Shout joyfully to
the Lord all the earth.
00:01:02.40\00:01:06.38
Serve the Lord with gladness,
00:01:06.41\00:01:08.81
come before him
with joyful singing.
00:01:08.84\00:01:12.22
Know that the
Lord himself is God,
00:01:12.25\00:01:15.59
it is he what has made
us and not we ourselves.
00:01:15.62\00:01:19.72
We are his people and
the sheep of his pasture.
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Come let us bow down
and worship and let us kneel
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before the Lord our
maker. Where we can find peace,
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rest, inspiration,
fellowship and love,
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inside your temple
O God we think of your
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constant love, you
are praised by people
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everywhere and your frame
extends over all the earth.
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You rule with
justice, let the people of Zion
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be glad, this is our God
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forever and ever.
He, God will lead us
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let us exalt him. Amen.
00:02:04.05\00:02:09.13
We worship for God's
benefit. The Bible says
00:02:09.16\00:02:16.97
that the Lord is pleased
with those who worship him
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and trust his love.
When we worship our goal
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is to bring pleasure to
God and not to ourselves.
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For worship isn't
about us, worship is for God.
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Of course, there are
many benefits for worship,
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but we don't
worship to please ourselves,
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our motive is to bring glory
and pleasure to our creator.
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In Hebrews, it says that let us
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be grateful and
worship God in a way that will
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please him with
reverence and awe.
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And it so with the
spirit of worship on behalf
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of the pastor and the
members of the Newburgh
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Seventh Day Adventist
Church, I welcome everyone
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to our worship service today.
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Not only do I welcome
our guests here in Newburgh,
00:03:01.66\00:03:05.90
New York, but a
very heartily welcome
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to those who are
watching around the world.
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May your blessing today
be an everlasting blessing
00:03:10.58\00:03:14.74
and may your life
be changed forever
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because you have
met Jesus today. Amen.
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Hi, our opening hymn will be 294
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"Power in the
blood". We'll be singing
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all three verses, please stand
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Would you be free
from the burden of sin?
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There's power in the
blood, power in the blood;
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Would you o'er
evil a victory win?
00:04:03.51\00:04:07.82
There's wonderful
power in the blood.
00:04:07.85\00:04:12.09
There is power,
power, wonder working power
00:04:12.12\00:04:16.91
In the blood of the
Lamb; There is power, power,
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wonder working power
In the precious blood
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of the Lamb.
Would you be free from
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your passion and pride?
There's power in the blood,
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power in the blood;
Come for a cleansing
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to Calvary's
tide; There's wonderful
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power in the blood.
There is power, power,
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wonder working power
In the blood of the Lamb.
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There is power,
power, wonder working power
00:04:58.54\00:05:03.29
In the precious
blood of the Lamb.
00:05:03.32\00:05:07.53
Would you do
service for Jesus your King?
00:05:07.56\00:05:12.67
There's power in the
blood, power in the blood;
00:05:12.70\00:05:17.42
Would you live
daily His praises to sing?
00:05:17.45\00:05:21.68
There's wonderful
power in the blood.
00:05:21.71\00:05:25.79
There is power,
power, wonder working power
00:05:25.82\00:05:30.81
In the blood of the Lamb.
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There is power,
power, wonder working power
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In the precious
blood of the Lamb.
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Let us remain standing and
bow our heads as we approach
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the throne of God in
prayer. Kind and loving Father,
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we ask for your presence
to be with us now dear Lord,
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we pray that you
would tabernacle with us,
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because we need
in a powerful way
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dear heavenly Father.
We thank you dear Lord
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for the blessing
that you have given us,
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the opportunity to
be here, the opportunity
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to have awakened this morning
in our right minds dear Lord.
00:06:22.93\00:06:27.71
The opportunity to
have gotten here safely
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and we pray dear Lord
that you will continue
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to bless and be with us
in a special way dear Lord.
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Dear Lord, all of us
have gone through weeks,
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some of us have
gone through weeks
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that have been tough
and we pray that everyone
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within the voice,
the hearing of my voice
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dear Lord, would be blessed
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by your presence
dear heavenly Father,
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that you would touch
them in a special way,
00:06:52.13\00:06:54.18
that you would
search their hearts in a way
00:06:54.21\00:06:56.03
that would allow them
to know the need to have
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you in their lives,
dear heavenly Father
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and in a way
that would allow them
00:07:01.28\00:07:03.08
to know that you are
caring for them in a special way
00:07:03.11\00:07:05.57
dear Lord. We pray
dear heavenly Father
00:07:05.60\00:07:07.87
that you would
be with our pastor
00:07:07.90\00:07:10.43
as he is about to break the
bread of life for us dear Lord.
00:07:10.46\00:07:14.04
We know that we are
about to hear a message from
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on high and we pray
that you would give us
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all wisdom and understanding
to discern it and to use it
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in a way that's
powerful dear Lord.
00:07:23.17\00:07:24.88
We pray that as we
continue on through this day
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that we would be a
light that would shine in the
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community and a light
that would shine to all those
00:07:30.66\00:07:33.53
who we come in
contact with dear Lord.
00:07:33.56\00:07:35.60
We want to decrease so
that you might increase
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and we pray this all in
the wonderful name of Jesus
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our Lord and savior, in
Jesus name we pray. Amen.
00:07:41.33\00:07:44.64
In the morning, when I
rise In the morning, when I rise
00:08:06.17\00:08:16.90
In the morning, when
I rise Give me Jesus.
00:08:16.93\00:08:29.44
Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.
00:08:29.47\00:08:42.18
You can have all this
world, but give me Jesus.
00:08:42.21\00:08:55.42
And when I am
alone, oh! When I am alone,
00:09:03.50\00:09:13.74
When I am alone, Give me Jesus.
00:09:13.77\00:09:27.25
Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.
00:09:27.28\00:09:39.41
You can have all this
world, but give me Jesus.
00:09:57.70\00:09:58.67
It's a blessing to
have the Lord on our side,
00:09:58.68\00:10:02.25
I am so grateful that God has,
00:10:04.31\00:10:06.02
our God that we
serve is a loving God.
00:10:06.05\00:10:10.06
He is a forgiving
God, he is a God of mercy
00:10:10.09\00:10:14.82
and a God of
grace and he is also
00:10:14.85\00:10:17.71
a God of judgment
and through our obedience
00:10:17.74\00:10:22.18
and faithfulness,
we will hear him say
00:10:22.21\00:10:26.69
well-done by good
and faithful servant.
00:10:26.72\00:10:30.73
Oh! Blessed be
the name of the Lord.
00:10:32.40\00:10:34.92
And When I come to
die, Oh! When I come to die,
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When I come to
die, Give me Jesus.
00:10:51.29\00:11:03.53
Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.
