WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.419 Welcome to Ontario Community Church, where we are encouraging, equipping, and engaging 00:00:05.419 --> 00:00:06.879 lives for Christ. 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:11.759 I'm Pastor Patrick Daly, and each week I share sermons that balance the grace and love of 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:15.240 Jesus Christ with the truth of the Word of God. 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:22.039 Together, we'll explore Scripture using observation, interpretation, and application. 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:26.920 This helps us discover practical ways to live out our faith every single day. 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:29.680 Let's dive in together into God's Word. 00:00:29.680 --> 00:00:31.600 Well, good morning, everyone. 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:34.160 You guys all have a very merry Christmas. 00:00:34.160 --> 00:00:36.320 I hope that all of you did. 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:38.359 New year is going to be starting. 00:00:38.359 --> 00:00:42.560 It's just phenomenal how fast time flies. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:46.520 Here we are at the end of this 2024 year. 00:00:46.520 --> 00:00:49.040 What a wild ride it's been. 00:00:49.040 --> 00:00:53.880 We have the good, we have the bad, and let's be honest here, sometimes we have the ugly 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:55.719 too, amen. 00:00:55.719 --> 00:01:00.079 You know, the really good encouragement in all of this is knowing the fact that no matter 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:07.599 how rocky your year may be, no matter how crazy it is, God is in control. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:15.719 God is sovereign and he sits on the throne, and we turn to him in the highs and lows in 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:18.319 every season of our life. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:25.319 I'm reminded how in Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, it mentions that to everything there is 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:30.000 a season, and we sure know about seasons here, don't we? 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:35.319 The four seasons, unlike some places in the world where they might have one or maybe two 00:01:35.319 --> 00:01:40.879 seasons, you have the warmness of summer. 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:42.519 I'm sorry if I'm teasing you guys here, right? 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:46.879 The warmness of summer, the feeling of the sun on your body, right? 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:51.959 The heat, you have the spring, the summer, and the fall, and the winter. 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:57.439 It reminds us about how God is in control of all seasons here on the earth, but also 00:01:57.439 --> 00:02:01.000 the seasons of our lives. 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:05.039 And for some of us, we might have had a really rough year. 00:02:05.039 --> 00:02:06.039 Some of us might have been okay. 00:02:06.039 --> 00:02:08.740 It might have even been a really great year. 00:02:08.740 --> 00:02:16.039 But as we are coming to a close of this year, I want us to think of how God has worked in 00:02:16.039 --> 00:02:20.759 our lives, even if we don't recognize or see it. 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:27.000 How many of you like to watch Christmas movies around this time? 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:31.639 One of my favorite movies that I like to watch, it always gets me teared up, I've got to be 00:02:31.639 --> 00:02:33.679 honest here, is It's a Wonderful Life. 00:02:33.679 --> 00:02:36.479 Do you guys, have all of us seen it here? 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:37.680 Yes? 00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:41.319 If you haven't, then go home today and watch it. 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:45.479 It's a really good, it's a classic movie, and I'm actually really glad they never have 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:48.599 redone that movie, and I hope they don't. 00:02:48.599 --> 00:02:54.840 But you have the movie It's a Wonderful Life, where George Bailey, you know him as, you 00:02:54.840 --> 00:03:01.439 know, growing up in the small town, and Bedford Falls, he has the building in Lone, and he 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:04.359 helps out so many people. 00:03:04.359 --> 00:03:10.560 And the whole premise of the movie is showing how beautiful or how wonderful one life can 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:12.000 be. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:17.560 And we know that in this movie, there's that scene, and it always gets you, right? 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:22.520 I think of Mr. Potter, right, when he's that mean old man, right? 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:26.479 There's that scene where there's $8,000 that's missing. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:30.039 You guys remember that scene? 00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:36.759 And there's this $8,000 debt that George Bailey can't repay. 00:03:36.759 --> 00:03:42.840 So much so that he wonders, is his life even worth it? 