"Building a Church Through Outreach"
Everyday Deserves a Chance
-Part 3-
ELCOG 7/22/07
Text: 2 Cor. 10:5
Tonight I continue this series taken from Max’s Lucado’s book, "Everyday Deserves a Chance". As we preach in the theme, a season of refreshing, a season is built upon good days. If we could ever learn to deal with today and not worry about tomorrow our lives would be much more balanced. We must learn that this is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.
Two types of voices command your attention today. Negative ones fill your mind with bitterness, doubt, and fear. Positive ones bring hope and strength. You have a choice to take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ. You don’t have to be controlled by the negative thoughts. You don’t have to be kept awake at night with thoughts that rob you of your peace. You have the right to snatch that thought down and to bring it in to the obedience of Christ.
Do you let anyone who knocks on your door enter your house? Don’t let every thought that surfaces dwell in your mind. Take it captive…make it obey Jesus.
Negative thoughts never strengthen you. How many times have you cleared a traffic jam with grumbles? Does groaning about bills make them disappear? Why moan about aches and pains, problems and tasks?
Prov. 4:23
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
("Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.")
I know many people are pack-rats. Many people keep everything, just in case they will need it. Americans love to keep stuff. Look at how the metal storage buildings have boomed. Just right here in Rogersville there are two or three and one is expanding adding hundreds of more units. Why? Because we can’t throw things away. But should we keep everything? We do? Don’t we? We also keep a lot of emotional bondage. We keep piles of un-forgiveness, hurts, piles of rejections, and anger. We have accumulated a list of insults and images of people that have been unkind to us.
If this day is going to be great then we must be willing to forgive.
Matt. 18:21
21Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Matt. 18:22
22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
We must be willing to forgive those that have hurt us. We must be willing to forgive those who have spoken against us. God gives us great examples of forgiveness.
Matt. 18:23
23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Matt. 18:24
24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Matt. 18:25
25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
This is a huge dept to be paid. One beyond comprehension. 10,000 talents equals about 6 billion dollars. Jesus was using this parable to teach us of the great debt that all of us owe to God for the sin in our lives.
How often does He forgive us? How often do we sin? Well, sin is to "fall short".
Worry is falling short on faith
Impatience is falling short on kindness.
The critical spirit falls short on love.
How often do we fall short? But no matter how many times we fall short God’s grace is there to forgive. So we too should be people who will forgive. We should be forgivers.
Matt. 18:25
25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Matt. 18:26
26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Matt. 18:27
27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
This man pardons this servant of a 6 billion dollar debt. That is what God does. We deserve to be sold along with our families, but Jesus loves us and He forgives us, but do we always except the attitude of forgiveness?
Matt. 18:28
28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Matt. 18:29
29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Matt. 18:30
30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
This is crazy behavior. The man that was forgiven of 6 billion dollars can’t forgive a few thousand dollars.
What is missing? Gratitude. The first servant was not thankful of forgiveness. He refuses to forgive. It should have been easy for him to forgive but he can’t do it because he never allowed his attitude to accept the spirit of forgiveness. Forgiveness is something that takes place in your life so that you can forgive others.
Matt. 18:32
32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Matt. 18:33
33Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Matt. 18:34
34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Matt. 18:35
35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
The forgiven must be willing to forgive. If you walk in grace then those who have hurt you and caused you pain must be forgiven. The forgiven that refuses to forgive can expect a sad fate.
You can harbor hurt feelings and bitterness, but you will suffer the consequences. Or today you can clean out the closet and forgive those that have caused you all the pain. It’s up to you. Give this day a chance to be great and forgive. I know that you have been hurt deeply. I know that they have taken your innocence and you no longer laugh because of the pain that they caused you, but forgive them so that you can have a chance at a good day. Your forgiveness doesn’t show your approval of their actions, but it does show that you are giving them over to a God that will judge them justly. You are taking off that heavy coat and giving it to God. You are placing that burden on the shoulders of a God that can handle it.
This day deserves a chance to be a good day…forgive and give that hurt to God!