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And we love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. This morning I wanted to kind of go through the book of Philemon. And the book of Philemon really just kind of has like one main thought, one main point that it's really trying to drive in and emphasize. And I mean, if God basically just has an entire just book devoted to one main thought, I think it sounds pretty important. It must be something that he really wants to emphasize. And in fact, the main thought of Philemon is something we see throughout the entire Bible. It's not just one place. It's not just one main thing. Or it's not just one one-off chapter. It's a constant theme we see throughout the entire Bible, throughout the entire New Testament. And I think sometimes when, you know, we read verses the Bible talks about being a good soldier of Jesus Christ and fighting the good fight of faith, that we want to sometimes kind of put on, you know, the sword and the helmet. And everything we want to do is just slay. We just want to kill and fight and war. And we're ready to just, you know, attack. And we're just in battle mode. But the reality is that there's a lot more to the Christian life than just fighting enemies and going about and destroying, you know, those that are wicked or being against everyone and against everything. You know, another great attribute of the Bible is, you know, having unity and having love and having compassion and having grace. Obviously, God's going to send a lot of people to hell, but he's also going to take a lot of people to heaven with him. So we want to really understand what this book is about and this point. And if I want to, before I get to the title of the sermon, I want to kind of go through this book for a moment so we understand it. But it's written to Philemon, Appiah, and Archippus. And in verse number seven, it says, we have great joy in consolation of thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. What is bowels of the saints? Well, bowels is that innermost part of your being. And to give you an idea in Proverbs, you don't have to turn there, but the Bible says, the words of a tailbearer are as wounds. They go down in the innermost parts of the belly. So when someone says something against you or attacks you or spreads kind of rumor about you, sometimes it just hurts inside. When you find out that everybody's been speaking about you, you feel embarrassed, you feel ashamed, it kind of hurts. Well, in this context, it's saying you get that same feeling, but it's of joy. It's of being refreshed. When you finally see that person that you've been longing to see, and it just brings that smile on your face. There's a certain person in your life that every time you see them, you just get really excited. It really just kind of refreshes you. It's a really good friend. Maybe it's your spouse. Maybe it's a family member. But there's just this person in your life that when you see them, it just makes you feel better. It kind of gives you a jolt of energy. I often feel this way if I go to a conference, and I get to see all these other great like-minded pastors, and I get to see other brothers and sisters in Christ that I know pretty well, but I don't get to see on a regular basis. It'll sometimes refresh me. It'll give me a spark of energy, and it'll make me feel good. It's a lot of joy. When Paul's writing about here, he's saying, hey, you guys are ones that constantly give a good feeling to the brethren. People aren't afraid to see you. Sometimes you can even have a brother in Christ that you're kind of like, man, I really don't want to talk to in the church. I don't really want to see this person. I'm not really interested in being around this person. You know, we ought not be that type of Christian. We ought to be the type of Christian that when someone's looking, they're looking forward to seeing you at church. They can't wait to talk to you and catch up and see how you are. That's what Philemon is like to the saints. Just everybody likes this guy. He's so nice to be around. He's enjoyable. It says in verse 8, Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee to that which is convenient, yet for lovesake I rather beseech thee, being such in one as Paul the aged, and now also in a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Now, I want to slow down so we understand what these verses are saying. He says, Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ, notice this, to enjoin thee. Now, what does that mean? What does the word enjoin? Enjoin can mean to command, to direct, or to instruct with the expectation of obedience. Now, when he says enjoin thee to that which is convenient, when we think of convenient, I think of the cheap gas station on the corner, okay, the convenience store or something. Convenient can mean something that's close by, something that's easy. But another definition of convenience, a little bit older definition, is that which is suitable or proper. So, something that's suitable or proper. And in fact, we see this definition of convenient a couple other times in the Bible. And Romans chapter 1, you don't have to turn there, but I'll just quote for you. Even as they did not learn to thank God and their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind through those things which are not convenient. Now, what is he saying? Things that are not suitable, things that are not proper. Why? They're doing vile things. They're doing disgusting things, is what the Bible is saying. And Ephesians 4, the Bible says, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks. So, foolish talking or jesting, these things are not suitable. They're not proper. And in verse number 8, the Apostle Paul, he's saying, hey, I could just kind of get in your face and say, you need to do what's right. You need to behave yourself. You need to be enjoined to that which is convenient. Meaning what? I could just command you and just tell you to act right, to be proper, to be suitable. But he says in verse 9, yet for love's sake, I rather beseech thee. So, he's contrasting and joining them with beseeching them. What is beseeching? Beseeching is pleading with someone. It's asking of them. It's saying, hey, will you please do this, brother? Hey, I, you know, encouraging someone to do something. You know, pleading with them or begging them in a sense. He says, being such and one is Paul the agent and now also the prisoner of Jesus Christ. So, he's basically contrasting the difference between trying to compel people to be obedient rather than from command but from a place of love. You know, and reality is, true obedience comes from love, not from command. Not from just forcing people to do things, just going around and being bold and just telling people what to do. That's not going to really command a lot of obedience. What commands a lot of obedience is actual love, actual respect. Now, I want to prove this. Go to John chapter number 14. Keep your finger here because we're going to, we're going to keep digging in, but I want you to actually turn to John chapter number 14. But we ought to motivate people by love, not just command. And especially you parents, you don't want to just motivate your children to do everything because, well, dad said so. You ought to also teach them to have love in their hearts and motivate them to do things out of appreciation and out of their own desires and will