 --> 00:39:52.019
 Yes, it is true that

00:39:52.019 --> 00:39:53.139
 their unforgiveness is

00:39:53.139 --> 00:39:53.839
 crippling their own

00:39:53.839 --> 00:39:54.519
 spiritual life, but

00:39:54.519 --> 00:39:56.339
 that doesn't mean that

00:39:56.339 --> 00:39:57.559
 the victim should just

00:39:57.559 --> 00:39:59.179
 forgive for her for

00:39:59.179 --> 00:40:00.679
 their own sake without

00:40:00.679 --> 00:40:01.839
 a serious accounting of

00:40:01.839 --> 00:40:03.000
 sin, without confronting

00:40:03.000 --> 00:40:03.639
 the offender.

00:40:05.739 --> 00:40:07.119
 It's like telling a girl

00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:08.000
 who has been raped to

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:09.239
 forgive her rapist without

00:40:09.239 --> 00:40:10.739
 giving any attention to

00:40:10.739 --> 00:40:11.659
 whether the rapist is

00:40:11.659 --> 00:40:12.699
 brought to justice or

00:40:12.699 --> 00:40:13.019
 not.

00:40:15.339 --> 00:40:17.039
 The perpetrator must be

00:40:17.039 --> 00:40:17.500
 confronted.

00:40:17.500 --> 00:40:20.239
 justice must be pursued

00:40:20.239 --> 00:40:21.679
 through legal means

00:40:21.679 --> 00:40:22.880
 where appropriate, and

00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:24.500
 the deep pain caused by

00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:25.719
 that offense to the

00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:26.659
 victim must be

00:40:26.659 --> 00:40:27.699
 acknowledged and

00:40:27.699 --> 00:40:28.579
 accounted for.

00:40:29.639 --> 00:40:31.000
 Before forgiveness can

00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:32.460
 be offered, the truth

00:40:32.460 --> 00:40:33.960
 must be told and all

00:40:33.960 --> 00:40:35.019
 excuses exposed.

00:40:36.679 --> 00:40:38.219
 The second step is to

00:40:38.219 --> 00:40:39.780
 have pity on the

00:40:39.780 --> 00:40:40.059
 debtor.

00:40:41.280 --> 00:40:42.400
 That's what we see in

00:40:42.400 --> 00:40:43.079
 verse 27.

00:40:43.699 --> 00:40:44.860
 And out of pity for

00:40:44.860 --> 00:40:46.559
 him, the master of that

00:40:46.559 --> 00:40:47.480
 servant released him

00:40:47.480 --> 00:40:48.559
 and forgave him the

00:40:48.559 --> 00:40:48.820
 debt.

00:40:49.219 --> 00:40:50.579
 We must labor to have

00:40:50.579 --> 00:40:52.460
 pity or compassion for

00:40:52.460 --> 00:40:53.099
 the offender.

00:40:53.940 --> 00:40:55.480
 Instead of one-dimensionalizing

00:40:56.159 --> 00:40:57.960
 them and caricaturing them

00:40:57.960 --> 00:41:00.000
 and defining them solely by

00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:01.440
 their offense or by their

00:41:01.440 --> 00:41:03.159
 worst attributes, we give

00:41:03.159 --> 00:41:04.440
 them the best possible

00:41:04.440 --> 00:41:05.940
 construction, we give them

00:41:05.940 --> 00:41:06.960
 the benefit of the doubt,

00:41:07.079 --> 00:41:08.360
 and we labor to see

00:41:08.360 --> 00:41:10.159
 ourselves in their shoes.

00:41:10.860 --> 00:41:12.280
 We try to remember that we

00:41:12.280 --> 00:41:14.159
 too are sinners, that we

00:41:14.159 --> 00:41:15.599
 also have wronged others,

00:41:15.599 --> 00:41:16.799
 and more importantly, we

00:41:16.799 --> 00:41:17.880
 have wronged God.

00:41:19.099 --> 00:41:20.699
 In this way, we humanize

00:41:20.699 --> 00:41:21.279
 the offender.

00:41:22.619 --> 00:41:25.279
 We see ourselves in them, a

00:41:25.279 --> 00:41:26.460
 flawed human being just

00:41:26.460 --> 00:41:28.219
 like us, and then we have

00:41:28.219 --> 00:41:28.559
 pity.

00:41:30.460 --> 00:41:31.900
 The third step is to

00:41:31.900 --> 00:41:33.119
 forgive the debt.

