Our peace is in jeopardy if we allow the world to influence our thoughts and behaviors. We cannot let circumstances “get under our skin” or control us. In this message with Jentezen Franklin we learn that Forgiveness is our doorway to peace … even when it doesn’t add up!
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forgiveness is not about keeping score
it’s about losing count that’s the only
way you can look at this what was Jesus
really saying he was saying you cannot
start keeping score if you’re gonna be a
forgiving person it’s not about keeping
scores about losing count I want to go
to a powerful perhaps the most powerful
parable Jesus ever taught and there was
a question that led into this parable
and I want to read the question in
Matthew 18 in verse 21 then Peter came
to him and said Lord how often chefs
someone’s sinned against me and I have
to forgive him up to seven times and he
said to him I do not say to you up to
seven times but up to seventy times
seven which is amazing statement I I
want you to notice that Simon Peter was
trying to define forgiveness with a
mathematical as a mathematical equation
what is the number probably I have a
sneaky suspicion because when you read
about Simon Peter he was a character and
probably he had one person in mind and
he had already forgiven him six times I
think that’s why he I think that’s why
he said seven because I think he was
ready to write somebody off and be done
with them and you know trying to put a
mathematical formula on forgiveness I
want to talk to you about the
mathematics of forgiveness for a few
moments today one area that we are all
I’ve seen astoundingly astonishingly
amazing at when it comes to mathematics
is we’ve learned how to keep count when
people hurt us
you may not be good at math but when
people hurt you you can keep up with
that stuff in an amazing way like 14
years ago at 3 o’clock in the afternoon
time place day I remember it and then
you did it again and again and again 4
years later and we can remember and do
that math real real easy the people who
hurt you the most in life or the people
you love the most you’ve trusted the
most and you’ve helped the most and the
one of the issues and the questions that
all of us struggle with when it comes to
forgiveness and it’s what Peter was
trying to get to is what are the
boundaries of forgiveness are there
boundaries to forgiving somebody is it
someplace where you just finally get to
say get out of my life
deleted you’re gone goodbye is is that
biblical to do that and Jesus absolutely
blew their minds when he said no not
seven times but seven times seventy
which I’m not good at math but that’s
490 times the same thing in one day from
the one from the same person
Jesus is not suggesting the number he’s
given us a new math formula he was
saying you can never stop forgiving
others regardless of how deeply and how
often they’ve hurt us Peter thought that
he was processed are proposing a
generous standard seven times but
instead Jesus ups it exponentially and
says no not seven times seven times
seventy here’s the point point number
one on forgiveness and don’t forget it
forgiveness is not about keeping score
it’s about losing count that’s the only
way you can look at this what was Jesus
really saying he was saying you cannot
start keeping score if you’re gonna be a
forgiving person it’s not about keeping
score
about losing count Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet changed the accounting world
and they do it in columns you you have a
topic or a client or a person and then
you have the date on one side and you
have the name and then you have that you
have the the column and you have the
amount that they owe you and I think
sometimes what we do is we have an Excel
spreadsheet on people in our minds
that’s ongoing so much so that I brought
one in with me today and these are just
examples so back in 2003
mom dad didn’t go to my ball games so
they got themselves to column then we
got a column for our friends you know it
goes way back maybe two high school days
or something stole your girlfriend you
ought to thank them that they stole your
girlfriend have you seen her look on
Facebook she looks crazy you are blessed
to get the girl you with but but you
know they didn’t invite me to the Super
Bowl yeah come on now I noticed on
Facebook y’all had a party but we didn’t
get invited so you just got yourself a
column and and I’m gonna keep score I’m
keeping score on our relationship and
old coworkers and you lied about me took
credit for my project didn’t give me the
credit and since sharise is here I’m
gonna throw her under the bus treated me
ugly notice that’s going on there for
years treating me ugly turned me down
that means she had a headache and that
would be numerous in there another one
and another one and another
and another one you got to get your in a