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:47.280 He goes to the bridge, and you guys know what happens, an angel named Clarence shows him 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:50.080 the value of his life. 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:57.960 And towards the end of the movie, spoilers, is that his friends step in and help him raise 00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:00.879 the funds that he couldn't do alone. 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:06.960 And this mirrors the today's parable of the unforgiving servant, where George Bailey, 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:09.599 he couldn't do it on his own. 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:15.680 There was divine intervention, as it were, an angel coming down from heaven to earth 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:22.400 to help George Bailey realize how wonderful and how precious life is. 00:04:22.400 --> 00:04:28.720 Maybe you have had those moments in life where you've questioned, is life even worth it? 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:34.000 Maybe you've had those moments where you've needed divine intervention in your life. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:40.399 Or perhaps you have experienced those moments where your friends, your family, or maybe some 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:45.480 sort of encouraging word or divine intervention has helped you change the trajectory of your 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:47.360 life. 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:52.840 And what we must realize when we're looking at this parable of the unforgiving servant, 00:04:52.840 --> 00:04:58.960 I want us to see that just like how we've been going over the parables of Christ, things 00:04:58.960 --> 00:05:01.879 are very connected here. 00:05:01.879 --> 00:05:08.879 These are very simplistic parables, teachings from Christ that help us grow in our faith. 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:15.439 As we've began in this series of parables, we've understood that we need to have good 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:23.319 soil in receiving the seed, the word, and help us grow and cultivate our faith in our understanding 00:05:23.319 --> 00:05:25.600 of who God is. 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:31.199 And knowing a lot of these parables are so simple that yet even a child can understand 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:37.560 it, but yet they're so profound and the implications, it's kind of like when people say, it's easier 00:05:37.560 --> 00:05:39.519 said than done. 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:45.639 Because the parable we're about to read, if you want to open your Bibles now to the Gospel 00:05:45.639 --> 00:05:56.560 of Matthew chapter 18 verse 21 through 35, is how when you think about him, easier said 00:05:56.560 --> 00:06:02.000 than done, aren't there a lot of teachings of Christ that are easier said than done? 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:03.879 Love one another. 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:04.879 Love your neighbor. 00:06:05.399 --> 00:06:07.120 I can't stand my neighbor. 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:08.120 Right? 00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:10.959 We all have a neighbor like that. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:15.159 And so here, we're going to turn to what the parable says. 00:06:15.159 --> 00:06:18.120 We're going to observe what is happening within the text. 00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:22.399 And we're going to see what are the lessons that we can learn in our spiritual walk with 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:23.399 the Lord. 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:28.199 And then of course, as always, what do we do about this? 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:33.000 Let us be reminded that we believe in Jesus Christ by believing in him in faith and we 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:38.399 grow upon that salvation, much like how we are called to do good in the name of Christ 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:41.639 upon that salvation. 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:47.600 So Matthew chapter 18, it's going to be verses 21 through 35. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:51.279 Keep in mind that this is right by the parable of the lost sheep. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:57.680 And if your brother sins against you where it's talking about the discipline in church. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:02.519 So verse 21, then Peter came up and said to him, 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:07.799 Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? 00:07:07.799 --> 00:07:09.120 That's a legitimate question. 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:11.439 How many times is my brother going to sin against me? 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:14.279 It's going to be a lot of times. 00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:16.479 And how often shall I forgive him? 00:07:16.479 --> 00:07:18.599 As many as seven times. 00:07:18.599 --> 00:07:26.599 And Jesus said to him, I do not say to you seven times, but 77 times. 00:07:26.599 --> 00:07:31.079 Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with 00:07:31.079 --> 00:07:32.159 his servants. 00:07:32.159 --> 00:07:37.959 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him how many talents? 