On the way from the airport to the hotel I took a taxi. When I take a cab I usually try to start a conversation with the driver - trying to see if there’s an opportunity for the Gospel. I start by asking questions. Since most of the drivers are from outside the United States I usually start with, “Where are you from?” This driver was a Muslim from Somalia. I have to confess - as I found out his background - the first thought through my mind was not his soul or the difficulties that drove him to be separated by thousands of miles from his family - my first thought was of the Muslims in Somalia that are butchering Christians.

Jews and Palestinians. Muslims and Christians. Kurds and Iraqis. Turks and Kurds. Hutus and Tutsis. Catholics and Protestants. Name a people group - forgiveness is hard. Husbands and wives - words spoken - words unspoken. Children and parents. Siblings. Bosses. Brothers and sisters in Christ. Name the relationship. Forgiveness is hard.

Please turn with me to Matthew 6:9-13. We’ve been going through a series of messages from the Lord’s Prayer - which is found here in Matthew 6 - starting at verse 9. As we’ve been looking at this prayer we’ve seen that its part of a larger teaching of Jesus - what we call the Sermon on the Mount - a sermon in which Jesus is teaching about what life is like for those in the Kingdom of God. This morning we’ve arrived at verse 12. Jesus is teaching about forgiveness.

As we’ve been doing each Sunday - we want to read the entire prayer out loud together - to get this prayer fresh in our minds. Then we’ll come back and look at verse 12.

Let’s read together: Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Once again, verse 12: “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

There are three thoughts in this verse that we need to focus on today. First - FORGIVENESS IS HARD BECAUSE WE MUST HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD

That’s the first part of the prayer: “Forgive us our debts.”

A couple of years ago J.P. Morgan - this Wall Street firm then worth about $21 Billion dollars - J.P. Morgan was disconnected from the Internet. Imagine - no web site - no email - no connection to the outside world. For a whole day clients - and were talking millions of dollars of transactions here - for a whole day clients were unable to exchange email with their bankers and traders. The reason J.P. Morgan was disconnected was because they hadn’t paid a $35 bill - their annual registration fee for their domain name: jpmorgan.com. They didn’t pay the bill so they got disconnected.

When Jesus speaks of debt - what we owe - He’s talking about something a lot more serious than a domain name. Jesus is talking about what we owe God because of our sin - our disobedience - against Him.

The Bible says - in Romans 3:10: “There is nobody who is living right before God - not even one.” Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That “all” is inclusive. Its not “some are sinning” or “a few have fallen short” or “somebody is not living right before God.” “All have sinned. All fall short.” That includes all of us.

The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:23 - because we fall short of living right before God what we have coming to us is eternal separation from God. When we die we pay the debt for how we’ve lived with our lives. The bill for our sin has to be paid so we get cut off - eternal separation from God in Hell. Which is hopeless. There’s nothing we - on our own - can do about it.

That’s hard for us to hear. It offends us. Do you like being told this? “You - you’re a sinner. You don’t measure up to God’s standard.” I don’t like to hear it. “I wanted to be encouraged today. I’d didn’t come here to be accused of being sinner.”

So many of us want a God who is a God of love and compassion who does good things for His people. A God we can approach in whatever ways we want to approach him. A God who just wants us to try to do our best. Be a good moral person. Be a good Christian.

Try telling that to the mortgage company when the bill comes due, “I tried my best. Can’t you be a little more loving?”

All this talk about sin and hell and eternal damnation just makes us uncomfortable. It scares people. Its hard to hear. But, that’s where Jesus begins. And praise God - we may begin there but God doesn’t leave us there. Amen?

Paul writes - Romans 5:6: “While we were still helpless - in deep eternal trouble because of our sin - at God’s appointed time - hanging on the cross - Christ died for the ungodly” - for us.