00:11:03.56\00:11:16.50
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
00:11:16.53\00:11:30.76
You can have all this
world, But give me Jesus.
00:11:30.79\00:11:51.20
The scripture will
be taken from Matthew
00:12:03.25\00:12:05.14
chapter 18, verses
15, 21 and 22, chapter 18
00:12:05.17\00:12:11.47
verse 15, 21 and 22.
Moreover if thy brothers
00:12:11.50\00:12:21.61
shall trespass against
thee, go and tell him the fault
00:12:21.64\00:12:24.74
between thee and him alone:
00:12:24.77\00:12:26.51
if he shall hear thee,
thou hast gained thy brother.
00:12:26.54\00:12:31.46
Verse 21, Then
came Peter to him,
00:12:32.67\00:12:35.60
and said, Lord, how
oft shall my brother
00:12:35.63\00:12:38.36
sin against me,
and I forgive him?
00:12:38.39\00:12:40.44
Till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him,
00:12:40.47\00:12:43.85
I say not unto
thee, Until seven times,
00:12:43.88\00:12:46.24
but, until seventy times seven.
00:12:46.27\00:12:48.63
May the Lord add his blessing
00:12:48.66\00:12:50.14
to the reading
of his word. Amen.
00:12:50.17\00:12:53.41
We know not the hour
of the Master's appearing,
00:13:26.18\00:13:34.58
Yet signs all foretell
that the moment is nearing
00:13:34.61\00:13:43.80
When He shall return
'tis a promise most cheering
00:13:43.83\00:13:52.89
But we know not the hour.
There's light for the wise
00:13:52.92\00:14:05.41
who are seeking
salvation, there's truth in the
00:14:05.44\00:14:12.60
Book of the Lord revelation
Each prophecy points to the
00:14:12.63\00:14:23.60
great consummation.
But we know not the hour,
00:14:23.63\00:14:34.82
But he will come, let
us watch and be ready:
00:14:34.85\00:14:44.61
he will come.
Halleluiah, Halleluiah!
00:14:44.64\00:14:53.75
He will come in the clouds
of his Father's bright glory,
00:14:53.78\00:15:02.70
but we know not the
hour. But I want to be ready,
00:15:02.73\00:15:15.18
how about you, how about you?
00:15:15.21\00:15:17.93
We'll watch and
we'll pray, with our lamps
00:15:17.96\00:15:28.72
trimmed and burning,
We'll work and we'll wait
00:15:28.75\00:15:35.15
till the Master's returning,
We'll sing and rejoice,
00:15:35.18\00:15:43.67
every omen discerning.
But we know not the hour.
00:15:43.70\00:15:57.00
But he will come, let
us watch and be ready,
00:15:57.03\00:16:06.91
he will come,
halleluiah, halleluiah!
00:16:06.94\00:16:14.92
He will come in the clouds
of his Father's bright glory,
00:16:14.95\00:16:23.99
but we know not
the hour. He will come
00:16:24.02\00:16:35.86
let's watch and be ready,
00:16:35.89\00:16:42.21
he will come
halleluiah! Pray to the Lord,
00:16:42.24\00:16:50.89
he will come in the clouds
of his Father's bright glory,
00:16:50.92\00:17:00.17
but we know not
the hour. He will come,
00:17:00.20\00:17:13.98
I want to be
ready, Jesus will come
00:17:14.01\00:17:21.59
halleluiah, halleluiah!
He will come in the clouds
00:17:21.62\00:17:32.44
of his Father's bright
glory, but we know not the hour.
00:17:32.47\00:17:45.21
He will come, Jesus
will come halleluiah,
00:17:45.24\00:18:03.03
halleluiah! He
will come in the clouds
00:18:03.06\00:18:10.47
of his Father's
bright glory, but we know,
00:18:10.50\00:18:19.08
we know not the
hour, we know not the hour,
00:18:19.11\00:18:33.28
we know not the
hour. Be ready, be ready.
00:18:33.31\00:19:02.33
It's great to have good music.
00:19:10.67\00:19:11.83
When I was 13 years
old a bigger guy with whom
00:19:11.86\00:19:20.85
I went to school put me down
literally in some deep thick
00:19:20.88\00:19:27.49
constructions site
mud, he just wiped me,
00:19:27.52\00:19:32.81
wiped the ground with
me. My coat was smeared
00:19:32.84\00:19:36.38
and oozing, my pants felt soaked
00:19:36.41\00:19:39.57
through to the underwear,
I was a dripping mess.
00:19:39.60\00:19:44.23
My feeble attempt
for some self dignity
00:19:44.26\00:19:48.35
was to angrily
announce to him that he would
00:19:48.38\00:19:50.68
be paying for me
to have a new coat
00:19:50.71\00:19:52.57
and that big shot just
walked away laughing at me.
00:19:54.32\00:19:56.89
I was furious
but could do nothing.
00:19:59.33\00:20:01.92
My thoughts were
screaming in my mind,
00:20:03.93\00:20:05.76
he has to pay for
this and later at home
00:20:05.79\00:20:10.72
I tried to persuade
my Mom to call his Mom
00:20:12.04\00:20:16.61
and demand that
they buy me a new coat.
00:20:16.64\00:20:19.54
She was unmoved,
she actually told me
00:20:21.50\00:20:24.63
I needed to learn
to get along better
00:20:24.66\00:20:25.87
with my classmates,
she asked me what I did
00:20:25.90\00:20:30.26
to provoke him and
I reluctantly admitted
00:20:30.29\00:20:34.75
that I had called him a name,
00:20:34.78\00:20:36.20
but you know that
was kind of beside
00:20:36.23\00:20:39.68
the point wasn't it.
Well, she just brushed off
00:20:39.71\00:20:44.53
the mud as best she
could and threw everything
00:20:44.56\00:20:47.29
in the wash and that was
it, I thought can't we at least
00:20:47.32\00:20:51.77
bring it over there so,
they have to put it in their
00:20:51.80\00:20:53.76
washing machine,
she said don't be silly.
00:20:53.79\00:20:57.52
I was humiliated, I
had told him he was going
00:21:00.06\00:21:03.01
to pay for that
coat, and I want it to go
00:21:03.04\00:21:04.41
back to school
for the next day and,
00:21:04.44\00:21:07.05
but I had to go
back and just be quiet.
00:21:08.89\00:21:11.69
I thought of revenge,
but that would be risky
00:21:14.02\00:21:17.82
because well like I
said he was bigger than me,
00:21:19.68\00:21:21.50
he'd get me back again and
it might be worse next time,
00:21:23.15\00:21:25.79
he didn't actually hit me,
he just used me like a mop.