00:41:33.739 --> 00:41:35.299
 And I said before, forgiving a

00:41:35.299 --> 00:41:38.159
 debt involves absorbing that

00:41:38.159 --> 00:41:38.960
 loss to yourself.

00:41:38.960 --> 00:41:41.880
 That means refusing personally

00:41:41.880 --> 00:41:43.679
 to make the person who

00:41:43.679 --> 00:41:45.539
 wronged you and who hurt you

00:41:45.539 --> 00:41:47.500
 suffer and pay for their

00:41:47.500 --> 00:41:47.980
 wrongdoing.

00:41:49.079 --> 00:41:50.619
 That means we refuse to

00:41:50.619 --> 00:41:52.000
 demand penance.

00:41:53.900 --> 00:41:55.480
 Show me that you've suffered

00:41:55.480 --> 00:41:57.720
 enough and are sorry enough

00:41:57.720 --> 00:41:58.440
 for what you've done.

00:41:58.699 --> 00:41:59.599
 Show me that you've done

00:41:59.599 --> 00:42:00.559
 something to change.

00:42:00.880 --> 00:42:02.440
 Grovel before me until I'm

00:42:02.440 --> 00:42:04.079
 satisfied with the pain that

00:42:04.079 --> 00:42:05.460
 I've inflicted on you.

00:42:05.460 --> 00:42:07.740
 And then I'll think about

00:42:07.740 --> 00:42:08.400
 forgiving you.

00:42:12.039 --> 00:42:13.099
 That's not Christian

00:42:13.099 --> 00:42:13.519
 forgiveness.

00:42:15.280 --> 00:42:17.240
 If the failure to account for

00:42:17.240 --> 00:42:18.599
 the sin offers cheap grace,

00:42:18.760 --> 00:42:20.659
 then this is the failure to

00:42:20.659 --> 00:42:21.320
 absorb the debt.

00:42:21.380 --> 00:42:22.599
 It offers little grace.

00:42:24.179 --> 00:42:25.860
 The fourth step is to release

00:42:25.860 --> 00:42:27.119
 the debtor, verse 27.

00:42:27.619 --> 00:42:28.519
 It says the master of that

00:42:28.519 --> 00:42:29.659
 servant released him.

00:42:30.300 --> 00:42:31.659
 That means the servant is

00:42:31.659 --> 00:42:33.220
 released from the consequences

00:42:33.219 --> 00:42:35.159
 of his debt, at least in the

00:42:35.159 --> 00:42:37.099
 personal sense, even if not

00:42:37.099 --> 00:42:38.179
 in the institutional sense.

00:42:38.819 --> 00:42:40.599
 He's no longer considered a

00:42:40.599 --> 00:42:41.299
 debtor to you.

00:42:41.779 --> 00:42:43.239
 He's no longer a slave.

00:42:44.919 --> 00:42:46.619
 Sometimes when we say that

00:42:46.619 --> 00:42:47.799
 we have forgiven people, we

00:42:47.799 --> 00:42:49.059
 nevertheless hold them

00:42:49.059 --> 00:42:52.379
 hostage to ourselves by giving

00:42:52.379 --> 00:42:54.459
 them the cold shoulder or

00:42:54.459 --> 00:42:55.659
 staring at them with those

00:42:55.659 --> 00:42:56.559
 steely eyes.

00:42:57.379 --> 00:42:59.939
 We hold their guilt over their

00:42:59.939 --> 00:43:00.419
 heads.

00:43:00.420 --> 00:43:02.180
 He says, you sinned against me

00:43:02.180 --> 00:43:04.900
 and now you are a marked man.

00:43:05.519 --> 00:43:07.740
 I've got this power over you

00:43:07.740 --> 00:43:09.599
 and trust me, I am not

00:43:09.599 --> 00:43:11.300
 relinquishing this leverage

00:43:11.300 --> 00:43:13.200
 until I'm happy about it.

00:43:17.840 --> 00:43:19.840
 We, because we're sinful,

00:43:20.460 --> 00:43:21.559
 find that satisfying.

00:43:21.559 --> 00:43:26.619
 But as someone has said,

00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:29.699
 resentment is like drinking

00:43:29.699 --> 00:43:31.159
 poison and then waiting for

00:43:31.159 --> 00:43:32.559
 the other person to die.

00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:40.019
 Ephesians 4, 26 to 27 says,

00:43:40.119 --> 00:43:41.799
 be angry and do not sin.

00:43:41.880 --> 00:43:43.539
 Do not let the sun go down on

00:43:43.539 --> 00:43:44.779
 your anger and give no

00:43:44.779 --> 00:43:45.960
 opportunity to the devil.

