2024-HCC-Transcripts / Sunday April 14th Service_transcript.txt
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[0.00 --> 10.94] Ken, I really appreciate you praying for the local churches
[10.94 --> 13.00] and for our brothers and sisters abroad.
[13.38 --> 15.76] You provide a very helpful segue for me
[15.76 --> 18.36] because I'm going to invite a couple,
[18.52 --> 19.74] actually a family up to this stage.
[20.16 --> 22.10] In our church, we have a number of people
[22.10 --> 23.28] that I call the translators,
[23.42 --> 25.18] and they always say we're not the translators.
[25.18 --> 27.58] We study linguistics to do Bible translation abroad.
[28.14 --> 31.04] But today is the last Sunday with Ben and Sarah Proctor
[31.04 --> 31.78] and their little son,
[31.94 --> 34.04] and so I've asked them to say a few words about where they're going,
[34.16 --> 35.12] and then we're going to pray for them.
[35.26 --> 36.26] So come on up.
[40.96 --> 44.04] Yeah, so as Dave said, my name is Ben Proctor,
[44.16 --> 46.02] and this is my wife Sarah and our son Anthony.
[46.42 --> 49.72] And we've been studying linguistics at Trinity Western
[49.72 --> 50.74] for the past two years,
[50.74 --> 53.64] and we've been privileged to call Hope our church home
[53.64 --> 54.76] during most of that time.
[54.76 --> 57.62] Our long-term plans,
[57.86 --> 60.22] we're part of Pioneer Bible Translators,
[60.54 --> 62.68] and we are hoping to serve with them
[62.68 --> 64.02] somewhere in Southeast Asia.
[64.76 --> 67.40] Our immediate plans were from the States,
[67.46 --> 68.46] so we're going to return there
[68.46 --> 69.76] and rest for a little while.
[70.72 --> 72.04] But if you could pray for us,
[72.10 --> 75.08] just as we are still in this preparation stage
[75.08 --> 76.28] to go to the field,
[76.38 --> 77.28] we would really appreciate it.
[77.50 --> 77.86] Thank you.
[77.86 --> 80.34] Well, let me pray for you.
[82.32 --> 83.66] Father, we thank you so much
[83.66 --> 86.90] for the season of life that we've had with Benj and Sarah.
[88.08 --> 90.02] We want to pray your blessing over them
[90.02 --> 92.66] as they finish up their studies and their exams.
[93.96 --> 95.74] And Lord, I thank you that they have a time of rest
[95.74 --> 97.14] back home in the States,
[97.64 --> 99.64] and we hold before you now
[99.64 --> 101.24] their plans to go to Southeast Asia.
[101.24 --> 103.82] We thank you for the desire they have
[103.82 --> 105.10] to make your word known
[105.10 --> 107.64] in languages that people can have of their own.
[108.56 --> 110.00] Would you make their ministry fruitful?
[111.20 --> 112.50] Would you bless their family
[112.50 --> 113.80] and protect them in their travels,
[114.16 --> 114.78] in their life,
[114.98 --> 115.72] and in their work?
[116.60 --> 119.10] And Lord, would your kingdom be expanded
[119.10 --> 121.42] through the efforts of their work?
[122.18 --> 124.02] We pray this all in Christ's mighty name.
[124.30 --> 124.54] Amen.
[124.54 --> 124.74] Amen.
[125.62 --> 126.54] Thank you so much.
[129.10 --> 131.12] There's a number of other translators at our church,
[131.34 --> 134.70] and you're welcome to just find them after the service.
[135.28 --> 136.52] Actually, a lot of them were at the 9 a.m.,
[136.52 --> 137.52] but I see another one over here,
[137.58 --> 139.46] and just hear about the work God is doing
[139.46 --> 140.40] and preparing them for.
[140.84 --> 143.60] I really feel like my own heart for Global Mission
[143.60 --> 145.34] and also for the Bible translation.
[145.58 --> 147.86] I did not realize how many languages and dialects
[147.86 --> 149.36] do not yet have a Bible in their language,
[149.56 --> 151.26] and I praise the Lord that in our church
[151.26 --> 152.42] we have people who are studying
[152.42 --> 155.12] and going around the world to make God's Word known.
[157.48 --> 158.98] As Pastor Sid said,
[159.18 --> 161.20] we're going to continue our series on forgiveness,
[162.10 --> 164.06] and if you didn't hear last week's sermon,
[164.22 --> 167.10] I do invite you to find it on the podcast or on YouTube.
[168.02 --> 170.66] Sometimes we mock Pastor Sid for stealing our sermons,
[171.34 --> 173.44] but as I was listening last week,
[173.48 --> 175.54] I thought, man, this guy is such a gifted preacher,
[176.12 --> 177.56] and he practices what he preaches.
[177.68 --> 179.96] I was just noticing how so much of what he's preaching,
[180.10 --> 180.76] he's living,
[180.76 --> 182.58] and I think that's such a gift to us,
[182.60 --> 184.08] so please do listen to that sermon
[184.08 --> 185.76] because I'm going to be building on it this morning,
[185.94 --> 188.66] and we're going to be continuing on it in the next two weeks.
[190.10 --> 191.66] We're going to look at Matthew 18
[191.66 --> 193.78] this week and next week
[193.78 --> 196.68] because Jesus has a lot of teaching about forgiveness,
[196.94 --> 197.76] and so if you have your Bible,
[197.90 --> 199.50] turn with me to Matthew chapter 18,
[200.02 --> 202.34] and we will start reading in verse 21.
[202.34 --> 209.08] Then Peter came to Jesus and asked,
[209.66 --> 215.04] Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me?
[215.56 --> 217.36] Up to seven times?
[218.60 --> 219.42] Jesus answered,
[219.84 --> 221.92] I tell you not seven times,
[222.30 --> 224.44] but seventy-seven times.
[225.80 --> 228.40] Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king
[228.40 --> 230.58] who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
[230.58 --> 232.38] As he began settlement,
[232.62 --> 235.96] a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him.
[236.74 --> 238.04] Since he was not able to pay,
[238.22 --> 240.26] the master ordered that he and his wife and his children
[240.26 --> 242.64] and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
[243.58 --> 245.78] The servant fell on his knees before him.
[245.90 --> 247.42] Be patient with me, he begged,
[247.60 --> 248.96] and I will pay back everything.
[249.98 --> 252.16] The servant's master took pity on him,
[253.04 --> 253.82] canceled the debt,
[254.30 --> 255.08] and let him go.
[255.08 --> 257.86] But when that servant went out,
[257.96 --> 260.22] he found one of his fellow servants who owed him
[260.22 --> 261.86] a hundred silver coins.
[262.56 --> 264.68] He grabbed him and began to choke him,
[264.84 --> 267.02] saying, pay back what you owed me, he demanded.
[267.88 --> 270.38] His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him,
[270.68 --> 272.60] be patient with me, and I will pay you back.
[273.68 --> 274.56] But he refused.
[275.40 --> 277.64] Instead, he went off and had the men thrown into prison
[277.64 --> 278.86] until he could pay the debt.
[278.86 --> 281.76] When the other servants saw what had happened,
[281.86 --> 283.20] they were greatly distressed
[283.20 --> 285.56] and went and told their master everything that had happened.
[286.46 --> 288.18] Then the master called the servant in.
[289.20 --> 291.84] You wicked servant, he said.
[292.40 --> 295.42] I canceled all the debt of yours because you begged me to.
[296.20 --> 298.44] Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant
[298.44 --> 299.92] just as I had on you?
[301.02 --> 303.68] In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers
[303.68 --> 307.26] to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed.
[307.26 --> 311.84] This is how my heavenly father will treat each of us
[311.84 --> 316.24] unless you forgive a brother or sister from your heart.
[318.94 --> 320.20] It's a heavy teaching, hey?
[322.76 --> 325.90] Right now I'm reading through a book by Ronald Ruhlheiser
[325.90 --> 328.42] on spiritual growth, spiritual formation.
[329.08 --> 330.80] He writes quite extensively on the topic.
[330.94 --> 333.00] And in this book, he makes this comment
[333.00 --> 335.06] about spirituality and stages of life
[335.06 --> 336.58] that just kind of caught me off guard.
[336.58 --> 338.34] He says, and this is a generalization,
[339.16 --> 340.64] that in the first half of life,
[340.94 --> 343.64] most of us struggle with the seventh command,
[343.76 --> 345.10] which is do not commit adultery.
[345.92 --> 347.60] In the second half of life,
[348.06 --> 350.02] most of us struggle with the sixth command,
[350.12 --> 351.96] which is you shall not murder.
[353.48 --> 355.20] And that's a huge generalization.
[355.36 --> 356.86] But what he's getting at behind this
[356.86 --> 358.08] is that when we are young,
[358.16 --> 359.94] we have very strong, youthful passions,
[359.94 --> 361.92] which are a gift and also need to be curbed.
[362.32 --> 363.42] And yet as we get older,
[363.42 --> 365.34] those passions subside usually.
[365.98 --> 367.68] And then a whole new set of concerns
[367.68 --> 369.08] comes into our lives.
[369.76 --> 371.24] The burdens of life,
[371.34 --> 374.28] the heaviness and the unfairness of life,
[374.76 --> 377.90] the wounds of people who betray us
[377.90 --> 380.86] and attack us and are unkind to us.
[381.80 --> 382.90] And generally, he says,
[382.96 --> 384.62] there's two trajectories as you get older.
[384.74 --> 386.38] It says you go in the way of bitterness
[386.38 --> 390.16] and resentment and hurt and grudge,
[390.16 --> 392.04] or you learn the path of forgiveness
[392.04 --> 393.48] and you finish life well.