The Apostle John writes - in 1 John 1:8,9 “If we claim that we’re free of sin we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is only errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins - make a clean breast of them - God won’t let us down; He’ll be true to Himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrong doing.” We owe God our lives - which is why Jesus had to give His. His life given as the payment for ours. His life was the only payment that would satisfy the debt we owe God. We can’t earn the payment. We don’t deserve it. All we can do is throw ourselves - in faith - at the feet of our merciful God - accept what He’s done - and surrender our lives to Him.

“Forgive us our debts” is an acknowledgment of our own sin before God - our agreement with God - that we do have a hopeless debt of sin and a crying out to God for His forgiveness.

We need to humble ourselves before God and ask for His forgiveness. Say that with me: “I need His forgiveness.”

Second, FORGIVENESS IS HARD BECAUSE WE MUST HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE OTHERS.

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Circle that word “as” - underline it. Its impossible to understand this verse if we don’t understand why that word is there.

“as” is an equal sign. Whatever is on the left side of the “as” - the “forgive us our debts” part will equal what’s on the right side of the “as” - the “we also have forgiven our debtors” part.

Look with me at how Jesus explains that equation. Turn forward with me to Matthew 7 - starting at verse 1.

In Matthew 7:1 - Jesus says: “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.”

Do you see the equal sign there? Whatever judgment is on the left side of the equation will equal the judgment on the right side of the equation.

Verse 3 - Jesus gives an illustration: “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”

We all fall into this trap. We criticize the idiot who cuts us off on the freeway while we fail to yield the right of way to others. Point being that when we act this way the equation is unequal.

Verse 4: “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?”

What’s wrong with trying to help our brother? They’ve got a speck in their eye - a need - a sin - a struggle. We can help them. This is what we’re suppose to do for each other. But hear this - Jesus is showing us our hearts not our words. The offer to help isn’t sincere. It’s not coming from genuine humble caring and love. It’s arrogance. “I’ve got it together with God so let me help you.”

Verse 5: “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye - first deal with your own sin before God - and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

The word “hypocrite” comes from the Greek word “upokrites" - which was the Greek word for an actor - someone acting the role of another person. In this case God. When we act as a hypocrite, we assume the role of God who is the only one qualified to judge.

In John 8 - when the scribes and Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus - remember that Jesus said? “He who is without sin - let him throw the first stone.” (John 8:7) The job of the scribe and Pharisee was to point out sin in others - to be God’s self-appointed dispensers of justice. Jesus is bringing them down to the level of this woman caught in sin. Can you see the equal sign there?

If we have a right assessment of our own sin - what’s on the left side of the equal sign - we’re not going to go around judging and condemning others - what’s on the right side of the equal sign.

The same is true of forgiveness. Forgiveness is an attitude of our hearts. Forgiveness of others begins with a right understanding of God’s forgiveness of our own sin - our unpayable debt before Him - and how God in His grace has paid that debt. Without that understanding we can’t truly forgive others. There’s no equality in the equation. Please hear this: Without humility our forgiveness of others is only an act of our own arrogance.

Let me put this very practically. In Matthew 18 - we read that Peter came to Jesus and asked Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

According to the Rabbis the consensus was that a brother should be forgiven a repeated sin three times - the fourth time we weren’t obligated to forgive them. Peter is being generous - a true humble servant of God, “Shall I forgive him seven times?”

Jesus answers Peter, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” - a commandment that’s impossible to fulfill - even if someone wanted to. Then Jesus shares this story with Peter.

There was a king who wanted to settle his accounts with his slaves. In the process of settling the accounts a slave was brought to the king who owed 10,000 talents - well over a billion dollars - an impossible debt to pay. The king - knowing that the slave could never pay the debt - commanded that the slave was to be sold - along with his wife and children and all his possessions - his life and all that he had given as a form of payment. It’s a picture of us before God.

When the slave hears this, he falls on the ground - prostrate - pleads for mercy. The king feeling compassion for the slave - releases the slave and forgives his debt.

