Forgiviness is not an option

Today was forgiviness Sunday at New Peter's Rock. The message came from Matthew 18:21-22. One of the key disciplines missing in the church today it forgiviness. We got singing down pat. Praying, no problem, speaking in tongues, like a China man, but when it comes to forgiviness, as believers we miss the mark.

Peter asked Jesus how many times should he forgive a brother that keeps on doing him wrong. Peter thought seven time would be enough since the preacher of that day said you only had to forgive three times. But jesus shocked Peter when He told him, do it 490 times (70 x 7). Jesus did not mean that Peter was to walk around with a forgiviness counter, counting until he got to 490 becasue the bible says loves keeps no record of wrong. Jesus meant that by the time you forgive someone 490 times you are in the habit of forgivining.

The problem is most of us do not have a proper understand of what forgiviness is. Can I help you with that? Forgiviness does not mean you are letting the offender off the hook. We fail in the forgiviness department because we believe, "if I forgive you, you have gotten away with something." Forgiviness means you are putting him/her in hands bigger and better than you.

When you forgive someone you are simply releasing them into God's hand. The same hands that shaped the world, the same hands that scooped out the dry land. Forgiviness is a ONE WAY street. Another reason many of us won't forgive is becasue the offender did not apologize for the wrong. Forgiviness has nothing to do with weather the offender ever apologize. The truth of the matter is even if they did, you probably wouldn't believe them.

Unforgiviness keeps you tied to the offenders. He/she goes to bed with you, to work with you. You are hand cuffed to the offender, maybe that is why so many of us can only raise one hand in church, the other one is holding on to hatred.

Again, many of us won't forgive because we have not seen it modeled for us. We teach our children how to curse, drink, smoke, hate, lie, gossip, but when was the last time you modeled forgiviness for your children? Let me hurry on. Forgivines has nothing to do with how you feel. God commands us to forgive not base on how we feel, but in spite of how we feel. If feeling was a prerequisite for forgiviness, none of us would be saved.

Can I go to Calvary for a minute. Jesus was spit on, slapped, laughted at, whipped, did I say whipped, nailed to a cross, the crowd laughted at him, even the thief was trying to steal His joy. But in spite of How much pain My God suffered, in spite of how humilited He was I can hear Him say, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

We have lots of options in this world, what car to buy, how to move in, what to wear, where to worship at, but there is one option that you and I do not have as children of God, We do not have the option of to forgive or not to forgive.

Sombody said, "Forgiviness is the bridge we all must cross to get back to God." Are you building bridges or fences.