The Grizzly and the Skunk
Luke 23:32-34
In the entire world there is nothing quite like the
Grizzly Bear. This huge, clawed carnivore can
grow to a height of 9 feet and weigh as much as
1500 pounds.
Unlike some other bears, it is fiercely aggressive
and will not tolerate the presence of humans.
During the famous Lewis and Clark expedition, these
brave men knew no greater fear than the sound of a
Grizzly moving through the underbrush.
The grizzly's skull is so thick that it can deflect a 50
caliber lead ball.
Moving at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour, by its
sheer mass, a Grizzly can kill … even after having
been shot through the heart.
Dale Carnegie wrote about his first encounter with the
Grizzly: it was at Yellowstone Park.
As the tourists watched the night fall, the grizzlies crept out of the woods to
eat. Carnegie was impressed by the fact that only one animal ate
with the Grizzly was the lowly skunk.
And while the bear could have easily killed the skunk with one swipe of his
mighty paw, he did not!
Why?
Because the bear understood:
“The high cost of getting even, the cost of revenge.
He knows that he, and everything around him would be polluted by his actions.
Tonight I want to spend a few minutes looking at forgiveness.
I want us to consider both the practical and the spiritual reasons for forgiving
others when we feel we have been wronged.
First of all, there are many physiological reasons we should want to forgive.
Medical science has many indicators showing that illnesses can be triggered
by, or greatly aggravated by, an unforgiving spirit.
The news is full of reports about terrible problems present in our society
because of people retaliating for real or imagined slights by others.
I read recently about a man who shot another man over a disagreement... on a
particular verse in the Bible.
And carrying a grudge only hurts the one who carries it.
Perhaps you heard about a city man who was leaning over an old fence while
he watched a farmer plowing with a mule.
After a while, the visitor said, "I don’t want to tell you how to run your
business, but you could save yourself a lot of work by saying, ’Gee’ and ’Haw’
to that mule instead of just tugging on those lines."
The farmer pulled a big handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face.
Then he said, "I Reckon you’re right, but this animal kicked me five years ago
and I haven’t spoken to him since."
A grudge IS harder on the one who holds it than the one it is held against.
You have heard the expression “nursing a cold”
When someone says that they mean that they are trying to get over it, to get well.
Well someone rightfully pointed out that:
“No matter how long you nurse a grudge it never gets any better”.
“Considering just this information alone…
We should not be asking must I forgive?
Instead, we should be asking how can I forgive?
And when we are having trouble forgiving others we must first:
Recognize that it is God's will that we forgive others.
The Bible teaches that we will not be forgiven by God if we do not forgive.
In Matthew 18:23-35 we read “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a
certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed
him ten thousand talents.
But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his
wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience
with me, and I will pay you all.'
Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and
forgave him the debt.
"But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him
a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying,
'Pay me what you owe!'
So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have
patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the
debt.
So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved,
and came and told their master all that had been done.
Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I
forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have
had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'
And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should
pay all that was due to him.
"So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does
not forgive his brother his trespasses."
You see, if we are not willing to forgive
Then we ourselves will not be forgiven.
See we cannot obtain forgiveness, unless we are willing to give the same thing.
Let me reiterate: We CANNOT obtain forgiveness
UNLESS we forgive others!
Remember the “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6
Read verse 12
“And forgive us our debts, AS we forgive our debtors.”
Our own forgiveness is joined to or willingness to forgive.
You know we have not met the demands of the law.
We have violated its obligations. (Rom. 3:23)
We are exposed to its penalty.
And we are guilty… and only God can forgive us.
The word “debts” in Matthew 6:12 means “sins,” or offenses against God…
offenses which none but God can forgive.
And here is the rule by which God dispenses His pardon:
A person that comes before God,
A person who is unwilling to forgive,
one who harbors dark and revengeful thoughts,
How can he or she expect that God will show him that mercy which he is
unwilling to show to others?
If we cannot forgive them from the heart,
We have the assurance that God will never forgive us.
It is God’s will that we forgive others.
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And when we find it difficult to forgive others:
We should always remember that each of us have sinned against God …and
our fellow man!
Look at Romans chapter 3 verses 9-23
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the
law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty
before God.
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by
the law is the knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being
witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all
who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God…”
We are under the New Covenant
It is the law
And none of us keeps it perfectly
See… we tend to categorize sin
We think of little sins and big sins
We hear about “a little white lie”
That’s a small sin
And the sin of Adultery… that’s a BIG sin!
Not according to the Bible!
According to scripture, all sin is the same and all sin separates us from God
and the penalty for sin is everlasting punishment.
God has forgiven each of us of far more than anyone
has ever done to us.
My sin, and your sin, sent Jesus Christ to the Cross.
Look at Luke 23:32-34
“There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.
And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him,
and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
I suggest that if the Lord could pray for the forgiveness of those who crucified
him…
Then we should pray for the forgiveness of those who trespass against us.
I want you to note here that those Jesus prayed for did not ask for forgiveness
It is possible that they did not even know that they needed forgiveness!
Jesus gave them what they needed even before they knew…
Perhaps they never knew, the forgiveness they had been granted.
That is to be our example in forgiving others as well.
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Finally…
We should maintain an attitude of gratefulness for the forgiveness that we have
received and carry that attitude to those around us.
When you awaken each morning remind yourself that God loves you and that
Jesus died for you.
That is our Christian motivation!
We cannot forgive others, nor can we convert others, until we accept the
forgiveness that has been extended to us and offer the same to others.
And when we have this attitude… evangelism will naturally follow.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 we read “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become
new.
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus
Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in
Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them,
and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading
through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
In his book “Grace” Charles Hodge says this:
“Evangelism is the spontaneous chattering of good news” He continues saying:
“Evangelism is sharing the good news of grace--- what God has done for us
all.”
Christians should be the happiest people in the world
We have been forgiven!
And Christians should be the most forgiving people in the world.
We have been redeemed!
We are sinners... Saved and forgiven, but still sinners.
We need to remind ourselves that God wants us to forgive others
And we need to maintain an attitude of forgiveness as well.
Brethren, we cannot make any excuse for not forgiving others.
Someone once said: “When you get angry it’s because you’re ill-tempered... It
just happens that my nerves are bothering me.
And when you don’t like someone it’s because you’re prejudiced... I just
happen to be a good judge of human nature.
The Bible says
“For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure
you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in
your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye';
and look, a plank is in your own eye?
Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:2-5)
We need to recognize that it is God’s will that we forgive others
We need to remember our own sin
And we need to always be grateful for the forgiveness we have received.
Tonight, if you have never obeyed the command to be baptized,
You have not been forgiven.
Acts 2:38 says that we are to be “baptized for the remission (that is the
forgiveness) of our sins”
God is clear on this issue.
Or perhaps you have been carrying a grudge;
Perhaps you have something that you need to forgive another for doing or
saying.
You can do that now…right where you are
Or if it is something of a public nature and you want the prayers and support of
your Christian family in seeking or obtaining forgiveness...
God’s invitation is extended to you as well.
Whatever your need, will you come now as we stand and sing?