column you’re in a column but but
there’s other columns and that’s the
bottom line is I every time somebody
does something wrong I put them in a
column and I start adding and adding and
adding and adding and adding you come to
church and you’re offended and you’re
angry and you’re mad and you try to
worship and you try to get something out
of it but you can’t because you’ve got
columns on people the thing about Excel
spreadsheets is if you keep putting the
wrong formula in you will never end up
with the right equation it keeps kicking
it back saying you’ve got to go back and
fix something in this column because
it’s messing up the whole equation and
the reason people’s equation of their
life gets messed up it’s because they
don’t deal with those columns and it’s
gonna come back in the equation of your
life emotionally spiritually physically
it’s taken a toll on you it’s taken a
toll on you on you financially it’s
taking a toll on you relationally
because there’s people that you’ve got
columns on and you keeping score and you
know what they did and you won’t let it
go and it’s not just affecting them it’s
eating you alive forgiveness is not
keeping score it’s losing count
that’s what Jesus was teaching and you
got to do the right math because there’s
different formulas of math you’ve got to
use the right tool now watch now Jesus
gives us the right math in Matthew
chapter 6 on forgiveness folks please
lean in now and listen Jesus words
Matthew 6 if you forgive those who
sinned against you your heavenly Father
will forgive him but listen if you
refuse others your father will not
forgive your sins he’s saying this is a
different kind of math and here’s the
math
pattern and formula do the math the
right kind of math means think about
every time the father has forgiven you
on a daily basis and then take that
formula and apply it to the that person
think of every time he has forgiven you
and it wasn’t that you didn’t do it you
did it and he forgave you take that
formula and use it with somebody else
the second thing about forgiveness is
this sometimes the best in us can only
be brought out by the worst done to us
we don’t like it but the truth is that
the best of you will never be released
sometimes until the worst has been done
to you and usually it’ll be done by
people who you have loved trusted and
helped the most and God never intends
for that to destroy you if he allows it
and it’s not God doing it is people but
but if you will allow it the best will
come out of you out of the worst people
do to you
there’s something about unforgiveness
that people say well when something
happens and you and a bad thing happens
and you get and you feel unforgiveness
just leave it alone you ever heard
people say that that you know time heals
all things what that’s not true
unforgiveness doesn’t get better if you
leave it alone now listen to me
unforgiveness is not gonna get better if
you just back off and leave it alone it
does not get better it festers and you
either fester unforgiveness or you
foster healing but you have to do one or
the other and and if it’s unforgiveness
and your festering it it’s gonna get
worse and bitter and ugly and angry so
Paul in Ephesians 4 gives the beautiful
beautiful formula of how to release
forgiveness watch this Ephesians chapter
4 he says put away all
[Music]
wrath anger the first thing you got to
do is drain all the all the damaging
emotions of unforgiveness and listen if
you’re sitting there saying well I feel
like I’ve forgiven that person if when
you see that person better their face
comes up or you’re thinking about them
and this is the reaction that comes out
of you bitterness wrath anger clamor
evil speaking let it be put away from
you with all malice let it be put away
from you with all malice I want to read
it from another translation it said
bitterness rage anger harsh words all
types of mean behavior Wow then notice
the next part of that verse be kind to
one another tender-hearted forgiving one
another here it is there’s the math
formula even as God in Christ or for
Christ’s sake has forgiven you in other
words do the right math forgiveness is
not about keeping score it’s about
losing count and the only way to
effectively release forgiveness is it’s
not usually some quick instant thing the
only way you can release it because it’s
deep inside of you is you have to start
praying and asking God to give you and
release through you forgiveness to that
person who has done something that is
wrong and it was as wrong as it could be
and the only way to release it and we
want it quick we want it quick it’s kind
of like ketchup how many of you love
ketchup and you know the modern
generation your generation has the quick
squeeze plastic bottle all you got to do
is take just flip the top up and squirt
and there it is I love ketchup I love it
on everything don’t you and I asked our