00:43:48.119 --> 00:43:49.699
 Harboring anger and bitterness

00:43:49.699 --> 00:43:53.000
 gives, it might make you feel

00:43:53.000 --> 00:43:53.819
 that you have a hold over

00:43:53.819 --> 00:43:55.659
 someone else, but in reality

00:43:55.659 --> 00:43:57.579
 it gives devil a hold in your

00:43:57.579 --> 00:43:57.960
 life.

00:44:00.819 --> 00:44:02.039
 Theologian and ethicist

00:44:02.039 --> 00:44:03.439
 Lewis Smedes once said,

00:44:03.539 --> 00:44:04.960
 to forgive is to set a

00:44:04.960 --> 00:44:07.799
 prisoner free and discover

00:44:07.799 --> 00:44:09.099
 that the prisoner was you.

00:44:13.079 --> 00:44:14.339
 Now let's look at how this

00:44:14.339 --> 00:44:15.539
 servant responds to the

00:44:15.539 --> 00:44:16.719
 gracious forgiveness of the

00:44:16.719 --> 00:44:18.319
 master in verses 28 to 31.

00:44:18.320 --> 00:44:20.160
 But when that same servant

00:44:20.160 --> 00:44:21.620
 went out, he found one of his

00:44:21.620 --> 00:44:22.820
 fellow servants who owed him

00:44:22.820 --> 00:44:23.880
 a hundred denarii.

00:44:24.320 --> 00:44:25.860
 And seizing him, he began to

00:44:25.860 --> 00:44:27.680
 choke him saying, pay what you

00:44:27.680 --> 00:44:27.960
 owe.

00:44:28.960 --> 00:44:30.660
 So his fellow servant fell down

00:44:30.660 --> 00:44:31.380
 and pleaded with him, have

00:44:31.380 --> 00:44:32.720
 patience with me and I will

00:44:32.720 --> 00:44:33.160
 pay you.

00:44:33.580 --> 00:44:34.980
 He refused and went and put him

00:44:34.980 --> 00:44:36.200
 in prison until he should pay

00:44:36.200 --> 00:44:36.620
 the debt.

00:44:37.640 --> 00:44:39.980
 This servant has just been

00:44:39.980 --> 00:44:43.280
 forgiven 60 million denarii.

00:44:43.800 --> 00:44:45.500
 And then he comes to his fellow

00:44:45.500 --> 00:44:47.780
 servant who owes him 100 denarii.

00:44:48.320 --> 00:44:50.640
 And refuses to forgive his debt.

00:44:51.200 --> 00:44:53.039
 And he's far more aggressive and

00:44:53.039 --> 00:44:53.480
 violent.

00:44:53.880 --> 00:44:57.320
 He seizes him, chokes him, pay what

00:44:57.320 --> 00:44:57.720
 you owe.

00:44:59.880 --> 00:45:01.460
 A hundred denarii isn't nothing.

00:45:01.460 --> 00:45:05.139
 It's several months wages.

00:45:07.220 --> 00:45:09.000
 And likewise, the way people sin

00:45:09.000 --> 00:45:10.440
 against us and hurt us and wrong

00:45:10.440 --> 00:45:11.480
 us, it's not nothing.

00:45:11.639 --> 00:45:12.960
 There's real suffering there.

00:45:13.220 --> 00:45:14.500
 There's real pain there.

00:45:14.579 --> 00:45:16.360
 There's real loss there.

00:45:16.440 --> 00:45:17.800
 The damage is there.

00:45:17.920 --> 00:45:21.579
 But still, the ratio is 600,000 to

00:45:21.579 --> 00:45:21.980
 one.

00:45:21.980 --> 00:45:22.079
 One.

00:45:24.579 --> 00:45:27.260
 And incalculable debt and the

00:45:27.260 --> 00:45:28.579
 highest number that they had a

00:45:28.579 --> 00:45:29.099
 number for.

00:45:30.360 --> 00:45:31.860
 That's what we've been forgiven.

00:45:33.219 --> 00:45:36.159
 And this fellow servant pleads in

00:45:36.159 --> 00:45:37.420
 much the same way that this first

00:45:37.420 --> 00:45:38.639
 servant pleaded with the master.

00:45:38.760 --> 00:45:40.480
 He had patience with me and I will

00:45:40.480 --> 00:45:41.000
 pay you.

