Concluding Counsels: When We are the Offended

Driving home: Human forgiveness is a gracious, God-like act of one sinner to another sinner by which the offended party makes a commitment of His will not to remember the sin of the offending party, thereby clearing the way to a resto…

Martin uses the analogy of condensing 12-13 hours of exposition into 12 minutes of review, noting that each condensed statement 'will scream at me, preach me again,' to explain why he must stick closely to his notes and not re-preach.

Well, as I've already intimated, we come this Lord's Day to the final two sermons, sermons number 13 and 14, in a series of messages that I have entitled, Now Concerning Forgiveness. And in this series of studies, I've sought to address some very crucial aspects of the biblical doctrine of forgiveness, especially what I have designated as horizontal or relational forgiveness. That is the forgiveness which we as fellow sinners and saints must exercise one to another as the people of God. And because several weeks have passed since I preached the last message, and because of the changing complex...

3:15 - 4:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for humility and a passion for likeness to Christ that will make us approachable, willing and eager to be shown our sin.

He uses the attitude of Psalm 141:5, 'Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness,' to illustrate the humility that would remove reluctance to go to an offended brother or sister.

Remembering that all sin is ultimately against God and we must seek and obtain God's promised forgiveness. My counsel to you and to my own heart was this. Pray for humility and a passion for likeness to Christ that will make us approachable, willing and eager to be shown our sin. What would happen in any family or congregation where everyone had the attitude of Psalm 141 verse 5?

13:05 - 13:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for humility and a passion for likeness to Christ that will make us approachable, willing and eager to be shown our sin.

He contrasts praying for holiness with being 'prickly' when one's wife points out sin, asking 'Which is the real you?' to highlight hypocrisy.

But by nature we are so self-justifying, defensive, touchy about seeing our sins, it makes it difficult for us to do what the Scripture says. But since you and since I will be in the category of the offenders till we are taken home to glory, we need to pray for humility. And for a passion to be like Christ that will make us earn the reputation for being blissfully and blessedly approachable, eager to be shown our sin. How in the world can you sincerely pray in your devotions in the morning, Oh God, make me more holy.

13:50 - 14:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for a tender conscience with respect to our sins against one another and a willingness to initiate the action that leads to repentance and forgiveness.

He calls someone who shows us our offense 'our friend' and an 'oil spiller,' referencing Psalm 141:5, to emphasize the blessing of being corrected.

Will the prayers to be a more holy man in the closet in the morning? Or the one who is prickly to be told by his wife where he has been offensive? May God help us, dear people, that if we really want to be holy, if we really have a passion to be like Christ, anyone who can show us our offense is our friend. He is an oil spiller.

14:43 - 15:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for the grace to experience genuine repentance and the wisdom to express that repentance in such a way to those whom we offended that it makes it easy for them to say, 'I freely forgive you.'

He uses this vivid phrase to describe the 'big deal' that prevents people from simply getting on the phone and asking for forgiveness.

And brings to remembrance something we have reason to believe would give a brother or sister grounds to have something against us. Again, dear people, what's the big deal to get on the phone and say, I sinned, will you forgive me? What's the big deal? Stinking, rotten, devilish pride.

16:12 - 16:34 Read in full sermon

Driving home: That's the God-like disposition of forgiveness that must fill our hearts by the ministry of the Spirit at all times, no matter who has offended us, no matter how grievously they've offended us, and no matter whether ther…

The interaction between Jesus and the thief on the cross is used to demonstrate Christ's immediate and spontaneous disposition of forgiveness when repentance is expressed.

Father, the disposition of my heart is one of extending forgiveness even to those who have stripped me, put me here in total nakedness, beaten me, bruised me, buffeted me, spat upon me, mocked me, jeered me. Father, my heart is toward them in a disposition of forgiveness. And, O Father, if You would so work to bring them to own their sin and to repent of their sin and to believe in the grounds of forgiveness that I am securing by my death, my forgiveness towards them and upon them is the desire of my heart. Not, Father, consume them in Your righteous anger, but, Father, forgive them. It is not...

21:18 - 22:31 Read in full sermon

Driving home: That's the God-like disposition of forgiveness that must fill our hearts by the ministry of the Spirit at all times, no matter who has offended us, no matter how grievously they've offended us, and no matter whether ther…

The story of David's sin with Bathsheba and Nathan's confrontation is used to illustrate God's immediate forgiveness upon David's confession, showing God's readiness to forgive.

But he had it here on earth before he entered. And then, of course, I remind you, and I won't turn back there because I don't trust myself to just allude to it, the beautiful, beautiful example we saw with David and Nathan. David, the scoundrel, lusting after Bathsheba, whether he seduced her, whether she was a willing concern, we don't know. All we know is the Bible just gives the blunt, sordid detail, not the detail, the blunt, sordid facts.