00:07:37.959 --> 00:07:38.959 Ten thousand talents. 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.159 And we'll get to that in a moment. 00:07:41.159 --> 00:07:45.439 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold with his wife and children 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:48.719 and all that he had and the payments to be made. 00:07:48.719 --> 00:07:54.240 So the servant fell on his knees imploring him, have patience with me and I will repay 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:56.399 you everything. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:02.079 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:08.479 Praise God for that, for the releasing of him and the debt. 00:08:08.479 --> 00:08:13.759 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:17.879 denarii and seizing him and he began to choke him. 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:18.879 That's quite a sight. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:23.279 He's getting physical with this guy. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:24.279 Choking him out. 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:29.679 And he's saying, I mean, if you guys watch The Simpsons, when Homer does that thing with 00:08:29.679 --> 00:08:34.120 Bart, I'm kind of picturing that here for a second here. 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:36.159 He's saying, pay what you owe me. 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:38.639 And his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:41.799 That sounds kind of familiar, like what just happened earlier. 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:44.399 Have patience with me and I will pay you. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:49.079 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 00:08:49.079 --> 00:08:53.240 When his fellow servant saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed and they 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:57.000 went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 00:08:57.000 --> 00:09:00.000 Then his master summoned him and said to him, good job. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:01.000 Oh, no. 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:03.240 Now what did he say? 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:09.039 He said, you wicked servant, I forgave all that debt because you pleaded with me and 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:13.639 should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you? 00:09:13.639 --> 00:09:17.000 Shouldn't you have forgiven him his debt as I have forgiven him? 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:18.519 That's the kind of question that's being asked. 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:20.840 I mean, let's think for a moment. 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:23.440 10,000 talents compared to 100 Denarii. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:26.280 We will go into that in just a second here. 00:09:26.280 --> 00:09:31.600 Just think about that much greater debt, much smaller debt here. 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:36.280 And in anger, his master delivered him to the jailers until he should pay his debt. 00:09:36.280 --> 00:09:38.680 So also this is important. 00:09:38.680 --> 00:09:42.759 My heavenly father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:43.759 your heart. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:49.160 And this is very, a very difficult parable when we read this on the surface. 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:53.360 And so we have to think, let's go to that next slide is what exactly is happening here, 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:54.360 right? 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:56.279 We start off with Peter asking the questions. 00:09:56.279 --> 00:09:59.919 Well, number one, how often is my brother going to sin against me and how often do I 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:00.919 got to forgive him? 00:10:00.919 --> 00:10:06.039 I got sibling rivalry or something going on, right? 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:07.799 How often shall I forgive? 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:11.959 And Jesus is basically saying that there's no limit to forgiveness. 00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:19.800 In your notes, you'll see this very strange 7 times 7 equals infinity, right? 00:10:19.800 --> 00:10:23.519 Or 7 times 70 or 7 times 77. 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:26.200 And I want you to think for a moment, what is math? 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:30.400 What in the world is pastor putting mathematic formulas in my notes here? 00:10:30.400 --> 00:10:31.720 I don't like math. 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:34.440 What in the world? 00:10:34.440 --> 00:10:40.519 You see in the eyes of God, numbers certainly can have very significant meaning. 00:10:40.519 --> 00:10:43.679 In representing completeness, completion. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:50.919 So when you have the implication of 7 times 7 or 7 times 70 or 7 times 77, think about 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:58.079 this perfection upon perfection or completeness upon completeness. 00:10:58.079 --> 00:11:05.360 In other words, when we see this forgiveness upon forgiveness or grace upon grace. 