00:21:25.82\00:21:29.61
I thought of just
cutting him out of my life
00:21:32.39\00:21:34.14
you know, rejecting him,
00:21:35.43\00:21:37.02
somehow I didn't
think it would bother him
00:21:37.05\00:21:39.43
all that much,
besides we were in the
00:21:39.46\00:21:42.62
same class all day,
it wasn't going to easy
00:21:42.65\00:21:46.32
to cut him out of my
life. The only option that
00:21:46.35\00:21:49.50
I could see was
to just hate him,
00:21:49.53\00:21:52.77
just resent him,
didn't he justify
00:21:54.67\00:21:57.74
my resentment, didn't he,
00:21:57.77\00:22:00.48
was there any other
option? Forgive him.
00:22:02.79\00:22:08.02
Forgive him? Yes.
00:22:09.24\00:22:10.99
Make peace with him? Yes.
00:22:11.02\00:22:13.45
No way. Have you
ever felt that way?
00:22:13.48\00:22:18.74
Yes. I mean why would
00:22:18.77\00:22:24.03
I want to forgive when
resentment felt so good
00:22:24.06\00:22:27.38
and anger was so justified,
I could just punish him
00:22:27.41\00:22:32.22
in my mind and but Jesus said,
00:22:32.25\00:22:38.44
to pray, asking God
to forgive us our debts
00:22:38.47\00:22:43.30
as we forgive our
debtors. Matthew 16:12,
00:22:43.33\00:22:49.25
that's part of
the Lord's prayer,
00:22:49.28\00:22:50.32
but when someone wrongs
us, usually forgiveness isn't
00:22:52.14\00:22:58.07
the first impulse of
our nature now is it.
00:22:58.10\00:23:00.38
Repayment,
getting even or revenge,
00:23:03.17\00:23:07.58
those are usually
the impulses we have.
00:23:07.61\00:23:11.06
In fact, I believe
an unforgiving spirit
00:23:13.29\00:23:15.83
is one of the
most common of sense.
00:23:15.86\00:23:19.50
You know, think about
those options I shared you know,
00:23:22.02\00:23:24.20
repayment, or
restitution of some kind,
00:23:24.23\00:23:27.28
revenge or retaliation,
resentment, rejection.
00:23:27.31\00:23:32.59
Let's look at
repayment for a minute.
00:23:32.62\00:23:35.40
Repayment sometimes
just isn't even possible,
00:23:35.43\00:23:38.51
you know that?
You could just ask
00:23:38.54\00:23:42.31
for this bank
janitor, he was doing his usual
00:23:42.34\00:23:46.65
clean up at the bank in
the evening and as his normal
00:23:46.68\00:23:49.10
procedure was, he
had to put all the
00:23:49.13\00:23:51.59
paper trash through a shredder.
00:23:51.62\00:23:54.03
Somehow he put the
record of the full days
00:23:55.96\00:23:58.11
bank deposits
through the shredder.
00:23:58.14\00:23:59.63
He didn't know how it happened
00:23:59.66\00:24:02.85
and he was thinking
how can I make restitution.
00:24:02.88\00:24:06.41
Well, the bank didn't see anyway
00:24:06.44\00:24:10.14
he can make restitution,
they fired him and then
00:24:10.17\00:24:14.10
he stated
scrambling to figure out how
00:24:14.13\00:24:15.72
to fix this mess, I
mean the money was there,
00:24:15.75\00:24:17.72
but they didn't
know who it came from,
00:24:17.75\00:24:19.13
how much for so
many hundreds of people
00:24:19.16\00:24:21.35
that went to the
bank the day before.
00:24:21.38\00:24:23.00
Sometimes you just
can't fix it and what about
00:24:23.03\00:24:28.60
when a parent loses is a
son or a daughter to murder.
00:24:28.63\00:24:34.67
Can the murderer
repay, can they fix it?
00:24:38.18\00:24:40.13
Is restitution really possible?
00:24:40.16\00:24:42.33
It's not, nothing can
bring back their loved one.
00:24:42.36\00:24:45.56
And you can think
of other situations,
00:24:48.54\00:24:49.96
you know how does a rape
victim receive restitution.
00:24:49.99\00:24:54.23
Now, if this bully
had actually torn my coat
00:24:57.12\00:25:02.72
I might have been
able to persuade my mom
00:25:04.99\00:25:06.38
that he needed to
make restitution to get
00:25:06.41\00:25:09.97
me a new coat,
because that probably
00:25:10.00\00:25:13.36
would have been
right, but he would have said
00:25:13.39\00:25:16.75
Fred started it when
he called me and so there
00:25:16.78\00:25:21.45
would have been something
for me to deal with too.
00:25:21.48\00:25:23.67
So, repayment, restitution,
as far as it can be done
00:25:25.42\00:25:27.92
it should be, but
very often repayment
00:25:27.95\00:25:31.64
and restitution is
impossible to correct wrongs.
00:25:31.67\00:25:34.89
But I want you to
consider the cost of retaliation
00:25:37.30\00:25:41.13
and revenge, you know not being
00:25:41.16\00:25:44.45
willing to
forgive has a price also.
00:25:44.48\00:25:50.34
And so when you
consider the cost of retaliation
00:25:52.39\00:25:54.53
or revenge think of
it this way you know,
00:25:54.56\00:25:56.23
spiteful words lead to actions
00:25:56.26\00:25:58.66
and people
sometimes get hurt physically
00:25:59.85\00:26:02.82
as well as hurt emotionally
or with their feelings.
00:26:02.85\00:26:06.65
One statistical
review of hospital emergency
00:26:06.68\00:26:10.38
room cases revealed
that nearly 50 percent of the
00:26:10.41\00:26:13.57
injuries are that
brought people to the
00:26:13.60\00:26:16.59
emergency rooms,
were caused by family,
00:26:16.62\00:26:19.54
friends, or
acquaintances. Now I don't know
00:26:19.57\00:26:23.04
how many of them were just
honest to goodness accidents,
00:26:23.07\00:26:25.59
but we know they all
weren't. The famous Quaker
00:26:25.62\00:26:30.42
and leader of the
Pennsylvania colony,
00:26:30.45\00:26:33.01
William Penn,
explained the danger
00:26:33.04\00:26:35.81
of revenge this
way, he said not to be
00:26:35.84\00:26:39.09
provoked is best, but
if moved never correct
00:26:39.12\00:26:44.68
till the fume is
spend for every stroke
00:26:44.71\00:26:50.34
our fury strikes is sure
to hit ourselves at last.
00:26:50.37\00:26:54.34
Jesus agreed with
that, Jesus put it this way
00:26:56.92\00:26:59.33
all they that take
the sword shall perish
00:26:59.36\00:27:03.08
with the sword.
It's a principle,
00:27:03.11\00:27:05.48
what you dish out comes
back. I want you to consider
00:27:05.51\00:27:11.23
the price of resentment,
bitterness, poisons of life,
00:27:11.26\00:27:18.12
takes the soul hostage and
stunts our human development.
00:27:18.15\00:27:22.96
You know
psychologist deal wiht chronic
00:27:24.45\00:27:26.86
human
dysfunction because of trauma
00:27:26.89\00:27:30.35
that people can't deal
with. It's often some physical,
00:27:30.38\00:27:34.97
emotional, or
sexual abuse in childhood,
00:27:35.00\00:27:37.52
painful experiences
that haven't been dealt with,
00:27:37.55\00:27:42.21
they've been repressed,
certainly not forgiven,
00:27:42.24\00:27:45.01
these things often
result in repressed
00:27:45.04\00:27:48.28
hatred and anger that create
havoc in the lives of people,
00:27:48.31\00:27:54.46
messing them up
so they can't handle
00:27:54.49\00:27:57.87
marriage very
well, they can't handle
00:27:57.90\00:28:00.50
parenting very
well, or maybe they can't
00:28:00.53\00:28:03.05
even handle
employment very well.
00:28:03.08\00:28:04.64
The anxiety and
bitterness even effect their
00:28:07.34\00:28:10.90
physical health,
eventually resulting
00:28:10.93\00:28:14.41
in disease. A famous missionary
00:28:14.44\00:28:19.00
Hannah Moore put it this
way, a Christian will find
00:28:19.03\00:28:26.03
it cheaper to
pardon than to resent,
00:28:26.06\00:28:28.70
forgiveness saves
the expensive of anger,
00:28:28.73\00:28:33.50
the cost of hatred,
the waste of spirits.
00:28:33.53\00:28:36.95
Resentment and bitterness
have a price don't they?
00:28:39.66\00:28:42.37
It costs our emotional
and our physical health.
00:28:43.87\00:28:46.38
Consider the cost
of rejecting someone,
00:28:48.85\00:28:50.75
cutting them out of our lives,
00:28:50.78\00:28:52.46
this one doesn't
sound quiet so bad,
00:28:52.49\00:28:54.74
in fact, this is
the preferred choice
00:28:54.77\00:28:56.99
of our
contemporary western culture.
00:28:57.02\00:28:58.62
Let me explain,
you know when someone
00:28:58.65\00:29:01.18
has hurt us, we
just put some distance
00:29:01.21\00:29:04.81
between us and
largely forget it,
00:29:04.84\00:29:10.85
we just get some
distance, give me my space
00:29:12.20\00:29:14.74
and stay way, I'll be polite
00:29:16.51\00:29:19.40
when we have to cross
paths, but don't expect more,
00:29:19.43\00:29:22.50
that's really a
form of rejection,
00:29:24.13\00:29:27.45
you're trying to cut
him out as far as possible.
00:29:27.48\00:29:29.34
You know, but you may
think you can forget it,
00:29:29.37\00:29:32.20
but the effect
often stays with us
00:29:32.23\00:29:33.89
in ways we don't
realize. For example,
00:29:33.92\00:29:37.56
if you cut
somebody out of your life,
00:29:42.68\00:29:47.35
you are robbing
yourself and them
00:29:49.56\00:29:51.16
of what could be
a genuine friendship
00:29:51.19\00:29:53.82
and we fail to
work for something
00:29:56.94\00:29:58.62
that would make us bigger
00:29:58.65\00:29:59.62
bigger and deeper and
more mature persons. Meet the
00:29:59.98\00:30:04.34
challenge, overcome it,
overcome evil with good.
00:30:04.37\00:30:07.41
Consider the spiritual
cost of rejecting somebody to
00:30:07.44\00:30:13.88
fail to forgive stunts
Christian growth. Amen.
00:30:13.91\00:30:18.69
And it puts us at odds
with what God would have us to
00:30:18.72\00:30:22.43
do. So, the cost of not
forgiving robs us of peace
00:30:22.46\00:30:30.04
with God. According to the
scriptures, we must learn to
00:30:30.07\00:30:35.75
forgive, it's not optional.
And, Matthew 6:14 and 15,
00:30:35.78\00:30:40.35
Jesus said, for if he forgive
men their trespasses, your
00:30:40.38\00:30:45.24
heavenly Father will
also forgive you, but if he
00:30:45.27\00:30:47.86
forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will
00:30:47.89\00:30:50.20
your Father forgive
your trespasses. See, one who
00:30:50.23\00:30:53.54
cannot forgive others,
breaks the bridge over which he
00:30:53.57\00:30:57.91
himself must pass if he
would reach heaven, for everyone
00:30:57.94\00:31:02.38
has need to be forgiven.
So, there is a great lesson
00:31:02.41\00:31:06.16
here. The great
lesson of forgiveness must be
00:31:06.19\00:31:09.67
perfectly learned by all
of us. Amen. In fact, it's a
00:31:09.70\00:31:14.30
great wrong to allow our
hearts to become hard and
00:31:14.33\00:31:17.62
unforgiving to one we
think has wronged us. You know,
00:31:17.65\00:31:22.15
one of my favorite
books, it's a book called Christ
00:31:22.18\00:31:27.07
Object Lessons about the
Parables that Jesus told.
00:31:27.10\00:31:30.38
On page 251, it puts that
really sharpening focus, it
00:31:30.41\00:31:34.92
says this. "Nothing can
justify an unforgiving spirit.
00:31:34.95\00:31:39.46
He who is unmerciful
toward others shows that he
00:31:39.49\00:31:43.98
himself is not a partaker
of God's pardoning grace.
00:31:44.01\00:31:46.59
You see the grace of
God moves into my heart that
00:31:46.62\00:31:51.92
it may be passed on to others.
We are not forgiven because
00:31:51.95\00:31:59.04
we forgive, but we are
forgiven as we forgive. As
00:31:59.07\00:32:04.88
As the heart opens and
receives God's unmerited
00:32:04.91\00:32:08.17
love. If we have received
God's unmerited love our
00:32:08.20\00:32:13.31
attitude toward others
will show whether we have made
00:32:13.34\00:32:17.46
that love our own. So,
to be faithful to Christ,
00:32:17.49\00:32:22.99
we must forgive others.
Amen. Fortunately, God himself
00:32:28.82\00:32:29.79
gives the ability to do
this, it doesn't come natural
00:32:29.80\00:32:33.15
folks, it has to come
from God. If you are struggling
00:32:33.18\00:32:36.93
with resentment toward
someone in your family or
00:32:36.96\00:32:40.40
someone in the church
family or someone at work or for
00:32:46.24\00:32:47.21
those of who are in
schools, someone at school,
00:32:47.22\00:32:48.19
Jesus can set you free.
