100:00:00,760 –> 00:00:03,560Forgive Us Our Debts200:00:03,580 –> 00:00:08,740Forgive us our debts.300:00:08,740 –> 00:00:16,219Do you have a sense today of how much you owe to Almighty God —400:00:16,219 –> 00:00:19,700the love that laid hold of you and laid hold of me —500:00:19,700 –> 00:00:25,420when we were dead in trespasses and sins and brought us to life in Jesus Christ?600:00:25,420 –> 00:00:28,340By grace we have been saved through faith.700:00:28,379 –> 00:00:31,180Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.800:00:31,180 –> 00:00:32,520I’m David Pick.900:00:32,520 –> 00:00:34,139Glad you could be with us today.1000:00:34,139 –> 00:00:38,660And as we continue our series, Six Things to Ask of God,1100:00:38,660 –> 00:00:41,680today we come on to a phrase we all know so well —1200:00:41,680 –> 00:00:43,320forgive us our debts.1300:00:43,320 –> 00:00:48,680But Colin, why is it important to understand how much God has forgiven us.1400:00:48,680 –> 00:00:52,599Well, because of the second part of that phrase that you just referred to —1500:00:52,599 –> 00:00:56,279forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.1600:00:56,419 –> 00:01:00,480It’s really, really, really hard to forgive.1700:01:00,480 –> 00:01:03,000And as you’re listening to the program today,1800:01:03,000 –> 00:01:06,559there’s probably something in your life that you think,1900:01:06,559 –> 00:01:11,360I would like to be able to forgive that, but I don’t know how to do it.2000:01:11,360 –> 00:01:13,639How can I forgive?2100:01:13,639 –> 00:01:19,639Well, what we’re going to see today is that the key to forgiving others2200:01:19,639 –> 00:01:25,879is to realize in a deeper way how much God in Jesus Christ has forgiven you.2300:01:25,879 –> 00:01:29,440That’s where we begin, forgive us our debts.2400:01:29,440 –> 00:01:36,120When we have a sense of what it is that we have been forgiven for,2500:01:36,120 –> 00:01:41,000that’s the beginning of cultivating the spirit that will then enable us2600:01:41,000 –> 00:01:45,040to reflect the forgiveness that we’ve received2700:01:45,040 –> 00:01:49,519into the lives of others who may have wounded and hurt us.2800:01:49,519 –> 00:01:53,360So this is a very practical subject that we’re looking at today.2900:01:53,360 –> 00:01:54,839It’s a very wonderful one.3000:01:55,000 –> 00:01:57,080We want to be able to forgive.3100:01:57,080 –> 00:02:02,919We live in a divided world in which there’s more and more arguing and fighting.3200:02:02,919 –> 00:02:06,559We want to be able to pursue reconciliation.3300:02:06,559 –> 00:02:07,760And where does that begin?3400:02:07,760 –> 00:02:12,119Well, it actually begins in this place of seeing more clearly3500:02:12,119 –> 00:02:16,240how much God has forgiven me in the Lord Jesus Christ.3600:02:16,240 –> 00:02:20,679So let’s do just that as we begin the message, God’s Forgiveness.3700:02:20,679 –> 00:02:21,639Here’s Colin.3800:02:21,639 –> 00:02:26,039So now, today then, we come to this fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer.3900:02:26,039 –> 00:02:32,080And it is absolutely vital for us today and every day.4000:02:32,080 –> 00:02:36,919We’re going to look at why we need to be forgiven4100:02:36,919 –> 00:02:39,880and why we need to forgive.4200:02:39,880 –> 00:02:47,720And then we’re going to look at how we can be forgiven and how we can forgive.4300:02:47,800 –> 00:02:52,679There are really four key words in this fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer.4400:02:52,679 –> 00:03:01,479Debt, debtors, forgive and us, and we’re going to look at each of these together.4500:03:01,479 –> 00:03:03,839So let’s begin with debt.4600:03:03,839 –> 00:03:08,000Here we’re looking at why we need to be forgiven.4700:03:08,000 –> 00:03:16,160Jesus says forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.4800:03:17,080 –> 00:03:22,880Now, it seems quite clear that our Lord Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer on more than4900:03:22,880 –> 00:03:29,020one occasion, and Luke records that Jesus said forgive us our sins.5000:03:29,020 –> 00:03:37,880And so very clearly