The Lord's Prayer - Part 5 Sunday - May 7, 2017

Transcription

1 The Lord's Prayer - Part 5 Sunday - May 7, 2017 The Pardon of Prayer Pastor Theone Maupin, Jr. Matthew 6:9b-13 (KJV); Matthew 6:12 Focus: The Lord's Prayer is a pattern that teaches us how to pray. The portion to memorize for this week is Matthew 6:12: "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." God wants us to daily ask Him for forgiveness of our sins. This is not for the purpose of making sure all our past sins are covered. When we first believed in Christ and surrendered our lives to Him, the sins of our past were erased from our "account" with God, and we were made righteous before Him. (Romans 4:3; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19)] Our daily confession of sins is to cleanse our conscience from sins we commit as believers (Hebrews 10:22). it's a daily reminder that God has forgiven a debt we can't repay. We can't earn His forgiveness; we freely receive it as a gift. As we freely receive God's forgiveness, God requires us to freely forgive others (Matthew 10:8; Matthew 18:21-35). Often, when we struggle with forgiving others, it's because we want them to earn our forgiveness. This is an indicator that we haven't freely received God's grace, but we're still trying to earn it. When we withhold forgiveness, bitterness takes root in our hearts. this leads to sin, torment from the Enemy and spiritual bondage in our lives (Matthew 18:34-35; Hebrews 12:15). God wants us to forgive daily, repeatedly, and with the same intensity with which we might naturally impose revenge (Matthew 18:21-22; Genesis 4:23-24). The grace we receive daily for our sins enables us to extend grace to others. THE LORD'S PRAYER (Matthew 6:9b-13 - KJV) (9b) Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. (10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:12 -- And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (KJV) Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV - emphasis and clarity added) (14) "For (since, because) if you forgive (release) men their trespasses (their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment), your heavenly Father will also forgive (release) you. (15) But if you do not forgive (release) men their trespasses (their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment), neither will your Father forgive (release) your trespasses."

2 P a g e 2 GOD'S DESIRE FOR US IN RECEIVING FORGIVENESS FOR OUR DEBTS AND FORGIVING THOSE WHO ARE OUR DEBTORS IS THAT WE: I. Confess your debts. Word Study: The Greek word that is used for "debt" in Matthew 6:12 is the word opheilēma. It is also used in Romans 4:4 and in Matthew 18:24. It means "a loan that cannot be repaid." It refers to a loan that is justly due, but you cannot repay it. There is another word that is used for debt in the New Testament that occurs more frequently. It refers to a loan that we have the income/ability to repay. It is a debt that is manageable. The word that is used in Matthew 6:12 is referring to a debt that cannot be repaid. We would call it "bankruptcy debt." If you have a problem forgiving others, it is likely that you have a problem receiving forgiveness for yourself. You may have a problem forgiving yourself! Matthew 10:8b -- Freely you have received, freely give. Romans 4:3 -- For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. The word that is used for "accounted" in Romans 4:3 comes from the word "accounting" which comes from "count." The literal meaning of the word in Romans 4:3 is "to put into your account." Abraham believed God and God put righteousness into Abraham's account. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NKJV - emphasis and clarity added) (18) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses (sins) to them,... The word "imputing" that is used in 2 Corinthians 5:19 is also an accounting term. It means "counting." God is not counting our sins against us. Hebrews 9:28 -- so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. (NLT - emphasis added) James 2:21-23 (21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? (22) Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? (23) And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God.

3 P a g e 3 Just saying that you believe in Jesus isn't enough. If you're not living your life for Jesus, if you're not choosing to obey Him, then you need to examine your faith. Are you living for Him, or are you living for yourself? Luke 6:46 -- So why do you keep calling me Lord, Lord! when you don t do what I say?" (NLT - emphasis added) If you really believe something, you'll do it! The word propitiation means "God's wrath has been satisfied for the whole world by the sacrificial death of His sinless son, Jesus." 2 Corinthians 5:21 -- God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV) People don't go to hell because of sin. They go to hell because of unbelief! The sins of the whole world have already been paid for. What remains is our response to the gift that has been given. John 3:36 -- He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. God took sin out of my account. Then He placed righteousness in my account. Hebrews 9:14 -- how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 10:22 -- let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (NKJV - emphasis added) Word Definition: If we have an evil conscience, we will begin to serve God with dead works. We'll try to find a way to make up for our mistakes and selfishness (sins). We try to earn God's forgiveness and a gain a clear conscience. A dead work is any work that God didn't initiate; or, a work that tries to appease God. John 6:29 -- Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work (singular) of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent. II. Release your debts. We confess our sins to cleanse our conscience. The blood of Christ isn't shed again, but it is sprinkled on our conscience so that we can have a clean conscience. And, we would be wise to keep short accounts with God and others daily.

4 P a g e 4 Matthew 18:21-22 (21) Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? (22) Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Genesis 4:23-24 (23) Then Lamech said to his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me. (24) If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold. Background: The phrase seventy times seven comes from the saying seventy-sevenfold in Genesis 4. It refers to a person who gets revenge and takes revenge far beyond the original offense or injury. Genesis 4:24 -- "If seven lives are taken to pay for killing Cain, seventy-seven will be taken if anyone kills me. (GNT) Matthew 18:23-35 (NKJV - clarity and emphasis added) (23) Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. (24) And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. (25) But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. (26) The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all. (27) Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. (28) But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what you owe! (29) So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay you all. (30) And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt (a debt that you could repay). (31) So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. (32) Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt (that couldn't be repaid) because you begged me. (33) Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you? (34) And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

5 P a g e 5 (35) So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses. Hebrews 12:15 -- See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (NIV - emphasis added) We need to remember that God didn't wait to see if you'd change to forgive you. He forgave you and then His forgiveness, grace and mercy are what gave you the ability to change.