[395.24 --> 397.06] I have a feeling that even as we preach
[397.06 --> 397.84] through this series,
[398.58 --> 401.24] some of the heaviness of your own life,
[401.64 --> 402.76] the broken relationships,
[403.06 --> 404.36] that argument you regret,
[404.74 --> 406.72] those words you wish you could unsay,
[407.28 --> 408.48] they come to the surface,
[409.20 --> 409.94] and they should.
[411.06 --> 413.18] Forgiveness is hard.
[413.98 --> 415.70] We want to underscore in this series
[415.70 --> 417.26] that forgiveness is not some simple thing.
[417.34 --> 418.18] It's a hard thing.
[418.28 --> 419.20] And the deeper the wound,
[419.50 --> 421.34] the deeper the process of forgiveness.
[422.26 --> 424.26] But let me just name that it is easier
[424.26 --> 426.92] to hold grudges than it is to forgive.
[427.82 --> 430.12] It's easier to passively, aggressively
[430.12 --> 433.16] dig at your loved one or friend or co-worker
[433.16 --> 434.08] than it is to forgive.
[434.40 --> 437.10] It is easier to sabotage them on social media
[437.10 --> 438.54] than it is to forgive.
[439.08 --> 441.04] It's easier to retaliate
[441.04 --> 443.86] and seek vengeance than it is to forgive.
[444.40 --> 445.74] And it shouldn't surprise any of us,
[445.80 --> 446.24] by the way,
[446.30 --> 448.48] that there's so much teaching
[448.48 --> 450.26] in the Scripture on forgiveness.
[451.10 --> 452.16] In fact, when we were preaching
[452.16 --> 452.90] through Galatians,
[453.02 --> 454.30] I still remember when Pastor Sid
[454.30 --> 455.66] was preaching on Galatians 5,
[455.98 --> 456.76] where Paul says,
[456.98 --> 458.46] put away all these old parts
[458.46 --> 460.12] of your old life before you knew Jesus
[460.12 --> 461.86] and put on the fruits of the Spirit.
[462.36 --> 463.96] And listen to the list he adds
[463.96 --> 465.82] when he says what we need to put away.
[465.82 --> 469.94] Okay, bitterness, anger, fits of rage,
[470.64 --> 474.60] malice, envy, hate, discord.
[474.84 --> 475.80] You getting a theme here?
[476.38 --> 478.10] All these things divide.
[478.98 --> 480.72] All these things represent broken,
[481.00 --> 482.08] fractured relationships.
[482.30 --> 482.68] And then he says,
[482.76 --> 483.76] put on the fruit of the Spirit
[483.76 --> 485.56] because that's going to lead to healing.
[487.36 --> 490.32] Jesus teaches a lot on forgiveness
[490.32 --> 492.34] because it was just as much of a problem then
[492.34 --> 493.52] as it is today.
[493.52 --> 494.50] And today we're going to look at
[494.50 --> 495.62] what Jesus says to Peter
[495.62 --> 497.34] in Matthew chapter 18.
[497.48 --> 498.22] So let's take a look.
[499.50 --> 502.52] Peter asks a really good question to Jesus.
[502.72 --> 504.78] And I bet you maybe in your own life
[504.78 --> 505.80] you've asked this question.
[506.36 --> 506.82] It's like,
[507.32 --> 509.18] how much do I have to forgive?
[510.44 --> 512.56] How much am I required to give
[512.56 --> 513.50] my brother or sister?
[513.64 --> 514.70] And then Peter adds at the end,
[515.02 --> 517.26] up to seven times?
[518.00 --> 518.84] And you should know
[518.84 --> 520.36] there's good teaching background
[520.36 --> 521.34] for why he says this.
[521.40 --> 522.66] In fact, in Jewish teaching,
[522.66 --> 523.56] rabbinic teaching,
[524.36 --> 525.82] the general teaching was
[525.82 --> 526.82] if someone sins against you
[526.82 --> 528.24] one, two, three times,
[528.30 --> 529.06] you must forgive them.
[529.14 --> 530.86] But four and no more.
[531.38 --> 532.56] There's a limit to grace.
[532.92 --> 534.16] You don't just need to take it.
[535.30 --> 536.60] And so when Peter asks this question,
[536.68 --> 537.76] he's probably thinking,
[537.92 --> 538.82] okay, I'm with Jesus.
[539.04 --> 540.30] He changes a lot of things.
[540.60 --> 542.34] He ups the requirements of obedience.
[542.52 --> 543.80] So maybe if I double three,
[543.98 --> 545.04] add one for good measure,
[545.16 --> 545.90] and ask Jesus,
[546.14 --> 547.14] is seven the one?
[547.30 --> 547.90] He's going to say,
[547.98 --> 548.54] yes, Peter.
[549.22 --> 550.00] Seven's the limit.
[550.00 --> 552.26] And what does Jesus say to him?
[553.50 --> 554.72] Not seven times.
[556.24 --> 557.24] Seventy times.
[558.16 --> 559.14] And some translations,
[559.36 --> 560.32] maybe your Bible has this,
[560.38 --> 562.28] it says seven times,
[562.42 --> 563.94] or seventy times seven.
[564.82 --> 565.96] And if you're a literal reader
[565.96 --> 567.04] of the Bible in this passage,
[567.12 --> 567.28] you're like,
[567.32 --> 568.42] well, what is it, Pastor Dave?
[568.46 --> 570.22] Is it seventy or is it four hundred and ninety?
[570.28 --> 571.06] Because I have a spouse
[571.06 --> 572.50] who's hitting the high three hundreds,
[572.66 --> 573.18] and I'm ready
[573.18 --> 574.78] to pull back the grace.
[574.78 --> 577.08] And I hope you know
[577.08 --> 578.78] Jesus is speaking hyperbole here,
[579.00 --> 581.26] and his answer to Peter is,
[581.82 --> 583.06] I want you to match
[583.06 --> 585.02] my limitless forgiveness.
[585.92 --> 587.64] I want you to receive
[587.64 --> 589.82] this unmerited,
[590.32 --> 591.88] generous, abundant grace,
[592.20 --> 594.32] and I want you to mirror that
[594.32 --> 595.86] to the people who sin against you.
[596.74 --> 599.24] It's an extravagant ethic
[599.24 --> 600.20] of forgiveness
[600.20 --> 601.68] that Jesus is inviting
[601.68 --> 602.72] all believers into.
[602.72 --> 605.60] And now I want us to look
[605.60 --> 606.48] at this parable.
[606.68 --> 607.42] Jesus goes straight
[607.42 --> 608.18] from teaching Peter
[608.18 --> 609.20] into this parable
[609.20 --> 610.62] about this unforgiving servant
[610.62 --> 611.90] or this generous master,
[611.98 --> 613.00] whatever you want to title it.
[613.46 --> 614.52] And in my opinion,
[614.78 --> 615.58] maybe you'll agree with me
[615.58 --> 615.98] at the end,
[616.08 --> 618.62] this is a piercing parable.
[619.14 --> 620.46] The first half is great,
[620.52 --> 621.24] I want to stay there,
[621.30 --> 621.96] but the second half
[621.96 --> 622.70] is just getting right
[622.70 --> 623.34] into our business,
[623.46 --> 624.26] so let's take a look
[624.26 --> 624.90] at this teaching.
[625.76 --> 627.44] It's a parable about a master
[627.44 --> 629.02] who has servants
[629.02 --> 630.08] who have debt.
[630.62 --> 632.12] And he calls in one servant,
[632.12 --> 633.12] and we're told that this servant
[633.12 --> 633.94] has how much debt?
[634.68 --> 637.32] 10,000 bags of gold.
[638.76 --> 640.02] One scholar estimates
[640.02 --> 640.74] that that is around
[640.74 --> 642.30] a trillion dollars of debt.
[642.90 --> 643.96] So this is supposed
[643.96 --> 645.32] to maybe make us smile
[645.32 --> 645.70] a little bit
[645.70 --> 646.10] because this is
[646.10 --> 647.22] an insurmountable debt.
[647.30 --> 648.44] It's a national debt,
[648.50 --> 649.26] not a personal debt.
[649.82 --> 650.66] And so the master
[650.66 --> 651.62] brings the servant in
[651.62 --> 652.22] and says,
[652.30 --> 653.00] you must repay it.
[653.06 --> 653.70] He can't,
[653.74 --> 654.78] and so he and his family
[654.78 --> 655.44] have to be sold
[655.44 --> 656.36] to repay the debt.
[656.56 --> 657.18] And then what does
[657.18 --> 657.74] the servant do?
[659.12 --> 660.00] He begs.
[660.00 --> 661.22] He says,
[661.56 --> 662.12] forgive me,
[662.22 --> 662.96] give me time,
[663.06 --> 663.92] be patient with me,
[663.96 --> 665.04] I'll pay it back.
[666.08 --> 667.00] And to be honest,
[667.06 --> 667.96] I don't know how to translate
[667.96 --> 669.00] the intention there
[669.00 --> 670.42] because it could be
[670.42 --> 670.96] that he's just
[670.96 --> 672.08] extremely penitent,
[672.64 --> 673.32] but I also think
[673.32 --> 674.36] he's just extremely ignorant
[674.36 --> 675.46] because it's not like
[675.46 --> 676.16] he's going to be able
[676.16 --> 677.04] to pay this debt back.
[677.12 --> 677.56] It's the equivalent
[677.56 --> 678.46] of like working
[678.46 --> 679.50] as a cashier somewhere
[679.50 --> 680.50] at minimum wage
[680.50 --> 681.18] and you're like,
[681.28 --> 681.86] forgive me,
[681.92 --> 682.48] give me time,
[682.66 --> 683.60] I'm going to pay back
[683.60 --> 685.10] my debt on 20 acres
[685.10 --> 686.04] of land in Vancouver.