25:44 - 26:16 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the first counsel for the offended: to tolerate nothing less than a God-like disposition of forgiveness, filling one's heart by the Holy Spirit. He demonstrates…

He uses the analogy of God's forgiveness 'pressing against his heart like water against a dam' to describe God's eager disposition to forgive, which bursts forth the moment David confessed his sin.

So the prophet said, the moment he heard the words, I have sinned, the Lord has put away your sin. Why? God's forgiveness, I use the analogy, was pressing against his heart like water against a dam. And the moment the words were spoken, I've sinned, the dam burst, and the free, gracious forgiveness of God came cascading down upon David's head and into his heart.

27:14 - 27:43 Read in full sermon

The point: If your enemy hunger, feed him. If he's thirsty, give him to drink. Do not be overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

He contrasts 'slicing him up with your words' with 'slice a piece of meat and put it in his belly' to illustrate overcoming evil with good by actively serving an enemy.

See if you're able to do what the next verse says. If your enemy hunger, feed him. Instead of slicing him up with your words, slice a piece of meat and put it in his belly. If your enemy hunger, feed him.

34:03 - 34:19 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second direction is to constantly appropriate every grace consistent with the disposition of forgiveness. He refers to Ephesians 4:32 (kindness, tenderheartedness) and…

He explains the etymological meaning of 'tenderheartedness' as 'healthy bowels' or 'healthy viscera,' to emphasize that tenderness should reside in the deepest seat of emotions, free from spiritual 'bacteria'.

You know what it literally means etymologically? Healthy bowels. Healthy viscera. With the concept that the seat of the emotions is not the heart but the viscera.

40:41 - 40:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Constantly remember the wonder and the magnitude of our forgiveness from God, soaking your soul in the realities of Gethsemane and Golgotha.

He uses the analogy from the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18) to contrast God's forgiveness of our 'millions' with our reluctance to forgive others' 'nickels and dimes,' highlighting the incongruity.

God infinite eternal unchangeable in His being holiness wisdom power goodness and truth this God has in Christ forgiven us. The man was forgiven his millions but he grabbed his fellow servant by the throat and said give me my nickels and dimes or off to prison you go. Remember what Jesus said just as they took him and delivered him to the tormentors so shall my heavenly Father do to you if you forgive not every man his brother where from and what's the teaching of that parable that you can be forgiven and lose your forgiveness of course not the teaching is if you are not ready to forgive your ...

44:29 - 45:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Constantly remember the wonder and the magnitude of our forgiveness from God, soaking your soul in the realities of Gethsemane and Golgotha.

He illustrates unforgiveness in marriage by describing a 'cold shoulder' where the 'bed will be cold, the words will be cold,' to show how spouses demand their 'nickels and dimes' from each other.

his wrath upon his son and because of what Christ did freely forgiving you your millions so when a brother or sister comes what should they find in you the disposition of one who can't forget what they have been canceled you come and asking me to forgive you a nickel or a dime no big deal of course I can forgive your nickel and your dime almighty God has forgiven my millions so what will keep us in that frame just keep reminding yourself I've been forgiven my millions I've been forgiven my millions by the Lord and all I'm asked to do is to extend a little debt canceling of nickels and dimes to...

45:57 - 47:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Constantly remember the wonder and the magnitude of our forgiveness from God, soaking your soul in the realities of Gethsemane and Golgotha.

He vividly describes Christ's agony in Gethsemane and on the cross to emphasize the immense cost of our forgiveness, urging listeners to remember this when tempted to withhold forgiveness from others.

my attitude will be cold the bed will be cold the words will be cold what are you doing wife what are you doing husband what you're saying is I've got you by the throat grovel give me my nickels and dimes how in the world how in the world can you justify saying daily and either you've never known the sweetness of forgiveness and you are self deceived or it's been a long time since you've baptized your spirit in a long look at Gethsemane and looked at your savior travailing to sweat drops of blood as he faces the abyss of abandonment my savior with all his holy courage that could look down his ...

47:26 - 48:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your heart: When you go to fulfill the command of Matthew 18 to tell a brother his fault, do you go with a disposition longing to forgive, earnestly hoping to gain your brother?

He describes God's disposition to forgive as a 'bottomless shoreless ocean' to convey its boundless nature, which God desires to put within believers.

Luke 17 3 if your brother sinned against you rebuke him if he repents forgive him when you go to fulfill those injunctions do you go with a disposition longing to forgive? flooding your heart ready to burst on the head of the offender with unmistakable spontaneity and joy or do you go almost hoping you can't get them to own your sin because then you think you've got a right to nurse your grudge and your alienation well they wouldn't own their sin I rebuked them but they wouldn't perhaps or do you go earnestly longing that you'll gain your brother gain your sister that your loving wise judiciou...

56:16 - 57:45 Read in full sermon