00:45:42.960 --> 00:45:44.480
 This servant is actually more

00:45:44.480 --> 00:45:44.900
 realistic.

00:45:45.159 --> 00:45:46.320
 He says, I will pay you.

00:45:46.360 --> 00:45:47.179
 He doesn't say I'll pay you

00:45:47.179 --> 00:45:47.659
 everything.

00:45:51.919 --> 00:45:52.980
 I don't know how long it's going

00:45:52.980 --> 00:45:53.359
 to take.

00:45:53.719 --> 00:45:54.759
 I might have to do it in

00:45:54.759 --> 00:45:55.199
 increments.

00:45:55.359 --> 00:45:56.739
 Maybe I won't get quite to all of

00:45:56.739 --> 00:45:57.960
 it, but I'll pay you something.

00:46:00.039 --> 00:46:01.460
 Unlike the first servant who said,

00:46:01.659 --> 00:46:02.839
 I'll pay you everything.

00:46:04.899 --> 00:46:06.879
 But this callous servant has no pity

00:46:06.879 --> 00:46:07.819
 on his fellow servant.

00:46:08.960 --> 00:46:10.219
 He puts him in prison until he

00:46:10.219 --> 00:46:10.919
 should pay the debt.

00:46:13.339 --> 00:46:15.279
 Please note that he has the right

00:46:15.279 --> 00:46:16.019
 to do this.

00:46:17.179 --> 00:46:19.779
 This fellow servant really does owe

00:46:19.779 --> 00:46:20.919
 him 100 denarii.

00:46:24.319 --> 00:46:26.639
 He's insisting on his right, which

00:46:26.639 --> 00:46:27.619
 is not what love does.

00:46:30.259 --> 00:46:31.639
 And isn't this what our culture

00:46:31.639 --> 00:46:33.399
 increasingly clamors for?

00:46:33.819 --> 00:46:34.839
 Get your rights.

00:46:35.879 --> 00:46:37.919
 Punish the person who wronged you.

00:46:39.519 --> 00:46:41.019
 In our increasingly angry,

00:46:41.500 --> 00:46:44.059
 retaliatory, internet shaming,

00:46:44.579 --> 00:46:47.059
 outing, doxing, canceling,

00:46:47.179 --> 00:46:49.899
 criminal culture, the idea of

00:46:49.899 --> 00:46:51.500
 forgiveness can appear quaint and

00:46:51.500 --> 00:46:51.899
 outdated.

00:46:53.639 --> 00:46:55.440
 I mentioned Dylann Roof earlier,

00:46:55.599 --> 00:46:58.179
 the neo-Nazi gunman who killed nine

00:46:58.179 --> 00:47:00.199
 African-American believers in

00:47:00.199 --> 00:47:01.279
 Charleston, South Carolina.

00:47:01.980 --> 00:47:03.819
 At his bond hearing, some of the

00:47:03.819 --> 00:47:08.119
 relatives of the victims got a chance

00:47:08.119 --> 00:47:09.619
 to look at Dylann Roof in the eye and

00:47:09.619 --> 00:47:10.219
 address him.

00:47:10.219 --> 00:47:13.219
 And one of those relatives was Nadine

00:47:13.219 --> 00:47:16.719
 Collier, whose mom, Ethel Lance, was shot

00:47:16.719 --> 00:47:17.939
 and killed by Dylann Roof.

00:47:18.679 --> 00:47:21.919
 And you can hear the lump in Nadine

00:47:21.919 --> 00:47:25.139
 Collier's throat and how pained she is and

00:47:25.139 --> 00:47:26.579
 how raw her emotions are.

00:47:26.679 --> 00:47:28.000
 And she says this,

00:47:28.000 --> 00:47:30.119
 I just want everybody to know,

00:47:30.559 --> 00:47:32.900
 to you, I forgive you.

00:47:34.219 --> 00:47:36.699
 You took something really precious, okay,

00:47:37.119 --> 00:47:37.820
 from me.

00:47:39.159 --> 00:47:42.260
 I will never talk to her ever again.

00:47:43.099 --> 00:47:46.380
 I will never be able to hold her again.

00:47:47.039 --> 00:47:48.400
 But I forgive you.

00:47:49.139 --> 00:47:50.800
 And have mercy on your soul.

00:47:50.980 --> 00:47:52.079
 You hurt me.

00:47:52.860 --> 00:47:54.279
 You hurt a lot of people.

00:47:55.079 --> 00:47:56.579
 But may God forgive you.

00:47:57.420 --> 00:47:58.880
 And I forgive you.

