Love Like Jesus: “Cancel the Debt”

Matthew 18:1-3, 21-34

v.1 “Who is the GREATEST in the Kingdom HEAVEN?”

v.2 “Jesus called a little CHILD to himself and placed the child among them.”

v.3 “I tell you the truth, unless you CHANGE and BECOME like little children, you will never ENTER the Kingdom of Heaven.”

v.21 “Lord, how many times shall I FORGIVE my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to SEVEN times?”

Peter thought what many of us think: Forgiveness is for the BENEFIT of the OFFENDER.

What do we do with that HURT?

Why does Jesus speak so firmly about forgiving the people who hurt us?

1. To refuse to forgive is to push the SELF-DESTRUCT button in your life.

2. When Jesus went to the CROSS for us, we LOST our right to REFUSE to forgive.

Here’s the problem: I want Jesus’ love for ME. But I want God’s justice for THEM.

FORGIVENESS + TRUST = RECONCILIATION

“All this is from God who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus.” 2 Corinthians 5:18

Forgiveness is not saying that what the offender did to you was ACCEPTABLE.

How do we love like Jesus and begin the process of forgiveness?

1. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you forgive, and be SPECIFIC with Him.

2. We need to CANCEL that SPECIFIC debt.

3. REFUSE to HOLD that debt against them anymore.

Questions for you and/or your small group:

Read Matthew 18:21-35.

1. Why does debt collecting lead to resentment and bitterness?

2. How does unwillingness to forgive allow the person who hurt us to still effect us?

3. Why is forgetting the offense not a requirement of true forgiveness?

Books for further reading:

‘Forgive’ by Tim Keller

‘The Art of Forgiving’ by Lewis Smeeds