putting these side by side our sins are being described as debts to God.5100:03:37,880 –> 00:03:43,919Then you see that our Lord here speaks about debtors, that is people who have5200:03:43,919 –> 00:03:52,279sinned against us. So, here’s the reality of our position in this world we need to5300:03:52,279 –> 00:04:01,899get this settled in our minds. We sin and we are sinned against. We have debts and5400:04:01,899 –> 00:04:09,759we have debtors. Now in using the language of debt and of debtors, our Lord5500:04:09,759 –> 00:04:15,220makes it very clear that each of us lives within a network of relationships5600:04:15,220 –> 00:04:20,859in which we have responsibilities and obligations. Debts, debtors, that means5700:04:20,859 –> 00:04:26,260that there are certain things that I owe to God and there are certain things that5800:04:26,260 –> 00:04:31,500I owe to other people and there are certain things that other people owe to5900:04:31,500 –> 00:04:38,899me. Notice that there is only one who stands outside of this network of6000:04:39,079 –> 00:04:45,440obligations and that one of course is God himself. God is no one’s debtor who6100:04:45,440 –> 00:04:49,320has known the mind of the Lord or who has been His counselor, who has ever6200:04:49,320 –> 00:04:54,160given a gift to Him in order that God should be in his or her debt and need to6300:04:54,160 –> 00:05:05,299repay him or her. No, God owes us nothing, but we have an obligation to God, and we6400:05:05,299 –> 00:05:14,420have an obligation to others. Now, what is this obligation that we have to God and6500:05:14,420 –> 00:05:21,399that we have to others? Well, very clearly, the Lord Jesus sums it up for us in a6600:05:21,399 –> 00:05:28,040single word. our obligation to God and our obligation to others is summed up in6700:05:28,040 –> 00:05:34,820the word love. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind6800:05:34,820 –> 00:05:41,459and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. That’s our Lord Jesus’ summary6900:05:41,459 –> 00:05:51,059of all of the Ten Commandments. This is what God requires of us. Now, when we7000:05:51,059 –> 00:05:59,260think about our sins, what usually comes first to mind is things that we have7100:05:59,260 –> 00:06:06,940thought or said or done that are wrong but the starting point in understanding7200:06:06,940 –> 00:06:13,540the extent of our sin is not so much with what we have done but with what we7300:06:13,540 –> 00:06:25,959have failed to do. We, O God, a life of devoted love every hour of every day for7400:06:25,959 –> 00:06:35,179the entire course of our lives, and what we owe we have not paid. And because God7500:06:35,179 –> 00:06:40,500calls us to love we have an obligation not only to love him but also to love7600:06:40,500 –> 00:06:48,519others. Love your neighbour as yourself. Jesus said, a new commandment I give to7700:06:48,579 –> 00:06:53,859you, that you love one another just as I have7800:06:53,859 –> 00:07:00,059loved you. Now that means if I can put it in a personal way, I owe it to you to7900:07:00,059 –> 00:07:08,899always seek your best interest. We owe a debt of love to one another. You owe a8000:07:08,899 –> 00:07:13,500debt of love to your husband, to your wife, to your parents, to your children, to8100:07:13,500 –> 00:07:18,339your neighbors, to your friends, to your employer, to your employees, to your8200:07:18,420 –> 00:07:26,380business partners and to your colleagues. Every day of our lives we owe a debt of8300:07:26,380 –> 00:07:34,480love to God and a debt of love to each other. And however much we love, that debt8400:07:34,480 –> 00:07:41,559is never fully paid. And that is why Paul says in Romans chapter 13, verse 8,8500:07:41,579 –> 00:07:49,000Let no debt remain outstanding, except your continuing debt to love one another.8600:07:49,000 –> 00:07:56,540You have one debt that always remains outstanding. It is never paid off and8700:07:56,540 –> 00:08:06,019that is your debt of love. Your debt to love God. And your debt to love others.8800:08:06,399 –> 00:08:14,839Now Jesus is making this very clear. Our sins are debts. They are