[686.94 --> 688.02] It's not going to happen.
[688.54 --> 689.66] You can't do it.
[690.82 --> 691.84] And the master
[691.84 --> 692.74] looks at this servant,
[694.20 --> 695.34] he takes pity on him,
[695.74 --> 697.02] or as some translations
[697.02 --> 697.40] put it,
[697.42 --> 698.66] he has compassion on him
[698.66 --> 699.42] from his heart
[699.42 --> 701.06] and he cancels the debt.
[702.06 --> 703.42] He releases that servant
[703.42 --> 704.06] free and clear.
[704.78 --> 705.88] There's nothing left to do.
[707.54 --> 708.56] And if you've grown up
[708.56 --> 708.98] in the church
[708.98 --> 709.78] or you know the Bible,
[709.98 --> 711.06] you'll know where this parable
[711.06 --> 712.02] is going in the first half.
[712.10 --> 713.34] This is Jesus describing
[713.34 --> 714.84] the insurmountable debt
[714.84 --> 715.86] that we have towards
[715.86 --> 716.66] our Heavenly Father
[716.66 --> 717.90] because of our sin,
[718.54 --> 719.36] because of rebellion,
[719.54 --> 720.46] because of our idolatry,
[720.60 --> 721.48] because of our choosing
[721.48 --> 722.22] to follow everything
[722.22 --> 723.16] except for God
[723.16 --> 723.84] and we have this
[723.84 --> 724.88] unbelievable,
[725.16 --> 725.82] insurmountable,
[725.94 --> 728.02] incalculable debt
[728.02 --> 730.04] and we can't pay it back.
[730.98 --> 731.64] And so the master
[731.64 --> 732.76] that is our Heavenly Father
[732.76 --> 733.70] through the work
[733.70 --> 734.90] of his son Jesus Christ
[734.90 --> 735.54] in his death
[735.54 --> 736.04] and resurrection
[736.04 --> 738.80] says that debt's dealt with.
[739.74 --> 740.50] It's canceled.
[741.46 --> 743.18] You are free to go.
[744.38 --> 746.30] Nothing left to pay.
[747.66 --> 748.84] That's the first half
[748.84 --> 749.90] of this passage.
[750.30 --> 750.94] And like I said,
[751.34 --> 752.62] it's great to hang out
[752.62 --> 753.32] and camp out
[753.32 --> 754.04] in this first half
[754.04 --> 754.44] of the passage.
[754.54 --> 755.42] It's a beautiful thing.
[755.54 --> 756.58] The gospel of grace,
[757.02 --> 757.94] the mercy of God,
[758.10 --> 758.64] unmerited,
[759.08 --> 759.60] unwarranted,
[759.80 --> 760.36] undeserved,
[760.64 --> 761.98] just freely sent
[761.98 --> 762.76] through Jesus
[762.76 --> 763.94] to all those
[763.94 --> 764.62] who receive him.
[765.60 --> 766.22] But now we get
[766.22 --> 766.84] to the second half
[766.84 --> 768.48] and this is the punchline
[768.48 --> 769.46] half of the passage.
[770.04 --> 770.54] The servant
[770.54 --> 771.98] who receives this grace
[771.98 --> 773.14] goes and finds
[773.14 --> 774.06] a fellow servant
[774.06 --> 774.56] and how much
[774.56 --> 775.82] does this servant
[775.82 --> 776.82] owe the other servant?
[778.20 --> 779.88] One hundred silver coins.
[780.94 --> 782.42] You had 10,000 bags of gold,
[782.80 --> 783.88] one hundred silver coins.
[784.22 --> 785.20] And he goes to that servant
[785.20 --> 786.00] and he doesn't just say,
[786.12 --> 786.86] I want my money.
[787.02 --> 788.58] He chokes the servant
[788.58 --> 789.42] and he says,
[789.52 --> 790.72] pay back your debt.
[791.56 --> 792.16] And that servant
[792.16 --> 793.00] says the same thing
[793.00 --> 793.70] the first one did
[793.70 --> 794.18] to the master.
[794.28 --> 794.42] He says,
[794.48 --> 795.38] be patient with me.
[795.44 --> 796.60] I'll pay it back.
[797.60 --> 798.46] But he refuses.
[799.30 --> 800.24] And he throws that servant
[800.24 --> 800.74] in jail
[800.74 --> 801.98] until he can pay the debt.
[802.50 --> 803.58] And then word gets around
[803.58 --> 804.50] among other servants
[804.50 --> 806.00] who bring what happened
[806.00 --> 806.86] back to the master
[806.86 --> 807.74] and now I want to read
[807.74 --> 809.10] for us the punchline
[809.10 --> 810.02] of the whole parable.
[811.94 --> 813.26] We read these words
[813.26 --> 814.26] from the master.
[814.50 --> 816.34] You wicked servant.
[817.34 --> 818.98] I canceled all that debt
[818.98 --> 819.28] of yours
[819.28 --> 820.80] because you begged me to.
[821.52 --> 823.00] Shouldn't you have mercy
[823.00 --> 823.96] on your fellow servant
[823.96 --> 825.38] just as I had on you?
[826.38 --> 827.14] In anger,
[827.24 --> 828.32] his master handed him
[828.32 --> 829.12] over to the jailer
[829.12 --> 829.74] to be tortured
[829.74 --> 831.02] until he should pay back
[831.02 --> 831.88] all that he owed.
[833.06 --> 834.68] This is how my heavenly father
[834.68 --> 835.78] will treat each of you
[835.78 --> 837.22] unless you forgive
[837.22 --> 838.12] your brother or sister
[838.12 --> 839.40] from your heart.
[841.76 --> 842.74] Yeah, I heard someone else
[842.74 --> 843.88] make that same sound.
[845.04 --> 846.76] That is heavy teaching.
[848.32 --> 849.60] And these are the kind of passages
[849.60 --> 851.18] we can just gloss over
[851.18 --> 852.84] or just want to stay
[852.84 --> 853.96] in the first half of.
[854.66 --> 855.50] And I just want to say
[855.50 --> 856.42] unequivocally
[856.42 --> 857.94] that forgiveness
[857.94 --> 859.56] for those who follow Jesus
[859.56 --> 861.76] is not optional.
[862.86 --> 863.60] This is not some
[863.60 --> 864.80] take it or leave it ethic
[864.80 --> 865.66] that you can take
[865.66 --> 866.52] if you want
[866.52 --> 867.80] or leave if you don't like.
[868.10 --> 868.94] I find sometimes
[868.94 --> 869.70] we can water down
[869.70 --> 870.56] the teachings of Jesus.
[870.72 --> 871.62] We can sort of ignore
[871.62 --> 872.44] these hard pieces.
[872.56 --> 873.28] But Jesus says,
[873.74 --> 875.88] forgiveness is a serious command
[875.88 --> 878.36] with serious consequences.
[879.54 --> 880.20] And I'm going to quote
[880.20 --> 880.80] Dale Bruner,
[880.98 --> 882.68] a commentator I very much like
[882.68 --> 883.90] on the Gospel of Matthew.
[883.90 --> 886.24] And this is how he puts it.
[886.48 --> 887.34] And this is in contrast,
[887.50 --> 887.74] by the way,
[887.80 --> 888.56] to the Beatitudes.
[889.56 --> 892.24] Unblessed are the unmerciful.
[893.46 --> 894.82] God is forgiving,
[895.38 --> 898.14] but God is not mocked.
[898.24 --> 899.56] That's quoting Galatians 6.
[900.26 --> 901.20] Where divine forgiveness
[901.20 --> 903.36] does not have human consequences,
[903.58 --> 905.68] it becomes divine judgment.
[905.96 --> 908.20] So serious is the teaching of Jesus.
[908.20 --> 910.74] And I do think
[910.74 --> 911.62] that in the church,
[912.08 --> 913.10] we can be people
[913.10 --> 913.72] who want to hear
[913.72 --> 914.56] all the stuff
[914.56 --> 915.44] of the first half.
[915.76 --> 916.34] Thank you, Lord,
[916.42 --> 916.98] for your forgiveness.
[917.46 --> 918.84] Thank you for the Gospel of Grace.
[919.00 --> 920.18] Thank you for canceling my debt.
[920.36 --> 921.16] And we don't even want
[921.16 --> 922.00] to talk about
[922.00 --> 923.90] what that means for us
[923.90 --> 924.66] in all the broken,
[924.82 --> 925.64] fractured relationships
[925.64 --> 926.32] of our lives.
[926.46 --> 927.22] We aren't willing
[927.22 --> 927.82] to allow that
[927.82 --> 929.30] to translate into mercy
[929.30 --> 930.68] no matter what the wound,
[930.88 --> 931.78] no matter what the hurt,
[932.06 --> 932.94] no matter what the sin
[932.94 --> 934.16] has been against us.
[934.78 --> 935.74] It's all passive
[935.74 --> 937.68] and no requirement.
[938.28 --> 939.58] Or as Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
[939.74 --> 941.10] a writer in the Second World War,
[941.18 --> 941.42] said,
[941.72 --> 942.76] it's cheap grace.
[943.58 --> 944.72] It's all what you receive
[944.72 --> 945.92] and nothing that you mirror
[945.92 --> 947.14] and give to the others
[947.14 --> 947.76] around you.
[949.12 --> 950.62] Forgiveness is a serious command
[950.62 --> 953.16] with serious consequences.
[954.48 --> 955.86] And I want to read for you now
[955.86 --> 957.20] that last part
[957.20 --> 958.52] of the last verse again
[958.52 --> 959.40] because this is what
[959.40 --> 960.14] really got me.
[960.20 --> 960.84] Not only is this
[960.84 --> 962.08] a heavy teaching,
[962.64 --> 963.42] but Jesus says
[963.42 --> 964.26] in the very end,
[964.48 --> 965.16] not just that we have
[965.16 --> 965.54] to forgive,
[965.74 --> 966.08] look at this,
[966.12 --> 966.68] all caps,
[967.16 --> 968.22] unless you forgive
[968.22 --> 969.34] your brother or sister
[969.34 --> 972.18] from the heart.
[974.82 --> 975.98] Now, I'm a parent
[975.98 --> 977.78] and if you have kids,
[977.86 --> 978.80] you're going to relate to this.
[979.38 --> 980.70] I've had conflict
[980.70 --> 981.28] in my household
[981.28 --> 982.12] with my children,
[982.44 --> 983.52] my wife and I as well,
[983.80 --> 984.48] but when our children
[984.48 --> 985.18] have conflict,
[985.50 --> 986.30] we try to be
[986.30 --> 987.02] as good parents,
[987.16 --> 987.30] you know,
[987.34 --> 987.86] we bring them
[987.86 --> 988.92] into conversation,
[989.12 --> 989.94] we bring them together
[989.94 --> 990.90] to hash it out
[990.90 --> 991.76] and to forgive each other
[991.76 --> 992.52] and we'll say
[992.52 --> 993.48] to our one child
[993.48 --> 994.20] to the other child,
[994.30 --> 994.48] okay,
[994.48 --> 995.74] now forgive your sister
[995.74 --> 996.74] and you know
[996.74 --> 997.36] how this goes,
[997.46 --> 997.66] right?
[998.40 --> 999.20] Say you're sorry,
[999.50 --> 1000.10] I'm sorry.
[1001.12 --> 1002.36] Say I forgive you,
[1002.60 --> 1003.46] I forgive you.
[1004.22 --> 1005.00] And Brittany and I,
[1005.10 --> 1006.86] we have this practice
[1006.86 --> 1007.84] of getting them to hug
[1007.84 --> 1008.54] and I'm like,
[1008.60 --> 1008.80] all right,
[1008.86 --> 1010.12] now hug your sibling.
[1010.28 --> 1010.54] They're like,
[1010.54 --> 1013.14] do you have this
[1013.14 --> 1013.64] in your household?
[1014.16 --> 1015.20] It's not just us?
[1016.52 --> 1018.24] And it's the most painful,
[1019.20 --> 1021.22] graceless kind of forgiveness
[1021.22 --> 1023.34] and here's the thing,
[1023.56 --> 1024.06] I mean,
[1024.80 --> 1025.88] we do the same thing
[1025.88 --> 1026.34] as adults,
[1026.40 --> 1027.34] it's just more concealed.
[1029.08 --> 1030.10] We have all sorts
[1030.10 --> 1031.18] of pseudo-forgiveness
[1031.18 --> 1032.32] as adults
[1032.32 --> 1033.98] and we don't talk about that,
[1034.58 --> 1034.78] right?
[1034.82 --> 1035.36] We have the,
[1035.48 --> 1036.38] this happens all the time
[1036.38 --> 1036.78] in our households,
[1036.88 --> 1037.04] I bet,
[1037.10 --> 1038.16] where someone hurts you
[1038.16 --> 1038.92] or a friend hurts you
[1038.92 --> 1039.68] and they come to you
[1039.68 --> 1039.86] like,
[1039.96 --> 1040.06] oh,
[1040.10 --> 1040.60] I'm so sorry
[1040.60 --> 1041.18] and you're just like,
[1041.24 --> 1041.38] oh,
[1041.40 --> 1041.88] it's okay
[1041.88 --> 1043.04] and then you go home
[1043.04 --> 1044.30] and it's not okay
[1044.30 --> 1045.24] and you're,
[1045.24 --> 1045.48] you know,
[1045.62 --> 1046.36] gossiping about them
[1046.36 --> 1046.82] for months,
[1046.92 --> 1047.58] talking to all your friends
[1047.58 --> 1048.40] about how hurt you are,
[1048.56 --> 1049.60] you're willing to stab them
[1049.60 --> 1050.62] in the back on social media
[1050.62 --> 1051.96] but they think it's okay
[1051.96 --> 1053.62] and this is common
[1053.62 --> 1054.68] or you're,
[1054.76 --> 1055.02] you know,
[1055.56 --> 1056.66] you're willing to sort of
[1056.66 --> 1057.88] find secretive,
[1058.08 --> 1058.80] dangerous ways
[1058.80 --> 1059.66] of finding vengeance
[1059.66 --> 1061.84] and we do this thing
[1061.84 --> 1063.14] as one of my pastor friends
[1063.14 --> 1063.42] puts it,
[1063.44 --> 1064.44] we do peace faking
[1064.44 --> 1066.38] rather than peace making
[1066.38 --> 1068.32] and the kind of forgiveness
[1068.32 --> 1069.54] that Jesus invites us to
[1069.54 --> 1070.34] is not just a forgiveness
[1070.34 --> 1071.10] of words,
[1071.46 --> 1073.12] it goes to this deep place
[1073.12 --> 1073.48] of us
[1073.48 --> 1075.48] that it comes from the heart
[1075.48 --> 1076.78] that the forgiveness
[1076.78 --> 1077.74] has to be real,
[1077.82 --> 1078.88] it has to be this heartfelt
[1078.88 --> 1080.60] release of revenge,
[1080.88 --> 1081.90] this heartfelt desire
[1081.90 --> 1082.78] for the good of the one
[1082.78 --> 1083.64] who sinned against you
[1083.64 --> 1084.60] and this ability
[1084.60 --> 1086.14] to truly want their good.
[1089.00 --> 1089.88] In this series,
[1090.02 --> 1090.80] I've been on the hunt
[1090.80 --> 1092.32] for a definition
[1092.32 --> 1092.86] of forgiveness
[1092.86 --> 1093.48] and by the way,
[1093.54 --> 1094.38] if you've got a great one,
[1094.46 --> 1094.86] let me know
[1094.86 --> 1096.12] because there are so many
[1096.12 --> 1097.06] and they often grab
[1097.06 --> 1097.86] different dimensions
[1097.86 --> 1098.52] of forgiveness
[1098.52 --> 1099.18] and reconciliation
[1099.18 --> 1101.12] but here's two
[1101.12 --> 1101.88] that I like.
[1102.22 --> 1103.24] The first is from Tim Keller
[1103.24 --> 1104.00] in a book called
[1104.00 --> 1104.36] Forgive,
[1104.66 --> 1105.58] I commend that book to you,
[1105.64 --> 1106.42] it's very good
[1106.42 --> 1108.52] and he defines forgiveness
[1108.52 --> 1109.04] very simply,
[1109.18 --> 1109.80] he says forgiveness
[1109.80 --> 1112.04] is renouncing revenge
[1112.04 --> 1113.86] and being open
[1113.86 --> 1115.40] to reconciliation.
[1116.52 --> 1117.82] It is renouncing revenge
[1117.82 --> 1118.48] and what I like
[1118.48 --> 1119.46] about that second part
[1119.46 --> 1120.84] is the reason he says
[1120.84 --> 1121.42] be open
[1121.42 --> 1122.64] is because you need to,
[1122.72 --> 1123.52] you need two parties
[1123.52 --> 1124.42] to reconcile,
[1124.72 --> 1124.88] right?
[1124.88 --> 1125.72] You both have to come
[1125.72 --> 1126.20] to the table
[1126.20 --> 1126.78] with humility
[1126.78 --> 1127.38] and love
[1127.38 --> 1128.68] to really reconcile
[1128.68 --> 1129.50] unlike my children
[1129.50 --> 1132.00] but you can forgive anybody
[1132.00 --> 1133.90] even if they never say sorry,
[1134.30 --> 1134.98] even if they never know
[1134.98 --> 1135.74] how much they hurt you,
[1135.86 --> 1136.84] even if they never come back
[1136.84 --> 1138.20] to you after whatever happened,
[1138.34 --> 1139.44] you can forgive them still
[1139.44 --> 1140.24] and this is what Jesus
[1140.24 --> 1141.04] is talking about.
[1142.78 --> 1143.96] Dr. Gary Brashears
[1143.96 --> 1144.74] has written extensively
[1144.74 --> 1145.78] on forgiveness as well
[1145.78 --> 1146.94] and this one I think
[1146.94 --> 1147.94] teases out a few things
[1147.94 --> 1148.84] that I don't see elsewhere.
[1148.98 --> 1149.38] He writes,
[1149.38 --> 1150.94] the heart of forgiveness
[1150.94 --> 1153.12] is my personal act
[1153.12 --> 1154.96] to release the one
[1154.96 --> 1156.46] who sinned against me
[1156.46 --> 1158.00] from my personal right
[1158.00 --> 1159.86] to collect on the moral debt
[1159.86 --> 1160.54] for the offense
[1160.54 --> 1161.72] and this is where
[1161.72 --> 1162.42] I haven't read
[1162.42 --> 1163.02] anywhere else yet.
[1163.10 --> 1164.34] Instead of giving back
[1164.34 --> 1165.72] the pain I received
[1165.72 --> 1166.46] because it's real
[1166.46 --> 1167.44] and it hurts,
[1167.88 --> 1169.30] I absorb the pain
[1169.30 --> 1170.20] into myself
[1170.20 --> 1172.58] with God's help
[1172.58 --> 1175.18] and the reason I like
[1175.18 --> 1175.78] the second half
[1175.78 --> 1176.38] of that definition
[1176.38 --> 1177.28] is because it sounds
[1177.28 --> 1178.82] a lot like Jesus to me,
[1179.24 --> 1179.56] right?
