Forgive Others – Matthew 6:9-15 – 06/01/2025

I believe this has been one of the most challenging messages I’ve been called upon by God to give.
It goes against my grain, who, by nature, I am not.
But greater is he who lives in me (and I am so glad HE lives in me) than he who is in the world.
We are called to walk in the way of Jesus.
We are called to live as Jesus lived.
We are called to say to ourselves, “What Would Jesus Do?”
You may not “like” this morning’s message, it may step on your “righteous” toes, but I bring it to you out of love.
This morning we are going to open Scripture and look at the topic of “forgiveness.”

Matthew 6:9-15
“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

FORGIVENESS is one of the foundational blocks of our faith. If God forgave us of our sins, we, as followers, are to forgive others just as God forgave us.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God does this for us, shouldn’t we do likewise?
If one of your children came to you and said, “I did this, or I did that,” would you hold that against them or would you forgive them?
No matter the gravity of what your child did, you would forgive them.
If you want to be “holy” and be like Jesus, if someone came to you and asked for forgiveness, would you grant it, or is your forgiveness based on the transgression?
Is it “CONDITIONAL?”

God’s forgiveness of you is not conditional.
He doesn’t say, “If you do 10 Our Fathers and 10 Hail Mary’s I will forgive you; as I was taught in my catholicism days.
God’s forgiveness is not based on doing things to show God I have a contrite heart.
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
God does not require me to do certain things or to pray certain prayers to be forgiven.
Nor should we “make” people do certain things to earn forgiveness.

Psalm 103:12
As far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Micah 7:19
You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!
Isaiah 43:25
God says, “I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.”
Hebrews 8:12
For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.


God forgives and forgets. That is the “high” standard. We are to forgive and forget.
We’ve bought the line, “I can forgive, but I will never forget.”
Separate yourself from that. Yes, with God, you can forgive and forget. With God, all things are possible.
What would you do, or what would you say to one of your children, if they continued to come to you and tell you they were sorry for something they did 2 years ago? If they continued to every couple of months.

Knowing that God forgives us of our sins, and when someone knows their trespasses against you have been forgiven, a foundation of Restoration and Hope has been laid.


Isaiah 1:18
Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Is there a sin God will not forgive?
Is there a trespass you will not forgive?

Matthew 6:12?
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Matthew 6:14-15?
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:21-22
Seventy times seven.

You who call yourself “Christian.”
If you have unforgiveness in your heart right now directed toward someone, now is the time to forgive.
We are going to have a moment of silence. Ask God who has hurt you. He will bring to mind that person. You can right now, forgive them.

We are called to walk in the way of Jesus.
We are called to live as Jesus lived.
We are called to say to ourselves, “What Would Jesus Do?”

Closing, at dismissal…

It may be the hardest thing you do.
You didn’t wake up this morning with the thoughts of forgiving someone.
And yet, as a Christian, you are called to forgive those who don’t deserve it.

It’s the opposite of how you feel. Someone caused you real pain.
Don’t let your pride, your ego stand in the way of forgiving.


On the cross, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” You say, “that’s Jesus.”
Well, Stephen, when he was being killed said, ““Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
Jesus told the woman caught in the act of adultery, “Neither do I condemn you.”