Can you do this?

I want us to really be honest with ourselves today.  I'm going to ask you to open up and allow the Lord to point out anything that might be hurtful or dangerous to your life.  We're going to dig into the issue of unforgiveness. 

Before we do, tho, I want to establish the baseline of God’s expectations. As Christians, we're given a high standard when it comes to relationships. Romans 12:18 (NLT) reveals God’s mandate, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”

Live in peace with EVERYONE? Gee, that doesn't give us much wiggle room.

There is no disclaimer, no exception clause, no loophole, and no escape hatch.  I am to do everything possible to live in peace with everyone. 

One day, Peter, that impetuous disciple, engaged Jesus in a conversation around the topic of forgiveness.  He wanted to know where the boundary is.  When has he met his obligation for mercy and forgiveness?  So, he point-blank asks Jesus, “How many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Now, Peter thinks he is being super-spiritual and going way past the call of duty to even suggest seven times.)

Jesus, the teacher that He is, comes right back at him with a shocking response, “not seven times, Peter, but seventy times seven.” And, then He launches into a story of timeless relevance about forgiveness.  

But for us today I want to put it in a 21^st century context. Here we have the

story of a huge, multi-billion dollar corporation.  One day the CEO, a very powerful and shrewd businessman gets a memo from the accounting department.  One of their vendors has run up an enormous debt. The CEO wants to know why this wasn’t discovered earlier.  Being the no-nonsense businessman that he is, he wants a meeting with this vendor, like yesterday! When the vendor gets word that the CEO has demanded a meeting, his heart sinks. He panics.  What is he going to do? He doesn’t have a chance of even being able to pay back a fraction of the debt.  He owes bu-ku bucks and his only chance is to plead for mercy.  But CEO’s like this one don’t get where they are by showing mercy. Anyway, he goes to corporate where he is ushered into the big man’s office.  He is immediately handed a folder detailing the run-up of his debt.  The CEO lets him know that this note is due in full....NOW! No more messing around, no more cat and mousing, no more arrears, he wants it.....Today! Immediately!

The big boss man also lets him know that they plan to come after him with the full force of the law.  They will seize all of his assets, liquidate his property and possessions. They will take him to the cleaners to recover as much as possible.  And, then they will prosecute and have him sentenced to prison.

In desperation, the man falls on his knees before this powerful, corporate CEO and he begs for mercy, for more time.  He promises to pay back every dime.  And, then, the unthinkable, the unimaginable, the unbelieveable happens. The Big Cheese is moved with unexpected kindness.  And in a moment of unbelievable compassion, he takes the file and tears up the debt.  He doesn’t grant him more time, he grants him a complete pardon.  I ask you....isn’t that wonderful.  Yeah, your breathing easier and your smiling uncontrollably, Ok enough....You can stop clapping and sit down.

As the debtor walks away from the office, tears are streaming down his face. The stranglehold of his debt has been released. He has a new lease on life and he can start to make plans again.

But the story isn’t over. As he stops to get gas on the way home, he bumps into a client who has been avoiding him because he owes a few hundred dollars and hasn’t paid him back.  So, that sense of relief and freedom of his canceled debt vanish and give way to resentment and anger.  So, with a sense of righteous indignation he demands immediate pay back of the few hundred dollars. And, he demands it now!  The client, caught off guard, begins to beg for more time and promises that he will pay back every dime.  Sound familiar? This guy will hear none of it.  He presses charges and has the client thrown in jail.

 Now, that story sparks a sense of outrage in us.  How could a man who had been forgiven so much not forgive someone who owes him so little? From this powerful story, I want to remind all of us that we enjoy two very powerful realities in our Christian faith. 

First, we have been released from God’s judgment and

Secondly, we are to release others from our judgment.  Someone has to break the cycle. Someone has to have the courage to say enough. All we are gaining is bitterness toward each other.  It is time for some of you to say ‘ENOUGH.” To utter the words “I forgive you, I release you from my judgment.”

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and discover the prisoner was you!"