Let's pray real quick together. Lord and heavenly Father, as we come before you this morning, we pray, Lord, first and foremost, that we ask you for forgiveness, Lord, for anything that separates us from you. Lord, that you would examine our hearts, Lord, and see them clean as we look at your word, dear God. Illuminate it to us, Lord, even the things we've known for so long, so very common. Lord, show us, Lord, how you expect us to live as your faithful and chosen. In Jesus' name, amen. Good morning again. It's an honor and a privilege to be here this morning with you. For those that don't know me, my name's Randy Ryan. Been here at Grace Bible since 1989. Today, I'm the oldest member here, the oldest. The only one that outweighs me is Johnny Halpin. He's not here today. He had car problems. It's an incredible experience to be able to be up here. This is not me. I'm not a college graduate. I did not go to any seminary. The only formal training I have in the Bible is through the Lord Jesus Christ and what I've learned in study and being under the preaching of an incredible pastor, R. Scott Harris. Taking his classes and courses in hermeneutics and was sort of like a seminary. The real incredible thing to be up here is when I look down and see Jonathan Harris, David Harris up here, all the young people that I used to teach Sunday school to now, most, a lot of them are gone. And I feel good because I know that God's word is going out from here. Today, if you open your Bibles with me, We're gonna do, we're gonna look at peace through forgiveness. That's what we're gonna look at. We're gonna look at peace through forgiveness. When Scott asked me to get ready at the last business meeting, I had no idea I'd be where I am right now, but I was looking at, open your Bibles with me to Nehemiah 9.17. Nehemiah 9.17. But they refused to listen and did not remember your wondrous deeds which you had performed among them. So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate. slow to anger, and abounding in loving kindness. And you did not forsake them." What a forgiving God we have, full of love, full of grace and mercy, holy in every sense, compassionate, and forgiving. As I read this, and I know it's Israel, Nehemiah recounting all of their failures and repentance and restorations, and here they are, okay, but God won't forsake them. Does God love us today as he did the Israelites then? Is he the same God now as he was then? God's immutable character never changes. For eternity, God will be the same. If not, how would we be able to trust him? Hebrews 13.8 says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do we understand God's nature? Do we understand his character and attributes? These are the things that Scott has been preaching for months. He's been preaching on the attributes of God. Remember, all forgiveness, and that's what today is all about, forgiveness, all forgiveness comes out of his deep love for us, all forgiveness. comes out of God's deep love for us. This morning, I'm going to preach about unforgiveness and the danger of not acting in obedience before a holy God. Originally, I was going to preach about the peace that surpasses all understanding. But in order to understand to any degree that peace, you must first be forgiven, saved, redeemed. Philippians 4, 6, and 7 say, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. In order to be forgiven, we must first be regenerated. We must have the indwelling Holy Spirit, denouncing our past, vowing a future life of service to Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 11, 28, come to me, all who are weary, heavy laden, and I will give you rest. You can take that word rest and replace it with the word, with his, his peace. We as believers should live feverishly, feverishly to serve our Lord Jesus in any and all ways possible. This is a quote. Being obedient to God is founded on having trust in him. Not that is greater than our own thoughts and feelings. I obey Him because He is God and therefore His ways or commands are wiser or better than anything man can come up with, including myself. I trust Him and obey Him even when it means sacrifice. A delay in our plans or anything else may be inconvenient in our lives. leaving justice or revenge in his almighty hands. That's Scott Harris. But we, in our finite beings, not at times understanding God's will for us or his desires, we run into hurdles trying. I want you to think about this for a moment, what hurdles do. I want to use an Olympic runner. How many times does an Olympic runner run the same track before he runs in the Olympics? And he practices maybe in the same lane over and over and over. But now, just before the big race, he's on the track after a quick break, and he's doing his final run. He's coming around the first corner, and he's running as fast as he possibly can. This time is going to matter, because it's going to tell him how he's going to do in the race. When he comes around that first bend, he doesn't realize it, but while he was on break, a track worker had left a hurdle right in his lane, accidentally. When he comes around that lane, and he sees that hurdle, you can better believe it's going to impede his progress. It's going to hurt his time. He is not going to perform as he should. Unforgiveness is only one obstacle. Only one that hinders our service to Christ. Unforgiveness. But it may be the biggest obstacle in our way. Pay attention to me. You see, He knows us. He knows us. He knows our very thoughts. He knows the intentions of our very heart and our motives before they culminate. There are no secrets with God. There are no hidden rooms. God expects obedience. He expects obedience. We're going to look at a scary verse right now. I call it a scary verse. And I know you looked at it 100 times, 1,000. But I want you to turn your Bible to