measured in our8900:08:14,839 –> 00:08:23,839failure to love God and in our failure to love others. We have not loved God as9000:08:23,839 –> 00:08:30,739he has loved us and we have not loved our neighbor as we have loved ourselves.9100:08:31,100 –> 00:08:36,659And this debt of love, because love is that to which God has called us, it is a9200:08:36,659 –> 00:08:45,380debt that we have not paid and it is a debt that we cannot pay. So that’s the9300:08:45,380 –> 00:08:49,119first thing. Why do we need to be forgiven? Because we have an unpaid debt9400:08:49,119 –> 00:08:56,539and Jesus makes it very clear. Now a second word that’s really important here9500:08:56,700 –> 00:09:01,780is the word debtors. And here we’re looking of course at the subject of why9600:09:01,780 –> 00:09:12,640we need to forgive. Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. Now9700:09:12,640 –> 00:09:18,140take in what the Lord Jesus is teaching us here. This means that there will be9800:09:18,760 –> 00:09:30,500in your life who will not give you what they owe. God places on you an obligation9900:09:30,500 –> 00:09:38,280to love others and God places on others an obligation to love you. But we live in10000:09:38,280 –> 00:09:45,200a fallen world and just as you have defaulted in what you owe to God and10100:09:45,239 –> 00:09:50,159what you owe to others, so others will default in what they owe to God and in10200:09:50,159 –> 00:09:59,340what they owe to you. They will be your debtors. Now, friends, this is a really10300:09:59,340 –> 00:10:04,799important principle for us to settle in our own minds and our hearts. It will10400:10:04,799 –> 00:10:10,520help you greatly to live in this world. If you can settle this in your mind and10500:10:10,520 –> 00:10:14,599in your heart today, there will be people, and perhaps many in10600:10:14,640 –> 00:10:21,940your life, who will fail to give you what they owe. They will not love you well,10700:10:21,940 –> 00:10:30,080they will hurt you, they will disappoint you, they will not give you the grace10800:10:30,080 –> 00:10:38,640that they should give you when you let them down. They are your debtors, and a10900:10:39,159 –> 00:10:48,659debtor is a person who has wronged you in any way. But here’s the thing, when11000:10:48,659 –> 00:10:57,960another person fails to love me well, I am still under a God-given obligation to11100:10:57,960 –> 00:11:03,719love that other person well, and that really is the heart of the charge of11200:11:04,000 –> 00:11:11,159as a Christian in this fallen world. What does it look like then to love other11300:11:11,159 –> 00:11:20,219people well? Now there is of course a difference between our love for God and11400:11:20,219 –> 00:11:27,619our love for others. Loving God means that we obey all his commands. Jesus11500:11:27,760 –> 00:11:37,280said, if you love me, you will obey my commandments. So loving God means doing11600:11:37,280 –> 00:11:44,900all that God says, but clearly loving other people does not mean that we are11700:11:44,900 –> 00:11:49,900under an obligation to do what every other person ever tells us to do. That11800:11:49,900 –> 00:11:55,659would be to put others in the position that belongs to God alone. So what does11900:11:55,700 –> 00:12:03,440it mean for us to love other people? Well, you’re listening to Open The Bible12000:12:03,440 –> 00:12:08,219with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called God’s Forgiveness, part of our12100:12:08,219 –> 00:12:13,580series Six Things to Ask of God all about the Lord’s Prayer, based on Matthew12200:12:13,580 –> 00:12:17,859chapter 6. If you ever missed one of the series, or if you want to go back and12300:12:17,859 –> 00:12:23,039listen again, come to our website openthebible.org.uk. There you’ll find12400:12:23,119 –> 00:12:27,000all the messages which have already gone out on air and you’ll also find them on12500:12:27,000 –> 00:12:32,119your favorite podcast site. Search for Open The Bible UK and subscribe if you12600:12:32,119 –> 00:12:38,039want to receive regular reminders. Back to the message now, here’s Colin. So what12700:12:38,039 –> 