Sermon Tone Analysis

Giving His followers an example to follow in their personal prayers, Christ highlights crucial elements that should be included in our conversations with God.

ELEMENT ONE – ADORE HIM FOR WHO HE IS (v. 9)

ELEMENT TWO – ALIGN WITH HIS SOVEREIGNTY (v.

10)

ELEMENT THREE – ACCEPT HIS PROVISION (v.

11)

ELEMENT FOUR - APPLY FORGIVENESS (v.

12)

As we come to the fourth element of prayer, highlighted by Jesus, we learn of both the reality of our sinful nature and the merciful nature of God.

READ MATTHEW 6:9-13

1.

In Relation to God (v.

12a)

Forgive - implies to pardon something that is owed, or to unloose a chain

Debts - ultimately speaking of our sin.

And in the context of our request for pardon and being loosed from bondage - we get a good grasp for it’s intensity.

Paul noted it this way in:

A. Judicial Forgiveness

As highlighted by the Commentator William McDonald:

Judicially, every person’s status before their Holy Creator begins as a sinner

And that Holy Creator is our Judge.

The result of their sin is eternal death.

Yet Christ steps in as the Role of Savior.

And as Savior, Jesus fulfills the sinners need of Salvation.

We understand the means of this forgiveness is by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

Those who come to faith in Christ, are freed from the condemnation of their sin, and they are eternally secure in Him.

The eternal forgiveness of our sin before the righteous Judge is dealt with at salvation one time.

B. Parental Forgiveness

Parentally, believers are described at the moment of salvation as children and God as a loving Heavenly Father.

This is the relational aspect of salvation.

It isn’t just a get-out-of-hell-free card!

Yet as Paul highlights in many of his epistles, although we are judicially forgiven and secure in Christ, we struggle with our flesh - and we sin.

And...

Our sin results in broken fellowship with our Father.

Those who come back to the Father in repentant confession find restoration.

While judicial forgiveness leads to salvation and a new relationship with God, parental forgiveness leads to the joy of our salvation and renewed fellowship.

While judicial forgiveness is a one time transaction, parental forgiveness is often revisited.

So as Jesus highlights the important element of forgiveness in prayer, as a believer, it is parental forgiveness, because judicial forgiveness has already been dealt with when we repented and believed on Christ by faith.

May I ask you today, friend, have you ever been judicially forgiven?

Has God become your Heavenly Father as a result of your faith being placed in Christ?

Do you have a relationship with Him, that is being developed daily?

Now, Jesus doesn’t stop with applying forgiveness in relation to God.

Because as we study scripture, our vertical relationship always impacts our horizontal relationships.

2. In Relation to Others (v.

12b)

A. It begins with heart readiness

John Lange wrote - “The statement “AS WE” expresses neither the measure nor the grounds of forgiveness, but is connected with and regulated by our vow of readiness to forgive our neighbors.”

You see, according to this verse, regardless of the extent of our hurt, and regardless of what the one who has wronged us deserves, forgiveness begins in our own heart readiness.

Our prayer, according to this verse, is actually for God to restore our relationship to Him and forgive parentally, in equal proportion to our readiness to forgive those who have sinned against us.

Forgiveness is a matter of the heart.

In Matthew 18, Jesus is talking with Peter, and answers a crucial question about forgiveness.

And then Jesus gives a story to highlight what He means.

Here we find, not the loss of a believer’s salvation, but the reality that those who are forgiven should forgive others.

Scripture as a whole teaches that those who are in Christ are secure - yet there are some who intellectually know about God’s forgiveness but have yet to submit to Christ for salvation.

So forgiveness begins with a heart of readiness, willing and ready to forgive the sins of others in the light of the massive forgiveness we have received from the Lord.

But forgiveness doesn’t stop there.

It is something that is continual.

B. It continues with frequent return

Forgive and keep on forgiving.

What is forgiveness as highlighted in the first part of v. 12? - it is a pardon from something owed, or a loosening from a chain.

So in relation to others, forgiveness is the loosening of the chain we could carry the wrong doing.

and it is the continual choice to leave the chain off.

C. It is in spite of the wrongdoing/wrongdoer

It has been said that forgiveness is dependent upon the repentance of the wrongdoer, and if he/she does not see their need for forgiveness, then the one wronged is not bound to forgive, however, this is not true.

We can’t obey that verse in with an unforgiving spirit!

Although restoration is dependent upon many factors, the relinquishing of the grudge and the renouncing of the revenge is in spite of how anyone else responds.

This level of forgivess takes place in our hearts, and is an attitude directly related to our understanding of God’s forgiveness to us.

“We’re not responsible for the miracle of repentance in someone else.”

In other words, we forgive like the Lord.

Although repentance and restoration may never take place, forgiveness begins with a heart of readiness, continues with a frequent return to the choice, and is in spite of anyone else.

Let me ask you this morning, are you a forgiving person?

Have you loosened the chains of that wrongdoing you’re thinking of right now?

As a recipient of mercy, will you withhold mercy?

As we pray, may we begin with adoring God for Who He Is, aligning with His sovereign plans, accepting His provision in famine and abundance, and may we apply these principles of forgiveness in our relationship with God, and with others.