So where does the power to forgive come from? The bible reveals a couple of sources. The primary one is the experience of having received God’s mercy; the forgiveness of our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus.
In Matthew 18 Jesus told a story that shows how an acute awareness of the extent of God’s mercy expressed to us positions us to be able to forgive ALL the wrong done to us. In this story there is a King who had a servant that owed him a debt that the servant could never repay. He pleaded with the king to have mercy and give him a chance to repay. The king showed his servant even more mercy than he sought by completely releasing him from his debt. As soon as this servant left the king’s presence he sought out one of his peers who owed him a debt, which while not insignificant, was nothing compared to the debt he was just released from. Instead of showing any mercy to his friend, he had him thrown in prison until the debt was repaid. How do you think the king reacted when he found out how the one he forgave treated his fellow servant? You bet he was angry! If you want an example of truly righteous indignation, this is it! How dare his servant act so mercilessly after being granted such extravagant mercy! So what did the king do? He withdrew his offer of forgiveness from the servant and had him punished harshly.
What prompted Jesus to tell this story? Matthew tells us that Peter came to Jesus asking how many times he must forgive his brother. Peter’s question could more accurately be interpreted as his wanting to know when he was no longer obligated to forgive. Jesus response to Peter indicates that there is to be no limit to Peter’s willingness to show mercy and forgive. I believe Jesus proceeded to tell the story of the unmerciful servant because he anticipated a question that was brewing in Peter’s mind; the “why” question. The question that all of us ask when instructed to do something we don’t want to do. “Why do I have to forgive?” The “why” question addresses the motivation behind the action and Jesus gave great emphasis in his teaching to the importance of righteous action being righteously motivated. So Jesus was happy to explain to Peter the motivation of the merciful; an acute awareness of, and appreciation for the mercy God has extended to them. The king in Jesus’ story is enraged, not just because the servant was unmerciful. He was indignant because the servant’s lack of mercy showed a total lack of awareness of, and appreciation for, the mercy the king showed him. If the servant really appreciated what was done for him he would have gladly forgiven his fellow servant. Especially since the debt he had been forgiven was so much greater then the debt he was asked to forgive. Here is a point we cannot afford to miss. The servant, whom the king desired to grant mercy, in the end did not receive mercy. Not because the king’s character changed from merciful to unmerciful, but because the servant showed utter contempt for the mercy offered to him. He proved himself unworthy of it. Let me put it another way: The servant did not EXPERIENCE mercy from the king ultimately because he did not TRULY RECEIVE the mercy the king offered him initially! His actions made a mockery of the king’s mercy. His unwillingness to forgive was in essence a rejection of the forgiveness offered him. If he had received the offer of forgiveness with the appreciation commensurate to the gift, he would have been quick to forgive.
What is Jesus trying to tell us? The mercy we are required to extend to others doesn’t compare with the mercy God has extended to us. Therefore, if we live with a constant awareness of, and appreciation for, the incomparable mercy shown to us through Jesus’ sacrificial death we will be empowered to forgive those who have sinned against us. Those who are bitter and hurting tend to hurt others. The hurting hurt, but conversely, the forgiven forgive!
Where does the power to forgive come from? It comes from the experience of being forgiven from all our sins through Jesus Christ. It is an experience of God pouring his mercy into our hearts so that we can pour mercy out to others. You can’t give what you don’t have, but if you have it you can give it!
My next post will address another principle that frees us from the bitterness trap.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Bitterness Trap
Have you ever been caught in the bitterness trap? Are you presently trapped by resentment and an inability to forgive those who have hurt you? I have good news! You can avoid the trap and you can be freed if presently ensnared.
The bitterness I am referring to is that persistent feeling of resentment or animosity towards those who you perceive have hurt you. It is the painful emotions that result from the failure to forgive. On a few occasions the NT speaks of the ‘snare (trap) of devil’. Bitterness is a trap; a device of the Devil designed to destroy God’s people.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 2 Paul, writing about the need to forgive an offender, warns his readers that by not forgiving they fall victim to the schemes of Satan whereby he is able to gain an advantage over them.