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:07.500 Some of you have heard this language before. 00:11:07.500 --> 00:11:13.059 It's basically meaning here that there is no limit to the forgiveness that God has for 00:11:13.059 --> 00:11:14.059 you. 00:11:14.059 --> 00:11:15.940 Can I get an amen for that one, right? 00:11:15.940 --> 00:11:22.500 It goes to show you the power and the limitlessness of the love that God has for us, the grace 00:11:22.500 --> 00:11:24.620 that comes from him. 00:11:24.620 --> 00:11:28.179 And so we see here, Peter's asking that fundamental question. 00:11:28.179 --> 00:11:31.059 And I think that very often some of us can ask that question. 00:11:31.059 --> 00:11:32.740 How often should I forgive my brother? 00:11:32.740 --> 00:11:34.700 How often should I forgive my family member? 00:11:34.700 --> 00:11:37.940 How often should I forgive my friend? 00:11:37.940 --> 00:11:42.020 This is very difficult because again, easier said than done. 00:11:42.020 --> 00:11:46.980 It's definitely difficult for us, but it's going to show. 00:11:46.980 --> 00:11:52.820 Look at how we can see this right off the bat. 00:11:52.820 --> 00:11:56.700 The amount of forgiveness that God has for us. 00:11:56.700 --> 00:12:00.460 Can we even but show a little bit to others? 00:12:00.460 --> 00:12:03.060 Can we exhibit the love that God has for us? 00:12:03.059 --> 00:12:07.379 The forgiveness, the grace that comes from him. 00:12:07.379 --> 00:12:13.579 And so again, seven signifying perfection and Jesus is teaching perfection upon perfection, 00:12:13.579 --> 00:12:15.579 grace upon grace. 00:12:15.579 --> 00:12:22.099 And so what you see here in this parable, it's the king's mercy, a servant that owes 00:12:22.099 --> 00:12:23.539 10,000 talents. 00:12:23.539 --> 00:12:25.739 It's an unpayable debt. 00:12:25.739 --> 00:12:29.459 Now for some of us, we may know some of those Bible scholars who are a little more familiar 00:12:29.460 --> 00:12:36.139 with studying scripture may know that there's three types of talents that are in scripture. 00:12:36.139 --> 00:12:38.840 You have gold, silver, and bronze. 00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:46.740 And the implication, bronze talent would not be a lot of money. 00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:54.340 Most likely, it's most likely silver that's being weighed here. 00:12:54.340 --> 00:13:01.660 It could be gold and in either way, it's basically like the difference between 50,000 and $150,000 00:13:01.660 --> 00:13:04.139 if we looked at it in today's money. 00:13:04.139 --> 00:13:09.180 But the idea of this, let's go to the next slide here, is that we have here, right, seven 00:13:09.180 --> 00:13:12.820 by seven equals perfection to forgive is always to forgive. 00:13:12.820 --> 00:13:14.780 Can we go to that next one? 00:13:14.780 --> 00:13:19.780 So one talent, this helps us understand not only the parable of the talents, but whatever 00:13:19.780 --> 00:13:22.500 we find talents within scripture. 00:13:22.500 --> 00:13:24.779 Is that one talent equals a year's wages? 00:13:24.779 --> 00:13:28.980 And so I think it's very appropriate for us because it's not specified if it's silver 00:13:28.980 --> 00:13:29.980 or gold. 00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:32.460 We know for sure it's not going to be bronze. 00:13:32.460 --> 00:13:34.580 That's a very small amount of money here. 00:13:34.580 --> 00:13:39.500 Well, we can think about us today when we have a year's worth of wages, right? 00:13:39.500 --> 00:13:43.779 And how hard we work to get our wages, right, in the real world. 00:13:43.779 --> 00:13:44.919 We work diligently. 00:13:44.919 --> 00:13:46.179 We receive our paycheck. 00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:48.259 Can you imagine? 00:13:48.259 --> 00:13:50.860 10,000 talents? 00:13:51.100 --> 00:13:57.539 If you look at this at more of a literal view here, that's 10,000 years of a debt. 00:13:57.539 --> 00:14:01.419 And I can't help but think, what in the world did this guy do to be in such debt where 00:14:01.419 --> 00:14:07.060 he's going to owe 10,000 years to the king, right? 00:14:07.060 --> 00:14:13.019 The point and the implication of this is that it's a debt he can't pay, right? 00:14:13.019 --> 00:14:15.420 To me, this is like a jail sentence here, right? 00:14:15.420 --> 00:14:19.340 When you hear people who they're going to be locked away for 10,000 years or whatever 00:14:19.340 --> 00:14:20.580 it is. 00:14:20.580 --> 00:14:25.780 The point of this is to see that it's a debt he couldn't pay, right? 00:14:25.780 --> 00:14:30.639 Much like how I mentioned in the beginning of this message about George Bailey missing 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:31.900 out the $8,000. 00:14:31.900 --> 00:14:33.379 I don't know how much that would be nowadays. 00:14:33.379 --> 00:14:35.500 It's definitely a lot of money. 00:14:35.500 --> 00:14:37.940 8,000 back then was a lot of money. 00:14:37.940 --> 00:14:41.300 It's the same idea here that we can think of. 00:14:41.300 --> 00:14:47.020 A debt that was so great that he could not pay it and he goes down and he's begging for 00:14:47.020 --> 00:14:50.540 forgiveness from the debt. 00:14:50.659 --> 00:14:55.740 What about the other servant? 00:14:55.740 --> 00:14:58.860 Three months of wages, how much would that be? 00:14:58.860 --> 00:15:01.659 A few thousand dollars nowadays, right? 00:15:01.659 --> 00:15:08.819 So imagine millions or billions or however much years of wages compared to three months. 00:15:08.819 --> 00:15:13.740 Isn't that kind of petty if you think about it? 00:15:13.740 --> 00:15:18.740 So the servant that just got forgiven these 10,000 talents is now choking out this guy 00:15:18.899 --> 00:15:20.379 and saying, give me my money. 