[1179.96 --> 1181.72] Jesus takes on our sin,
[1181.82 --> 1182.72] he takes on our offense,
[1182.84 --> 1183.86] he takes on the ways
[1183.86 --> 1184.80] that we rebel against him
[1184.80 --> 1186.34] and takes it in himself,
[1186.82 --> 1187.58] ultimately bringing it
[1187.58 --> 1188.16] to the cross
[1188.16 --> 1189.46] and dealing with it
[1189.46 --> 1190.64] for us
[1190.64 --> 1193.66] and by his grace
[1193.66 --> 1194.32] we learn
[1194.32 --> 1195.82] how to absorb
[1195.82 --> 1197.58] that sin as well
[1197.58 --> 1198.70] and have it transformed.
[1199.22 --> 1200.82] There's a very popular phrase,
[1200.96 --> 1201.52] maybe you've heard it
[1201.52 --> 1202.32] in the counseling world,
[1202.38 --> 1202.72] it says,
[1203.34 --> 1203.94] sin and hurt
[1203.94 --> 1205.38] that is not transformed
[1205.38 --> 1207.28] is transferred.
[1208.12 --> 1208.72] Have you heard that before?
[1209.18 --> 1210.46] Sin that is not transformed
[1210.46 --> 1211.58] is transferred
[1211.58 --> 1212.20] and I think that's
[1212.20 --> 1213.86] a really wise thing,
[1214.00 --> 1214.24] in fact,
[1214.52 --> 1215.46] non-believing counselors
[1215.46 --> 1216.18] talk about this
[1216.18 --> 1217.38] and what they mean by that
[1217.38 --> 1218.42] is if you don't deal
[1218.42 --> 1218.94] with the ways
[1218.94 --> 1219.92] you've been hurt by people,
[1220.54 --> 1222.38] it's gonna hurt other people
[1222.38 --> 1224.10] or maybe a simpler version
[1224.10 --> 1225.22] of this is hurt people,
[1225.64 --> 1226.06] hurt people
[1226.06 --> 1227.82] and that's why sin
[1227.82 --> 1229.80] is so often generational sin.
[1230.32 --> 1230.62] Let me give you
[1230.62 --> 1231.84] two very common examples,
[1231.94 --> 1233.16] a very grudge-holding,
[1233.26 --> 1234.12] vindictive mother
[1234.12 --> 1235.92] often raises children
[1235.92 --> 1237.38] who grow up to be
[1237.38 --> 1238.24] grudge-keeping,
[1238.38 --> 1239.34] vindictive parents
[1239.34 --> 1240.36] or, you know,
[1240.42 --> 1241.26] the stereotypical
[1241.26 --> 1242.78] angry, hot-headed father
[1242.78 --> 1244.18] raises children
[1244.18 --> 1246.00] who often grow up
[1246.00 --> 1246.58] to be angry,
[1246.78 --> 1247.76] hot-headed parents.
[1248.48 --> 1250.02] That's sin
[1250.02 --> 1251.70] that is transferred
[1251.70 --> 1253.86] and what I'm after
[1253.86 --> 1255.00] in this series,
[1255.10 --> 1255.84] what we are after
[1255.84 --> 1256.96] is how do we forgive
[1256.96 --> 1258.34] people from the heart
[1258.34 --> 1260.34] when the wound is real?
[1260.34 --> 1262.12] Like, how do we allow
[1262.12 --> 1263.38] Jesus by his power
[1263.38 --> 1265.16] to allow us the grace
[1265.16 --> 1266.16] to forgive
[1266.16 --> 1267.68] and to not hold the grudge
[1267.68 --> 1268.68] and to release them
[1268.68 --> 1269.20] from vengeance?
[1269.76 --> 1271.14] This is hard work
[1271.14 --> 1274.14] and that is why
[1274.14 --> 1275.20] when Pastor Sid preached
[1275.20 --> 1275.86] last week
[1275.86 --> 1277.10] and he talked about
[1277.10 --> 1277.60] his relationship
[1277.60 --> 1278.28] with his dad,
[1279.02 --> 1280.10] he said this very quickly
[1280.10 --> 1280.90] and I'm gonna tease this out
[1280.90 --> 1281.86] more slowly this Sunday,
[1282.60 --> 1284.68] that it took prayer,
[1284.68 --> 1287.02] it took community
[1287.02 --> 1287.74] and counseling
[1287.74 --> 1289.90] and it took time
[1289.90 --> 1291.44] to forgive.
[1292.84 --> 1293.50] And I think those things
[1293.50 --> 1294.08] are very important
[1294.08 --> 1294.92] because Matthew 18
[1294.92 --> 1296.04] commands us to forgive
[1296.04 --> 1297.24] so we know that's there
[1297.24 --> 1298.58] but it doesn't assume
[1298.58 --> 1299.10] it's easy
[1299.10 --> 1299.94] and it doesn't assume
[1299.94 --> 1300.60] it's instant.
[1301.16 --> 1302.02] And I think sometimes
[1302.02 --> 1302.96] in the church
[1302.96 --> 1304.26] we can simplify
[1304.26 --> 1305.30] and even trivialize
[1305.30 --> 1306.08] and harm people
[1306.08 --> 1306.86] who are trying to forgive
[1306.86 --> 1307.90] if they've got a deep wound
[1307.90 --> 1309.28] and it is okay
[1309.28 --> 1310.60] if we acknowledge
[1310.60 --> 1311.44] just how hard it is
[1311.44 --> 1311.80] to forgive
[1311.80 --> 1312.82] and we say,
[1312.96 --> 1314.50] I know I have to forgive them
[1314.50 --> 1315.16] and I'm committed
[1315.16 --> 1316.30] to the steps
[1316.30 --> 1317.88] it takes to get there.
[1318.46 --> 1319.10] I'm committed
[1319.10 --> 1320.22] to the process
[1320.22 --> 1321.60] whereby I'm gonna get
[1321.60 --> 1322.14] to that place
[1322.14 --> 1322.86] and it's released.
[1323.88 --> 1324.64] And my heart
[1324.64 --> 1325.32] is in a place
[1325.32 --> 1326.38] of truly wanting
[1326.38 --> 1327.22] the good of that person
[1327.22 --> 1328.10] who sinned against you.
[1330.18 --> 1331.58] And before I tease these out
[1331.58 --> 1332.36] in a little more detail,
[1332.60 --> 1333.20] I just wanna say,
[1333.30 --> 1333.90] are you willing
[1333.90 --> 1334.70] to do that?
[1336.12 --> 1336.82] Are you willing
[1336.82 --> 1337.96] to walk the hard road?
[1339.38 --> 1340.06] Our hope
[1340.06 --> 1340.98] in this sermon series
[1340.98 --> 1342.00] is not just that we gain
[1342.00 --> 1342.62] some information
[1342.62 --> 1343.26] about forgiveness,
[1343.44 --> 1344.06] we get some clear
[1344.06 --> 1345.16] definitions about it,
[1345.36 --> 1346.02] that we gain
[1346.02 --> 1346.96] some teaching on it,
[1347.00 --> 1347.68] although these things
[1347.68 --> 1348.52] are very important.
[1349.68 --> 1350.68] Our prayer as leaders
[1350.68 --> 1352.18] is that the people
[1352.18 --> 1353.38] that come to your mind,
[1354.36 --> 1355.56] the strained relationships,
[1355.82 --> 1357.86] the estranged relationships
[1357.86 --> 1358.60] with family,
[1358.80 --> 1359.30] with friends,
[1359.44 --> 1359.96] with coworkers
[1359.96 --> 1360.52] and neighbors,
[1361.52 --> 1362.22] that God,
[1362.40 --> 1363.06] by His grace,
[1363.24 --> 1363.90] leads us
[1363.90 --> 1365.64] to have that conversation,
[1366.52 --> 1368.16] to reach out,
[1368.92 --> 1370.06] to make some steps
[1370.06 --> 1371.62] steps towards forgiveness
[1371.62 --> 1372.56] and reconciliation.
[1374.40 --> 1375.12] So here are
[1375.12 --> 1376.06] the essential elements,
[1376.14 --> 1376.66] and there's more,
[1376.76 --> 1377.48] but I'm only gonna say
[1377.48 --> 1378.36] three of them today.
[1378.68 --> 1379.40] Essential elements
[1379.40 --> 1380.02] that I think lead
[1380.02 --> 1381.64] to heart forgiveness,
[1381.90 --> 1382.98] to deep forgiveness,
[1383.36 --> 1383.96] peacemaking
[1383.96 --> 1384.98] rather than peace faking.
[1385.24 --> 1386.06] The first should not
[1386.06 --> 1386.58] surprise you,
[1386.66 --> 1388.14] it is prayer.
[1390.04 --> 1391.58] I don't think
[1391.58 --> 1392.90] we could forgive
[1392.90 --> 1393.76] very well
[1393.76 --> 1395.10] without God's help.
[1395.40 --> 1396.02] That's why I like
[1396.02 --> 1396.80] the second definition
[1396.80 --> 1397.20] of forgiveness.
[1397.20 --> 1398.40] because we need God
[1398.40 --> 1399.46] to help us do that.
[1399.76 --> 1401.26] The reason this sermon series
[1401.26 --> 1402.04] is taking place
[1402.04 --> 1402.98] after Easter
[1402.98 --> 1405.60] is because we wanna recognize
[1405.60 --> 1407.68] that Jesus Christ
[1407.68 --> 1408.96] who died and rose
[1408.96 --> 1410.10] and went to heaven
[1410.10 --> 1411.58] poured out His Spirit
[1411.58 --> 1412.24] on the church,
[1412.44 --> 1413.78] and there is a new power
[1413.78 --> 1415.04] available for us
[1415.04 --> 1415.74] to do things
[1415.74 --> 1416.34] that we could not
[1416.34 --> 1417.04] otherwise do.
