1.  Debtors before God Deuteronomy 15: 1

  1. In the Torah economy, lenders were required to cancel debts during the Sabbatical Year.
  2. Jesus used the language of debt to symbolize sin and guilt.
  3. This command shows us that we are to forgive the sins of others
  4. Why seven years.
    1. The day of redemption at the end times
    2. Jeremiah 31: 34 I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more.
  5. If we are to enter the kingdom of God, we need to forgive the sins of others
  6. Matthew 18 and the debt owed to God
    1. I will repay it all Vs 26
    2. Master felt pity on him. At the impossibility of paying it off.Vs 27
    3. Man owed him 100 denarii. (A Denali is a full days wage)
    4. Demanded full payment which he could not do
    5. This is what my Heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brother and sister from your heart.

2. Forgiveness

  1. Forgiveness is not
    1. Does not mean I have to trust another person
    2. Does not mean I cannot have boundaries for another person
    3. A feeling
  2. Forgiveness is
    1. It is a choice I make…
    2. To follow God by
    3. Not letting another persons actions and choices…
    4. Affect my own actions and choices
      1. Stopping them from ruling over me.
    5. Freeing them to God
  3. I must pray forgive us our debts as we forgive those who have debts against us.
  4. Want a good measure pressed down shaken together running over. Luke 6: 37-38

3. Tzedakah Deuteronomy 15: 7

  1. The Torah commands us to liberally extend charity to the poor.
  2. In the Messianic era, there will no longer be any poor among Deuteronomy 15: 4
  3. We are to open our hand to the poor Vs 11
  4. Word is tzedakah which means righteousness.
  5. Isaiah 56: 1 preserve justice and do tzedakah for My salvation is about to come and My tzedakah to be revealed.
    1. Measure for measure, righteousness will be revealed as we do acts of righteousness.
  6. Jesus taught us to seek God’s tzedakah first and then we can trust him.  For our material. Needs Matthew 6: 33
  7. Many parables talked about the importance of giving
    1. Give to the one who asks of you and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you Matthew 5: 42
    2. To follow the master requires a life of constant giving.
    3. The question is not how much do I have to give, but how much am I able to give as a follower of Jesus
  8. This was not an option for the followers of Jesus.  He stated When you give to the poor not If you give to the poor. Matthew 6: 3
  9. Luke 18: 22 the rich young ruler, you lack one thing.  Sell all you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.
    1. We store up treasure in heaven or poverty with God in heaven
  10. Our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees.  Matthew 5: 20

4. The Poor Ones  Deuteronomy 15: 11

  1. Two words for  poor. (so not just giving money but there is another aspect)
    1. Evyon which means lacking means.
    2. Anah which means afflicted.
  2. Avah is also the word used for the Messiah Zechariah 9: 9
    1. Jesus was humble, poor, and afflicted.
    2. Jesus did not take on royalty or need for recognition but humbled himself being made in the likeness of man Philippians 2: 7,8
  3. We are called to follow Jesus in this way
    1. Fellowship of his suffering Philippians 3: 10,11
    2. We cannot serve two masters for we will love one and hate the other. Matthew 6: 24
    3. First disciples were called Evyonim which means the poor ones.
  4. The Evyonim
    1. The lord hears the Evyonim Psalm 69: 33
    2. Lives of the Evyonim he will save Psalm 72: 13
  5. Early church fathers called believers Ebionites or the poor among the Jews
    1. Christians was a deragatory word that was eventually embraced.

5. Poor and needy

1. Mark 9 a poor person possessed

2. Bring them to Jesus and healed

3. Man with no faith (Mark 9: 23)

4. Just being honest with Jesus

5. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God