00:15:20.379 --> 00:15:23.700 He's like, well, wait, wait just a minute here. 00:15:23.700 --> 00:15:28.299 You have been forgiven this huge amount. 00:15:28.299 --> 00:15:31.259 I mean, think about this. 00:15:31.259 --> 00:15:37.539 A talent was about 75 pounds of silver or gold. 00:15:37.539 --> 00:15:40.139 It was around that about 75 to 100 pounds. 00:15:40.139 --> 00:15:47.220 So you think about that, you get a kind of a mental image of what that looks like here. 00:15:47.220 --> 00:15:50.460 So just imagine being indebted for that, right? 00:15:50.460 --> 00:15:54.740 And the forgiven servant refused to give much smaller debt. 00:15:54.740 --> 00:16:01.220 And so because of this, what ends up happening is that he gets the king basically calls him 00:16:01.220 --> 00:16:05.060 wicked and he throws him into prison for the time. 00:16:05.060 --> 00:16:09.740 And it's harsh language when you think about that. 00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:16.940 I want you to understand that when we are reading this, it's showing, number one, how 00:16:16.980 --> 00:16:25.580 great the love God, the Father has for us regarding forgiveness, but also how we should 00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:29.660 strive or at least do everything we can to forgive. 00:16:29.660 --> 00:16:33.820 It's just like when we say the Lord's prayer, right? 00:16:33.820 --> 00:16:37.220 Forgive us our trespasses. 00:16:37.220 --> 00:16:41.660 As we forgive those who trespass against us, some of us may know the other variations. 00:16:41.660 --> 00:16:43.860 Forgive us our debts, right? 00:16:43.860 --> 00:16:46.900 As we forgive those who have debts, right? 00:16:46.899 --> 00:16:49.139 It could be debts, it could be sin. 00:16:49.139 --> 00:16:51.659 It's the same implication. 00:16:51.659 --> 00:16:54.579 The love that God has for us is insurmountable. 00:16:54.579 --> 00:17:00.939 It's everlasting, it's so powerful and it's for us to be able to exhibit that love and 00:17:00.939 --> 00:17:03.340 forgiveness. 00:17:03.340 --> 00:17:07.539 And so in this, then we have to think then, well, what does this text mean? 00:17:07.539 --> 00:17:10.460 We've gone over what we can observe on the surface. 00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:16.339 Well, the first thing, what can we learn, interpret from these verses is number one, God's forgiveness 00:17:16.339 --> 00:17:18.740 is beyond measure, amen? 00:17:18.740 --> 00:17:20.459 That's a powerful thing, right? 00:17:20.459 --> 00:17:24.939 The servant's massive debt is symbolic here. 00:17:24.939 --> 00:17:25.939 It's symbolism. 00:17:25.939 --> 00:17:30.299 What kind of a debt can we possibly have that could be insurmountable that we could never 00:17:30.299 --> 00:17:31.299 pay? 00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:34.139 It is the weight of our sins. 00:17:34.139 --> 00:17:37.980 That is why when we think of this idea of repentance, right? 00:17:37.980 --> 00:17:44.019 It's metanoia, the change of mind to who Jesus Christ is so that we understand that 00:17:44.139 --> 00:17:46.539 He is what we need. 00:17:46.539 --> 00:17:48.579 We think of our sin. 00:17:48.579 --> 00:17:53.420 It's an insurmountable amount of debt, a debt that we cannot repay. 00:17:53.420 --> 00:18:01.079 However, God's forgiveness is an act of grace and it's made possible through the sacrifice 00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:03.139 of Jesus Christ. 00:18:03.139 --> 00:18:08.980 We think of the gospel message, his death, burial and resurrection, as mentioned in 1 00:18:09.059 --> 00:18:13.660 Corinthians chapter 15 verses one through four, that it's in accordance with the scriptures 00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:15.460 here. 00:18:15.460 --> 00:18:16.860 All of this was made possible. 00:18:16.860 --> 00:18:22.819 The mystery that was hidden being revealed in Jesus Christ being born in a manger, his 00:18:22.819 --> 00:18:26.900 ministry, his miracles, his teachings, all of these things. 00:18:26.900 --> 00:18:30.740 It's all part of the story here. 00:18:30.740 --> 00:18:37.740 We have to think sometimes, even even I at times think how can God live in the world 00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:41.420 and love me as a sinner? 00:18:41.420 --> 00:18:43.860 But yet He does love me. 00:18:43.860 --> 00:18:51.360 And He wants each and every one of us to come to know Him, to grow in Him, and to be moved 00:18:51.360 --> 00:18:55.380 to share in the gospel story with others. 00:18:55.380 --> 00:19:00.620 The second thing then is forgiveness reflects God's heart. 00:19:00.620 --> 00:19:04.180 We go on in here. 00:19:04.180 --> 00:19:08.500 The servant that was, the debt was forgiven. 00:19:08.500 --> 00:19:17.100 It shows a failure to really grasp and to understand the grace he's received. 00:19:17.100 --> 00:19:21.759 When we forgive others, we are continuing what God has given to us. 