EXAMPLES OF FORGIVENESS (VARIOUS SCRIPTURES) The last few weeks we have been talking about the subject of forgiveness. We have seen that the forgiveness that God grants to us for our sins is the basis and standard for our forgiveness of one another Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. When it comes to human forgiveness there are two dimensions to it. First, we are to seek forgiveness when we have sinned against someone else. Matthew 5:23-24, Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. The second dimension of forgiveness is the need we have to forgive those who sin against us. Mark 11:25-26, And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. What a glorious reality is the forgetfulness of God. Consider these Scriptures: Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! Psalm 25:7 Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Psalm 79:8 I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25 I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 31:34 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:12 I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more. Hebrews 10:17 I m sure that all of us rejoice when we realize that God has forgiven us of all our sins. It is wonderful! But when it comes to forgiving others well that is somewhat different. It is difficult to do. And it is a heavy subject to think about. Can we do it? Can we forgive others as God has forgiven us? Obviously, the answer is YES!!! because God never commands us to do something that we cannot do. Of course we can only forgive when we surrender our will to His will and we rely on His strength and enablement. This morning I would like us to review some examples of people in the Bible who forgave others.
1. Esau Offender: Jacob Offenses: Gen. 25:29-34 He took the birthright from Esau Genesis 27:36, 41 Jacob deceived his father to receive the blessing. Forgiveness demonstrated: Gen 32:3-8, 13-20; 33:1-4, 8-11 2. Joseph Offender: his ten older brothers Offenses: hatred, ill will, envy, conspiracy to kill, sold him to Ishmaelites Genesis 37:3, 4, 8, 11, 18, 26-28 Forgiveness demonstrated: sold grain to them instead of arresting them (Gen 42); but, he brought them to a point of desperation and recognition of their sin toward him in fulfillment of his dreams (44:16); he revealed himself to them (45:1-15); he reaffirmed his forgiveness following Isaac s death (50:15-21). Joseph did not ignore their sin. He acknowledged the pain he suffered. However, he forgave his brothers because he recognized God s sovereignty even in his sufferings (50:20). 3. David Offender: Shemei Offenses: cursed David and threw stones at him (2 Samuel 16:5-13) Forgiveness demonstrated: 2 Sam 19:15-23 David forgave Shimei apparently. He did not execute him. However, that did not mean they became trusted friends. See 1 Kings 2:8-9. Shemei s sin against the office of the king was not totally pardoned, even though his sin against the person of David was forgiven (apparently). As Puritan commentator Matthew Henry wrote, David s instructions to Solomon proceeded not from personal revenge, but a prudent zeal for the honour of the government and the covenant God had made with his family, the contempt of which ought not to go unpunished. 4. Stephen Offender: Jews of Jerusalem 2
Offenses: Stoning to death (Acts 7:51-59) Forgiveness demonstrated: Acts 7:60. Even while suffering the greatest injustice possible, he forgave them and prayed for them. 5. Paul A. Offender: Mark Offenses: Desertion of missionary team (Acts 12:25, 13:5, 13; 15:36-40) Forgiveness demonstrated: 2 Tim 4:11. Undoubtedly Paul had forgiven Mark long before. SEE Colossians 4:10-11. But here we see that full reconciliation and acceptance had also taken place. B. Offender: Alexander the coppersmith Offenses: He did much harm to Paul (2 Tim 4:14a) Forgiveness demonstrated: 2 Tim 4:14b, 15. Paul released Alexander to God for God to carry out judgment against him. But as a realist he warned Timothy to beware of him. C. Offender: some unnamed believers in Rome Offenses: They forsook Paul at his first defense in Caesar s court (2 Tim 4:16a) Forgiveness demonstrated: 2 Tim 4:16b 6. Jesus Offenders: Jews and Romans Offenses: They reviled, cruelly abused Him, and crucified Jesus. Forgiveness demonstrated: 1 Peter 2:23; Did you see what Jesus did not do? He did not retaliate. He did not bite back. He did not say, I ll get you! Come on up here and say that to my face! Just wait until after the resurrection, buddy! No, these statements were not found on Christ s lips. Did you see what Jesus did do? He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. Or said more simply, He left the judging to God. He did not take on the task of seeking revenge He demanded no apology. He hired no bounty hunters and sent out no posse. He, to the astounding contrary, spoke on their defense. Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. [ Max Lucado, Spirit of Revival, August 1993, pg. 7] SEE Luke 23:34 Parable on Forgiveness: Matthew 18:21-35 The setting vs. 21 The story 23-34 *The servant It is obvious that this was more than just a household slave. This man was someone who would be a high-level bureaucrat in the administration of the king. 3
Perhaps he would be someone in charge of collecting taxes or some other position that involved handling immense sums of money. *The debt 10,000 talents. How much is that in today s money? At the time of Christ 1 Talent = 6,000 denarii. 1 denarius = one day s wage for a working man So 1 Talent = about 20 year s wages. 10,000 talents = 20 year s wages for 10,000 men. There are records that indicate that the total annual revenue collected by the Roman government from Palestine averaged 900 talents. All the gold in Solomon s Temple amounted to just over 8,000 talents. In today s wage scale it would be reasonable to assign a value to 10,000 talents of about 7 billion dollars. So the debt was huge. It was humanly impossible for this man to pay it back. That is how the disciples would have conceived this servant s debt. * The response [vv. 28-30] This fellow servant owed him a very, very small percentage of what he owed the king. 100 denarii vs. 60,000,000 denarii The second servant used the very same words as the first servant. *The sentence [vv. 31-34] Christians who fail to show mercy will be subject to divine chastisement without much mercy. That is the whole message of this parable. I am convinced that multitudes of Christians who suffer from stress, depression, discouragement, relationship problems all sorts of other hardships experience these things because of a refusal to forgive. Forgiveness from the heart would liberate the person immediately form such torturers and glorify God in the process [John MacArthur, The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness, pg. 112]. The application of the parable vs. 35 The more you understand and appreciate the wonders of God s forgiveness, the more motivation you will have to forgive others [Ken Sande, The Peacemaker] CONCLUSION Today we have looked at some examples of real people who extended forgiveness from the heart toward those who have sinned against them. I hope it will be an encouragement to you to do the same in whatever situations you have faced, are facing, 4
or will face in the future. Forgiving others does not merely free the offender. It frees us. On the contrary what bondage it brings, what chastening of the Lord when we hold back on forgiving others. Forgiveness is hard, but it is possible through God. Esau, Joseph, David, Stephen, Paul, and the Lord Jesus all forgave ones who sinned against them. So can you and I. So must you and I. When we forgive others we are in that moment more like Jesus Christ. 5