and to teach them love and to show them love and encourage them to love, not just always going around just, I'm dad, thus saith the Lord. Obviously, there's a time to put your foot down. Obviously, there's a time to use the rod, but we also need to train up our child with nurture and admonition. We can't just always expect people to do everything we say just out of a command or about obedience. And I praise the Lord that he does the same for us. You know, he doesn't just expect us to do everything out of just strict obedience, but rather he demonstrates love towards us and grace and mercy. And that ought to motivate us to follow his commandments. Says in John chapter 14, look at verse 15. If ye love me, keep my commandments. So Christ is telling them, hey, if you actually love me, then keep my commandments. So we see the love of God is demonstrated by keeping the commandments. But look at verse 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved in my father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him. Notice that God or that Jesus Christ specifically is telling us that the people that actually love God are the ones that keep his commandments. Why? Because there's a unity with these two attributes. If you truly love someone, you're going to do the things that they say. If you truly love Christ, you're going to want to follow his commandments. So when we try to help people be a good Christian, if you want to motivate your children to actually follow God's commandments, let me tell you how you do that. Get them to love Jesus. Have a greater love and appreciation for the Lord Jesus Christ, because the people that don't really love Jesus, they don't really appreciate what he did for them. They're not going to follow his commandments out of strict just commandments. People don't follow God's commandments just because the commandment. People follow God's commandments because they have love and appreciation or because they fear the Lord. You know, there's going to be other emotions that are tied to keeping God's commandments and probably the strongest is love. Obviously, people do things out of fear, but only for a short space, only because the fear of being caught or other motivating factors. Love, people actually do the right thing when no one's looking. Go back to Philemon. Go back to Philemon. And the apostle Paul, he's going to ask something of Philemon, but he doesn't want to do it from a place of commandment. He wants to do it from a place of love. He wants to just ask him. He wants to ask it nicely, you know, and sometimes people will ask things nicely first. Hey, will you please do this? And then when they say no, it's like, well, I commanded you, you know, you know, you gotta have the attitude that my wish is your command when it comes to the authorities that you have in your life. And the apostle Paul, he's trying to give Philemon the opportunity here saying, look, I just want to ask you nicely first. Look at verse 10. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds, which in time past was the unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me, whom I have sent again. Thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own vows, whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel. But without thy mind would I do nothing, that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever, not as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord. Now what's happening? Well, from the context, and when we look at Colossians, keep your finger and go to Colossians chapter four, we can discern and understand that Onesimus is from Colossae. He is from the Colossian church, and he must have known Philemon and Apphia and Archippus very well. He's someone that either went to their church or they had fellowship with in the past. This is somebody that they know. He's a brother, and he's a kinsman to them, and from the context we see that somehow he kind of burned them. He left them. He did something bad unto them. He kind of, whatever it is, it was something negative. They don't have a good feeling towards Onesimus, but when the apostle Paul runs into this guy, according to the Bible, he gets him saved, you know, and while he was begotten in my bonds is what the Bible says, and he even calls him mine own vows, referring to him as being a son in the faith, as being someone who he's begotten, and while he's spent time with him, Onesimus has served him and ministered unto him and been a refreshing unto the apostle Paul, and so he's writing unto Philemon and them to say, hey, you need to receive this guy as your own vows. You know, you need to receive him not as just a servant, but as a brother beloved, and he says specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord, saying, look, this guy's like your physical brother, and he's your spiritual brother. He's both. Look at Colossians chapter four, because he said he sent him again. Here's where he sent him the first time. All my state shall take a kiss, declare unto you, who is a beloved brother and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your state and comfort your hearts, with Onesimus a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. So notice Colossians tells us that Philemon was one of them. He's somebody that they knew. He's somebody that they were, you know, a companion with. They, you know, they were contemporary with, and something bad had happened, something negative had happened, and he departed. But the Apostle Paul is trying to ask them, he's trying to beg them and plead with them, hey, you need to receive this guy as a brother beloved. You need to not treat this guy as just a servant, or as someone lesser, or treat him badly. No, you need to treat him as a brother beloved. Love on this guy. Do good on him. Go back to Philemon. So what's the point that we're driving in? Well, the Apostle Paul, he's riding unto these guys. He's pleading with them to receive Onesimus, and he takes it even a step further in verse 17. If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oeth the ought, put that on mine account. I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it. Howbeit I not say to thee, how thou oest unto me, even thine own self besides. Yea brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord, refresh my bowels in the Lord, having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. Now, what does he say? He's saying, hey Onesimus, bad guy at some point. He did something wrong. Hey, if this guy has done something wrong to you personally, if he did something negative to you, just go ahead and forgive him for my sake. Put that on mine account. That's the attribute. That's the thought of Philemon, and that's a thought throughout the entire Bible. Put that on mine account. That's the title of the morning sermon. Put that on mine account. How often do you look at a situation that's negative, that's bad, someone did something wrong, and you think, you know what, just go ahead and put that on mine account. Let me take care of that. Let me be the one to reconcile this issue. Maybe this guy did wrong. Maybe this guy didn't do anything good. You know what, I'll just put it on mine account. I'll take care of it. And notice in verse 19, he says, I will repay it. He says, I'm not going to, this guy doesn't have to repay it. I'll repay it. I'll take care of it. I'll intercede for this person. And it's kind of interesting because the Apostle