Seventy Times Seven

Good morning and welcome in everyone.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from The book of Matthew.

Matthew 18 ²¹ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? ²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Seventy times seven is 490 times! That’s many times, but hopefully it doesn’t take you that long to overcome an issue in your life. Even little kids require a lot of Grace as they are growing up. They are learning, just like we are in the church. We are training ourselves to do what is right, and practicing exercising ourselves unto Godliness. But you can’t learn how to ride a bike if you never get back up on it again. God has plenty of Grace available so that we can overcome all things.

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

We need to take the grace that God has given us, and give it to others in time of need.

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”  1 Peter 4:10

“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Ephesians 4:7

When people are showing outward signs of penitence, they can be brought back meekly into the Church fellowship. When somebody is overtaken, they are completely filled up with grief,  (just like Peter who wept bitterly when he denied the Lord.) People in this state need to be restored gently, with the understanding that all of us have been there one time or another.

Galatians 6 ¹ Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ² Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

The other point is that it requires humble contrition to obtain forgiveness with God.  The church at times can be a very emotional place, because people are laying their hearts bare before Him. The humble publican was filled up with so much regret and sorrow, that he was actually pounding on his chest. 

Luke 18 ¹⁰ Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

¹² I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. ¹³ And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

There are some extremely rich people in this world, but remember that our God is rich in Mercy.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,”  Ephesians 2:4

Another woman was filled up with so much sorrow that she wept on the feet of Jesus.

Luke 7 ³⁶ And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.³⁷ And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, ³⁸ And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. ⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.  And he saith, Master, say on. ⁴¹ There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

⁴² And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?⁴³ Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. ⁴⁴ And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. ⁴⁵ Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

⁴⁶ My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. ⁴⁸ And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. ⁴⁹ And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

James warned the church that they needed to be filled up with contrition. Their hearts needed to be soft and pliable in the presence of God. 

James 4 ⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. ⁹ Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

How many times does it take people to learn their lesson? How long is it going to take to learn not to touch the wood stove? God wants each of us to repent, but some of us take a little while longer than others do. People such as these will require extra Grace, if they are going to completely overcome sin. To completely repent of sin is going to require the heart being in the right place.

2 Corinthians 7 ⁹ Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. ¹⁰ For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

We must recognize the error of our way, along with being filled with sorrow and contrition, which will eventually lead to repentance, and turning away from sin. 

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,” Hebrews 6:1

But sometimes it takes a little more grace to eventually move on to perfection, even if it requires…….

…..Seventy Times Seven

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc  where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.♥️