Sermon Title: How Can I Forgive Others?
"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt."
Bible Scholar Hilda Bright writes the following about this passage: "The Jewish teachers said that a person should forgive someone else up to three times. God had told Amos that he would punish the wicked nations ‘for three sins and for four’ (Amos chapter 1). That is probably why the Jewish teachers said just three times. Peter thought that he was being very generous when he said ‘seven times’. It is not clear if Jesus said ‘seventy times seven’ or ‘77’ here. It is clear that he meant ‘without limit’. Long ago, Lamech said that he would pay back an injury seventy seven times (Genesis 4:23-24). But Jesus told Peter that he should always forgive. Nobody should count the times that they have forgiven anyone."
Forgive each and every time someone asks for forgiveness? We are tempted to throw up our hands and say, "How can anyone forgive like that?" However, we understand that our God has forgiven us like that - each time we come and ask for forgiveness, the blood of Christ is applied and we are restored to right fellowship with Him. As we have been forgiven by God, God in turn asks us to forgive others in the same manner. How can we do this? This will be the subject of our message as we continue the sermon series, "Life Questions: Answers to Life's Most Important Questions." Hope to see you Sunday!