Amen. In fact, this is so
00:32:48.20\00:32:54.27
important I thought
about making the title of the
00:32:54.30\00:32:56.95
sermon, the freedom of
forgiveness, because when
00:32:56.98\00:33:01.43
we forgive, we find freedom.
Amen. That we didn't know,
00:33:01.46\00:33:05.27
we were missing
before, so what exactly is
00:33:05.30\00:33:09.20
forgiveness? Well, I went
to my concordance in the Greek
00:33:09.23\00:33:14.57
and I found out that
the Greek word meanings for
00:33:14.60\00:33:18.62
forgiveness show that it
means and you would expect
00:33:18.65\00:33:21.80
this, it means to pardon,
it means to free fully, it
00:33:21.83\00:33:26.99
means to let go or let
it die. Amen. What I was
00:33:27.02\00:33:32.22
interested in noting is,
it does not mean to overlook,
00:33:32.25\00:33:35.63
but rather to lay aside,
to put away or to yield up.
00:33:35.66\00:33:42.28
You see it's not
pretending that something didn't
00:33:42.31\00:33:46.10
happen, but it's facing
it's square, putting it aside.
00:33:46.13\00:33:50.69
Now, the best way to
understand forgiveness,
00:33:50.72\00:33:55.07
of course is to look at
the greatest example of it on
00:33:55.10\00:34:00.05
Calvary. Can any of us
fully grasp the love that led
00:34:00.08\00:34:04.59
Jesus to suffer, to give
us forgiveness of sin with his
00:34:04.62\00:34:09.35
own shed blood, can we really
grasp that. Ephesians 4:32
00:34:09.38\00:34:15.81
says that, we should
be kind to one another,
00:34:15.84\00:34:18.67
tenderhearted, and it
says forgiving one another even
00:34:18.70\00:34:22.72
as God for Christ sake has
forgiven you. Now, when you
00:34:22.75\00:34:27.78
through on the Cross.
Do you think it's easy to
00:34:33.56\00:34:37.92
forgive others as he
has forgiven you, providing
00:34:37.95\00:34:43.98
our forgiveness really
hurt Christ. It's beyond our
00:34:44.01\00:34:49.67
comprehension. Does forgiving
others ever cause us to
00:34:49.70\00:34:57.31
suffer? Is this why it's
so hard to forgive? You know,
00:34:57.34\00:35:06.02
even for followers of
Christ, it is most difficult to
00:35:06.05\00:35:11.11
forgive as Christ forgave
us. A friend of mine, he is a
00:35:11.14\00:35:18.02
man who was an elder in
his church. Number of years
00:35:18.05\00:35:22.97
ago, he learned that his
wife had committed adultery.
00:35:23.00\00:35:25.64
She was repentant and asked
his forgiveness, he said he
00:35:25.67\00:35:35.22
forgave her. His work
took him away from home, most
00:35:35.25\00:35:42.40
of the days of every
week, for several days in a row
00:35:42.43\00:35:46.15
every week. And, she
tried for several years to get
00:35:46.18\00:35:51.39
him to make a job change
so he could be home with her
00:35:51.42\00:35:54.30
and with the children, and
he wouldn't do it. Later, when
00:35:54.33\00:36:01.45
divorce proceedings were
underway and she was trying
00:36:01.48\00:36:07.43
to figure out why? Because
nothing new would happen.
00:36:07.46\00:36:11.16
She hadn't fallen again
and when she was pleading with
00:36:11.19\00:36:17.53
him not to get the divorce.
In a way he admitted that
00:36:17.56\00:36:21.83
he had stayed away from
home all those years working to
00:36:21.86\00:36:27.80
punish her for her adultery.
And, he acknowledged that
00:36:27.83\00:36:35.40
he didn't believe he had
done it consciously, but that he
00:36:35.43\00:36:42.68
realized now looking back
that that was the truth, he
00:36:42.71\00:36:48.25
really didn't forgive
her after all. In fact, his,
00:36:48.28\00:36:53.45
the official reason for
divorce was adultery. Why
00:36:53.48\00:36:59.95
is it so difficult to forgive?
We have already seen that
00:36:59.98\00:37:05.58
natural feelings, they
just tend toward resentment,
00:37:05.61\00:37:09.25
retaliation, revenge and
things like that, but there
00:37:09.28\00:37:13.37
is another reason why
forgiving is hard that we
00:37:13.40\00:37:16.86
often don't see and it's
that we can easily accept
00:37:16.89\00:37:20.68
substitutes or counterfeits
of forgiveness in place of
00:37:20.71\00:37:26.56
the real thing. Give
you an example, one of these
00:37:26.59\00:37:32.80
counterfeits, we could call
it memory fatigue. You know,
00:37:32.83\00:37:37.59
we get tired of holding a
grudge and as time passes,
00:37:37.62\00:37:41.07
we don't feel quite so
mad anymore, in fact we almost
00:37:41.10\00:37:43.24
can't remember why we
were. And, in fact, you know,
00:37:43.27\00:37:47.94
that's what happened with
this guy that put me in the
00:37:47.97\00:37:49.79
mud. We are in class together
and sometimes things happen
00:37:49.82\00:37:54.94
and we'd forget about it
and time just helped it fade
00:37:54.97\00:37:58.25
away. Of course another thing
that really helped a lot was,
00:37:58.28\00:38:01.63
I had another friend
that kind of decided to be my
00:38:01.66\00:38:05.35
protector and, my enemy
backed off. Treated me a
00:38:05.38\00:38:12.00
little better. They say
that time heals and that you can
00:38:12.03\00:38:17.37
forget anger and so it
does to some extent, but that's
00:38:17.40\00:38:21.65
not forgiveness
because true forgiveness and
00:38:21.68\00:38:24.75
reconciliation didn't
happen between me and that guy.
00:38:24.78\00:38:28.15
We got along better,
but we never did become good
00:38:28.18\00:38:34.49
friends. Does that
describe how you get along with
00:38:34.52\00:38:41.32
someone. It's more of a
tolerance of them, maybe
00:38:41.35\00:38:48.71
even at times is
somewhat pleasant tolerance, but
00:38:48.74\00:38:55.29
things were never made
right. Not fully, to substitute,
00:38:55.32\00:39:02.25
are you willing to pay
the price to get and to give
00:39:02.28\00:39:07.80
true forgiveness. I'll
give you another counterfeit,
00:39:07.83\00:39:13.12
sometimes forgiveness
doesn't really happen because we
00:39:13.15\00:39:17.82
confuse it with some kind
of denial that allows us to
00:39:17.85\00:39:21.99
pretend that all is
well again. Listen closely,
00:39:22.02\00:39:27.57
because this is really,
really common. Instead of
00:39:27.60\00:39:31.25
talking things through,
instead of recognizing true
00:39:31.28\00:39:35.85
repents in the other
person or them recognize it in
00:39:35.88\00:39:38.10
you, for what has happened.