00:48:03.460 --> 00:48:06.039
 A courageous, noble act.

00:48:06.980 --> 00:48:08.059
 An expression of forgiveness.

00:48:08.299 --> 00:48:08.819
 But guess what?

00:48:08.860 --> 00:48:10.179
 It caused an uproar.

00:48:13.900 --> 00:48:16.099
 In the Washington Post opinion piece,

00:48:16.900 --> 00:48:18.719
 the 30-something Stacey Patton wrote an

00:48:18.719 --> 00:48:19.400
 article entitled,

00:48:19.400 --> 00:48:22.340
 Black America Should Stop Forgiving White Racists.

00:48:23.500 --> 00:48:26.200
 She argued that such forgiveness only enables

00:48:26.200 --> 00:48:28.200
 white denial about the harms that racist

00:48:28.200 --> 00:48:29.119
 violence creates.

00:48:29.700 --> 00:48:32.400
 Our constant forgiveness only perpetuates

00:48:32.400 --> 00:48:34.039
 the cycle of attacks and abuse.

00:48:37.619 --> 00:48:40.980
 Contrast that with a response by Barbara

00:48:40.980 --> 00:48:43.980
 Reynolds, a woman in her 70s at the time,

00:48:44.260 --> 00:48:48.119
 older and wiser, who had previously marched

00:48:48.119 --> 00:48:50.519
 in the civil rights protests of the 1960s.

00:48:51.219 --> 00:48:53.799
 She contends, in response to Stacey Patton,

00:48:53.839 --> 00:48:55.719
 that the civil rights movement led by Martin

00:48:55.719 --> 00:48:57.839
 Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela were

00:48:57.839 --> 00:49:00.420
 successful because they claimed the moral high

00:49:00.420 --> 00:49:03.039
 ground by their ethics of love, forgiveness,

00:49:03.219 --> 00:49:03.940
 and reconciliation.

00:49:04.639 --> 00:49:07.119
 And because by, quote, the power of the

00:49:07.119 --> 00:49:09.900
 spiritual approach, they disarmed the oppressors

00:49:09.900 --> 00:49:11.259
 and won over the majority.

00:49:13.460 --> 00:49:16.619
 Reynolds critiqued the Black Lives Matters movement,

00:49:16.619 --> 00:49:20.579
 saying that love and forgiveness are missing from this

00:49:20.579 --> 00:49:23.759
 movement, and that a movement like this might make

00:49:23.759 --> 00:49:27.659
 short-term gains but will only worsen the hatred and anger

00:49:27.659 --> 00:49:29.599
 and division long-term.

00:49:30.460 --> 00:49:32.659
 And isn't that exactly what has happened?

00:49:36.659 --> 00:49:39.179
 Martin Luther King Jr. would concur with Barbara

00:49:39.179 --> 00:49:39.480
 Reynolds.

00:49:40.000 --> 00:49:42.500
 He once said, darkness cannot drive out darkness.

00:49:42.659 --> 00:49:44.019
 Only light can do that.

00:49:44.019 --> 00:49:46.099
 Hate cannot drive out hate.

00:49:46.199 --> 00:49:47.980
 Only love can do that.

00:49:49.019 --> 00:49:52.000
 Barbara Reynolds' perspective is informed by the

00:49:52.000 --> 00:49:55.219
 forgiveness culture and love of neighbor taught by

00:49:55.219 --> 00:49:56.179
 Christianity.

00:49:57.000 --> 00:50:00.340
 Stacey Patton's perspective is informed by the honor and

00:50:00.340 --> 00:50:03.460
 shame culture and the love of self taught by the

00:50:03.460 --> 00:50:05.500
 therapeutic expressive individualism.

00:50:05.500 --> 00:50:13.800
 When we follow the example of this callous servant and refuse to

00:50:13.800 --> 00:50:16.960
 forgive those who sin against us, God says that we will not be

00:50:16.960 --> 00:50:18.179
 forgiven our sins.

00:50:19.659 --> 00:50:21.699
 Jesus says in verses 32 to 34,

00:50:21.820 --> 00:50:23.679
 then his master summoned him and said to him,

00:50:24.039 --> 00:50:27.340
 you wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because you

00:50:27.340 --> 00:50:28.099
 pleaded with me.

00:50:28.360 --> 00:50:31.380
 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had

00:50:31.380 --> 00:50:32.099
 mercy on you?

00:50:33.160 --> 00:50:36.680
 And in anger, his master delivered him to the jailers until he

00:50:36.680 --> 00:50:37.820
 should pay all his debt.