Paul is kind of acting like, hey, I didn't say how you owe me, even though I said that you owe me. He's kind of implying it, at least, right? He's saying, I could just walk in and be like, look how much I did for you guys. You better go ahead and do this for him, okay? But he's just trying to motivate Philemon out of love to receive Onesimus, to forgive him, and put that on mine account. It's all about forgiveness. And this is an attribute of God's people that we need to grow in, and we need to get better at, and we need to learn, and we need to constantly be reaffirmed in having forgiveness towards other people. And notice putting their trespasses or grievances upon ourselves even. I like in verse 21, he's like telling him, I already know you're going to be obedient. And because he knows Philemon so much, because he knows Philemon has such a heart towards the Lord, he says in the last part, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. When's the last time your boss asked you to do something at work, and you did more than he asked you? The last time, you know, someone asked you to do something, your spouse asked you to do something, you did more than they asked you. He's saying, hey, I know you. I know you're the type of person that if I say give him, you know, walk with him one mile, you'll walk with him twain. I know you're the type of person that, you know, if you ask for a hat or a coat, you'll give him a cloak also. I mean, whatever you ask, he's going to do double. He's going to do good. He asks for 100 bucks, you'll give him 200 bucks. Whatever the situation is, and that's the type of heart of someone that's going to constantly refresh the bowels of the saints. Now go view Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53. Why should we forgive people? Why would the Apostle Paul do such a thing? Why would he say such a bold statement and put that on my account? Well, I have three points this morning I want to go over why we should do this. But the most obvious point that should pretty much be ringing everybody's mind and ears is the fact that that's the example that Christ gave for us. Why should we decide to put that on my account? Well, that's what Christ did for us. And the Bible even says in James chapter 2 verse 13, mercy rejoiced against judgment. You know, God gets more satisfaction out of people receiving mercy at the end of their lives than receiving judgment. God's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come under repentance. God doesn't want to judge people by their works and send them into hell. He wants them to believe on Jesus Christ and receive mercy. Mercy is better than judgment. And we ought to look at that as saying, hey, mercy is better. Isaiah 33, look at verse 11. He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. This is talking about God the Father looking at his son. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him apportioned with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul into death and he was numbered with the transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. Look, the Lord Jesus Christ interceded for us. Just like the Apostle Paul looking at a conflict between Onesimus and Philemon, he just intercedes and says, hey, you know what, put that on my account. You know what Jesus did? He saw a conflict between God the Father and you and he said, you know what, just put that on my account. I'll bear their transgressions. I'll bear their iniquities. I'll intercede for you. Go to Romans or go to Numbers chapter 16. Numbers chapter 16. We're going to see an example of a person doing this, but in Romans 8, the Bible says, Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. Yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right end of God, who maketh intercession for us. The Bible teaches that not only does Jesus Christ die on the cross for all of our sins, but that he constantly sits at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for us daily. Isn't that great to know? When you transgress, when you sin against God, Jesus Christ is sitting up there just saying, hey, Father, forgive him. Let it go. Just constantly saying, hey, put that one on my account, too. And that one on my account, too. And sometimes it's kind of being like, put that one on my account, too. But isn't it great? I mean, who else would you want advocating for you? Donald Trump? Barack Obama? I mean, I like it as Jesus Christ the righteous that he's doing, right? Hebrews 7, I'll just read for you. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Christ is always there to make intercession for us. And obviously, there's an attribute of the Lord Jesus Christ. But let's see an earthly example of this, of someone that was willing to intercede. Numbers chapter 16, look at verse 41. Verse 41, the Bible reads, But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord. So the children of Israel, they're angry with Aaron, they're angry with Moses. They're lying and railing on them. They're falsely accusing them of killing God's people. This is pretty serious. I mean, how would you like someone to walk up to you and be like, every negative thing that's happening to this church and everybody in my life is because of you? It's like, what in the world? And Aaron and Moses, they've been laying down their lies and serving the people constantly to try and bring them in the promised land. They're doing the exact opposite. And they're being falsely accused. Look at verse 42, And it came to pass when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation, and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation, and the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. Now let me paint the picture for you. Aaron and Moses have been doing everything right virtually. I mean, obviously, they're not perfect and sinless, but they're trying their best to follow God's commandments and lead these people. The whole congregation has gathered against them, to fight against them, to lie about them. And then God comes to Aaron and Moses and says, Hey, let me just kill him. Wouldn't you think in your flesh you'd be like, go for it? Sounds great. I'm gonna get the popcorn. Can I have some more of that manna? I'll just eat some manna. But what is Aaron and Moses like? It says in verse number 46, And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer and put fire thereon from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly into the congregation, and make an atonement for them. For there is wrath gone out from the Lord, the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran in the midst of the congregation. And behold, the plague was begun among the people. And he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed. Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred beside them that died about the matter of Korah. And Aaron returned unto Moses under the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the plague was stayed. Notice these people didn't come to Moses and Aaron and say, We're sorry. Will you please forgive us? They're gathered against them. And still he runs out there. I don't know if Aaron knew for sure he would die. He's running out there to try and stay this plague and intercede for the people. He's literally standing between the dead and the living, a picture of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us. God looked down upon us with anger, wanting to consume us, wanting to destroy us, wanting to throw you into hell, because he's a holy, perfect, righteous God. But Jesus Christ went down, and he said, You know what? I'll intercede for them. And he stands between the dead and the living. If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or the living, he'll quicken you. Go to Romans, chapter number three, Romans, chapter number three. Aaron's saying, Hey, you know what? Put that on my account. Oh, but the children of Israel were asking forgiveness. Nope. So we have this weird idea that people have to deserve forgiveness, deserve grace, deserve mercy. That's contrary to the definition of grace and mercy. It's unmerited favor. I don't go to heaven because I deserved it, because I was sorry enough. Some people think you have to be sorry enough to go to heaven. Oh, I'm just so sorry, God. Please forgive me. That's not salvation. It's just resting upon the intercessor. It's resting upon his goodness, his righteousness. I don't deserve it. There was nothing good in me. I didn't get to the point where he was like, Oh, you're sorry enough now. I'll grant you forgiveness. Look, these people weren't even sorry. And they got forgiveness. They got mercy. They got grace. Now, obviously God's gift of going to heaven is conditional on us believing on him, but it's still grace. It's still mercy. Romans, chapter number three, look at verse 20. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in the sight. By the law is the knowledge of sin, but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested and being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe. For there is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace. I love that phrase freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith and his blood to declare his righteousness for the mission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God to say, Hey, I go to heaven because of the righteousness of Jesus because of his blood, his sacrifice. He's a propitiation. What's a propitiation? The atonement, someone that's appeasing something or someone that's regaining favor. I was atoned for my sins because of Jesus. He was my atonement. He was my propitiation. I was appeased from God's wrath because of what Jesus did for me. And I regained favor to God, the father, through what Jesus did for me here. It has nothing to do with me. He doesn't say I repented of my sins. He doesn't say I started going to church. It doesn't say I was sorry enough. Nope. It was my faith and his blood and his righteousness says in verse 26 to declare. I say at this time, his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him, which believeth in Jesus. The Bible couldn't be clearer. We're justified by believing in him, not by any goodness and ourselves. He's the one that's just. It says in verse 27, where is boasting then? Notice there is no boasting. This would be like Onesimus boasting about him being reconciled in the flea man. What did you do? Paul said, put that on my account. It'd be like me going out and racking up a huge debt and someone paying it off and being like, look at this great thing I got. You know, it's someone else that that paid for it and got it and gave it unto me. Says in verse number 28. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Jesus is looking down and saying, Hey, you know what? Put that on my account. Look at verse one of chapter four. What should we say then that Abraham, our fathers, retaining the flesh of the fount for Abraham were justified by works. He hath the word of the glory, but not before God. But what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Now these are great verses to prove how salvation is just simply by believing, even if you take it to an extreme of no works. But notice in order for grace to be grace, it can't be of any work. So if you're going to extend grace to somebody, let me help you out. It's not based on any of their works. It's not based on anything they did. It's not based on their goodness. You're just being gracious unto someone. He says in verse six, even as David also described the blessedness of the man, unto him God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whom the Lord will not impute sin. Notice the Bible teaches this great truth that Jesus Christ righteousness, the fact that he followed God's commandments perfectly, that he did everything that was pleasing the sight of God the father, that was put on your account. And then all your transgressions, filthiness, disgusting, you know, attributes and everything bad you did, Jesus said, put that on my account. I mean, it's just amazing. But we see the example that Jesus is setting for us, right? Hey, put that on my account. And guess what? I'll give you my righteousness. Isn't that what the Apostle Paul is doing for Philemon? Hey, you guys owe me a bunch. So guess what? Put that on my account and receive him as you receive me. Go to Luke chapter 10, 1 John 5 verse 16 says, If any man see his brother sin a sin, which is not unto death, he shall ask, and ye shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death. I do not say that he shall pray for it. We as God's people ought to be ones that are willing to intercede, to put things on our own behalf. Say, hey, you know what? I'll pay it. I'll take care of it. I'll fix the problem. I'll take the wrong. Whatever they did, don't worry, it's me. I'll take care. I'll fix it. I'll do good. You know, an attribute of a good leader is he always takes the responsibility and falls upon himself. He's not looking to just go around and just always accuse his servants of doing bad. He just says, you know what? I should have done better. I should have instructed them more. I should have taken care of it. I should have been more diligent. You know, put that on my account. I'll take care of it. That's a good example of a leader. And Jesus Christ is saying, hey, you know what? They're going to screw up. I'll take care of it. Take them to heaven. Look at Luke chapter 10, verse 25. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said on him, what is written in the law? How real is that? And he answered and said, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, all thy mind and thy neighbor's thyself. And he said on him, thou has answered right this do, and thou shalt live. So we see the greatest commandments here is loving the Lord thy God and loving thy neighbor as thyself. Now, what is love? I want you to keep your finger here and go to first John chapter four, because I want to define love for you. Okay. And the reality is, it would be great if love was always mutual. But love does not have to be mutual to exist. And in fact, in most cases, it's not mutual. That's what makes love so great. When you stand at the altar to profess your love for your spouse, when you're going to get married, and you say till death do us part, for better or for worse, you're professing unto them, hey, I'm going to love you, even when you don't deserve it. Even when, hey, bad things are happening, even when we're at the worst, I'm going to still love you. And why would you want to go your life and say, you know what, I could have loved my spouse more, but they didn't deserve it. That you're missing out on what love is. You know, you can love your spouse, whether they deserve it or not. Why would you not decide, you know what, I just want to do good unto my spouse, no matter how they are. I just always