Instead of restoring the
00:39:38.13\00:39:42.70
relationship, denial
just says forget it, we don't
00:39:42.73\00:39:46.96
need to talk, it was
nothing. Now, if it really was a
00:39:46.99\00:39:52.61
little thing that might
be okay, but when a person
00:39:52.64\00:39:58.05
responds to your request
for forgiveness by saying Oh!
00:39:58.08\00:40:02.04
That is nothing, don't
worry about it, and then they
00:40:02.07\00:40:04.42
still keep their distance
from you. Real forgiveness
00:40:04.45\00:40:08.55
did not happen. Not fully,
but they think it did, they
00:40:08.58\00:40:15.05
think it's over. When
people forgive effortlessly they
00:40:15.08\00:40:23.26
are just fooling themselves.
So, what's the goal of
00:40:23.29\00:40:30.26
forgiveness. Does it
cost something? Does it cost
00:40:30.29\00:40:36.85
something regarding our pride?
If we try to forget a wrong
00:40:36.88\00:40:42.96
done to us without properly
dealing with it, it really
00:40:42.99\00:40:45.74
won't go away, we
maybe professional, we maybe
00:40:45.77\00:40:50.20
courteous, but it wasn't
taken care of. Forgiveness
00:40:50.23\00:40:56.46
and forgetting are not
the same thing. Forgives
00:40:56.49\00:41:02.93
requires us to deal with
the facts of what was done to
00:41:02.96\00:41:07.87
process things, there
are things to be understood,
00:41:07.90\00:41:11.56
lessons to be learned, proper
forgetting is the result of
00:41:11.59\00:41:19.67
complete forgiveness.
Forgetting never causes
00:41:19.70\00:41:24.88
forgiveness. Sometimes,
I'm gonna give you another
00:41:24.91\00:41:32.76
counterfeit, it's a
little bit different than that
00:41:32.79\00:41:34.23
one, but it's close.
Sometimes people really try
00:41:34.26\00:41:36.74
to forgive, but they
really just went through the
00:41:36.77\00:41:39.10
motions. Because they
underestimate what true
00:41:39.13\00:41:44.26
forgiveness is. Superficial
forgiveness doesn't work,
00:41:44.29\00:41:49.88
it's a poor substitute.
I want you to take the case
00:41:49.91\00:41:53.85
of Marty. Marty was a
grown women in her 40s with a
00:41:53.88\00:41:58.59
family and she could
not break her dependence on
00:41:58.62\00:42:03.17
her mother. Her mom had
totally dominated her life
00:42:03.20\00:42:07.24
as a child and youth,
she hardly had any friends
00:42:07.27\00:42:10.98
growing up and as a
married woman she was still
00:42:11.01\00:42:15.51
controlled by this need
for her mother's approval. And,
00:42:15.54\00:42:23.15
yet at the same time she
felt hostility and resentment
00:42:23.18\00:42:25.98
towards her mother. In
Marty's life, she struggled
00:42:26.01\00:42:33.84
desperately with strong
feelings of insecurity and
00:42:33.87\00:42:40.06
fearfulness, lack of
confidence. Her husband
00:42:45.49\00:42:46.46
and her children were
very frustrated with her. Marty
00:42:46.47\00:42:49.62
felt messed up enough
that she decided to try
00:42:49.65\00:42:53.52
counseling, fortunately
for her she got a good
00:42:53.55\00:42:56.92
counselor and in the
counseling process she
00:42:56.95\00:43:00.84
began to become aware
of how her mother's control
00:43:00.87\00:43:05.15
of her life had actually
damaged her. And sometimes
00:43:05.18\00:43:11.36
in counseling she expressed
anger when she recalled
00:43:11.39\00:43:14.06
specific things that
her mother had done. But one
00:43:14.09\00:43:20.01
day, she turned to the
counselor and she asked,
00:43:20.04\00:43:22.59
where is all this talk
going? Where are we going with
00:43:22.62\00:43:27.45
this? He said, you
really wanna know. Yes, she
00:43:27.48\00:43:33.99
snapped. You really wanna
know, he said Marty, if all
00:43:34.02\00:43:41.76
goes well, you will come
to the point, where you can
00:43:41.79\00:43:44.69
forgive your mother for
the harm she has done you.
00:43:44.72\00:43:47.63
Forgive her, she cried,
I will never forgive her,
00:43:47.66\00:43:52.34
never. The amazing
thing about this particular
00:43:52.37\00:43:56.74
session is that only a
few minutes later, Marty said,
00:43:56.77\00:44:01.26
you know, now that I
think about it, I have forgiven
00:44:01.29\00:44:05.07
her hundreds of times, every
time she did something that
00:44:05.10\00:44:10.33
hurt me I'd forgive her.
I guess it didn't work so
00:44:10.36\00:44:15.67
well did it, it didn't
work did it. You see what passes
00:44:15.70\00:44:21.79
for forgiveness among
us much of the time really
00:44:21.82\00:44:24.27
isn't forgiveness at
all. At best, it is a social
00:44:24.30\00:44:29.79
convention just designed
as smooth ruffled feathers.
00:44:29.82\00:44:34.18
At worse, it's something
that gets buried deep inside of
00:44:34.21\00:44:40.71
us and it hurts. You see
true forgiveness must process
00:44:40.74\00:44:46.62
our emotions or it just
ends up being excusing. Going
00:44:46.65\00:44:53.62
through the emotions of
forgiving is superficial it
00:44:53.65\00:44:56.12
doesn't work. Folks,
forgiveness is far more
00:44:56.15\00:45:00.72
rare than one assumes
at first thought. In the
00:45:00.75\00:45:07.48
devotional book that I
may know him, the author
00:45:07.51\00:45:09.93
reminds us that it's
very difficult to forgive as
00:45:09.96\00:45:12.95
Christ forgives. You see
something more thorough is
00:45:12.98\00:45:16.59
supposed to take place.
Christ did not say, you may
00:45:16.62\00:45:20.97
tolerate your neighbor,
but he said, thou shall love
00:45:21.00\00:45:26.44
thy neighbor as
thyself. Amen. So, are you just
00:45:26.47\00:45:30.43
tolerating somebody. When
I prepared for this sermon,
00:45:30.46\00:45:34.66
I had to come to conclusion
that I do that with some
00:45:34.69\00:45:37.47
people and that God is
not pleased with it. So, what
00:45:37.50\00:45:42.78
is the goal of forgiveness,
you know in Matthew 5:23
00:45:42.81\00:45:45.99
and 24 it says. Therefore,
if thou bring your gift to the
00:45:46.02\00:45:49.50
altar, and there remember
that thy brother hath aught
00:45:49.53\00:45:52.04
against you, leave there
thy gift there before the altar,
00:45:52.07\00:45:54.64
and go thy way. First be
reconciled to thy brother,
00:45:54.67\00:45:58.68
and then come and offer
thy gift. In that classic on
00:45:58.71\00:46:03.97
the life of Christ, the
Desire of Ages, page 11,
00:46:04.00\00:46:06.21
we are told that this verse
means that worship services
00:46:06.24\00:46:08.78
are not accepted by
God when we are avoiding
00:46:08.81\00:46:12.80
reconciliation with those
with whom we have conflicts
00:46:12.83\00:46:16.70
and hurt feelings. In
fact our prayers are not
00:46:16.73\00:46:20.92
acceptable to God while
we leave this duty undone.