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:26.180 That's why when we think of things like giving back our time, talent and our treasure, we're 00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:27.700 giving back to God. 00:19:27.700 --> 00:19:33.539 It's the same thing when we are loving others, much as Christ has loved us. 00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:38.700 We are giving to others, loving in the same manner and in the same way. 00:19:38.700 --> 00:19:44.539 We're talking about spiritual transformation, knowing that God will work in and through 00:19:44.539 --> 00:19:47.099 you every single day. 00:19:47.099 --> 00:19:50.299 That's why think about it. 00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:53.899 Believing in the Lord is the greatest step that you can make for your life. 00:19:53.899 --> 00:20:02.059 And upon that, be encouraged to grow, open your Bible, pray, be in community with the 00:20:02.059 --> 00:20:07.980 local body, the assembly with your brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:20:07.980 --> 00:20:12.980 And forgiving others, again, it mirrors who, I want you to pay attention here, it mirrors 00:20:12.980 --> 00:20:15.179 who God is. 00:20:15.179 --> 00:20:17.859 We are to mirror the love of Christ. 00:20:17.859 --> 00:20:20.419 We are to mirror the grace that he gives us. 00:20:20.419 --> 00:20:25.379 And it also shows others that we are forgiven. 00:20:25.379 --> 00:20:29.399 There are some people out there. 00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:35.160 When you hear of how they've forgiven someone who's done wrong or someone who's forgiven 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:40.560 a debt, sometimes we're like, well, why? 00:20:40.560 --> 00:20:43.040 Why would you do that? 00:20:43.040 --> 00:20:49.920 But it's supposed to point to how much more God loves and forgives us. 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:51.720 It's a challenge for us. 00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:57.880 And the third one, this is the more difficult one, is that unforgiveness leads to bondage 00:20:57.880 --> 00:20:59.360 then. 00:20:59.360 --> 00:21:06.880 The prison is a representation of the relational and the spiritual consequences of unforgiveness. 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:14.600 Bitterness, anger, brokenness, broken relationships, a lacking of peace. 00:21:14.600 --> 00:21:19.720 When we've gone through the Advent season, we think of the hope that comes from Christ. 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:23.120 We think of the peace that surpasses all understanding. 00:21:23.120 --> 00:21:25.600 We think of the love of God. 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:31.399 We think of the unspeakable joy that comes from him. 00:21:31.399 --> 00:21:35.599 Understand that God wants you to have peace that comes from him. 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:41.519 Let be move those obstacles and those roadblocks. 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:44.319 Now I want to make it very clear. 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:48.439 It's not condoning what wrong they did. 00:21:48.439 --> 00:21:50.519 Okay. 00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:55.680 It's being able to move forward and allowing for God to continue to work in your life. 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:57.680 Do you understand? 00:21:57.680 --> 00:22:01.400 That's so important for us. 00:22:01.400 --> 00:22:09.599 It's not, it's about being fully connected and in the presence of God. 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:16.119 It's like if you had such anger and hatred towards somebody, sometimes it actually manifests 00:22:16.119 --> 00:22:18.440 in how you deal with others. 00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:20.080 When people say, why are you so angry? 00:22:20.080 --> 00:22:21.720 Why are you so bitter? 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:26.000 It's because you're harboring that resentment and stuff. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:31.200 And again, I cannot help but emphasize whatever wrong has happened to you. 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:35.279 It's not right what he, she, they did. 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:40.960 What matters is you being connected with God, the Father. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:42.759 Be connected with him. 00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:47.880 That's why we praise God from whom all blessings flow. 00:22:47.880 --> 00:22:51.360 I want to have peace in my life. 00:22:51.360 --> 00:22:56.880 I want to have the joy that's inexhaustible. 00:22:56.880 --> 00:23:00.720 I want to have the hope in Christ so that others know that there's a better way than 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:03.480 what the world has to offer. 00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:04.480 That's what I want. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:07.840 And I hope that in the same way, that's what you want. 00:23:07.840 --> 00:23:12.160 And so in this, then we go into the application. 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:13.520 All right. 00:23:13.520 --> 00:23:15.560 The King forgives. 00:23:15.560 --> 00:23:17.640 The servant doesn't. 00:23:17.640 --> 00:23:19.520 And it's a lesson for us to be like this. 00:23:19.520 --> 00:23:21.320 So what do I do with this? 00:23:21.320 --> 00:23:22.560 And we have three things here. 00:23:22.560 --> 00:23:29.880 The number, the first thing is to reflect on God's forgiveness in your life. 00:23:29.880 --> 00:23:35.520 Sometimes I'm one of them. 00:23:35.520 --> 00:23:42.440 Sometimes we are harder on ourselves than how God is with us. 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:43.880 Sometimes that's the case. 00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:52.000 And we have to understand that by us believing in the Lord, he forgives us. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:57.520 And he calls for us to do life a better way. 00:23:57.520 --> 00:24:03.600 And yet sometimes we have, we still get hard on ourselves, don't we? 00:24:03.600 --> 00:24:06.200 Sometimes we're still like, well, why did I do this or that? 