00:12:48,780does it mean for us to love other people well? Let me give you four pointers from12800:12:48,859 –> 00:12:54,200the Scripture in that regard. It means first consideration. Jesus said in what12900:12:54,200 –> 00:12:59,640is often referred to as the golden rule in Matthew chapter 7 and verse 12, do to13000:12:59,640 –> 00:13:06,219others what you would have them do to you. So here’s what it looks like to love13100:13:06,219 –> 00:13:10,760other people well in this fallen world. It means very simply, that you put13200:13:10,760 –> 00:13:17,979yourself in the shoes of the other person. And you try to look at the13300:13:18,020 –> 00:13:26,440situation from his or her point of view. And then you do for that person what you13400:13:26,440 –> 00:13:32,520would hope for, if you were the one who was in that position.13500:13:32,520 –> 00:13:39,700That’s consideration. And it’s the first part of loving other people well. And13600:13:39,700 –> 00:13:44,960then of course we are called to empathy, which is another part of loving others13700:13:45,099 –> 00:13:49,500well. The scripture puts it like this, we’re to rejoice with those who rejoice13800:13:49,500 –> 00:13:55,700and we’re to weep with those who weep. In other words, love doesn’t live in13900:13:55,700 –> 00:14:04,159isolation. Love enters into the joys and sorrows of other people, and in that way14000:14:04,159 –> 00:14:10,500expands our experience. This is a beautiful thing, brothers and sisters.14100:14:10,500 –> 00:14:16,859Love means that other people’s joys are a joy to you and that gives you more joy14200:14:16,859 –> 00:14:23,820in your life, and love means that other people’s sorrows are a sorrow to you and14300:14:23,820 –> 00:14:27,919that means that you take them into your life and it also means that when you14400:14:27,919 –> 00:14:32,400sorrow others will take some of that into their lives and will share it with14500:14:32,679 –> 00:14:41,859you. That’s love and then love is expressed in grace, listen to how Peter14600:14:41,859 –> 00:14:51,099puts this love covers over a multitude of sins. Now think about this and think14700:14:51,099 –> 00:14:55,320about its importance in this world where we get irritated with each other14800:14:55,580 –> 00:15:04,099disappointed with each other so often. When God justified you he put all your14900:15:04,099 –> 00:15:10,500sins under the blood of Jesus. Every single one of them, that means that God15000:15:10,500 –> 00:15:15,059put under the blood of Jesus sins that you were not even aware of at the time15100:15:15,059 –> 00:15:20,859and some sins that you’re probably not even aware of now. Now Peter is not15200:15:20,859 –> 00:15:25,260talking here of course about covering up crimes that need to be exposed15300:15:25,260 –> 00:15:31,200his point is simply this God does not take us to task for every sin that we15400:15:31,200 –> 00:15:38,739commit and therefore there’s no reason for us to do that towards others. What15500:15:38,739 –> 00:15:45,460God does towards us is that for Christ’s sake he covers over a multitude of sins15600:15:45,460 –> 00:15:53,780that is what God has done for us and that is what he calls us also to do for15700:15:54,299 –> 00:16:04,219others and you know this Grace is the oil of human relationships and then15800:16:04,219 –> 00:16:08,559loving others well of course means one more thing that’s at the heart of this15900:16:08,580 –> 00:16:13,739fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer and that is forgiving forgive one another as16000:16:13,739 –> 00:16:19,940God in Christ has forgiven you we read earlier from Ephesians and chapter four16100:16:19,940 –> 00:16:28,539in other words we are called as part of loving other people well to forgive16200:16:28,539 –> 00:16:34,640those who have wronged us to forgive those who have failed us to forgive16300:16:34,640 –> 00:16:39,979those who have disappointed us and we are called to do this as we have been16400:16:40,020 –> 00:16:50,760forgiven in other words the starting point for forgiving others is always16500:16:50,760 –> 00:17:00,020knowing the extent of the forgiveness that you