Mark 11, 26. The words of our Lord and Savior himself. In my Bible, it's in red. I want you to look at this, we're not gonna spend any time on it, but I want you to think about this verse as we continue. Mark 11, 26 says, Jesus himself, but if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions. Jesus himself, Some have said, and I've looked at a lot of commentaries with this, some have said this could be another unpardonable sin. Think about that, unforgiveness. You look at that verse and you think about how that could be correlated with an unpardonable sin. Can you glean from this how important forgiveness is? Harboring unforgiveness is a spoiler, a self-inflicted wound to our relationship with Christ. Unforgiveness is like a seed planted. If you plant it, it'll surely grow roots. The consequences don't disappear, and you can't do enough good deeds to make it go away. You can't hear enough sermons. You can't do enough Bible studies. You can't give enough money. Nothing removes a resentful, unforgiving spirit outside of God's mercy and forgiveness towards us. You see, forgiveness is a decision. Forgiveness is an action one takes. If one keeps an unforgiving spirit, it's to one's own peril. The damage is always to self. It separates us from God. It's self-imposed bondage. Here's a thought. I want you to think about this. Maybe you don't want to, or maybe you feel you can't forgive yourself. for something, maybe that you've done to someone. Well, guess what? Consequences are the same. It's a destructive element in our lives and doesn't depict us as believers or Christians. It's rebellion against God. It's a sin that will not go away till dealt with. You see, there are no different degrees or forgiveness, different forgivenesses, no different degrees of it. Whether you offend someone or are offended by someone, there is only one universal forgiveness. It's for all offenses. For it to be acceptable to God, it must be the same unconditional forgiveness he offers us. If we could only see the consequences in our lives to our families, our children, businesses, the bitterness and resentment that build when we don't give forgiveness. Every other aspect that's involved in our lives that unforgiveness can affect. We'd certainly repent so proper fellowship could be restored in Christ. So how does the Lord want me to cover this unforgiveness? today, this morning. Well, the only way I could come up with is by showing perfect examples of forgiveness through obedience in the Bible. I'm gonna use the Old Testament primarily. Remember one thing, and remember this, and it's very, very important. Our greatest trials come. Our greatest trials come. when we want to self-justify our actions and not act in complete obedience. Let me also say this, and this is very important, and I want everybody to understand it because there can't be any confusion about this, okay? I wanna make sure everyone understands. that I'm not speaking about the doctrine of justification, but our self-justification, what our actions and responses, to not follow the will of God, acting in obedience. Through God's great love, mercy, and compassion, he offers us complete forgiveness, and we're commanded to do likewise. John 13, 35, by this all men will know that you are my disciples. if you have love for one another. Be forgiving to one another. In other words, there is no greater act of love than forgiveness. We're gonna look at examples of obedience outweighing self-justification and all by choice. Choices they made serve in a holy God. Self-justification of unforgiveness is what we need to identify in our lives and root out. It's spiritually damaging and prevents us from fellowship in Christ. When we have the power in our hand, in other words, we can administer revenge, but do not use it, that's when we're realizing that we're heading in the right direction. Let's look at these examples. The first one is titled, and I run things by all my men that I want to talk about. And whenever I talk about the titles in the headings at the beginning of chapters, Matthew 4, Jesus' greatest temptation. I'll say, Eddie will say, man's title. Yeah, man's title. But let's look. We're not gonna look at, I'm just gonna mention it because I don't think it was Jesus' greatest temptation. In Matthew 4 is when Satan, okay, Jesus is 40 days in the wilderness, bleak circumstances, right? We all know that whole section where Satan says to Jesus, he tempts him. If you're the son of man, turn these stones to bread and we know Jesus' response, scripture says. Number two, throw yourself from the pinnacle, the highest point of the temple, see if God will save you. We also know what Jesus' response was. And the third, Satan shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offers them if he should bow down and worship him, Satan. All in a moment, side note, Satan could show Jesus all his kingdom in a moment, but if he wanted to see God's kingdom, it would take forever. Isaiah 9, 7 says, there is no end or increase to his kingdom or his peace. So I don't really believe that this was Jesus's greatest temptation, but I'll tell you where. See, I'm kind of like a little on the emotional side. And I like to get into people that are trying to make decisions and they have justification to do otherwise. Matthew 26, I believe Jesus' greatest temptation occurred in the garden of Gethsemane. In the garden where his drops of sweat became blood. Right then he knew he was within hours. hanging on a cross. He knew the pain he would endure, the utter anguish, the emotional weight of taking on all the sin of mankind, the passerbys that would clear their throat and spit on him, the soldiers that would abuse and torture him. He knew it all as he prayed and he knew in hours blood would be pumping from his hands and his feet. He knew it all while he was praying. He knew