00:50:38.559 --> 00:50:42.420
 The word jailer here translates more literally as torments.

00:50:44.180 --> 00:50:47.619
 It's the same word that was used in Matthew 8, 29 when the demons

00:50:47.619 --> 00:50:51.660
 cried out to Jesus saying, what have you to do with us, son of God?

00:50:51.920 --> 00:50:55.280
 Have you come here to torment us before the time?

00:50:55.280 --> 00:50:59.160
 Jesus is speaking of the eternal fire of hell.

00:51:02.400 --> 00:51:05.320
 And this is the consistent and clear teaching of scripture.

00:51:05.840 --> 00:51:09.420
 Only those who show mercy to others will receive mercy from God.

00:51:10.660 --> 00:51:13.980
 That's what we saw in the prayer that the Lord taught us to his

00:51:13.980 --> 00:51:17.080
 children in Matthew 6, to God's children in Matthew 6.

00:51:18.060 --> 00:51:21.720
 Luke 11, 4 says, and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive

00:51:21.720 --> 00:51:23.480
 everyone who is indebted to us.

00:51:23.480 --> 00:51:29.780
 Mark 11, 25, whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have

00:51:29.780 --> 00:51:32.559
 anything against anyone so that your father also who is in

00:51:32.559 --> 00:51:34.639
 heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

00:51:35.780 --> 00:51:39.579
 Luke 6, 37, 38, forgive and you will be forgiven for with the

00:51:39.579 --> 00:51:41.800
 measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

00:51:42.420 --> 00:51:43.099
 But wait a minute.

00:51:44.260 --> 00:51:47.139
 I thought salvation was by grace alone through faith in Jesus

00:51:47.139 --> 00:51:47.780
 Christ alone.

00:51:50.340 --> 00:51:53.460
 Doesn't this sound like we are earning God's forgiveness without

00:51:53.460 --> 00:51:55.260
 our own forgiveness of others?

00:51:55.980 --> 00:51:58.619
 Isn't that salvation by works and not by grace?

00:52:00.619 --> 00:52:01.760
 It's a great question.

00:52:02.539 --> 00:52:05.360
 This is in fact the same tension that you see elsewhere in

00:52:05.360 --> 00:52:05.599
 scripture.

00:52:05.780 --> 00:52:08.559
 We are saved by grace through faith alone.

00:52:10.139 --> 00:52:12.760
 But on judgment day we are judged by our works.

00:52:14.440 --> 00:52:16.519
 How can both of those things be true?

00:52:16.519 --> 00:52:20.340
 It's paradoxical because those who are saved by grace through faith

00:52:20.340 --> 00:52:23.239
 always bear fruit in keeping with their repentance.

00:52:23.759 --> 00:52:26.780
 Because true faith is always accompanied by good works.

00:52:27.539 --> 00:52:32.159
 Our forgiveness of other people's sins against us is a true test of

00:52:32.159 --> 00:52:36.579
 whether or not we really believed in and grasped God's forgiveness of

00:52:36.579 --> 00:52:37.219
 our sins.

00:52:37.219 --> 00:52:43.059
 Our forgiveness of others is the evidence, the proof, the fruit of our faith in

00:52:43.059 --> 00:52:43.739
 Jesus Christ.

00:52:43.980 --> 00:52:46.480
 Because forgiven people forgive.

00:52:49.019 --> 00:52:51.139
 We love because he first loved us.

00:52:51.199 --> 00:52:53.219
 We forgive because he first forgave us.

00:52:53.299 --> 00:52:55.059
 That's why Ephesians 4.32 says,

00:52:55.179 --> 00:52:58.639
 Forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you.

00:52:59.679 --> 00:53:01.759
 Remember who first forgives in the parable?

00:53:01.760 --> 00:53:04.860
 The king first forgives the servant's debt.

00:53:07.260 --> 00:53:11.460
 It's God's initiative in his love and his forgiveness that prompts us and

00:53:11.460 --> 00:53:13.400
 enables us to forgive others.

00:53:14.380 --> 00:53:18.080
 So why then was this servant so unmerciful toward his fellow servant?

00:53:19.800 --> 00:53:22.840
 Why is he so impatient to get his money back?

00:53:23.300 --> 00:53:25.020
 Remember what he said to the king earlier.

00:53:25.960 --> 00:53:30.060
 Have patience with me and I will pay you everything.

00:53:31.760 --> 00:53:37.820
 This servant is still living like he needs to repay the king everything.

00:53:38.900 --> 00:53:45.080
 He's not really received the debt forgiveness that the king has generously and

00:53:45.080 --> 00:53:45.580
 freely given.

00:53:47.640 --> 00:53:49.760
 This is the case for all unbelievers.

00:53:50.420 --> 00:53:55.720
 But I think even as Christians, sometimes we fail to live in the fullness of this

00:53:55.720 --> 00:53:57.100
 gift that God's given to us.

00:53:57.640 --> 00:53:59.480
 And let me just give you a personal example.

00:53:59.480 --> 00:54:05.099
 When I first came to know God's grace and I became very zealous for him around high school

00:54:05.099 --> 00:54:06.340
 time, middle school, high school.

00:54:06.980 --> 00:54:09.619
 And I became very, very legalistic.

00:54:10.260 --> 00:54:12.920
 You know, I strictly controlled my diet.

00:54:13.400 --> 00:54:17.420
 I limited all outside time hanging out with my friends because I thought it was a waste

00:54:17.420 --> 00:54:20.880
 of time because they were interested in things that were not heavenly enough for me.

00:54:20.880 --> 00:54:25.900
 And then I ran everywhere instead of walking because I thought walking is a waste of time.

00:54:26.340 --> 00:54:27.579
 And running is good for my body.

00:54:27.940 --> 00:54:29.300
 Exercises, it's an exercise.

00:54:29.539 --> 00:54:31.800
 And I get to save time and be more dedicated to the Lord.

00:54:31.840 --> 00:54:33.019
 That's how legalistic I was.

00:54:33.019 --> 00:54:36.239
 I still struggle with sin.

00:54:36.579 --> 00:54:37.639
 I went to college.

00:54:38.639 --> 00:54:40.960
 And then there was a sin that I was particularly struggling with.

00:54:41.000 --> 00:54:42.139
 So I came to my pastor.

00:54:42.320 --> 00:54:43.980
 I was studying abroad in England at the time.

00:54:44.519 --> 00:54:48.880
 And as I'm confessing and pouring on my heart to him and I'm like, I'm crying, you know,

00:54:48.920 --> 00:54:51.280
 before this pastor and making myself really vulnerable.

00:54:51.400 --> 00:54:52.219
 And then you know what he says?

00:54:52.880 --> 00:54:54.360
 He said, hey, hey, stop, stop, stop.

00:54:55.659 --> 00:54:56.699
 Why are you doing that?

00:54:57.579 --> 00:54:58.759
 They go, what do you mean?

00:54:59.239 --> 00:55:00.840
 Like, I'm confessing my sins.

00:55:00.840 --> 00:55:03.079
 He's like, no, no, no, why are you doing that?

00:55:03.240 --> 00:55:05.039
 Like, why are you like crying?

00:55:05.360 --> 00:55:09.220
 Like, you know, why are you trying to, like, oh my goodness, this heartless pastor, what's going on?

00:55:09.900 --> 00:55:14.820
 Like, but he was on to something.

00:55:16.039 --> 00:55:17.519
 And I'll be forever grateful for this.

00:55:18.539 --> 00:55:26.500
 He saw, insightfully, he discerned that I was trying to work up some kind of penance

00:55:26.500 --> 00:55:31.079
 by feeling sorry enough for my sin.

00:55:33.179 --> 00:55:35.320
 I feel really bad about this.

00:55:35.500 --> 00:55:36.539
 And look at my tears.

00:55:36.760 --> 00:55:39.940
 I feel like I really, really do feel bad about this.

00:55:40.039 --> 00:55:45.260
 I don't want to do this thinking that, you know, I could pay something back to God.

00:55:45.260 --> 00:55:54.380
 If I just work hard enough, if I run hard enough, if I obey well enough, if I serve him enough,

00:55:54.940 --> 00:55:57.080
 then I can maybe pay something back to God.

00:55:57.820 --> 00:55:59.700
 And God says, I won't have any of it.

00:56:00.820 --> 00:56:01.940
 Your debt's gone.

00:56:02.100 --> 00:56:03.260
 I paid for it.

00:56:04.360 --> 00:56:07.220
 My son Jesus has paid for it on the cross.

00:56:08.440 --> 00:56:10.840
 So stop living like you're still a debtor.

00:56:10.840 --> 00:56:21.940
 And when we haven't forgiven so much, why is it so hard for us to forgive others who sin against us?

00:56:23.320 --> 00:56:24.579
 Look at the passage again.