want to be blameless on my side of the equation. I just want to love them and do good unto them. And you know what, I guarantee if both people felt that way, they'd probably have a pretty good marriage. The problem is people are like, I'm ready to forgive them when they come and apologize and grovel. It's like, that's not really love. Let me define love for you. First John chapter four, look at verse nine. And this was manifested, the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten son of the world, that we might live through him. Who in here asked God to send Jesus to be a savior? Or did he do that before you were born? Look at verse number 10. Here in his love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the pitiation person. Notice he's saying this is what love is. True love is doing good unto somebody when they don't deserve it. It's not loving to just reciprocate good feelings. When someone does good unto me and I do good back unto them, that's not a demonstration of love. A true demonstration of love is doing good unto somebody when they don't deserve it. Here in his love, not that we love God, but that he loved us. Look at verse 11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. The way that God loved us is the way we're supposed to love one another. When the young rich ruler is coming unto Jesus and asking him, you know, hey, what's this commandment? He's saying, love God and love your neighbor as yourself. What does that mean? What it means is doing good unto people that don't deserve it. Oftentimes people have no problem loving people that love them, that do good unto them, that are kind unto them, that are showering them with blessing. But how do you do towards people that don't do that to you, that aren't kind to you, that aren't loving to you? You can still love them. That's why he says in verse number 19, we love him because he first loved us. Notice when you're just loving towards someone else, you're giving them a greater capacity to want to love you back. It's not saying, you know what, you need to just come grovel and love me because no, just love them and then you'll teach them to love you. Go back to Luke chapter 10. Go back to Luke chapter 10. So the certain lawyer, it's like the same parable with different people because this is plug and play. People think they're going to go to heaven because of their righteousness. But he's trying to tell them, you know, how do I get eternal life? And he's like, be perfect. Good luck with that one. And this is how we figure out what he was saying is in verse 29, he says, but he noticed this willing to justify himself, set into Jesus and who is my neighbor. Think about this. Hey, how do you go to heaven? Be perfect. Okay. How do I be perfect? Well, you got to love God and your neighbor. This is my neighbor. Yeah. He doesn't want to do it because he actually loves his neighbor. He just wants to stand there and be like, I'm righteous. I've done good. But he's nervous about the answer. He's kind of like, he's thinking in his heart, there's some people that I don't love. There's some people I don't do good. Who's my neighbor again? Which neighbors am I supposed to love? He says in verse 30, and Jesus answering said, a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. I like how he never just gives a straight answer. He just gives him a parable. And fell among thieves that stripped him of his Raymond, wounded him and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance, there came down a certain priest that way. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise, a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side, but a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine and set him on his own beast and brought him to an end and took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he put, he took out two pence and gave them to the host and said to him, take care of him. And what's over thou spin is more when I come again, I will repay thee. Look at the good Samaritan. He says, Hey, you know what? Put that on my account. What did this, what did this guy that got beat up do for him? He didn't even ask for forgiveness. He didn't even ask for help. The good Samaritan just sees this guy in need and just says, you know what? I'm just going to take care of him. I'm going to pay for him. And you know what? Even if he spends more money in the future, put my credit card on the tab, put me for the incidentals and I'll come back and I'll pay it. I'll take care of it. This is not a one-off book of the Bible for him. This is a constant theme throughout the Bible. Put that on my account. You know, and look, we I'm all for attack, you know, fighting the false prophets and the devils and all this, but you know what really makes a good Christian? Someone with this attitude. Nobody's a great church. People with this attitude, you know, and I walk into a church and everybody's just like, Hey, what do you think about the Trinity? Hey, what, you know, have you seen this documentary? Are you pre-trib? It's like, how is that being gracious and merciful and loving and compassionate and like the good Samaritan? I mean, just you're instantly trying to slay them with the sword or something. It's like, what are you doing? You know, you should do is when you approach people that aren't just like you love them. Be good unto them. Be gentle unto them. Be kind unto them. Go to second Peter chapter three, first John chapter three says, hereby perceiving the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. And we have to lay down our lives for the brethren, but who so hath this world good and see this brother have need and shut up his bowels of compassion from him? How dwelt the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. When we see someone hurting, when we see somebody that's, you know, got a problem and we have the opportunity to help them, you know, how can you really say you have compassion in your heart? How can you really say you love God when you don't help them? Now, point one, why we should forgive people. That's the example that Christ gave us. And let me make it clear. Christ, you know, had a lot of forgiveness in his heart, even towards people that would never receive his free gift in eternal life. He's literally being hung on the cross. He's literally dying. And he says, father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Now, let me give you a little update. The Jews didn't receive Jesus. So some of those people might have been saved, but the majority of them weren't even saved. And they weren't going up and begging him for forgiveness. They were passing by railing on him, mocking him. They were glad that he was dying. And he still had forgiveness towards them. Why should I, you know, put that on my account? That's what Christ did for my second point, though, is that we're supposed to grow in grace. We're supposed to have grace. In the church. And it's called grace for a reason, okay? Look at 2 Peter 3 verse 18. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. You know, you can tell someone's spiritual maturity, and you can tell the health of a church by their grace. How much grace do these people have? When there's constant strife, when there's constant contention, when people are constantly at one another's throats, that tells you it's a very carnal church. They don't have a lot of grace. They haven't grown in the Lord. The more you grow in the Lord, the more you read the Bible, the more you have love for God, the more you're going to have grace towards other people. The more gracious you're going to be as a person, the quicker you are to anger, the more you're ready to just hold everybody's feet to the fire. You're carnal. You're just walking too much in the flesh. We as God's people need to try and walk in the Spirit by growing in grace, by being more gracious, by having more love and more compassion towards other people. Go to Revelation 22. And you know, Romans 11 defines this for us. It says, even so then at the present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works. Otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace. Otherwise work is no more work. So again, grace is unmerited favor. It's unmerited, unmerited. This person does not deserve it. You're not looking at someone and saying, I just need to forgive this person because they really deserve it. Now, obviously the Bible tells us, you know, at certain times that we just have to forgive period. But you know, some people have this weird idea that I'm not going to forgive somebody unless they deserve it. That's a bad attitude, a bad attitude. And you know, there's this interesting thing. Pretty much every, well, let me say this, every epistle by Paul, you know how it ends with grace and not just his epistles. Look at Revelation 22 verse 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Now go to Hebrews. We're going to go backwards in the Bible. All right. Now this is just another evidence of the fact that Hebrew is written by Paul. Paul ends all of his epistles in a very unique way. Hebrews chapter 13, look at verse 25. Grace be with you all. Amen. He's saying, Hey, I want grace be with you all. Go to Philemon chapter one, obviously chapter one. Look at verse 25. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. Go to Titus. Just flip. Just going backwards. All right. We're going to learn the Bible backwards. All right. Titus chapter three, look at verse 15. All that are with me, salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. You're the second Timothy chapter four. Second Timothy chapter four. You say, why are you beating this in? Well, I didn't beat it in. Paul did. I'm just reading it for you. All right. Second Timothy chapter four, look at verse 22. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Notice this. Grace be with you. Amen. Look at first Timothy chapter six. First Timothy chapter six. I don't want you to just trust me. I want you to read it. First Timothy chapter six verse 21, which some professing of error concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. Second Thessalonians chapter three. Second Thessalonians chapter number three. Verse 18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. First Thessalonians chapter five. I feel like I'm getting a theme here. What is Paul stressing? Hey, grace. And you know, oftentimes he starts his epistles with grace. And then he ends it with grace. Sounds like this is a theme. First Thessalonians five verse 28. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Be with you. Amen. Colossians chapter four. Colossians chapter four. Look at verse 18 again. The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. Philippians chapter number four. Philippians chapter number four. Paul is real consistent. And you know, he starts every epistle except for Hebrews is Paul. And then he starts with grace and then he ends with grace. Philippians chapter four verse 23. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Ephesians chapter number six. Ephesians chapter six. Look at verse 24. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. Galatians chapter six. Galatians chapter six. Look at verse 18. Brethren the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. Second Corinthians chapter number 13. Second Corinthians chapter number 13. Look at verse 14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen. First Corinthians chapter 16. You say, how many epistles did Paul write? Say, what's the one thing I want to get from this point? Grace. All right. First Corinthians 16. Look at verse 23. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Go to Romans 16. Last place we'll have a turn in this point. Romans chapter 16. Look at verse 24. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Did you get the point? Hey, grow in grace. Hey, become more gracious. You say, what's grace? When people don't deserve it. And if you want to have a healthy church, if you want to have a church that's going to grow, that's going to grow in people, that's going to grow in grace, that's going to grow in love, we have to be people of grace. Looking at people and say, they don't deserve it. This isn't right. They've done bad unto me. You know what? I'm just going to be gracious to them. Put that on my account. Go to first Peter chapter four. Go to first Peter chapter four. We see the apostle Paul. He has great grace. And it's the grace of God that really he's, he's demonstrating. He's not saying it's of himself. It's the grace that he had modeled for him of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we need to be gracious towards people. And it says in first Peter chapter four, verse 10, as every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. We as God's people need to be a good steward of the grace that God has. Now it says manifold. What is manifold? Manifold means several or many. And plumbing, oftentimes you have something called as a manifold. And it's usually like several different pipes. And it's basically the main connector of the whole house. It's like you have where it's going to run and split off throughout all the house. So he's saying, Hey, here's all the manifold grace. He's saying, look, God has a lot of different grace towards us. And I'm glad that God has a lot of grace towards us and all areas of our life. First of all, salvation. But even beyond that, just our daily life, so much grace. He has new mercies every morning. And we as God's people need to look at that example and we need to grow in grace and decide, you know what? I need to act that way towards people. I need to have new mercies towards people every day. I need to extend favor and mercy and kindness and not just go around and hold everybody, you know, feet to the fire. Go to Philippians chapter two, Philippians chapter two. Let me give you an example. There was a time I was helping a family member move and they were, they were just going across town. So it wasn't that far. And they had rented or they had borrowed a really nice truck. I mean, probably like a 40 or $50,000 truck from some friend. And they had a trailer and this family member says, Hey, can you back the trailer out of the, you know, into the street for me? And I was thinking, sure, no problem. Well, like the neighbor was having a party or something weird. So like, it's just laced with cars and you have to make this like really sharp 90 degree angle with the trailer. And I'll just admit, I'm not the most experienced trailer, you know, backing up driver. Okay. So I just started driving this thing up and I'm trying to make a pretty sharp 90 degree turn. And anybody that knows what I'm talking about, you'll probably see the writing on the wall. All of a sudden I just see in the side where they're like, and I just jackknife this trailer, just right into the side of the truck, just slash the entire side. I