The Greatest Need in the Church
Rex Yancey
Matthew 18:21-35
We get a little leery at times when we hear someone speak of the greatest when it comes to anything. The church has many needs. But Judging from my fifty plus years of experience the greatest need is for Christians to be forgiving of each other.
I heard about a man who went to see his doctor because he was feeling terrible. The doctor gave him some tests, checked them out and came back in the room with a somber face. ''Sir, I don't know how to break the news to you, but you have rabies and you are going to die very soon.'' The man calmly took out a piece of paper and began to write. The doctor asked him if he was writing out his will. He said, ''No, I am making a list of the people I want to bite!''
You can go to any church of any size and of any denomination or no denomination and I guarantee you there are people in that church who have bitter hearts. Just as airports have metal detectors, I wish the church could develop some bitterness detectors to keep people who are harboring an unforgiving spirit and bitter hearts out of the church.
Peter came to the Lord Jesus on one occasion and asked him a question about the matter of forgiveness. ''Lord, how many times should I forgive?'' Peter knew people would get hurt in life. Nobody makes it through life without being hurt by someone. The question is not if but how will I respond.
The Jews believed they were to forgive those that wronged them three times. Peter doubles that and adds one for good measure. He thought Jesus would be impressed. He wasn't!
Peter was not worried about forgiving too little. He was worried about forgiving too much. The Lord answered him, ''Seventy times seven.'' Unlimited is the message.
I want us to explore the biblical message on forgiveness between each other.
1.THE REASONS FOR FORGIVENESS
1. God has forgiven me.
Someone told John Wesley, ''Mr. Wesley, I cannot forgive a certain person. I can't do ...
Rex Yancey
Matthew 18:21-35
We get a little leery at times when we hear someone speak of the greatest when it comes to anything. The church has many needs. But Judging from my fifty plus years of experience the greatest need is for Christians to be forgiving of each other.
I heard about a man who went to see his doctor because he was feeling terrible. The doctor gave him some tests, checked them out and came back in the room with a somber face. ''Sir, I don't know how to break the news to you, but you have rabies and you are going to die very soon.'' The man calmly took out a piece of paper and began to write. The doctor asked him if he was writing out his will. He said, ''No, I am making a list of the people I want to bite!''
You can go to any church of any size and of any denomination or no denomination and I guarantee you there are people in that church who have bitter hearts. Just as airports have metal detectors, I wish the church could develop some bitterness detectors to keep people who are harboring an unforgiving spirit and bitter hearts out of the church.
Peter came to the Lord Jesus on one occasion and asked him a question about the matter of forgiveness. ''Lord, how many times should I forgive?'' Peter knew people would get hurt in life. Nobody makes it through life without being hurt by someone. The question is not if but how will I respond.
The Jews believed they were to forgive those that wronged them three times. Peter doubles that and adds one for good measure. He thought Jesus would be impressed. He wasn't!
Peter was not worried about forgiving too little. He was worried about forgiving too much. The Lord answered him, ''Seventy times seven.'' Unlimited is the message.
I want us to explore the biblical message on forgiveness between each other.
1.THE REASONS FOR FORGIVENESS
1. God has forgiven me.
Someone told John Wesley, ''Mr. Wesley, I cannot forgive a certain person. I can't do ...
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