The two most powerful sentences: Matthew 6:12

I usually try to build anticipation before “showing my hand.”  But today I will simply say…

The two most powerful sentences are…

 Please forgive me.

And

I forgive you.

I love you seems over used and misappropriated… we use it to express how much we enjoy lasagna and then assume it is an expression of taste rather than commitment and sacrifice.

I am sorry takes no responsibility… as when we when express our sympathy over someone losing a job or a loved one.  On one hand we think that simply to say it is to meet our obligation, and on the other we realize it does not suffice to express our feeling of empathy, of shared pain.

But please forgive me… that comes from a place of humility… it recognizes responsibility, it recognizes position… it recognizes that we become indebted to others when we wrong them.  When we say please forgive me we acknowledge our sin… our debt.  We admit that we have become bound.  We place ourselves in a position of vulnerability, a place that says “I am now at your mercy.”

 

Mercy is not receiving the punishment or consequence that you deserve.  When a debt is forgiven it is an act of mercy. 

But to ask for forgiveness is scary.  Because we know that as Christians we must… but we also know that not everyone is merciful.  Not everyone will say…

I forgive you.  Because this phrase releases those who have hurt us.  They are no longer indebted to us… they no longer owe us.  We have nothing we can hold over them.  We relinquish power.  We release control.  And we fear that if we release control we demonstrate weakness.  We fear that they will hurt us again.  We hold them in irons knowing we will not have to turn the other cheek and take another hit.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:12

When we refuse to say Please forgive me…. When we withhold the words I forgive you… we depend on ourselves more than God…. We choose the Law of Sin and Death over the Law of Grace.

We, like the unforgiving servant (see Matt 18:23-35), forget the mercy and grace we have received and choose to keep our brothers bound… refusing to release them… holding power over them… failing to trust God… and in doing so…

We remain in prison.  By choice.

Pride fails to realize that when we choose humility… when we ask please forgive me… when we respond I forgive you… we live in the liberty that Christ died to give us.

Because we judge we are bound by the law.  But by the law can no man be justified. (Gal 2:16)

If someone asks forgiveness… don’t withhold it.

Forgiveness is going back to before.

Nothing says that you must then move forward with confidence and security in the ability of the one who hurt you… for that is what trust is.  Nothing says that granting forgiveness condones behavior or action…

You can go forward on different paths… but until the exchange of those two phrases… please forgive me and I forgive you… happens…   you remain in prison.

That is why the Gospel is such good news.

We look to Jesus and say, “please forgive me!”

And His reply is certain… sealed in His own Blood.

I forgive you.

SDG