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:08.480 But understand that God is here for you. 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:10.080 He's not going to abandon you. 00:24:10.080 --> 00:24:11.800 He's going to be there for you again. 00:24:11.799 --> 00:24:18.359 Like I mentioned in every season of life. 00:24:18.359 --> 00:24:23.039 And so reflect on Christ's forgiveness and the grace you received if you haven't 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:29.319 believed in the gospel message, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ in 00:24:29.319 --> 00:24:35.440 accordance with the scriptures, that Christ is what you need in your life and all that 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:38.879 you need. 00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:43.520 The second thing is to forgive as an act of faith. 00:24:43.520 --> 00:24:49.760 Be moved to, like I said, to grow when we think of the imagery of the good soil being 00:24:49.760 --> 00:24:55.440 planted into the ground and growing so that you can bear fruit. 00:24:55.440 --> 00:25:01.040 Think about forgiveness as part of your faith journey in Christ. 00:25:01.040 --> 00:25:04.800 To forgive as we are forgiven. 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:10.119 Just one of the beautiful things about parables is that the things that are, the lessons that 00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:14.759 come from heaven can be applied to our very lives. 00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:21.960 So think for a moment of how much God has forgiven you. 00:25:21.960 --> 00:25:26.919 Do you really understand the depth of the love that God has for you? 00:25:26.919 --> 00:25:28.639 Now's a good time. 00:25:28.639 --> 00:25:32.440 The year's almost over. 00:25:32.440 --> 00:25:41.000 Bring God to handle justice and release the debt owed to you by others. 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:48.880 And finally, while like I said before, forgiving, it doesn't excuse the offense. 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:54.279 It gives justice to God. 00:25:54.279 --> 00:25:59.920 Sometimes we've heard one of the verses that sometimes whenever someone has done wrong 00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:09.200 to me or done something against me, I think for a moment they will reap what they sow. 00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:16.680 That gives me great comfort in knowing that you're giving it to God because God is just 00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:19.160 in the same way that he is loving and compassionate. 00:26:19.160 --> 00:26:25.480 A lot of people in the world don't understand that, but it's giving to God to carry out that 00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:31.000 justice as you release the debt from others. 00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:35.440 And the third thing is to reconcile before the new year. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:39.480 Take this season to seek reconciliation. 00:26:39.480 --> 00:26:46.400 Perhaps you may identify as the original servant and you may feel the weight and the pressures 00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:50.160 of the world wondering if there's something better for my life or you feel that there's 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:51.880 something that is missing. 00:26:51.880 --> 00:26:56.880 Perhaps avoid something that cannot be filled and you're seeking the pleasures of this world 00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:02.280 or the things of this world and you're wondering if there's something more to this life. 00:27:02.280 --> 00:27:06.280 Seek God and be reconciled unto him. 00:27:06.280 --> 00:27:09.840 Be restored and know that your life matters. 00:27:09.840 --> 00:27:13.240 You're made in the image of God. 00:27:13.240 --> 00:27:20.840 Perhaps you're one that needs to come to the King and realize, hey, I owe 10,000 talents. 00:27:20.839 --> 00:27:24.639 I need you Lord in my life. 00:27:24.639 --> 00:27:27.879 I ask to receive you into my heart. 00:27:27.879 --> 00:27:34.039 Maybe that's where you're at in this life or maybe you're someone that's like the unforgiving 00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:35.039 servant. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:38.599 I pray that none of us are that way. 00:27:38.599 --> 00:27:49.439 But even if you are, keep in mind the magnitude of how God loves you and forgives you. 00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:56.080 Forgive others as you have been forgiven. 00:27:56.080 --> 00:28:01.480 Seek reconciliation with God or forgive someone who has trespassed against you. 00:28:01.480 --> 00:28:05.120 Be forgiven by God and forgive others. 00:28:05.120 --> 00:28:09.000 It's to let the grace of God overflow. 00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:12.720 We think of the idea of the bucket, right? 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:14.039 How many of you have heard that before? 00:28:14.039 --> 00:28:16.559 You want your bucket to be filled with love, right? 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:17.559 We think of marriage. 00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:19.240 We think of children, right? 