since he was 12, now 33. Hebrews 12.2 says, for the joy set before him, he endured the cross. The greatest temptation, I believe, was not even the physical agony, the chains, the whips, the cross, He had been contemplating that all the while he prayed. Greatest temptation, I believe, Jesus faced was when he knew he could self-justifiably get out of the cross, what the Father had him to do. People may say, no, he couldn't do that. But he certainly could. He certainly could have. Jesus didn't have to go through with it. He had a choice just like you and I. Listen, he told us. He told us he had a choice. We only have to listen. Remember what happened. When Peter drew his sword from his scabbard and cut the ear off of the slave of the high priest, what did Jesus say? Jesus said, put the sword away. Don't you know I can appeal to the Father? And he would send 12 legion. Don't you know I can appeal to the Father? And he would send 12 legion. He's telling us right there and then. I don't have to. I could call it off. Twelve legion angels. One legion, 6,500 angels. That's 78. That's 78,000 angels. One, one angel in the Old Testament slew 185,000 Assyrians. One angel. Remember this. Jesus, without sin or blemish, he was absolutely perfect. He could have stopped it, and he would have been self-justified by man's standard laws, but not by God's. But I choose to do the Father's will. I say no to the angel army. I choose God's will and the fulfillment of scripture. He was treated the way we should have been treated so we could be treated now the way he should have been treated then. Our greatest temptations come when we feel most self-justified. He passed the test. Abraham and Isaac. What about Abraham and Isaac? Sacrifice of Isaac on the altar, Genesis 22, one and two. The boy, a lot of commentaries I looked at said he may have been 11, 12. Some said he could have been as old as 17 or 20. Abraham was over 100. Listen. Look at that situation. Abraham knew what God wanted. But at that moment when he's raising the knife, okay, don't you think that boy could have resisted? Think that boy could have resisted? Fought back? Said, hey, crazy man, what are you doing? Don't you think Abraham could have resisted? Listen to this. Abraham could have argued with God. Abraham could have said, You cursed the Moabites for this very thing. Now you want me to do it to my son? He could have self-justified not following God's command. Our greatest temptations come when we feel most justified. When Abraham was willing to obey, God sent the angel to stop Abraham's hand, right? He passed the test. God said, now I know. Now I know, and I release manifold blessings upon you and your seed. Faithful God, we have. I don't want you to kill him. Just pass the test. Genesis 45, 1 to 8. Joseph, what about Joseph? What was his greatest temptation? You think he had self-justification, harbor of forgiveness? His brothers tried to kill him. He was closest to losing it when his brothers threw him in the pit. I don't think his biggest temptations were came even when part of his wife accused him of attempted rape or he spent 13 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. When the baker or the butler forgot him after he had helped him. These weren't his greatest temptations, no. I think his greatest temptation came when the famine was on, and his 10 older brothers come staggering and starving. Staggering and starving. Only food was in Egypt. Joseph, now number two man, disguised. Brothers don't know it's Joseph. We all know the story. They start speaking to themselves in Hebrew. They thought he was an Egyptian. One of the brothers says, this is the judgment of God. He's going to punish us now for killing our brother 20 years ago. At that moment, I believe Joseph faced his greatest temptation. He could have given them the same treatment. He would have been justified. He could have had their heads. What does Joseph do? Goes behind the curtain and weeps. That's how he loved his brothers. Takes off his disguise, comes out. They had to be trembling with fear. Knowing what they had done, Joseph says, fear not. I passed the test. You meant it for evil. God used it for good. I'm not going to get you back. I'm gonna lift you up and I'm gonna love you like I've never been hurt. True forgiveness, true and complete forgiveness comes when we're obedient before a holy God and forgive as he commands through obedience. Our greatest temptations come when we've been hurt the most. We feel self-justified in our actions. We've all been here. Listen to this. We have our friends. They're all around us. And we've heard them say, at times, to us even, hmm, I wouldn't forgive them. They encourage us on to sin. After what he did to you, after what she did to you, They don't even know at times how they're being used by the enemy. We should always, always encourage to a greater glory in Christ and nothing less. What was, final one, David's greatest temptation? I don't believe it was watching Bathsheba bathe herself, no. It may have led to one of his greatest sins, but I believe David's greatest temptation came earlier before he was king. He knew he was gonna be king. I think his greatest temptation came, well, we all know David's story, okay? David fought many battles for Saul, did everything for Saul, right? David, he knew he was gonna be king. But Saul now is out to kill him. Saul warrants his head, hunting him down like an animal. There's two instances I wanna bring up real quick. I'd like to mention both of them because of their similarities. One is 1 Samuel 24. David hides in a cave with his men. Shocking when I found out there could have been 600 men with him in there, in silence, 600. While Saul and his men come riding up to the cave, Saul's searching for David. Not knowing David's already inside, Saul enters the cave, right? He tells