Matthew 18:15,21-22 (NKJV) “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother… Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
If we have been wronged or sinned against by someone, we need to follow the biblical approach in Matthew 18:15-17 in confronting them. After that, we need to forgive them. Forgiveness is a hallmark of a believer. It shows authentic church life because we worship among imperfect believers. Forgiveness is the best way to handle, restore, and resolve complex relationships.
No doubt, Peter also found it hard to forgive, so he asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone. Jesus told him to forgive the person who had wronged or offended him seventy times seven, which means innumerably!
Reading from the opening passage to the end of Matthew chapter 18 would help us appreciate this instruction of ongoing forgiveness more because it talks about how the king, out of his grace, forgave the debtor of an impossible amount. However, the forgiven debtor failed to extend the same grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness toward someone who couldn’t repay him an insignificant amount. It reveals how God wants us to be forgiving, gracious, and kind towards those who have sinned and offended us. If we truly appreciate how God has forgiven us by His abundant grace despite our sins and inability to make ourselves right before God, we will likewise be gracious to those who have wronged or sinned against us.
We are imperfect beings living in a fallen world, so there will be innumerable opportunities for people to sin or wrong us, especially our loved ones. The secret to a lasting relationship is an ever-forgiving heart and a gracious and merciful attitude since we have understood and experienced God’s love. When we practise forgiving seventy-seven times, Christ’s image slowly forms in us.
John 21:15 (NKJV) So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
Jesus demonstrated how He restored someone who had denied Him three times. He intentionally asked Peter three times to assure him that He would continue to trust him by entrusting him with caring for His sheep. Jesus did not cut Peter off the list of apostles, give him a cold shoulder, or make Peter’s life miserable. Instead, Jesus reached out to Peter, forgave Him, and restored his relationship with Peter. God expects us to do the same.
Sermon Series: What Is Seventy Times Seven Times?
不断的饶恕
马太福音 18:15, 21-22 倘若你的弟兄得罪你，你就去趁着只有他和你在一处的时候，指出他的错来；他若听你，你便得了你的弟兄。那时彼得进前来，对耶稣说：“主啊，我弟兄得罪我，我当饶恕他几次呢？到七次可以吗？” 耶稣说：“我对你说：不是到七次，乃是到七十个七次。”
如果我们被他人冤枉或得罪，我们需要遵循马太福音18:15-17中的圣经方式来面对他们。过后我们要饶恕他们。饶恕是信徒应有的标志。这展示了真正的教会生活，因为我们是在不完美的信徒中间敬拜。饶恕是处理，恢复和解决复杂关系的最佳方式。
毫无疑问，彼得也觉得饶恕是很难的，所以他问主耶稣当饶恕他人几次。耶稣告诉他要饶恕那冤枉或得罪他的人七十个七次，也就意味着无数次！
从头至尾通读马太福音第18章将帮助我们更加玩味这不断饶恕的教导，因为它讲述了王如何出于祂的恩典免了他的债务人巨额的债务。然而这个被宽恕的人对无法偿还他微不足道金额的人并没有像国王一样给予恩典，怜悯，爱和宽恕。这也显示神是何等希望我们怀着饶恕，慈悲和善意的心去对待那些得罪和冒犯我们的人。如果我们真正体会到神如何以祂丰盛的恩典饶恕了我们，即使我们犯了罪，无法在上帝面前自圆其说，我们也会同样恩待那些冤枉或得罪我们的人。
我们是活在坠落世界里的不完美的人，因此会有无数次的机会遭到他人的冒犯和冤枉，尤其是我们所爱的人。保持长久关系的秘诀就是有一颗永远饶恕他人的心，并带着有恩典和怜悯的态度，因为我们已经理解并经历了神的爱。当我们操练饶恕他人七十个七次时，基督的形象就会渐渐在我们里面成形。
约翰福音 21:15他们吃完了早饭，耶稣对西门彼得说：“约翰的儿子西门，你爱我比这些更深吗？”彼得说“：主啊，是的，你知道我爱你。”耶稣对他说：“你喂养我的小羊。”
耶稣展示了祂如何挽救一个曾三次不认祂的人。祂故意三次问彼得，藉着把自己的羊托付给他照管，向他保证祂会继续信任他。耶稣并没有将彼得从使徒名单中除名，也没有冷落他或是让他日子难过。相反，耶稣主动就近他，饶恕他并修复了和他的关系。神希望我们也如此行。
讲章系列:七十个七次的意义
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