[1418.12 --> 1419.60] And that comes
[1419.60 --> 1420.68] through prayer.
[1421.54 --> 1421.80] In fact,
[1421.88 --> 1422.64] one of the most challenging,
[1423.20 --> 1424.56] there's the Heidelberg Catechism
[1424.56 --> 1425.04] is a teaching
[1425.04 --> 1425.70] in our church.
[1425.70 --> 1427.38] It's a confessional document
[1427.38 --> 1428.26] and it talks about
[1428.26 --> 1428.90] how prayer
[1428.90 --> 1430.44] is the shovel we dig
[1430.44 --> 1431.66] and we gain these treasures,
[1431.84 --> 1432.40] these abilities
[1432.40 --> 1432.92] to do things
[1432.92 --> 1433.54] we couldn't do
[1433.54 --> 1434.78] that change the world.
[1435.90 --> 1437.22] We need prayer
[1437.22 --> 1437.92] to forgive.
[1439.18 --> 1440.58] And I can't
[1440.58 --> 1441.88] speak to your situations
[1441.88 --> 1442.80] of conflict
[1442.80 --> 1443.60] and forgiveness,
[1443.84 --> 1444.46] but I'll just share
[1444.46 --> 1445.14] briefly the way
[1445.14 --> 1446.06] that I've experienced
[1446.06 --> 1447.06] the Spirit
[1447.06 --> 1448.26] working in me
[1448.26 --> 1448.70] through prayer
[1448.70 --> 1449.50] in situations
[1449.50 --> 1450.24] where I've had conflict.
[1452.38 --> 1453.26] That's okay, Bill.
[1453.26 --> 1455.38] The first thing
[1455.38 --> 1455.94] is this.
[1456.74 --> 1458.10] Prayer keeps me
[1458.10 --> 1459.88] from getting too proud.
[1460.84 --> 1461.86] When you're in conflict
[1461.86 --> 1462.76] and when I'm in conflict,
[1463.16 --> 1463.64] what I do
[1463.64 --> 1464.82] is I elevate myself
[1464.82 --> 1465.84] and I denounce
[1465.84 --> 1467.78] and speak very poorly
[1467.78 --> 1468.58] about the person
[1468.58 --> 1469.16] who's hurt me,
[1469.34 --> 1470.32] whatever the hurt is.
[1470.80 --> 1471.40] And I find
[1471.40 --> 1472.10] when I'm praying,
[1472.70 --> 1473.68] whether I want to
[1473.68 --> 1474.18] or not,
[1474.26 --> 1475.08] God reveals to me
[1475.08 --> 1476.34] just my own brokenness,
[1477.22 --> 1478.20] my own rebellion,
[1478.78 --> 1480.42] my own part to play
[1480.42 --> 1481.42] in this situation.
[1481.42 --> 1482.08] And so often
[1482.08 --> 1482.68] what you want
[1482.68 --> 1483.26] the case to be
[1483.26 --> 1484.50] is it's 100%
[1484.50 --> 1485.06] their fault
[1485.06 --> 1486.24] and it's 0%
[1486.24 --> 1486.74] your fault.
[1486.82 --> 1487.50] Then you start praying
[1487.50 --> 1487.80] and you're like,
[1487.88 --> 1488.40] oh man,
[1488.52 --> 1490.42] I've got stuff to own.
[1490.80 --> 1491.40] And not only
[1491.40 --> 1492.06] in this relationship,
[1492.16 --> 1493.06] but I've got all sorts
[1493.06 --> 1494.30] of stuff that is egregious
[1494.30 --> 1495.18] in the sight
[1495.18 --> 1495.98] of my Heavenly Father
[1495.98 --> 1496.78] and yet the grace
[1496.78 --> 1497.90] of God is still mine.
[1498.78 --> 1499.38] And so prayer
[1499.38 --> 1500.08] keeps you
[1500.08 --> 1501.06] from getting proud
[1501.06 --> 1501.70] and it certainly
[1501.70 --> 1502.38] has for me
[1502.38 --> 1503.56] in situations
[1503.56 --> 1504.08] of conflict.
[1504.16 --> 1504.88] But the second thing
[1504.88 --> 1505.64] very related,
[1507.24 --> 1508.12] prayer has kept me
[1508.12 --> 1508.68] from hate.
[1508.68 --> 1511.44] Have you experienced
[1511.44 --> 1511.72] that?
[1513.34 --> 1514.36] In the situations
[1514.36 --> 1515.22] where I am prone
[1515.22 --> 1515.74] to hate,
[1516.06 --> 1516.80] and I've had them,
[1516.94 --> 1517.94] I've had them
[1517.94 --> 1518.78] within my own family,
[1519.44 --> 1520.46] I find when you
[1520.46 --> 1521.40] hold that person
[1521.40 --> 1522.00] in prayer,
[1522.86 --> 1523.72] it's very hard
[1523.72 --> 1524.32] to hate them
[1524.32 --> 1526.54] because they are,
[1526.72 --> 1527.46] whether you like it
[1527.46 --> 1527.94] or not,
[1528.26 --> 1529.08] an image bearer
[1529.08 --> 1529.58] of God
[1529.58 --> 1530.90] just like you.
[1531.90 --> 1533.06] They are created
[1533.06 --> 1533.70] by God
[1533.70 --> 1534.34] in His image
[1534.34 --> 1535.54] just like you.
[1535.54 --> 1538.74] and they are loved
[1538.74 --> 1539.56] by God
[1539.56 --> 1541.18] just like you.
[1542.54 --> 1543.80] They are no worse
[1543.80 --> 1544.52] than you
[1544.52 --> 1545.68] ultimately
[1545.68 --> 1546.80] in the sight of God
[1546.80 --> 1548.54] and you are no better
[1548.54 --> 1549.10] than them
[1549.10 --> 1550.92] and praying for someone
[1550.92 --> 1552.86] forces you
[1552.86 --> 1554.30] or I shouldn't say force,
[1554.46 --> 1555.74] the Spirit enables you
[1555.74 --> 1557.20] to not hate
[1557.20 --> 1558.30] your brother
[1558.30 --> 1558.96] or sister.
[1560.08 --> 1561.38] It's a powerful thing
[1561.38 --> 1562.74] and I can't explain
[1562.74 --> 1563.48] how it works
[1563.48 --> 1565.14] but in situations
[1565.14 --> 1565.68] of conflict,
[1565.82 --> 1566.44] prayer has kept me
[1566.44 --> 1566.98] from pride,
[1567.08 --> 1567.70] thinking I'm more
[1567.70 --> 1568.36] than I am
[1568.36 --> 1569.66] and it's kept me
[1569.66 --> 1570.02] from hate,
[1570.12 --> 1570.76] thinking someone else
[1570.76 --> 1572.40] is less than they are
[1572.40 --> 1573.80] and if you're stuck
[1573.80 --> 1574.52] in that situation,
[1574.68 --> 1575.38] I invite you
[1575.38 --> 1576.64] to pray
[1576.64 --> 1578.54] and when I say prayer,
[1578.62 --> 1579.56] I should note also
[1579.56 --> 1581.04] that it's not just
[1581.04 --> 1581.56] something you need
[1581.56 --> 1582.24] to do on your own
[1582.24 --> 1583.36] in situations of conflict
[1583.36 --> 1585.04] and all sorts of division,
[1585.50 --> 1586.28] it's something you invite
[1586.28 --> 1587.32] others to do for you.
[1587.44 --> 1587.64] In fact,
[1587.68 --> 1588.68] I know of two situations
[1588.68 --> 1590.34] where the people
[1590.34 --> 1590.90] in conflict,
[1591.06 --> 1591.96] they're not interested
[1591.96 --> 1592.48] in forgiveness
[1592.48 --> 1593.38] and they're certainly
[1593.38 --> 1593.92] not interested
[1593.92 --> 1594.76] in reconciliation
[1594.76 --> 1596.56] but their families are
[1596.56 --> 1597.86] and the church was
[1597.86 --> 1598.76] and so people started
[1598.76 --> 1599.52] praying for them
[1599.52 --> 1600.08] and interceding
[1600.08 --> 1600.60] on their behalf
[1600.60 --> 1601.58] and things started
[1601.58 --> 1602.68] to happen in spite
[1602.68 --> 1603.38] of those people
[1603.38 --> 1603.94] in conflict
[1603.94 --> 1604.90] and I just remember
[1604.90 --> 1605.66] hearing one story
[1605.66 --> 1606.44] thinking wow,
[1607.04 --> 1607.84] God's Spirit
[1607.84 --> 1608.64] is really at work
[1608.64 --> 1609.68] in spite of the people
[1609.68 --> 1610.18] in conflict
[1610.18 --> 1610.96] and the community
[1610.96 --> 1611.84] is surrounding
[1611.84 --> 1612.70] and upholding them
[1612.70 --> 1613.06] in prayer
[1613.06 --> 1614.22] and things start to move.
[1614.32 --> 1615.44] Do not underestimate
[1615.44 --> 1617.16] what happens
[1617.16 --> 1618.84] when we bring conflict
[1618.84 --> 1620.20] before our Heavenly Father,
[1620.68 --> 1621.56] before our Son
[1621.56 --> 1623.12] who is the great reconciler
[1623.12 --> 1623.96] and the Spirit
[1623.96 --> 1624.96] who gives us the power
[1624.96 --> 1625.96] to lean into some
[1625.96 --> 1626.90] of the hardest places
[1626.90 --> 1627.54] with grace.
[1630.20 --> 1630.60] Secondly,
[1631.20 --> 1633.32] we need our community
[1633.32 --> 1633.86] of faith.