00:46:20.95\00:46:23.01
Now, often we had trouble
going to the one we should
00:46:23.04\00:46:29.18
go to and instead we talk
to others about our difficulty
00:46:29.21\00:46:34.52
with that person. We might
be tolerating the one we feel
00:46:34.55\00:46:40.56
has wronged us, but we are
certainly not loving them as
00:46:40.59\00:46:44.04
ourselves, as Jesus
commanded. The counsel of
00:46:44.07\00:46:48.16
Matthew 2:23 and
24, the counsel is to be
00:46:48.19\00:46:50.83
reconciled, so I went
back to the Greek to find out
00:46:51.56\00:46:53.81
what reconciliation actually
means and I found the Greek
00:46:53.84\00:46:57.49
word diallasso, which means
to change thoroughly. Amen.
00:46:57.52\00:47:02.57
That's what it means,
reconciliation is a change
00:47:02.60\00:47:04.54
thoroughly. True
reconciliation is a level
00:47:04.57\00:47:09.86
of forgiveness that leaves
no more reservation or reserve
00:47:09.89\00:47:16.32
about the other. None at
all. As a matter of fact, I
00:47:16.35\00:47:24.85
think it's true reconciliation
that will teach us how to
00:47:24.88\00:47:27.68
get ready for heaven.
Whether there is no reserve, you
00:47:27.71\00:47:31.56
won't be in heaven just
tolerating people, so we
00:47:31.59\00:47:35.56
got to quit accepting
that here. Amen. It's no longer
00:47:35.59\00:47:40.09
keeping a distance,
it's a thorough change.
00:47:40.12\00:47:45.82
In Matthew 18, our scripture
reading, verse 15 said,
00:47:45.85\00:47:53.37
moreover if thy brother
shall trespass against thee, go
00:47:53.40\00:47:57.62
and tell him his fault
between thee and him alone,
00:47:57.65\00:48:01.26
if he shall hear thee,
thou hast gained thy brother. So
00:48:01.29\00:48:07.28
what is the goal of
forgiveness. The goal of
00:48:07.31\00:48:11.91
forgiveness is restoration of
a true Christian relationship,
00:48:11.94\00:48:15.72
to gain the brother, is
there a risk in going to someone
00:48:15.75\00:48:22.19
who feels some alienation
towards you, is there a
00:48:22.22\00:48:25.48
risk? Obviously this
must be done prayerfully, in a
00:48:25.51\00:48:32.52
loving, non-judgmental
way, without acquisition or
00:48:32.55\00:48:37.84
someone across or coming
across as self-righteous or
00:48:37.87\00:48:40.99
superior. Is that easy to
do when you have differences,
00:48:41.02\00:48:45.07
is it easy to do? No.
Might it cost you. Yes.
00:48:45.10\00:48:51.66
In fact, Luke 17:3 says,
if your brother sins rebuke
00:48:51.69\00:48:57.12
him or some translation
say confront him. Can you do
00:48:57.15\00:49:02.29
that and still win him over.
You know, sometimes this is
00:49:02.32\00:49:11.83
so hard that it might be
worth it sometimes to write
00:49:11.86\00:49:16.49
out your thoughts because
you wanna make sure that your
00:49:16.52\00:49:18.69
rebuke is a loving
rebuke. And, I received one this
00:49:18.72\00:49:23.27
week, a written letter and
I'm happy about it, because
00:49:23.30\00:49:28.13
it's a whole lot better
then going to talking to
00:49:28.16\00:49:29.96
somebody else. And,
I'm working it out with the
00:49:29.99\00:49:33.00
person, we're not done
yet folks, but I am confident
00:49:33.03\00:49:35.45
about it, and she's
smiling real big, right now. You
00:49:35.48\00:49:41.22
see even with your best
effort, even with your best
00:49:41.25\00:49:42.36
effort there maybe
retaliation, talking to
00:49:42.39\00:49:49.10
others about you and making
you the one who is stirring
00:49:49.13\00:49:51.78
up trouble. Can you see
why forgiveness can be so
00:49:51.81\00:49:56.21
difficult and costly.
Now, I'm not gonna spend hardly
00:49:56.24\00:50:03.04
anytime on this, but a lot
of times people won't respond
00:50:06.77\00:50:07.74
right, a lot of times
they won't. Does that mean you
00:50:07.75\00:50:11.94
can't experience forgiveness.
Well, it does mean that the
00:50:11.97\00:50:18.19
goal of forgiveness
reconciliation, has been
00:50:18.22\00:50:20.36
thwarted, but you can
still have that first stage of
00:50:20.39\00:50:26.17
forgiveness, where you
have let go and you are free and
00:50:26.20\00:50:28.87
you have peace with God
and peace in your mind. You
00:50:28.90\00:50:32.03
can't control whether
people are gonna accept your
00:50:32.06\00:50:34.81
apology or accept your
correction. But the Bible
00:50:34.84\00:50:40.62
is go forward.
Amen. And, how often does
00:50:40.65\00:50:45.92
Matthew 18:21 or 22 say, we
should forgive. Yeah, what's
00:50:45.95\00:50:51.35
the, what's the, point
here with 70 times 7. You know,
00:50:51.38\00:50:54.97
the Rabbi said, we
should forgive three times and
00:50:55.00\00:50:58.93
Peter said seven.
He thought was pretty
00:50:58.96\00:51:02.37
good because seven
is a perfect number and
00:51:02.40\00:51:04.22
obviously that must be
the maximum of human patience
00:51:04.25\00:51:06.50
and Jesus shocked him
when he said 70 times 7 because
00:51:06.53\00:51:12.41
to Peter 70 times 7 was
like no limits at all and that
00:51:12.44\00:51:19.46
was exactly Jesus point.