Why is bitterness such a dangerous trap? First of all, bitterness is poison to your mind, emotions, body, and spirit. There are multitudes of people who cannot function as they need to because they are mentally harassed by persistent thoughts about the wrong done to them by others. They are distracted at work and at home. They lose sleep at night because they can’t turn off these harassing thoughts. They are prisoners to the people they can’t forgive. It is bad enough to not be able to focus on tasks at hand, but what’s worse is the emotional pain that accompanies those thoughts. Feelings of anger, depression, jealousy, and rejection are debilitating and can very often lead to physical illness. Of more serious consequence to the Christian are the spiritual affects of bitterness. When we don’t forgive we grieve the Holy Spirit and our fellowship with God is hindered. The bottom line; bitterness is the poison YOU DRINK while waiting for your enemy to die! The second reason the Devil loves to trap people in bitterness is because it makes it easier for him to provoke people to do evil. God desires us to be empowered to forgive so we can fulfill the command of scripture to not be overcome by evil, paying back evil with evil. Instead we are to overcome evil with good. (Rom. 12:17,21) A couple of years ago at a NBA game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers a fight broke out between players. As one of the Indiana players was lying down on the scorers’ table while the referees were trying to restore order a Detroit fan threw a paper cup with beer at him. The act so provoked the Indiana player that he ran into the stands and began to physically attack the person…he assumed threw the cup at him. As it turned out he attacked the wrong guy! Ironically, while he was getting his revenge against an innocent person, the guy who actually did throw the cup was able to sneak in some cheap shots at him. It would have been very funny if it wasn’t so pathetically sad. How foolish we are made to look when we allow ourselves to be provoked by evil.
The third devastating effect of bitterness is what it does to our relationships. When a person is hurt or offended by another it creates a wall between them. This wall can only be torn down when forgiveness is offered and received. It is impossible to maintain the kind of healthy long-term relationships that are essential for sustaining families, churches, businesses, and communities when individuals are incapable of practicing forgiveness. It has been said that the two certainties in life are death and taxes. Let me add at least one more – the experience of mistreatment or injustice. In case you haven’t figured it out, somebody is going to hurt you! It is a reality in almost every relationship. Forgiveness and reconciliation continually necessary!
Here is the GREAT NEWS! The bible reveals to us that we can, and how we can, be empowered to forgive. My next two posts will address how we can escape the bitterness trap.
The bitterness I am referring to is that persistent feeling of resentment or animosity towards those who you perceive have hurt you. It is the painful emotions that result from the failure to forgive. On a few occasions the NT speaks of the ‘snare (trap) of devil’. Bitterness is a trap; a device of the Devil designed to destroy God’s people.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 2 Paul, writing about the need to forgive an offender, warns his readers that by not forgiving they fall victim to the schemes of Satan whereby he is able to gain an advantage over them.
Why is bitterness such a dangerous trap? First of all, bitterness is poison to your mind, emotions, body, and spirit. There are multitudes of people who cannot function as they need to because they are mentally harassed by persistent thoughts about the wrong done to them by others. They are distracted at work and at home. They lose sleep at night because they can’t turn off these harassing thoughts. They are prisoners to the people they can’t forgive. It is bad enough to not be able to focus on tasks at hand, but what’s worse is the emotional pain that accompanies those thoughts. Feelings of anger, depression, jealousy, and rejection are debilitating and can very often lead to physical illness. Of more serious consequence to the Christian are the spiritual affects of bitterness. When we don’t forgive we grieve the Holy Spirit and our fellowship with God is hindered. The bottom line; bitterness is the poison YOU DRINK while waiting for your enemy to die! The second reason the Devil loves to trap people in bitterness is because it makes it easier for him to provoke people to do evil. God desires us to be empowered to forgive so we can fulfill the command of scripture to not be overcome by evil, paying back evil with evil. Instead we are to overcome evil with good. (Rom. 12:17,21) A couple of years ago at a NBA game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers a fight broke out between players. As one of the Indiana players was lying down on the scorers’ table while the referees were trying to restore order a Detroit fan threw a paper cup with beer at him. The act so provoked the Indiana player that he ran into the stands and began to physically attack the person…he assumed threw the cup at him. As it turned out he attacked the wrong guy! Ironically, while he was getting his revenge against an innocent person, the guy who actually did throw the cup was able to sneak in some cheap shots at him. It would have been very funny if it wasn’t so pathetically sad. How foolish we are made to look when we allow ourselves to be provoked by evil.