team I said I want you to go get me the
old-fashioned glass bottle of ketchup
and I want to have a plastic bottle
representing quick fix but I want one of
those
glass bottles and somebody on staff
brings this for my illustration and how
many of you know they got to come on
them now and they already got count
already counting against some things
against them already but this is a glass
bottle this is how originally came and
this is interesting if you go to
heinens.com
they will describe to you for example
this is another example Heinz 57 I
didn’t know this they said only 11% of
their consumers know what I’m about to
share with you so this was worth coming
to church if you’re one of those people
who when you get that bottle of ketchup
the number one is so hard to get the top
off and and the reason according to the
to the website is because the contents
on the inside are under tremendous
pressure and so the first step to
getting it out and letting it flow is to
open it up and good luck with that
because it’s like a workout to get it
open it’s you need you you have to use
the name of Jesus and plead the blood
and especially when you’re hungry and if
you like me I start beating on the table
I take my mouth and turn it or I take a
I start jabbing it with a knife when I
do get it open and if I don’t only read
the website because the website said
that for example in the Heinz 57 that
they place the sticker strategically
with the number exactly where it is a
lot of research went into this that if
you want it to come out you don’t have
to and and all you got to do is just
start knocking on the 57 and when you do
he didn’t come real quick it’s not
squeezable just just plop
might take a minute this is how
forgiveness is we got to get you opened
up and Jesus said ask and you shall
receive and keep on asking sink and you
shall find and keep on seeking knock and
it shall be open but if it doesn’t have
keep on knockin know the right spot
that’s prayer God I’m trying to forgive
this person and not kill them and follow
their in the name of Jesus I’m knocking
and it may take a minute it may take a
minute it may take a minute you gotta
wait is slow it’s not squirting out real
fast it’s slow come on
but you keep praying about it well well
how many times do I have to pray for you
keep on knocking keep on knocking keep
on knocking keep on until the contents
on the inside of forgiveness begins to
be released little by little by little
by little God begins to heal and restore
our relationships if you have your Bible
open it to Matthew chapter 18 and listen
to this so Jesus just confronted Peter
and said 490 times and I’m closing with
this but but Leaney and this is the most
important part of the message if you had
heard nothing else hear this therefore
verse 23 the kingdom of heaven is like a
king who wanted to settle accounts with
his servants he had a spreadsheet this
King did and when he had begun to settle
the account one was brought to him who
owed him ten thousand talents of gold
but I love the next verse but he was not
able to pay that is a direct reference
to our sin debt and the king is Jesus
and the master commanded that he be sold
with his wife and his children to make
the payment and and the scripture said
the servant therefore fell down before
him saying master have patience with me
he’s repenting I’ll pay you back please
Lord please Lord and the master of the
servant wasn’t this is Jesus move with
compassion everybody say the cross
released him and forgave him his debt
everybody say oh say it again
oh he released him and that’s what
that’s all to be your reaction oh my god
ten million pieces of gold and he
released him oh the watch watch now
but that servant went right out of that
church service and found one fellow
servant who owed him a hundred didn’t a
few pieces of silver listen didn’t even
talk to him
laid his hands on him and took him by
the throat and started choking him
saying pay me what this is how the King
sees you when you don’t forgive people
so the fellow servant fell down at his
feet begged him same words have patience
with me I’ll pay you for it all he would
not went and threw him into prison that
he would pay the debt and so there was
some fellow servants who saw what was
done they were grieved and they told the
King all that had been done then the
King after he had called him sent again
and said you wicked servant i forgave
you all the debt because you begged me
should you not also have compassion on
your brother just as I pitied you this
is so powerful verse 34 and his King was
angry and delivered him to the torturers
or the tormentors until he would pay all
that was due him and then it ends with
verse 35
so my heavenly Father
also will do to you if each of you from
his heart does not forgive his brother
his trespasses look at me I’ve heard all
my life there’s one unforgivable sin