[1634.86 --> 1635.54] I think one of the most
[1635.54 --> 1636.46] destructive things
[1636.46 --> 1637.16] and unhealthy things
[1637.16 --> 1638.10] we can do in conflict
[1638.10 --> 1639.50] is to isolate
[1639.50 --> 1641.12] and it's tempting
[1641.12 --> 1642.00] by the way to isolate.
[1642.10 --> 1642.62] If you're in community
[1642.62 --> 1643.16] and there's sin
[1643.16 --> 1644.02] and you've been hurt,
[1644.20 --> 1645.20] you want to pull back
[1645.20 --> 1645.94] because you've been hurt
[1645.94 --> 1647.14] and then you're stuck
[1647.14 --> 1647.86] in your own head.
[1648.56 --> 1649.18] Then you're stuck
[1649.18 --> 1650.28] rehearsing the same things
[1650.28 --> 1651.46] over and over and over
[1651.46 --> 1652.36] thinking about
[1652.36 --> 1653.26] what you should have said,
[1653.34 --> 1654.08] thinking about how much
[1654.08 --> 1655.24] they have sinned against you
[1655.24 --> 1656.00] and you're just stuck.
[1656.54 --> 1657.68] You need brothers and sisters
[1657.68 --> 1659.04] who love you
[1659.04 --> 1660.68] to encourage you,
[1660.88 --> 1662.00] to pull you back
[1662.00 --> 1662.64] into community,
[1662.92 --> 1664.34] to keep you from bitterness
[1664.34 --> 1665.74] that will take root
[1665.74 --> 1666.64] when you're in isolation
[1666.64 --> 1668.98] and in some cases,
[1669.54 --> 1670.08] rebuke you.
[1671.46 --> 1672.56] Rebuke you for thinking
[1672.56 --> 1673.50] you're judgmental,
[1673.76 --> 1675.06] for they deserve your vengeance,
[1675.30 --> 1676.22] for thinking you don't need
[1676.22 --> 1676.78] to forgive them,
[1676.84 --> 1677.42] for thinking you're
[1677.42 --> 1678.70] that much better than you are.
[1678.70 --> 1679.54] There are times
[1679.54 --> 1680.10] where you need
[1680.10 --> 1680.86] brothers and sisters
[1680.86 --> 1681.96] holding the scriptures
[1681.96 --> 1682.94] in their hands saying,
[1683.60 --> 1684.18] this is what Jesus
[1684.18 --> 1685.12] invites us into.
[1685.88 --> 1686.42] Are you willing
[1686.42 --> 1687.32] to walk with us
[1687.32 --> 1688.52] in the path of forgiveness?
[1690.92 --> 1691.88] And thirdly,
[1692.48 --> 1693.72] as I've already mentioned,
[1693.82 --> 1694.32] I think it needs
[1694.32 --> 1694.98] to be said again.
[1695.94 --> 1697.56] Matthew 18 demands forgiveness.
[1697.94 --> 1698.82] It demands that we
[1698.82 --> 1700.04] be people who extend
[1700.04 --> 1701.28] the extravagant grace
[1701.28 --> 1701.74] of Jesus.
[1702.68 --> 1704.00] But that doesn't necessarily
[1704.00 --> 1705.58] make it instant or easy.
[1705.58 --> 1708.40] And it is okay
[1708.40 --> 1711.40] if time is needed
[1711.40 --> 1713.30] for forgiveness.
[1714.40 --> 1715.80] And I say that specifically
[1715.80 --> 1716.80] to people who have been
[1716.80 --> 1718.10] seriously wounded
[1718.10 --> 1719.00] by others.
[1719.40 --> 1720.78] And there are many of us.
[1721.16 --> 1722.02] The wounds run deep.
[1722.10 --> 1723.10] It's not hard to forgive
[1723.10 --> 1723.92] small offenses.
[1724.14 --> 1724.62] You know, you think of
[1724.62 --> 1725.32] in a family unit
[1725.32 --> 1726.24] with kids and all the rest.
[1726.66 --> 1727.54] Sometimes we do things
[1727.54 --> 1728.60] as, I forgive you,
[1728.66 --> 1729.38] I love you, it's okay.
[1729.48 --> 1730.18] There's other times
[1730.18 --> 1731.66] where you are crushed
[1731.66 --> 1732.86] to the core.
[1732.86 --> 1735.16] And you can't even imagine
[1735.16 --> 1735.90] what it looks like
[1735.90 --> 1736.68] to forgive someone.
[1737.66 --> 1738.74] And you hear this passage
[1738.74 --> 1739.80] and think, oh man.
[1740.10 --> 1741.10] And what you need to do
[1741.10 --> 1742.48] perhaps in these circumstances
[1742.48 --> 1743.58] is say, I know that's
[1743.58 --> 1744.02] the command,
[1744.16 --> 1745.10] I know that's the invitation,
[1745.58 --> 1746.34] and I'm going to take
[1746.34 --> 1747.20] the baby steps
[1747.20 --> 1748.96] to get to that place.
[1749.02 --> 1749.98] I want to get there.
[1750.38 --> 1751.42] I'm looking forward
[1751.42 --> 1752.40] to one day getting there.
[1752.46 --> 1752.94] I'm just going to take
[1752.94 --> 1754.14] the baby steps of prayer,
[1754.46 --> 1755.46] of being in the church,
[1755.72 --> 1756.74] of listening to the scriptures,
[1756.94 --> 1757.86] of being among friends
[1757.86 --> 1758.52] who follow Jesus,
[1758.68 --> 1759.52] inviting their prayers,
[1759.64 --> 1760.46] so that I can get
[1760.46 --> 1761.20] to the place of saying,
[1761.28 --> 1762.60] I have released you.
[1762.86 --> 1763.86] From my heart,
[1763.98 --> 1765.10] I deep down
[1765.10 --> 1767.36] do not want vengeance anymore.
[1767.60 --> 1768.26] Praise the Lord.
[1769.02 --> 1769.72] He does that work
[1769.72 --> 1771.02] over time in the church.
[1773.74 --> 1774.62] To summarize,
[1776.08 --> 1776.94] Jesus' vision
[1776.94 --> 1778.00] in Matthew 18
[1778.00 --> 1778.74] for the church
[1778.74 --> 1780.52] is a radically
[1780.52 --> 1783.10] forgiving church.
[1783.98 --> 1785.60] A church that receives
[1785.60 --> 1786.82] the unbelievable,
[1787.28 --> 1789.16] undeserved grace of God
[1789.16 --> 1790.08] through Jesus,
[1790.08 --> 1791.74] that sets us free,
[1792.80 --> 1793.90] gives us a new life,
[1794.22 --> 1795.10] and then translates
[1795.10 --> 1795.80] to a community
[1795.80 --> 1796.40] that says,
[1796.74 --> 1798.00] we can mirror that
[1798.00 --> 1799.32] by the power
[1799.32 --> 1800.14] of the Holy Spirit
[1800.14 --> 1801.92] to those who hurt us.
[1802.10 --> 1803.34] Not seven times,
[1803.82 --> 1804.84] not 70 times,
[1805.20 --> 1806.76] not 490 times,
[1807.04 --> 1807.68] but through the course
[1807.68 --> 1808.72] of our entire lives.
[1811.82 --> 1813.00] When I've been reading
[1813.00 --> 1814.30] over the last few weeks
[1814.30 --> 1815.00] for this series,
[1815.48 --> 1815.94] one of the things
[1815.94 --> 1816.80] that struck me,
[1816.92 --> 1817.48] and maybe you've already
[1817.48 --> 1818.10] thought about this,
[1818.18 --> 1820.10] is how the forgiveness
[1820.10 --> 1820.70] of the church
[1820.70 --> 1821.76] has been a defining
[1821.76 --> 1822.86] part of its existence
[1822.86 --> 1823.60] from the beginning.
[1824.88 --> 1825.60] Forgiveness is just
[1825.60 --> 1826.54] part and parcel
[1826.54 --> 1827.22] of what it means
[1827.22 --> 1827.70] to be the church,
[1827.76 --> 1828.48] and there's so many
[1828.48 --> 1829.26] beautiful stories
[1829.26 --> 1830.16] throughout history
[1830.16 --> 1830.62] of forgiveness
[1830.62 --> 1832.12] that confounds
[1832.12 --> 1832.90] the world.
[1833.54 --> 1833.86] It's like,
[1834.00 --> 1835.26] how did they do that,
[1835.32 --> 1835.78] those Christians?
[1835.96 --> 1837.10] How did they find
[1837.10 --> 1837.68] the ability
[1837.68 --> 1839.14] to forgive and release?
[1839.42 --> 1840.34] Over and over again,
[1840.38 --> 1840.74] you have these
[1840.74 --> 1841.50] incredible stories.
[1841.62 --> 1842.20] One that I have
[1842.20 --> 1842.84] always loved,
[1842.90 --> 1843.70] reading as a kid,
[1844.16 --> 1845.18] is Corrie Ten Boom.
[1845.18 --> 1847.28] She is a Dutch woman
[1847.28 --> 1848.78] who went through
[1848.78 --> 1849.90] the concentration camp.
[1849.96 --> 1851.18] Her family suffered greatly.
[1851.32 --> 1852.26] She lost loved ones.
[1852.64 --> 1853.30] Later in her life,
[1853.34 --> 1854.08] she survived.
[1854.48 --> 1855.22] She encounters
[1855.22 --> 1857.00] a Nazi soldier
[1857.00 --> 1858.34] who is part of
[1858.34 --> 1859.24] all these death camps,
[1859.40 --> 1860.32] part of all the suffering,
[1860.58 --> 1861.54] part of all the oppression,
[1861.74 --> 1862.74] and she felt compelled
[1862.74 --> 1863.78] to shake his hand
[1863.78 --> 1864.50] and extend forgiveness,
[1864.64 --> 1865.56] and she did.