The third devastating effect of bitterness is what it does to our relationships. When a person is hurt or offended by another it creates a wall between them. This wall can only be torn down when forgiveness is offered and received. It is impossible to maintain the kind of healthy long-term relationships that are essential for sustaining families, churches, businesses, and communities when individuals are incapable of practicing forgiveness. It has been said that the two certainties in life are death and taxes. Let me add at least one more – the experience of mistreatment or injustice. In case you haven’t figured it out, somebody is going to hurt you! It is a reality in almost every relationship. Forgiveness and reconciliation continually necessary!
Here is the GREAT NEWS! The bible reveals to us that we can, and how we can, be empowered to forgive. My next two posts will address how we can escape the bitterness trap.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
When God Calls Your Name
Zach was a wealthy man with a serious character issue as well. Much of his wealth was obtained by dishonest means. He lived as a rich man but also a man in rebellion against God; that is until the day Zach heard God call his name. We’ll get back to Zach in a moment.
One of the most illuminating phrases used in the NT to describe a Christian is “the called” (Romans 1:6, 1 Corinthians 1:24). Jesus described his mission to save sinners as having “come to call them to repentance” (Luke 5:32). A Christian is one who has become a child of God “by calling” (1 Corinthians 1:2). He has been “called” out of darkness into God’s marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) and simultaneously “called” according to God’s purpose. In The Call Os Guinness writes, “Calling is the truth that God calls us to Himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to His summons and service.”
The story of our friend Zach serves as a wonderful illustration of God’s calling. Zaacheus ( Zach for short) lived in the city of Jericho during Jesus’ day. Jericho was situated along a major trade route in the most fertile part of Judea. As a result it was a prosperous city. It is not surprising to read that Zach was rich. After all, he was a chief tax-collector in a wealthy city where there would naturally be considerable tax income. However, the tax-collectors of Jesus time were known for abusing the system and cheating people by collecting more than they owed. Zach was rich, but he was a bit richer than he ought to have been. On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Jericho and as usual a crowd had gathered around Him. Zach, who was a rather short fellow, wanted to see Jesus but he couldn’t due to the crowd. Apparently, what Zach had heard about Jesus made him so curious he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up into a tree to get a look. As Jesus passed by He looked up and said, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” We don’t know the details of the conversation that ensued between Jesus and Zach but what does become clear is that Jesus’ visit to Zach’s house left him a changed man. He repaid (even more than was required by law) those he cheated and began giving to the poor.
The lessons from this story are vital and relevant for us today. First of all, notice that sin doesn’t always feel bad. Zach’s cheating had only served to make him wealthier. Today, pragmatism rules people’s lives. If it works (benefits me!) it must be okay. Our prisons are packed, but what would it be like if all the criminals on the streets and in their offices were caught and imprisoned! It is very possible to get away with sin for a while but in the end the “wages of sin is death”.
The second truth we learn is that Jesus knows us by name. Zach didn’t know Jesus, but Jesus knew Zach. Jesus knows everything about you. He knows your hopes and fears, your thoughts and emotions, what you did yesterday and what you are doing today. He knows your sin. If that is disturbing keep reading!