have received yourself look at16600:17:00,380 –> 00:17:10,780how you have been loved by God and that will help you to love other people well16700:17:10,780 –> 00:17:15,239and that then brings us to the third word that of course is right at the very16800:17:15,239 –> 00:17:20,140center of this fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer we’ve looked at why we16900:17:20,140 –> 00:17:25,800need to be forgiven because we have debts we’ve looked at why we need to17000:17:25,800 –> 00:17:29,819forgive because we have debtors others who have failed us now we come to the17100:17:29,959 –> 00:17:42,880question well how can we be forgiven forgive us our debts now that is a17200:17:42,880 –> 00:17:54,180really big ask imagine going to someone to whom you owe $100,000 and saying I’m17300:17:54,180 –> 00:18:03,640asking you to write off this debt and Jesus invites us to make a far bigger17400:18:03,640 –> 00:18:14,420ask of God when we ask God to forgive us our debts we are confessing not only17500:18:14,420 –> 00:18:18,560that we have failed to pay but we are actually confessing that we cannot pay17600:18:18,560 –> 00:18:23,859that’s why we ask him to forgive we don’t go to God and ask for17700:18:23,859 –> 00:18:32,000terms we don’t go to God and say now Father I want to make it up to you by17800:18:32,000 –> 00:18:36,400being a good mother from now on or a good student from now on or a really17900:18:36,400 –> 00:18:46,260good Christian from now on. No, when we pray forgive us our debts we18000:18:46,579 –> 00:18:55,540saying to God I cannot pay you. I cannot balance my account in your book. I can’t18100:18:55,540 –> 00:19:04,400do it now, and I can’t do it ever. So Father my only option is to plead that18200:19:04,400 –> 00:19:11,500you in your mercy will forgive my debt, that you will wipe the slate clean and18300:19:12,219 –> 00:19:20,739that you will cancel what I owe. Now there are two questions here that are18400:19:20,739 –> 00:19:27,859really important the why and the how. Let’s take the why first. Why does a18500:19:27,859 –> 00:19:36,099Christian need to pray this prayer? You see when we come to faith and repentance18600:19:36,140 –> 00:19:42,939in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible is very clear God justifies us fully18700:19:42,939 –> 00:19:49,160completely and forever. He drops all charges against us when we come to him18800:19:49,160 –> 00:19:55,060through faith in Jesus so that there is now no condemnation for those who are in18900:19:55,060 –> 00:20:01,900Christ Jesus. Now here’s the question. If it is really true that God has removed19000:20:02,099 –> 00:20:08,800our sins as far from us as the East is from the West, why would any of us need19100:20:08,800 –> 00:20:16,260to pray forgive us our debts this week? The answer to that question is simply19200:20:16,260 –> 00:20:22,260this the point of this prayer is not that condemnation should be removed19300:20:22,260 –> 00:20:25,819that’s happened already for those who are in Christ and he is speaking here to19400:20:25,819 –> 00:20:30,739his disciples. The point of this prayer is not that condemnation should be19500:20:30,859 –> 00:20:40,060removed but that fellowship with God should be restored. We are God’s wayward19600:20:40,060 –> 00:20:51,939children prone to wonder Lord I feel it prone to leave the God I love. And God’s19700:20:52,060 –> 00:21:00,979justified children sin in many ways when we sin our sins do not bring us19800:21:00,979 –> 00:21:07,140back into condemnation but here’s what happens they really do clog up our19900:21:07,140 –> 00:21:15,420relationship with God and the great desire of God’s children is always that20000:21:15,420 –> 00:21:20,619we should honor his name that we should extend his kingdom that we should seek20100:21:20,699 –> 00:21:28,040to do his will we want as God’s children who loved him as our own father we want20200:21:28,040 –> 00:21:33,239to walk with him as closely as it is possible for a redeemed sinner to do in20300:21:33,239 –> 00:21:39,819this world to walk with God is our hope it is our joy it is our future it is our20400:21:39,819 –> 