00:56:24.660 --> 00:56:27.920
 See how many times the word fellow servant is repeated.

00:56:28.640 --> 00:56:31.740
 Verse 28, verse 29, verse 33.

00:56:33.039 --> 00:56:34.000
 Again and again.

00:56:34.960 --> 00:56:37.940
 Fellow servant, fellow servant, fellow servant.

00:56:37.940 --> 00:56:41.460
 And here's what this servant is doing wrong.

00:56:44.220 --> 00:56:47.039
 The king has forgiven the servant.

00:56:48.539 --> 00:56:53.139
 The king who has every right and authority over the servant has forgiven the servant.

00:56:53.679 --> 00:57:00.559
 But the servant acts like he's the king when he's treating a fellow servant.

00:57:04.340 --> 00:57:05.599
 Isn't that what we do?

00:57:05.599 --> 00:57:09.199
 That's what James 4, 12 talks about.

00:57:09.659 --> 00:57:11.619
 There's only one lawgiver and judge.

00:57:11.699 --> 00:57:13.360
 He was able to save and to destroy.

00:57:13.440 --> 00:57:14.880
 But who are you to judge?

00:57:15.099 --> 00:57:15.759
 Your neighbor.

00:57:15.940 --> 00:57:23.980
 We who are on the dock in court act like we're sitting on the bench, the judge's bench.

00:57:25.500 --> 00:57:27.380
 You, you sinned against me.

00:57:27.380 --> 00:57:32.680
 Rather than seeing that we ourselves are also at the dock.

00:57:33.480 --> 00:57:34.519
 That we are sinners.

00:57:35.340 --> 00:57:36.119
 Fellow sinners.

00:57:40.119 --> 00:57:44.300
 The only solution to this, the only thing that breaks this cycle of vengeance,

00:57:45.760 --> 00:57:49.360
 the only thing that crashes the system, so to speak,

00:57:49.360 --> 00:58:00.039
 is when the innocent one, the righteous one, the blameless one dies for the sins of many.

00:58:01.300 --> 00:58:06.700
 When the king becomes a servant, takes the form of a servant,

00:58:06.699 --> 00:58:10.599
 and becomes obedient to death, even death on a cross.

00:58:11.899 --> 00:58:16.799
 When the judge who has that claim and judgment over all of us,

00:58:16.980 --> 00:58:20.019
 instead comes down to the dock and says,

00:58:20.299 --> 00:58:22.159
 let that punishment fall on me.

00:58:22.159 --> 00:58:25.079
 And then Jesus dies on the cross and bears,

00:58:25.219 --> 00:58:30.679
 all of it absorbs the fullness of the wrath of God upon himself,

00:58:31.219 --> 00:58:39.500
 so that there's not an ounce, not a drop of judgment left for those who have trusted in Jesus Christ.

00:58:41.859 --> 00:58:44.119
 That's what's happened to us.

00:58:45.759 --> 00:58:49.339
 Though he was rich, yet for our sake,

00:58:49.340 --> 00:58:54.820
 Jesus became poor so that we, by his poverty, might become rich.

00:58:59.300 --> 00:59:02.840
 Because God in his infinite wealth,

00:59:03.820 --> 00:59:07.740
 and Jesus Christ in his righteousness has satisfied it.

00:59:09.220 --> 00:59:13.100
 That's what enables us to forgive others who wrong us, sin against us.

00:59:15.440 --> 00:59:17.780
 Let's just pray that God would help us to do that.

00:59:19.340 --> 00:59:22.700
 Father,

00:59:22.700 --> 00:59:22.740
 Father,

00:59:24.980 --> 00:59:34.480
 oh, help us to see that we are fellow servants,

00:59:35.539 --> 00:59:36.420
 fellow sinners,

00:59:38.940 --> 00:59:40.019
 fellow debtors,

00:59:41.300 --> 00:59:47.900
 so that we treat one another with humility rather than pride.

00:59:49.340 --> 00:59:53.720
 with compassion rather than self-righteous judgment.

01:00:02.620 --> 01:00:03.220
 Lord,

01:00:03.440 --> 01:00:06.900
 for anyone who's carrying that burden of sin themselves right now,

01:00:07.900 --> 01:00:11.019
 won't you please grant them

01:00:11.019 --> 01:00:15.820
 that joyous freedom of forgiveness

01:00:15.820 --> 01:00:19.340
 that's found in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

01:00:22.019 --> 01:00:23.659
 In his precious name we pray.

01:00:24.219 --> 01:00:24.460
 Amen.