mean, just beautiful, like new white truck worth like 40, $50,000. I'm just like, and I'm just thinking this family, I wasn't, well, let me say this. It's a family member today, but it wasn't back then. It was just, I was just dating my wife. Okay. So I'm like, I'm hot water. And they just, they're just like, don't worry about it. They cost them thousands of dollars to fix it. And you know what, even beyond that, they've never brought it up to me one time. I've been married over decades. Like that would be a pretty easy one to just be like, Hey, want to back up the trailer, John? And it wouldn't bother me, but I'm just saying, you know what that is? Grace. I didn't deserve that. I deserve to pay thousands of dollars. I was at fault. I made a mistake. I was in the wrong and you know what? They just said, put that on my account. You know, the apostle Paul said, I robbed other churches, taking wages of them to do you service. You know, it's a biblical model to look at a church in need and say, you know what? We'll just take care of it. We'll just bless them. And in fact, you know, faith board Baptist church has blessed this church many times on their own dime, on their own dollar, not even willing to accept any kind of payment. Just taking their own money. You know, these Christmas CDs is a blessing. A lot of times they send people to travel and preach for us. They pay their own way. They're paying their own way to come and just preach unto us and just bless us. I mean, talk about grace. Talk about mercy. Talk about love. Talk about compassion. Philippians chapter two, look at verse 25. Did I suppose it necessary to send you a papparditis, my brother and companion labor and fellow soldier, but your messenger and he that ministered to my wants for he longed after you all and was full of heaviness because that you had heard that he had been sick for indeed he was sick night of death, but God had mercy on him and not on him only, but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him there for the more carefully that when you see him again, you may rejoice in that I may be the less sorrowful receiving therefore in the Lord of all gladness and old such and reputation because for the work of Christ, he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life to supply your lack of service toward me. This guy papparditis is a great guy. He's literally working himself to the bone. He's going around traveling and doing the work of the Lord, even becoming sick because of it, even coming to the close to nigh unto death to help these people and the apostle Paul saying, hey, you need to have some respect for this guy and notice he's not. He doesn't even concern with his own life. He's concerned with other people helping other people and even though they won't help the apostle Paul, he knows how important the apostle Paul is. He knows how important the work of the apostle Paul is. So he's saying, hey, even at my own sacrifice, even at my own discomfort and pain and even risk of death, I'm going to make sure that Paul's service is taken care of. I'm going to make sure even though this church should be helping you out. I mean, he's looking at the street, you know, Paul planned to the church. He got them all saved. I mean, he's preaching in all the works of the God. He's long suffering to these people. He's gracious in the people. He's praying for these people. He's sending ministers under these people. He's like, you guys should be helping him out. And he's like, but you know what? I'm not going to sit here and badger you. I'll just take care of it. This guy needs someone to take care of him. I'll do it. Is that how a papparditis is. And that's what the apostle Poise is pointing out. He's saying, look, this guy, you know, he's putting his life behind mine. He's esteeming other better than himself. You know, the Bible says that Priscilla and Aquila had laid down their own necks for the apostle Paul saying, hey, you know what? This guy's life is so important. The work that he's doing, I'm esteeming him greater than myself. I would even lay my own neck down for this guy. Put that on my account. You know, when's the last time you just stuck up for someone that didn't deserve it? Or picking up the slack for someone else? Or do you look down after the church service and see someone leaving some trash and think, ah, I'm not going to get that. I didn't leave it. What's your kind of attitude? Are you saying, you know what, I'll just, I'll take care of that. I'll pick that up. I'll, I'll, I'll fill in the gap. I'll intercede for these people. Are you always going around just accusing people and mad at people? Or are you constantly looking and saying, hey, where's some gaps that I can fill? Hey, where's some places I can just say, hey, put that on my account. Let me just help these people. We don't deserve it. You don't deserve it. I don't deserve it. None of us deserve it. It's not about that. Go to Matthew chapter number six. It's called grace. Point two, grow in grace. He said, I never extend grace to people. Well, you're missing out because first of all, you need to get grace and then you need to grow in that grace. Grace is helping people that don't deserve it. You're looking at someone. They're in the wrong. They're not doing right. They have problems. And you say, you know what? I'll just fix it. I'll take care of it. Paproditis looks at this church. They're not helping Paul the way they should. I'll just do it. I'll just take care of it. My third point and this one, you know, it's kind of a twofold point, but obviously we need to forgive because God commanded us, but really you want to forgive so that God will forgive you. My third point, look, it's all been great. You know, hey, Jesus is a good example. Hey, we need to grow in grace, but not only that God oftentimes is going to measure on you what you measure on others, how you judge and how you act. You know what? I want a lot of grace. If I look at my life, I think I need grace. I need mercy. I need God to be compassionate and long suffering with me and not holding my feet to the fire of every transgression. If you want God to hold your feet to the fire of every transgression, treat other people like that. Matthew six, Matthew six, look at verse nine. After this manner, therefore pray ye, our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Is that how you ask forgiveness for God? Hey God, forgive me like I forgave other people. Or are you thinking like, I don't want that kind of forgiveness. I'm not that forgiven. Maybe you need to step it up in the forgiveness factor then. So then you can actually pray and say, God, Hey, forgive me. Like I'm forgiving this person. Like I'm doing good under this person. That'll maybe change your viewpoint on being forgiving towards people. Look at verse 13, lead us not in temptation, but it lures from the evil, for thine is the kingdom and power and the glory forever in men. For if you forgive men, their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men, their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses. That's rough. And this is not the context of salvation. This is not the context of going to heaven. This is the context of your daily life. If you just go around holding everybody's feet to the fire, not forgiving people, not being gracious, not being like the apostle Paul, not putting on my account, but Christ gets angry. He looks at you and just thinks like, do you even know what I did for you? And you can't just forgive your brother. But in Matthew 18, Matthew 18, look forward a couple chapters. Look at verse 21. Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how offshore all my brothers sin against me. And I forgive him till seven times. Jesus saith unto him. I say not until seven times, but until 70 times seven, therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain King, which would take count of his servants. And when he began to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him 10,000 talents, but for as much as he had not to pay as Lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and his children, and all that he had in payment to be made the servant therefore fell down and worshiped him saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay the all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him to death. What a great story of someone. And let me make it clear to you. Verse 25 says for as much as he had not to pay. Look, this guy was never going to pay it off. This guy could never get rectified. Even though he's saying I'll pay you, you're just kind of like, yeah, it's not going to happen. He just forgives him anyway. Why? Because he had compassion. He had grace on him. He had mercy on the guy. And this is what God does for us. When we look at our sin debt, he's like, you can't pay, buddy. You're up a creek without a paddle here. He just forgives us anyways. Now, here's the thing. Some people have this weird idea and look, bio makes it clear. If your brother trespassed against thee and you repent, you're supposed to forgive him seven times 70. Okay. That does not say that's the only allowance of forgiveness. It's saying you should. It's saying there's no doubt. There's no doubt that you should forgive somebody whenever they repent. But you know what? If they don't repent, you know what you can do? You can extend them grace. If they repent, it's no longer grace. It's no longer mercy really. Because they're asking for it and God's commanding you to do it. Look, you need to just be a gracious person and not let the sin go down upon your wrath anyways. Why would you want to hold bitterness towards brothers and sisters in Christ? You know it's going to destroy a church when everybody's just bitter against one another and we're holding grudges. You know it's going to make a church great when tomorrow everything's forgiven anyways, whether I fix it or not. Because let me just be honest with you, while you could be the most gracious, loving, kind person ever, you're going to run across people that are the exact opposite. And you know what keeps the ball rolling? The gracious people. You're just saying, hey, you know what? This person doesn't deserve it, but I'm just going to forgive him anyways. But then what is this guy's attitude? Look at verse 28. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him 100 pence, and he laid his hands on him and took him by the throat saying, pay me that thou owe us. Look, the first guy didn't even do that to him. What a jerk. And you're a jerk when you just hold your brother and sisters in Christ for every grievance that they've ever done, every little transgression. Did you see what they said about me? Did you see what they did? They gave me a dirty look. Oh, they didn't take my hand. Look, you seem like this guy. You're a jerk. Quit being a jerk. Just have grace towards people. You just got off the hook pretty big. It's called heaven. You didn't deserve it. Why can't you have some grace? Look at verse 29. And his fellow servant fell down on his feet and beside him saying, have patience with me, and I will pay the all. Now again, that's the exact same response he gave the other guy. And let me make clear, he's not like really asking for forgiveness. He's not really, you know, asking for some great plea. He's just saying, Hey, I'll pay you back. But maybe this guy's realizing he's not going to be able to do it. He says in verse 30, and he would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay the debt. So when the fellow servant saw what was done, they were very sorry and came and told them that their Lord, all that was done. Then his Lord, after that, he called him, said on him, Oh, that wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because that desires me. Should us not now also had compassion on my fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee and his Lord has Roth and delivered him to tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly father do also unto you. If ye from your hearts forgive, not everyone is brother the trespasses. Notice God is saying, Hey, if you want forgiveness, you need to forgive. And whenever the jerk just goes around and won't forgive his fellow servant, everybody looks at him like he's a jerk. Notice they were all upset about it. Nobody likes you for just being this person that just won't forgive, won't have grace, won't have mercy. You know, you know, it makes you have a lot of good feelings towards someone, someone like the Lehman. He says, I know you're going to do more than I say. You refresh the bowels of the brethren. Why? Because I know you're always gracious towards people. When someone makes, has an accident and spills, you're gracious to them. You don't scream at them. Do you know how expensive this flooring is? Look at it. It's at least 50 cents a piece. You know, how, how dare you come in here? You know, and talk like that to me. Do you know who I am? I mean, just people that are just a jerk. They have no grace. They have no mercy. They have no tolerance. Look, we as God's people ought to be the most gracious and loving and compassionate people. Not always trying to exercise Matthew 18. Some people just like every little thing. They just want to come in like, all right, let's get two brothers. You looked at me wrong. I'm going to be like, you're a jerk. I'm going to say, you try to bring me into that conversation. Look, Matthew 18 is reserved when your brother rips you off for like $20,000 and you have no way to fix it. And you just need to recompense. They break your kid's arm or something. You know, something grievous. Not they say something mean to me. You know, we need to have an ability. But even then in chapter number, first Corinthians chapter number six, it says, why don't you just suffer to be wrong? Why don't you just take wrong? Why don't you just be defrauded anyways? Why don't you just have grace anyways? Visions four, last place I want you to return. Bible says in Hebrews 13, let brotherly love continue. Why should we forgive? What was the example of Jesus? Because we're commanded to grow in grace and number three, so that God will forgive you. That sounds like a great point. Hey, I want to be like Jesus. I want to grow in grace, which means unmerited favor. And I want God to forgive me. Ephesians four verse 32, and be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. You know, when he's on the cross, he says, father, forgive them for they know what they do. When Stephen is being stoned, they're hurling stones at him. He says, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. The apostle Paul says that my first answer, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. These men weren't deserving it. And you know what? They just extended them gracingly. Why don't we just have the attitude today of someone that says, you know what? Just put that on my mind.