[1866.66 --> 1867.66] That's the power
[1867.66 --> 1868.70] of Jesus Christ
[1868.70 --> 1869.40] by his spirit.
[1869.80 --> 1870.58] Martin Luther King,
[1871.00 --> 1871.94] another famous example,
[1872.04 --> 1873.92] and all the racial division,
[1873.92 --> 1875.26] all the segregation
[1875.26 --> 1876.62] that people in power
[1876.62 --> 1877.96] were trying to impose.
[1878.28 --> 1879.30] You have Martin Luther King
[1879.30 --> 1879.94] standing up
[1879.94 --> 1881.18] with a Bible in hand
[1881.18 --> 1881.48] saying,
[1881.80 --> 1882.56] I can forgive
[1882.56 --> 1883.88] these politicians.
[1884.64 --> 1885.30] I can forgive
[1885.30 --> 1885.90] these police.
[1886.04 --> 1887.20] I can forgive my neighbors.
[1888.04 --> 1889.12] And then we work towards
[1889.12 --> 1890.44] reconciliation and healing.
[1891.68 --> 1892.42] Or I think of
[1892.42 --> 1894.42] Rachel Denholler,
[1895.00 --> 1896.72] this world-class gymnast
[1896.72 --> 1897.40] who was abused,
[1897.52 --> 1898.22] and in the courtroom
[1898.22 --> 1899.44] of the coach
[1899.44 --> 1900.00] who abused her,
[1900.04 --> 1900.34] she says,
[1900.44 --> 1901.88] I extend grace to you.
[1901.88 --> 1903.56] And the courtroom
[1903.56 --> 1904.34] was confounded.
[1905.88 --> 1907.42] Maybe one of my favorite stories
[1907.42 --> 1909.80] is in 2015,
[1910.20 --> 1910.66] and you'll probably
[1910.66 --> 1911.66] remember this in the news,
[1912.06 --> 1913.40] when 21 Coptic
[1913.40 --> 1914.18] Egyptian Christians
[1914.18 --> 1914.82] were beheaded
[1914.82 --> 1915.92] by ISIS.
[1916.66 --> 1917.64] It's one of those events
[1917.64 --> 1918.28] that actually put
[1918.28 --> 1918.78] the persecution
[1918.78 --> 1919.40] of the church
[1919.40 --> 1920.44] on the world stage,
[1920.48 --> 1920.94] and people said,
[1921.10 --> 1922.16] wow, this is happening
[1922.16 --> 1922.64] in our day?
[1922.66 --> 1923.12] And the answer is,
[1923.34 --> 1924.06] yes, it is.
[1924.90 --> 1925.92] And you might not
[1925.92 --> 1926.64] know this story,
[1926.76 --> 1928.02] but many of the families
[1928.02 --> 1929.38] of the men
[1929.38 --> 1930.26] who were beheaded
[1930.26 --> 1931.90] wrote statements
[1931.90 --> 1933.56] and spoke on the news
[1933.56 --> 1934.48] words of forgiveness
[1934.48 --> 1935.48] to the terrorists
[1935.48 --> 1936.40] who beheaded
[1936.40 --> 1937.02] their spouses
[1937.02 --> 1937.84] and loved ones.
[1938.64 --> 1939.30] And there is
[1939.30 --> 1940.68] a particular news anchor.
[1941.28 --> 1943.76] This is an Arabic newscast.
[1944.38 --> 1945.54] And they were going
[1945.54 --> 1946.34] to do this interview
[1946.34 --> 1947.12] about what had happened
[1947.12 --> 1948.18] and just like fact-finding
[1948.18 --> 1948.66] on what happened.
[1948.76 --> 1950.10] And then they heard
[1950.10 --> 1950.96] these words of forgiveness
[1950.96 --> 1952.08] from the Christian families
[1952.08 --> 1953.50] of the slain victims.
[1954.04 --> 1955.12] And then the scene
[1955.12 --> 1956.16] goes back to the newsroom
[1956.16 --> 1956.96] and this man,
[1957.36 --> 1957.92] Arabic man,
[1958.00 --> 1958.98] his eyes are teared.
[1958.98 --> 1959.90] You can see that his eyes
[1959.90 --> 1960.26] are teared.
[1960.50 --> 1961.52] And he's speaking in Arabic
[1961.52 --> 1962.42] and there's a translation
[1962.42 --> 1963.04] into English.
[1963.18 --> 1963.82] And what he says
[1963.82 --> 1964.96] in a very loud voice,
[1965.04 --> 1965.88] he's not composed,
[1966.00 --> 1966.30] he says,
[1966.76 --> 1967.64] these Christians,
[1967.74 --> 1968.26] he's not one,
[1968.30 --> 1968.46] he says,
[1968.60 --> 1970.32] these Christians are made
[1970.32 --> 1971.84] of a different substance.
[1972.96 --> 1974.04] How do they forgive?
[1975.08 --> 1976.08] And when I heard that
[1976.08 --> 1977.04] or I was reading that
[1977.04 --> 1977.60] in the transcript,
[1977.70 --> 1977.98] I was like,
[1978.40 --> 1978.84] yes,
[1979.12 --> 1979.96] we are made
[1979.96 --> 1980.92] of a different substance.
[1981.96 --> 1983.30] It's the power of Jesus
[1983.30 --> 1984.98] by the Spirit of God
[1984.98 --> 1985.68] that enables us
[1985.68 --> 1986.72] to do what we cannot
[1986.72 --> 1987.76] on our own do
[1987.76 --> 1988.78] through our union
[1988.78 --> 1989.50] with Christ
[1989.50 --> 1990.44] by the life
[1990.44 --> 1991.38] that is his through us,
[1991.68 --> 1992.86] we can forgive
[1992.86 --> 1995.08] and confound the world
[1995.08 --> 1996.34] with a different ethic
[1996.34 --> 1996.86] of grace.
[1999.22 --> 2000.24] And so I want to read
[2000.24 --> 2001.04] for us in closing
[2001.04 --> 2001.52] a quote,
[2001.64 --> 2002.32] this also comes
[2002.32 --> 2003.12] from Dale Bruner,
[2004.88 --> 2005.72] that I hope
[2005.72 --> 2007.24] becomes a reputation
[2007.24 --> 2008.00] of the church,
[2008.08 --> 2009.04] of Hope Community Church.
[2009.04 --> 2011.46] he writes,
[2011.56 --> 2013.32] what makes Christians salty,
[2014.58 --> 2015.14] different,
[2015.90 --> 2017.00] and useful
[2017.00 --> 2018.58] in the meat
[2018.58 --> 2019.72] of the world
[2019.72 --> 2021.16] is their breaking
[2021.16 --> 2022.50] the world's code
[2022.50 --> 2024.22] of love for love,
[2024.88 --> 2025.78] good for good,
[2026.30 --> 2027.84] and evil for evil,
[2028.22 --> 2028.94] reciprocity.
[2029.94 --> 2031.04] It is Christians'
[2031.34 --> 2032.24] counter grain,
[2033.28 --> 2034.94] counter cultural love
[2034.94 --> 2036.20] for the undeserving,
[2037.02 --> 2038.02] the unloving,
[2038.48 --> 2041.04] and even the positively hostile
[2041.04 --> 2042.98] that makes them
[2042.98 --> 2045.24] recognizably Christian.
[2048.10 --> 2049.04] Let's pray together.
[2050.12 --> 2050.56] I'm gonna,
[2050.82 --> 2052.08] I'm just gonna read
[2052.08 --> 2053.02] the Lord's Prayer,
[2053.60 --> 2054.98] and if you wanna murmur it with me
[2054.98 --> 2055.64] or read it with me
[2055.64 --> 2056.48] or recite it with me,
[2056.52 --> 2057.06] you may do that,
[2057.10 --> 2057.94] but this is the prayer
[2057.94 --> 2059.74] Jesus taught us to pray,
[2059.74 --> 2061.06] and it's a prayer
[2061.06 --> 2061.68] that has led
[2061.68 --> 2063.02] millions of believers
[2063.02 --> 2064.50] into the ethic
[2064.50 --> 2065.14] of forgiveness,
[2065.30 --> 2066.70] so let me pray that for us.
[2069.60 --> 2070.90] Our Father
[2070.90 --> 2072.44] in heaven,
[2073.62 --> 2074.60] hallowed be
[2074.60 --> 2076.00] your name.
[2077.50 --> 2078.90] Your kingdom come,
[2080.12 --> 2082.08] your will be done
[2082.08 --> 2083.68] on earth
[2083.68 --> 2085.44] as it is in heaven.
[2086.66 --> 2087.96] Give us today
[2087.96 --> 2089.38] our daily bread,
[2089.74 --> 2091.48] and forgive us
[2091.48 --> 2092.42] our debts
[2092.42 --> 2094.48] as we forgive
[2094.48 --> 2095.22] those
[2095.22 --> 2096.06] who have sinned
[2096.06 --> 2096.82] against us.
[2098.06 --> 2099.20] Lead us not
[2099.20 --> 2100.10] into temptation,
[2100.74 --> 2102.46] but deliver us
[2102.46 --> 2103.38] from the evil one,
[2104.22 --> 2104.94] for yours
[2104.94 --> 2106.20] is the kingdom
[2106.20 --> 2107.94] and the power
[2107.94 --> 2109.48] and the glory
[2109.48 --> 2110.46] forever
[2110.46 --> 2111.70] and ever.
[2112.38 --> 2112.68] Amen.
[2115.06 --> 2116.54] Would you stand
[2116.54 --> 2117.28] and sing with me
[2117.28 --> 2118.16] a song of response?