00:28:19.240 --> 00:28:24.640 The more you pour into your marriage, which you should be pouring into your marriages, 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:26.960 the better things will be. 00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:32.759 But when we think of the love that God has for us, you're talking about limitless love 00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:35.839 that's going to be poured out to us. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:41.599 And as we're being poured into, we pour out to other people. 00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:48.240 And so I want you to think of it like this when we think of the cross. 00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:55.359 We think of loving God and loving others, being forgiven by God and forgiving others 00:28:55.359 --> 00:28:56.920 in the same way. 00:28:56.920 --> 00:29:01.279 It's a vertical thing, but also a horizontal thing. 00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:06.319 So the next time you want to think about loving God and loving others, think of that as the 00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:08.279 cross of Christ. 00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:14.880 Such powerful and spiritualism that we can think of even today. 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:23.200 And so in closing, let us be, let us exhibit the same love and forgiveness just as the 00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:27.160 King has done for us when we think of this parable. 00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:31.400 Let us be encouraged not to be like the unforgiving servant. 00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:33.400 Let the love of God flow through you. 00:29:33.400 --> 00:29:37.920 But in order to do that, first come to know Jesus Christ. 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:41.400 Believe in him, be saved, grow in him. 00:29:41.400 --> 00:29:42.880 Be transformed, right? 00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:46.960 Like what it says in scripture, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:52.880 by the renewal of your mind, metanoia, the changing of your mind. 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:58.400 That's where repentance comes in, where you change your mind and we continue to have our 00:29:58.400 --> 00:30:04.240 minds changed and our hearts transformed. 00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:07.640 Think about this year. 00:30:07.640 --> 00:30:13.360 And if you want, if you need to forgive someone, the year's not over. 00:30:13.360 --> 00:30:18.759 Let this be a time for you to come to the Lord, know him, grow in him, and do good in 00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:19.759 his name. 00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:21.440 And let's pray together. 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:28.480 And Father, we thank you for forgiving us. 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:32.880 We thank you for the love that you have for us, the grace that comes from you. 00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:37.640 Father, I recognize that this is probably one of the harder parables that we think of 00:30:37.640 --> 00:30:41.920 when we're thinking of forgiveness, because we live in a fallen and broken world where 00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:48.880 there have been people that have wronged us, people that have done terrible, horrible things. 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:55.400 Father, I pray, number one, that we see that the love that you have for us is greater. 00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:59.280 Number two, I pray, Father, that there will be transformation in this place. 00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:07.000 If there's any bitterness or resentment, may you move them to forgive. 00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:08.599 Let there be healing in this place. 00:31:08.599 --> 00:31:14.079 Let there be healing in not only in our lives, but also in other people's lives as well. 00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:21.079 Let your grace, let your love, let your forgiveness flow out. 00:31:21.079 --> 00:31:25.559 Again, we recognize how difficult this is. 00:31:25.559 --> 00:31:32.440 But may this just be an encouragement for us to forgive as we have been forgiven. 00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:34.240 As we have been forgiven. 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:44.319 And as we close in this final song, we're going to sing the song, All Glory Be to Christ. 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:48.039 We thank you so much for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and 00:31:48.039 --> 00:31:49.559 the life. 00:31:49.559 --> 00:31:55.279 And we thank you for the forgiveness, grace, love, and truth that comes from you. 00:31:55.279 --> 00:32:00.839 It is in the name of Jesus Christ that the cornerstone of our faith that we pray and 00:32:00.839 --> 00:32:02.920 we all say together, amen. 00:32:02.920 --> 00:32:03.920 Amen. 00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:09.160 Thank you for listening for this week's message from Ontario Community Church. 00:32:09.160 --> 00:32:14.000 I pray that you are encouraged and strengthened in your walk with Christ. 00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:19.519 For more sermons and resources, visit ontariocommunitychurch.org. 00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:23.799 May God bless you as you live out His grace and truth every single day.