his men, stay on your horses, guys. I don't need your help. I'm going to be all by myself, right? Goes into the cave to relieve himself. While David watches from the darkness, what does David's men say to David? Behold, David, this is the day which the Lord said to you, behold, David, I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it feels, seems good to you. There's the pat on the back. The other, 1 Samuel 26, in the wilderness as if. There, Saul has 3,000 men with him in Ziph. They're camped out in an encampment. He's about to go into the wilderness in search of David. David hears about it. He knew David was hiding in the wilderness. David goes down to get an eye on Saul. David's spies told him that Saul was there with Abner. the head of his military, his chief commander. David is with his two mighty men, two, Ahimelech and Abishai. Listen, these two guys, Ahimelech and Abishai, they were called his mighty men. These guys were known to stand back to back with a sword only in their hand and defeat 1,000 men. I come across things that stagger me. Two men, two swords, 1,000. There's Saul sleeping near Abner with his spear stuck in the ground next to him. Imagine. Then Abishai says to David, Today, God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Here's one better. Now then, you don't have to even do anything, David. Let me strike him with the spear and pin him to the ground with one stroke. I will not strike a second time. This was the second time David could have easily, easily taken the throne and been justified By man's standard, by man's law, they could have been met, but not a holy God's. You see, David knew God expected obedience and nothing less. You may not touch my anointed. David passed the test. He also knew he was gonna be king. And within a couple of chapters, Saul falls on his own sword and commits suicide. David goes to the throne. I use Old Testament examples because they didn't have the Holy Spirit, we do. I believe it was harder for them to be in obedience, to act in obedience than it actually is for us because we have an indwelling Holy Spirit that we should be relying on and trusting in. I could have used Stephen as an example. He's a perfect example of pure forgiveness in the New Testament of a saved man. Remember when he was being stoned to death, what he said as he cried out, do not hold it against them. Forgive them, Lord. That's love. Here's another quote. in a Christian's life is more important than forgiveness of others and of God's forgiveness of us. An unforgiving Christian is a contradiction to the faith. Nothing is more God-like than forgiveness. And never are you more like God than when you forgive. John MacArthur. These men, and even Jesus himself, could have self-justified not acting in complete obedience, but they didn't. They chose to please God and follow his will and not their own. Ephesians 1.7 says, in him we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace. Romans 8.28 through 39 tell us that nothing can separate us from God. We do it all on our own. Remember, it's all self-inflicted. if we act in any way but perfect obedience. If we choose to act right, we are the recipients of that peace he has for us. The peace that surpasses all understanding, that comes by forgiveness, through God's work of salvation in our lives, in which God himself is the supreme example. He is forgiving to those who proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ and repent from their sinful ways to strive to be in God's will at any and all cost. In Revelation 17, 14, are you one of the called, chosen, and faithful? Second Timothy 4, 7, and 8. Finish the race. Finish the race. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. In the future, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day. not only me, but also to all who have loved his appearing. We can only achieve it through obedience. For me to get there myself, generally, I need to be looking into the eyes of my Savior, realizing what he has done for me. Nothing lasts. His forgiveness is complete, ours must be also. I pray we understand his forgiveness, and I pray we apply it in our own lives, properly and completely, and that we walk with him worthy of the prize. I'm gonna finally close with this. Third quote. Last quote. This is a quote that I ran into, and I'm still trying to figure out how I even found this. It's from an anonymous Christian from long ago, and it's what turned me from preaching about just peace to preaching about what we just preached about. So listen to this in closing, a quote from an anonymous saint from long ago. Revenge indeed seems often sweet to men, but it is only a sugared poison. It is bitter as hell. Forgiving is sweet. It enjoys peace in the consciousness of God's favor. By forgiving, it takes away and annihilates the injury. It treats the injurer as if he had not injured and therefore feels no more pain or sting that was inflicted. Forgiveness is a shield from which all the fiery darts of the wicked one harmlessly rebound. Forgiveness brings heaven to earth and heaven's peace into a troubled heart. So pursue forgiveness for God's sake, for yourself, and for the sake of the church. Let's pray together. Lord in heaven, we thank you, dear God, for this time you give us to come together, to open your word, Lord, to look at your principles, precepts, Lord. Your character, your immutable character, your nature, Lord. Lord, we thank you, Lord. We ask you, Lord, that you would always remind us of how we need to forgive, Lord, how we need to forgive one another. The ultimate love is forgiveness. We thank you, dear God, we ask for your blessings on our pastor and Diane as they're away still, that you would bring them back safe, Lord. Thank you and ask, Lord, that you go with each as we go our separate ways. And we thank you in Jesus' name, amen.