Jesus loves you despite your sin. Jesus loved Zach. The only recorded incident from Jesus’ stay in Jericho is His encounter with Zach. Could it be that Jesus cared about Zach enough to come to Jericho just for him? Jesus came and died to redeem the whole human race from their fallen sinful nature, but He did it for each individual. He did it for you. If you have not yet heard Him, He is calling you by name through this article! And what is He calling you for? He is calling you so he can come to your house. A person’s home is often used as a metaphor for the person himself. Jesus wasn’t primarily concerned with gaining entrance to Zach’s house, but Zach’s life, his heart.
The final truth from this story is that when Jesus calls us and comes to our house, there is always evidence of His stay. In other words, Jesus comes to our house to do some housecleaning. Confession without conversion and profession without practice seems to be at an all-time high. Remember, Jesus said He came to call sinners to repentance. Zach serves as a great example of Christian conversion. He believed in Jesus, he received Jesus, and he became a follower of Jesus!
One of the most illuminating phrases used in the NT to describe a Christian is “the called” (Romans 1:6, 1 Corinthians 1:24). Jesus described his mission to save sinners as having “come to call them to repentance” (Luke 5:32). A Christian is one who has become a child of God “by calling” (1 Corinthians 1:2). He has been “called” out of darkness into God’s marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) and simultaneously “called” according to God’s purpose. In The Call Os Guinness writes, “Calling is the truth that God calls us to Himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to His summons and service.”
The story of our friend Zach serves as a wonderful illustration of God’s calling. Zaacheus ( Zach for short) lived in the city of Jericho during Jesus’ day. Jericho was situated along a major trade route in the most fertile part of Judea. As a result it was a prosperous city. It is not surprising to read that Zach was rich. After all, he was a chief tax-collector in a wealthy city where there would naturally be considerable tax income. However, the tax-collectors of Jesus time were known for abusing the system and cheating people by collecting more than they owed. Zach was rich, but he was a bit richer than he ought to have been. On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Jericho and as usual a crowd had gathered around Him. Zach, who was a rather short fellow, wanted to see Jesus but he couldn’t due to the crowd. Apparently, what Zach had heard about Jesus made him so curious he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up into a tree to get a look. As Jesus passed by He looked up and said, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” We don’t know the details of the conversation that ensued between Jesus and Zach but what does become clear is that Jesus’ visit to Zach’s house left him a changed man. He repaid (even more than was required by law) those he cheated and began giving to the poor.
The lessons from this story are vital and relevant for us today. First of all, notice that sin doesn’t always feel bad. Zach’s cheating had only served to make him wealthier. Today, pragmatism rules people’s lives. If it works (benefits me!) it must be okay. Our prisons are packed, but what would it be like if all the criminals on the streets and in their offices were caught and imprisoned! It is very possible to get away with sin for a while but in the end the “wages of sin is death”.
The second truth we learn is that Jesus knows us by name. Zach didn’t know Jesus, but Jesus knew Zach. Jesus knows everything about you. He knows your hopes and fears, your thoughts and emotions, what you did yesterday and what you are doing today. He knows your sin. If that is disturbing keep reading!
Jesus loves you despite your sin. Jesus loved Zach. The only recorded incident from Jesus’ stay in Jericho is His encounter with Zach. Could it be that Jesus cared about Zach enough to come to Jericho just for him? Jesus came and died to redeem the whole human race from their fallen sinful nature, but He did it for each individual. He did it for you. If you have not yet heard Him, He is calling you by name through this article! And what is He calling you for? He is calling you so he can come to your house. A person’s home is often used as a metaphor for the person himself. Jesus wasn’t primarily concerned with gaining entrance to Zach’s house, but Zach’s life, his heart.
The final truth from this story is that when Jesus calls us and comes to our house, there is always evidence of His stay. In other words, Jesus comes to our house to do some housecleaning. Confession without conversion and profession without practice seems to be at an all-time high. Remember, Jesus said He came to call sinners to repentance. Zach serves as a great example of Christian conversion. He believed in Jesus, he received Jesus, and he became a follower of Jesus!
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