Do you get the impression
00:51:19.49\00:51:24.79
that Jesus is very
serious about our duty here,
00:51:24.82\00:51:30.55
after all, if we're
gonna live in heaven. We got to
00:51:30.58\00:51:36.92
learn how to live at
peace with all men. Now, if you
00:51:36.95\00:51:41.66
feel like I do, you are
realizing that this is an
00:51:41.69\00:51:44.02
area where you need
some growth because I know
00:51:44.05\00:51:46.79
I need it, you might even
be thinking about someone that
00:51:46.82\00:51:49.30
you just really, you
resent them, you might even hate
00:51:49.33\00:51:52.73
them and you're
wondering how is it possible to
00:51:52.76\00:51:55.06
forgive that person.
You know, it could be a
00:51:55.09\00:52:00.17
parent that wronged
you deeply, it could be a
00:52:00.20\00:52:04.00
sibling or someone at
work, perhaps Ray's story will
00:52:04.03\00:52:08.72
help. Ray felt such
hatred toward his father in his
00:52:08.75\00:52:12.37
teenage years, it was so
strong, he wanted to kill
00:52:12.40\00:52:14.73
his father and when he
was 18, he asked his father
00:52:14.76\00:52:17.76
to go for a walk with
him, he had it all planned out,
00:52:17.79\00:52:20.70
where and how to kill
his father. But he wanted to
00:52:20.73\00:52:27.29
know one thing
first, so without his father
00:52:27.32\00:52:30.60
suspecting anything, Ray
just came right out and asked
00:52:30.63\00:52:34.52
for the very first time ever,
why he had been so brutally
00:52:34.55\00:52:39.17
abusive toward him.
Tears welled up in his
00:52:39.20\00:52:44.78
father's eyes, Ray was
shocked. He didn't know
00:52:44.81\00:52:50.41
that his father had any
trace of softness. Ray said, dad
00:52:50.44\00:52:56.01
told me how his father,
my grandfather, had done
00:52:56.04\00:53:00.00
the very same things to
him when he was a boy, only he
00:53:00.03\00:53:03.50
beat him with a horse whip
and he even whipped grandma
00:53:03.53\00:53:06.98
once when she tried to
stop him from hurting my dad.
00:53:07.01\00:53:09.78
Ray and his dad walked
in silence, then his father
00:53:09.81\00:53:16.99
stopped and he turned and
he said to the Ray, you know,
00:53:17.02\00:53:20.97
there were times when I
just wanted to kill my father.
00:53:21.00\00:53:26.00
After that conversation
the murderous rage in Ray's
00:53:26.03\00:53:34.38
heart subsided. Oh!
There were still many
00:53:34.41\00:53:38.32
things that didn't make sense
and he still had anger, but
00:53:38.35\00:53:43.45
he has something else now
that he didn't have before.
00:53:43.48\00:53:45.59
He now felt sorrow for what
his father had gone through.
00:53:45.62\00:53:50.38
He now recognized that
the one who had wronged him
00:53:50.41\00:53:54.89
was a fellow human being,
with real feelings and real
00:53:54.92\00:53:59.68
needs, a being of worth
and of value. And, when we look
00:53:59.71\00:54:07.20
for and recognize the
humanness, the worth and
00:54:07.23\00:54:11.74
the value of a person that's
the beginning of letting go
00:54:11.77\00:54:16.51
and the beginning
of forgiveness. Amen.
00:54:16.54\00:54:20.85
In fact, a new discovery
of love can begin as well,
00:54:20.88\00:54:26.30
when we can actually
love our enemy and not merely
00:54:26.33\00:54:33.00
tolerate them. As love grows,
forgiveness can grow deeper
00:54:33.03\00:54:37.79
and this is what we
should ask for, when we pray
00:54:37.82\00:54:44.24
we say, God, help me see
this person, who has wronged me,
00:54:44.27\00:54:49.17
how he really is, see him
as a human, see their value
00:54:49.20\00:54:52.71
and then ask Jesus to put
love in our hearts for that
00:54:52.74\00:54:55.02
person and finally we can
have that forgiveness that
00:54:55.05\00:55:01.19
surrenders my right to
hurt you for hurting me.
00:55:01.22\00:55:04.82
Then, then we can
move forward into full
00:55:04.85\00:55:10.56
reconciliation. Will
Norton came down with terminal
00:55:10.59\00:55:20.36
cancer at only 25 years
of age and he took a trip to
00:55:20.39\00:55:25.02
spend sometime with a college
buddy that he hadn't seen
00:55:25.05\00:55:27.63
for a few years and his
friend asked them what do
00:55:27.66\00:55:32.78
you do when you realize
that you are about to die.
00:55:32.81\00:55:34.70
Will Norton said, it's really
quite simple, you get right
00:55:34.73\00:55:39.92
with God, you spend as
much time as you can with those
00:55:39.95\00:55:43.29
you love and you will
settle up with everybody else.
00:55:43.32\00:55:46.82
And, then Will said something
that is really the point
00:55:46.85\00:55:52.08
here, he says you know,
you really ought to live
00:55:52.11\00:55:55.33
everyday like you have
only a few more days to live.
00:55:55.36\00:55:59.37
You know, Jesus paid a
heavy price on Calvary, so that
00:55:59.40\00:56:08.39
we could be forgiven,
you know I've wondered why
00:56:08.42\00:56:10.50
God couldn't have forgiven
us in a less costly way,
00:56:10.53\00:56:14.96
you know, no cross,
no suffering, in fact if
00:56:14.99\00:56:20.04
erasing our sin was all
that was needed, I think he
00:56:20.07\00:56:23.46
could have done it that
way, but the fact that Jesus
00:56:23.49\00:56:27.48
went through the
suffering on Calvary proves that
00:56:27.51\00:56:30.51
forgiveness in not
merely a way to erase ours sins.
00:56:30.54\00:56:33.14
But that forgiveness is
meant to reconcile to God, to
00:56:33.17\00:56:39.76
change us thoroughly.
Roman 5:10 says, that when
00:56:39.79\00:56:43.16
we were enemies we
were reconcile to God by the
00:56:43.19\00:56:45.29
death of his son. So,
forgiveness that Jesus
00:56:45.32\00:56:49.60
provides is not
complete until there is
00:56:49.63\00:56:52.43
reconciliation, till
there is a thorough change.
00:56:52.46\00:56:55.24
To be reconciled to God we
must see the damage sin has
00:56:55.27\00:57:00.70
caused and Jesus let us
see it, when he demonstrated
00:57:00.73\00:57:03.80
what it does on
Calvary. He counted the cost of
00:57:03.83\00:57:07.89
forgiveness and Jesus
went for a full reconciliation
00:57:07.92\00:57:12.63
with us, he wants no barriers
between you and him and he
00:57:12.66\00:57:16.20
asked us to be reconciled
with all others. You know,
00:57:16.23\00:57:20.21
who you need to go to,
who has God put in your
00:57:20.24\00:57:24.53
mind this morning.
00:57:24.56\00:57:25.53