As you probably know, we are in a series of messages that I've entitled The Way of Jesus. The series is about what it means to follow Jesus. The early followers of Jesus were know as those who follow the Way. They followed Jesus as their example, and they followed the path and the way that He taught.
Last week, we saw that one thing that Jesus practiced and taught His disciples to practice was the way of love. We are called to love God with all that is within us, and we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves.
There is something about love that I didn't mention last week that I want to touch on today. Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment when He taught them in the Upper Room on the night that He was betrayed. In John 15:12, we read that Jesus told His disciples to love one another even as He had loved them. Jesus calls us to do that as well. Jesus loved sacrificially. He gave His life out of love that we might be redeemed. When we emulate the love of Jesus, we love others and sacrifice for them. We love them in the way that Jesus loved by thinking of others and not Himself. His was a selfless love.
Now, on to our topic for today. Jesus taught love and His Way is also the way of forgiveness. Jesus both taught and practiced radical forgiveness. In Matthew 6, Jesus told us that if we forgive others, we will be forgiven. However, if we are not willing to forgive others, we will not be forgiven.
On one occasion, Peter came to Jesus and asked Him if he should forgive someone who sinned against him up to seven times. Jesus said no. Peter should forgive 70 x 7 times. In other words, Jesus was calling on Peter to practice radical forgiveness. Whenever we are wronged, we must forgive others. Jesus told us why in a parable.
Jesus said that there was a servant who owed an extraordinary debt that he could never repay. He begged that the debt might be forgiven, and the master forgave the servant's entire debt. Later, that servant was approached by a fellow servant who owed him a small amount of money. When the servant who was forgiven was asked to forgive his fellow servant's debt, he wouldn't do it. When word of this got back to the master, he revoked the servant's forgiveness.
We owed a great debt to God. We had sinned against Him. There was no way that we could ever atone for our own sins. God sent His Son so that we could be forgiven. That should motivate us to forgive others who owe us so little compared to what we owed to the Lord. If we can't forgive others after we have been forgiven of so much, how can the love of God dwell within our hearts.
Now, let me say, it is not always easy to forgive some people. They are really nasty and hard to deal with. Some have been really hurt in life. I understand. I do know that Jesus left us an extraordinary example of forgiveness. When He was on the cross, Jesus asked that those who crucified Him might be forgiven. That is truly a tremendous act of forgiveness. As those who follow the way of Jesus, let us follow His example and forgive others as we are empowered to do so by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer Requests
Please pray that the rain in my area will not cause any problems. Also, my health is not so good right now, and I would ask for your prayers.
We need to keep praying for peace in Ukraine. Let us pray for the refugees fleeing from the war and devastation.
Let us pray for peace in the other troubled areas of the world. Syria, Yemen and Ethiopia are just a few of the areas that need our prayers.
Pray for those in Japan affected by the earthquake. Pray that they will receive the aid that they need.
Continue to pray that those in Tonga affected by the volcano will receive the aid that they need.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in Benin and Bangladesh. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our current sermon series. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will try to have a midweek post. May God bless you all.
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