How much do I have to put up with?

Matthew 18: 21-35

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)

What do you think of Peter’s question, as a neighbor, a parent, a teacher, a business- person, have you ask the same question?  Did you do as Peter did, or did you ask someone who also has issues with the same person or persons, if you did they more than likely gave you council from a worldview, not the council that Jesus gave to Peter?  Now if you are listening to Channel 1, the (Deception Channel) it is going to ask some questions; Who is your brother, is Jesus referring to blood kin, or is He only referring to a fellow Christian, if so, how do you know that person qualifies, they do not act like a follower of Christ? 

Channel 2 is the channel you should be listening to; it tells you to love even your enemy, and to love your neighbor as your self.  It has the heart attitude of Christ who asks the

Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him, maybe it is time to look at what evil can come out of the hearts of people who listen to Channel One.  Jesus tells us about a king who wished to settle an account with one of his servants who owed him 10,000 dollars (it was talents) but in that most of us do not know what a talent is, we will use dollars.  And because the servant could not pay, the king ordered that he and his family be sold with all their stuff to repay the debt.  Jesus tells us the servant fell on his knees and begged for time to repay the debt, and the king had pity on him and ordered that he be released and his debt be forgiven.  And that is what our Father in heaven has done for each of us, we all had a debt of sin that was impossible to pay, and Jesus said Father I’m willing to do for them what they are unable to do, and He did, He forgave all our sins, past, present, and future, but now the ball is in your court, you are that wicked servant, will you bow your knee to the only true God, for in doing so He will forgive all your sins.

But do not think you can con God, He knows your thoughts, He understands and knows your anxious thoughts, and He loves you beyond your understanding.   So today is the day of Salvation, today is the time to ask forgiveness, but remember the servant whose debt was forgiven went out and showed no mercy to one of his servants and put him in prison for a much smaller debt.  Jesus tells us that when the king heard about it he said: “You wicked servant! I forgave you all your debt because you pleaded with me.  And should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?  And in anger the master delivered him to the jailer, until he should pay all his debt.  So also my heavenly Father will do to everyone of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:32b-35)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice