WHY SHOULD I FORGIVE OTHERS?

By Elder Emmanuel Asante Gyimah (Presiding Elder)

Today’s sermon I would like to focus on forgiveness. Many Christians find it difficult to forgive those who wrong them. Most Christians think that forgiveness is a choice, therefore one can decide to forgive other or not.

We always pray for forgiveness but we are not always ready to forgive others. This is not biblical.

Our Lord Jesus told us in Matthew chapter 6: 14 – 15

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your heavenly Father will not forgive your sins.

Jesus told a story about forgiving people:

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.

Then Jesus started the story about what will happen in the kingdom of heaven.

Now the story, there was a king who wanted to settle account with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered them to sell the man, his wife, his children and all his possessions to repay the debt. Then the servant kneeled in front of the king. “Be patient with me”, he said. “I will pay back everything that I owe you.” And the master pitied him. So he forgave the servant for all that he owed. And he let the servant leave free.

But when servant went out, he found one of the other servants who owed him just a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. “Pay back what you owe me!” he demanded.

His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, “be patient with me and I will pay you back”, he said.

But he refused. Instead, he caused the authorities to throw the other servant into prison. And he had to stay there until he could pay back the debt. When the servants saw what had happened, they were very upset about it. So they told their master everything that had happened.

Then the master called the first servant to come back to him. “You wicked servant”, he said, “I forgave all your debt to me because you asked me to.

You should have pitied the other servant, just as I pitied you!” His master was very angry. So he handed the servant over to the prison officers for punishment. He must stay in prison until he paid everything back to his master. Matthew 18: 21-35

You must forgive your brothers. My Father who is in heaven will act like this king towards each of you. So you must forgive them from heart.

As long as we live together with people we may offend one another and when this happens we should remember who we are and what Jesus expects from us.

The bible says when we were still sinners Christ died for us, no one can call him or herself a true Christian if he cannot forgive others' sins they have committed him or her.

Jesus said, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your father in heaven. When Jesus was on the cross he prayed to God to forgive those who put him on the cross.

When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they thought Joseph will hold a grudge against them and pay them back for all the wrongs they did against him. But when Joseph heard their taught, the bible said he wept, and shown them forgiveness, reassured them of his willingness to continue to provide for them and their children.

Genesis 50:19

But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Here, Joseph reveals how much he feared God, as much as his understanding that vengeance belongs to God.

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Concluding the sermon, I would like to assure you that the Lord that we serve can use any situation we find ourselves in to work for the good to suit His purpose for our life.

Trust the Lord, be patience and obey all his commands, and you will surely see His glory in your life.

Amen.