Matthew 6:9-15 Authorized (King James) Version
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 but if ye forgive not men of their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Foundational biblical truths found in The Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Today we are going to look at: Where there is injury, pardon.
Have you ever been injured by someone?
Have you ever caused injury to someone?
Injury:
Words spoken. Failed relationships. Life circumstances – minimal to horrific.
Injury is everywhere. In the church, in the world. At work. In marriages. In families. It is very easy to take offense and to cause offense. We don’t easily let go of our offenses. We keep that someone in jail so to speak. The incident locked tight in our heart. Injury is common, pardoning is not.
Here are a few common responses when we have been injured.
Where there is injury let me – have at it.
Where there is injury, let me pardon and then let them pay.
Where there is injury, let me major on the minors.
Where there is injury, let me always have the last word.
Where there is injury, let me always be right.
Knowing that these responses are not very Jesus – like:
What does Jesus have to say about this?
Matthew 6: 9-15
“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10) your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11) Give us today our daily bread. 12) Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14) For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15) But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Sobering stuff.
We are asking in this prayer for Jesus to pardon us just as much as we choose to pardon those who have injured us. No more. No less.
For us it is about settling accounts.
Being right.
For Jesus it is about pardoning.
Being reconciled.
Matthew 18: 21-22 “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’
Seventy-seven means times without number.
No limit how many times we are to pardon, forgive those who have injured us.
It is clear that Jesus means business.
There is no wiggle room when it comes to pardoning.
The cool part about that challenge is that Jesus didn’t just tell us to do it but He modeled it for us.
The ultimate act of forgiveness was going to the cross for all of us.
The ultimate pardon.
When He hung on the cross, He said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34
Is it more important to you to be right than to reconcile?
Is it more important to you to hold onto your grudges and injuries than it is to be pardoning?
To hold on to your offenses rather than pardon?
To hold that person in the jail of your heart?
Not far from dying, in a condition of unspeakable sufferings, we have Jesus’ spoken words about pardoning as well as His model, yet as we stand here today with our injuries and the memories of injuries that we have afflicted on others.
We may end up looking like the elder son in the Prodigal story.
Let’s look at the Rembrandt painting “The Return of the Prodigal Son.”
Let’s put a face on this.
The elder son was angry, cold hearted, unforgiving. He was one that kept his heart locked tight. Kept his younger brother locked in the jail of his hard heart.
We don’t know what happened to the elder son. Scary.
He would rather be right in his own thinking, to hang on to his offenses than trying to welcome home and forgive his brother.
BEING RIGHT VS. BEING RECONCILED.
Remember: Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
We are asking for Jesus to pardon us just as much as we are willing to pardon all those who have injured us.
“Search us, Help us Lord to stop settling accounts, stop holding our offenders prisoners in our jails and to pardon out of obedience to You and Your word.”
PRAYER: “Lord, show us where we are hanging on at all costs as if our very lives would utterly crumble to being right and are unwilling to be reconciling.” “Show us areas where we have been injured and have chosen to carry the grudge until…that person comes to us and apologizes.” “Show us where we have now hardened our hearts to receive forgiveness from You, there by passing up the attempts of the Father to love up on us.”
Our Kingdom Living for What Purpose? God’s Kingdom to Come ….
Matthew 6:9-10 Authorized (King James) Version
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
From simple to complex, most of us face many, many choices each day.
What clothes will I wear?
What will I have for breakfast?
What route will I take to work?
What do I need at the store?
Which projects, which tasks will I focus on?
There is one choice, however, far more important than all the others:
Which kingdom will I serve?
How will I spend my money, time; on what efforts—the kingdom of God or the kingdom or domain or country or community or family that I am dwelling in?
Jesus teaches us to pray, “Father . . . your kingdom come.”
As we pray these words, we are making a true commitment to living God’s way.
“Your kingdom come” means, first of all,
“Rule over me! Master my soul. Make me a loyal citizen of your kingdom.”
It means,
“Lord, rule in my whole life, master me such a way my deepest desire is to walk only with you. May your principles and ways be the only air that I breathe.”
“Your kingdom come” also means God’s Kingdom alone.
“Help me to see your kingdom advance in the people around me—my family, friends, classmates, coworkers, and neighbors, to foster a love and a depth of integrity, truth and highest respect for thy kingdom, living in them as well.”
This also means seeing churches, High Schools, institutions and organizations align with the principles of God’s kingdom. And as the Lord’s kingdom comes, any forces that dare to revolt against him will be overwhelmed and shattered.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 