blaspheming the Holy Spirit you’ve
committed the unpardonable sin
that’s not true there are two not one
that scripture just proves it
the first unforgivable sin is to
blaspheme the Holy Spirit
the second is according to Jesus words
it is unforgivable to be unforgivable if
you don’t release forgiveness you will
not receive forgiveness and there’s a
lot of religious people who play Church
there’s a lot of people listening to me
right now
and you can play the part and I’m
talking to me I’m talking to all of us I
am NOT going to go to hell for nobody
I don’t care what they did again
forgiveness doesn’t mean that you have
to be in my life but I am NOT gonna get
bitter and angry and have a swamp of
emotional hatred toward people and
bitterness
you got to drain that swamp be kind be
loving forgive and and it may take a
minute it may take a while
pray not not not until the contents of
forgiveness and love begin to pour out
of your mouth and heart and emotions and
attitude again because if you don’t
Jesus said your king will not forgive
your debts this is serious stuff this is
life or death this is eternal stuff is
stuff that we cover up and act like it’s
not there in our families and the truth
is only Jesus and an encounter with
Jesus can change our hearts and it
starts in a service like this when you
begin to hit in the right spot quit
playing games and hit in the right spot
and saying Lord I need to tear up the
spreadsheet I need to quit keeping count
and keeping score and I need to lose
count I need to understand that what
they’ve done to me is just supposed to
bring out the best in me and I need to
remember that unforgiveness will bring a
harvest of unforgiveness from the King
back to me now I love that scripture
that said live peaceably with all men
nitta-san it has little calls where is
possible where in as possible which
means it is some people that they’re
never gonna be at peace with you they’re
never gonna be there it is if it is
possible I’m thankful for that cause as
much as depends on you he didn’t say you
get the option to forgive them live
peaceably with them but if they don’t
want to be at peace with you there’s
some people that they’re not gonna be at
peace with you but all you’ve got to do
is forgive them and be alright I’ll put
it like this I’m
with the fact you’re not at peace with
me and there are some cases where if it
is possible it’s applicable such as in a
molestation or and I don’t have time to
go into everything but you know what I’m
saying
but I don’t have the option to forgive
well I don’t want him to get by with it
I don’t want to get by with it vengeance
is mine saith the Lord I will repay and
I’ll turn around and when you release
them I’ll pour out blessings like I did
you remember when a lot went when
Abraham let lot have all the good stuff
and I mean the inheritance he took all
the good land and he got all the bad
stuff but because he was a peacemaker
because he had the right heart lot ended
up losing everything including his
family and Abraham became the Blessed
Most Blessed man in in the world at that
time only God can do that God says
vengeance is mine I’ll repay you keep
the right spirit and I’ll take care of
everything else stand to your feet every
head bowed every eye closed the first
thing that we’re gonna do is pray for
people who do not know that your
relationship with Jesus Christ is right
you have a debt you cannot pay you
cannot pay it only the King can forgive
it and he did on the cross that’s why I
said it’s finished and if you ask him
into your heart today
he’ll forgive your debt with every head
bowed and every eye closed
pastor pray for me I know that I’m not
right with God and I want to get right
with God and I don’t want to go into
eternity and be cast to the tormentors I
want forgiveness that came through the
cross in the blood that Jesus shed pray
for me that you boldly raise your hand
right now if you know I’m speaking to
you you know it there’s a hand there’s a
hand another another at every campus
across across their churches every hand
raised it high and keep it up just a
moment keep it high
Heavenly Father I come in the name of
Jesus Christ the one who said to pray
forgive us our debts as we forgive those
who have debted against us I pray right
now in the name of Jesus Christ that
forgiveness would be released to every
person who says Jesus and everybody in
this room say Jesus I call on your name
save me wash me pay the price that I
cannot pay through your precious blood I
receive forgiveness of all my sins now
secondly I in Jesus name
release forgiveness Jesus was asked and
I close with this Jesus was asked what
is the greatest commandment
he said love the Lord your God with all
of your heart mind soul and strength and
love your brother your family your
neighbors the people you can see and if
you do it you fulfill all the law