On the way out of the throne room the slave comes to a fellow slave who owes him 100 denari - a few dollars. He grabs his fellow slave by the throat and begins to choke him saying, “Pay back what you owe.” So, his fellow slave falls to the ground pleading with him for patience and mercy. But the first slave has his fellow slave thrown in jail.

When all the other slaves saw what had happened, they told the king, who then had the first slave dragged back into the throne room. The King says, “You wicked slave I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow slave in the same way I had mercy on you?” And, the king has the slave tortured until he can pay back the debt - which means he’s forever going to be tortured.

Jesus makes His point to Peter by saying this, “My Heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21-35)

Its possible to forgive without forgiving - because our heart is not engaged. We can do the right thing. Say the words, “I forgive you.” Even in deep sincerity, “I forgive you.” Its what God requires of us - seventy times seven. That’s where Peter was at. We’ve fulfilled all the requirements of living like a Christian - doing what God wants. But, we’ve never really forgiven because the forgiveness hasn’t come from our hearts.

Forgiving those who are indebted to us can only come when we’re aware of our own indebtedness to God and our King’s forgiveness of our sin. Forgiveness isn’t an obligation. Its not an act of condescension. Its not part of a spiritual checklist - “Okay, I did that.” Forgiveness is a life characteristic - a characteristic of the heart - of those live in the Kingdom of God. We can’t help it. Living in God’s forgiveness is the normal way of life for citizens of His Kingdom.

Say that with me, “I must forgive others.”

Third thought: FORGIVENESS IS HARD, BUT GOD IN CHRIST HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE.

This is the other side of the equal sign - where we have to make a choice. To forgive or not to forgive. “As we also - just as God has forgiven us - as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Go down to Matthew 6:14,15 - look with me at how Jesus drives the importance of this truth home into our hearts. Jesus says, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But, if you do not forgive others then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

Imagine the crowd Jesus is speaking to. Crowds from all over Judea and as far away as Syria - diverse in backgrounds and beliefs. Jews - crushed under the heal of the Roman Empire. Jews that had sided with Romans. Imagine the hatreds and scars.

There are some here today - maybe you - who are holding on to anger - bitterness - hatred towards someone else. You may be seething inside at some injurious thing that someone said to you - maybe even his morning. At work - in the church - there are some choice words you’d like to level at someone who’s wronged you. Its a little knot - a tight spot deep inside - a burden you’ve carried around - maybe for years. You’ve said the words, “I forgive you.” But, you can’t forgive.

Did we really hear that right? “If I don’t forgive others God will not forgive me.” If we don’t forgive others how can we claim to know God’s forgiveness? How can we claim to know God? How can we claim to be saved? That’s Jesus point. Forgiveness is that crucial.

Turn to the person next to you - look them in the eye - don’t just furtively glance at them - look them in the eye and say this to them, “We must forgive each other.”

That’s hard - especially if the person you’re talking to is someone you need to forgive - or someone who needs to ask for forgiveness.

Turn with me to one last verse - Ephesians 4:32. The Apostle Paul puts all this in a way that’s easier for us to hear. Paul writes in Ephesians 4:32: “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

God - in Christ - reaches down to us when it was impossible for us to reach up to Him. God forgave us before there was ever any sign of our turning towards Him. That’s why forgiveness is tied to salvation. Because God - and only God - can make it possible for us to truly forgive each other.

God - in Christ - desires to free us so that we - despite ourselves - can speak words of kindness - so we can be tenderhearted towards each other - so we can forgive each other. Only God can do that work in our hearts.

As Christians - as citizens of God’s Kingdom - why we live for Christ is not because of an external set of do’s and don’ts - appearances and temporary recognition. We live for Christ because of Christ in us - the reality of His love and forgiveness. That’s what real Christianity is - the Christianity that the world is looking for - the witness we are called to - tenderheartedness - forgiving one another - love and speech and actions which transcend our human limitations and demonstrate to the world the reality of Jesus in us.

Two questions. First: Do you know God’s forgiveness? Second: Who do you need to forgive?

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