Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to discuss a passage of scripture but before we do that…
There were some young children who were playing side-by-side in a playground sandbox. They were making roads with their toy trucks and their construction vehicles. They were playing so well together it seemed that they had lost track of the time on that beautiful summer afternoon.
One of the boys was pulling some smaller rocks out of the ground to make way for his bulldozer when he happen to throw one up in the air and it hit the other boy right in the head. He started to cry, and yelled out , you hurt me! A moment later the other boy started to cry with him because he felt so bad about what he had done. He went up to his friend and gave him a giant hug and said I’m very sorry, and the other child said,,,,, I forgive you.
Confession, forgiveness and Reconciliation requires the acts of both offending parties. This is why it teachers in the scripture if you sin against a brother you need to go apologize to them before you bring a gift to God. The reconciliation is more important to Christ than the sacrifice you might bring.
On the one side you might have somebody who doesn’t want to apologize, and on the other side you might have someone who doesn’t want to forgive.
In this children story, you can see all three things happening. Somebody gets hurt feelings, then they rebuke, then a heartfelt apology and then a hug. How wonderful to see children teach biblical truths to adults.
It only took them a couple minutes to reconcile when it takes some adults 10 years.
Not being capable of confessing your faults and apologizing breaks up relationships and friendships. It can break up marriages and families.
Confess your faults one to another, and be ready to forgive.
Let’s talk a little bit about confession.
When you confess something you’re admitting or stating that you’ve committed a fault against the other. Its required by God to apologize to others.
It means to be able to say I’m sorry to God and the party that you’ve offended.
If you confess something, you’re simply saying that you’re in the wrong and that you’re sorry that you did it. It’s really not that difficult but people can make it difficult. When you really care about others you quickly admit your faults to them and it is a completely private matter between two parties or two groups. It’s then hidden and forgotten like water under a bridge.
Luke 17:3-4 take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
That’s exactly what happened with the children in our story today.
Sometimes like children we can make a lot of mistakes but that’s why God wants us to be very forgiving with each other. In the story of the repentant man in Luke 19:26 he asked the man to be patient with him.
Some people need a lot more forgiveness than others. That’s why God teaches us to come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need, even if it requires 490 times.
He wants to grant us that forgiveness so we can get it right sometime. Lord willing, we learn our lesson quickly, but we need that grace to grow. We want to be strong in that grace that we are given, and patiently show that grace to others.
Do you play any kind of instrument ? I knew somebody at one time years ago who used to play the piano.
He would play those parts over and over and over and over again until he finally got it right. But what’s the old saying, practice makes perfect.
There are people in the church that we need to be patient with too.
For an example, have you ever taught a child how to ride a bike? What happens? They fall off the bike all the time. It requires practice practice practice, and a patience parent. Welcome to the Christian Life everyone!
God doesn’t want us to keep repenting from dead works but rather, to eventually learn our lesson.
Imagine if your piano teacher after a lesson or two said no , you stink , you’re out of here. Well I want to make sure you hear this and you hear me good,…..GOD does not give up on us. He doesn’t quit on us. He doesn’t leave or forsake us. Patience is a virtue. We need to extend that patience to others, and give people the grace to grow in the church.
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
I wish people can see the simplicity of the Gospel in our little story today, Rebuking those who hurt you, they feel bad and apologize, You forgive them completely, and you back together again. Simple isn’t it? o
Isn’t it time to hug and make up? Don’t you think it’s time to stop throwing rocks?
That’s it for today Lord willing we’ll talk to some more tomorrow bye-bye everybody
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 