00:21:45,500destiny and God’s children want as much of this as we can possibly get right now20500:21:46,040 –> 00:21:57,619and that’s why we pray father forgive us our debt I don’t want to live an hour of20600:21:57,619 –> 00:22:08,560today distanced from you I want to walk father with you as closely as it is20700:22:08,560 –> 00:22:13,599possible for a redeemed sinner to do in this world20800:22:13,920 –> 00:22:17,780you’ve been listening to open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message20900:22:17,780 –> 00:22:23,660called God’s forgiveness part of our series six things to ask of God all21000:22:23,660 –> 00:22:27,640about the Lord’s Prayer if you ever miss one of the series don’t forget you can21100:22:27,640 –> 00:22:31,900always catch up or go back and listen again online as our website openthebible.org21200:22:31,900 –> 00:22:37,540also on our website and available as a podcast is21300:22:37,540 –> 00:22:42,479open the Bible daily and that’s a series of short 2 to 3 minute daily21400:22:42,640 –> 00:22:47,180reflections based on pastor Colin’s teaching and read in the UK by Sue21500:22:47,180 –> 00:22:52,040McCleish. Open the Bible is supported entirely by our listeners, it’s you that21600:22:52,040 –> 00:22:56,859keep us online and on the air. If that’s something you’re considering doing this21700:22:56,859 –> 00:23:00,599month if you’re able to begin a new direct debit to the work of open the21800:23:00,599 –> 00:23:06,239Bible for five pounds per month or more or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or21900:23:06,239 –> 00:23:10,359more we’d love to say thank you by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin22000:23:11,239 –> 00:23:19,239It’s been five lovely greetings cards with a verse from Psalm 23 Colin what is in this22100:23:19,239 –> 00:23:23,599book that you hope that someone who is grieving will be able to take from it?22200:23:23,599 –> 00:23:29,219Well you know I think when we experience loss in life we often feel that God is at22300:23:29,219 –> 00:23:33,719a distance you know what does God know about this and where is God in all of22400:23:33,719 –> 00:23:38,739this and sometimes we feel that he is very very far away indeed but you know22500:23:38,739 –> 00:23:43,660the thing that’s been most striking to me in pondering the book of lamentations22600:23:43,660 –> 00:23:48,819and the journey through grief that we all at some time in our lives have to22700:23:48,819 –> 00:23:54,079endure what’s been most striking to me is that Jesus knows about the path of22800:23:54,079 –> 00:23:58,900sorrows he’s described in the Bible as the man of sorry’s who is acquainted22900:23:58,900 –> 00:24:06,619with grief so no one wants to walk on the path of sorrow and loss but you know23000:24:06,680 –> 00:24:10,599So, when you do, you’re walking at a place where23100:24:10,599 –> 00:24:16,619Jesus Christ himself can be found he walks sorrows path he’s very familiar23200:24:16,619 –> 00:24:22,180with it and Steve my greatest motivation in writing this book is to try and help23300:24:22,180 –> 00:24:26,420and encourage people who are going through grief sorrow and loss to find23400:24:26,420 –> 00:24:31,260the company of Jesus Christ as they walk this very difficult and painful path23500:24:31,260 –> 00:24:36,380So, Colin’s book For All Who Grieve is our gift to you. Along with, five lovely23600:24:36,420 –> 00:24:42,079greetings cards with a verse from Psalm 23 when you set up a new direct debit to23700:24:42,079 –> 00:24:46,660the work of Open The Bible for five pounds per month or more or a one-off23800:24:46,660 –> 00:24:51,900gift of 50 pounds or more full terms and conditions on our website23900:24:51,900 –> 00:24:58,099openthebible.org.uk and you can give online. For Open The Bible for Pastor Colin24000:24:58,099 –> 00:25:05,280Smith and for myself, David Pick, I hope you’ll be able to join us again next time24100:25:06,599 –> 00:25:14,880Jesus taught us to pray. Forgive us our debts. Why do Christians need to pray24200:25:14,880 –> 00:25:22,439this prayer? Aren’t we already forgiven? Find out next time on Open The Bible