Jesus wants to settle some accounts! He says 70 X 7!
The practice of forgiveness comes from a place of compassion that allows us to release and forgive. Church, we get to be the carriers, the agents of forgiveness for the world to see, so we can point people to Jesus!
Forgiveness in the “C”hurch has been made attractive and not very practical or useful. Forgiveness is necessary, and we’ve made it unnecessary. Jesus is addressing issues and showing us areas where we haven’t released and forgiven people of debts, and He wants to tackle the complacency that has given us up to a place of avoiding the practice of forgiveness.
How do we practice forgiveness?
We must know what it looks like! Eph 4 : 31-32
We must look to Jesus – our greatest example of forgiveness! Col. 3 : 12
We must deliver forgiveness. Matt 6 : 14 – 15
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. Matthew 18:21-27
Matthew 18:21–27, Luke 17:1–4, Ephesians 2:14–15, Ephesians 4:31–32, Colossians 3:12–13
YouVersion Notes
Where are the men after God’s heart?
Those who are:
OBEDIENT – Submission to someone greater
HUMBLE – Servant
COURAGEOUS – Fighter/Warrior
PASSIONATE – Worshiper
A man with a heart after God – LOVES GOD! Every man wants the Goliath story, but David also danced! Everyone wants to be the warrior, but what about also dancing before the Lord and looking foolish before people? Men, we are wired by God to have a heart after His.
“And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’” Acts 13:22 NKJV
Acts 13:22, Matthew 23:11–12, Psalm 27:13–14, 2 Samuel 6:21–23, 1 Samuel 13:1–14
Even if we know Jesus, there’s more to know. The whole world has talked and debated Jesus throughout history. “Who is Jesus?” His life has had a great impact on people, greater than any other person in history. Are we satisfied to know Him as we know Him today, or do we desire to know Him deeper? Is there anything left to surrender that is in the way of knowing Him more? Is there any part of your life that His love doesn’t touch?
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Matthew 16 : 13
Unity, Stability and Maturity in The Body of Christ – God is accomplishing it through the building of the Five-Fold Ministry. Jesus gave us Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds and Teachers, representing His own ministry. We are shifting from a One-Man Ministry to a Five-Fold Ministry – the divine wisdom of God, and He is restoring it in the Earth today. It is for the equipping of the saints for the work of service for the building up of the body of Christ.
We’re familiar with Pastors and Shepherds. The body of Christ has been over-pastored and under fathered, which is why we have a culture of being a nursery and not an army. We have tried to build the church in our own wisdom and have built an atmosphere of immaturity in the body.
God is waking us up, and changing how we have perceived church, and He’s calling us back into His Word.
Ephesians 4:7-16 NASB 1995
YouVersion Notes
When we receive Holy Spirit, we should expect to speak in tongues.
Holy Spirit doesn’t take over your tongue, but does tell you what to say, giving you the words to speak out of your mouth. We have to speak what He says.
First – We are filled with the PERSON of HOLY SPIRIT.
THEN – Holy Spirit tells us what to say.
It’s Holy Spirit’s job to give us the “utterance,” but it’s our job to do the speaking.
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.” Acts 10:44-48
Luke 24:48-49 , Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:1-4 , Acts 10:44-48 , I Corinthians 14:1-2, I Corinthians 14:4-5