1. Debtors before God Deuteronomy 15: 1
- In the Torah economy, lenders were required to cancel debts during the Sabbatical Year.
- Jesus used the language of debt to symbolize sin and guilt.
- This command shows us that we are to forgive the sins of others
- Why seven years.
- The day of redemption at the end times
- Jeremiah 31: 34 I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more.
- If we are to enter the kingdom of God, we need to forgive the sins of others
- Matthew 18 and the debt owed to God
- I will repay it all Vs 26
- Master felt pity on him. At the impossibility of paying it off.Vs 27
- Man owed him 100 denarii. (A Denali is a full days wage)
- Demanded full payment which he could not do
- This is what my Heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brother and sister from your heart.
2. Forgiveness
- Forgiveness is not
- Does not mean I have to trust another person
- Does not mean I cannot have boundaries for another person
- A feeling
- Forgiveness is
- It is a choice I make…
- To follow God by
- Not letting another persons actions and choices…
- Affect my own actions and choices
- Stopping them from ruling over me.
- Freeing them to God
- I must pray forgive us our debts as we forgive those who have debts against us.
- Want a good measure pressed down shaken together running over. Luke 6: 37-38
3. Tzedakah Deuteronomy 15: 7
- The Torah commands us to liberally extend charity to the poor.
- In the Messianic era, there will no longer be any poor among Deuteronomy 15: 4
- We are to open our hand to the poor Vs 11
- Word is tzedakah which means righteousness.
- Isaiah 56: 1 preserve justice and do tzedakah for My salvation is about to come and My tzedakah to be revealed.
- Measure for measure, righteousness will be revealed as we do acts of righteousness.
- Jesus taught us to seek God’s tzedakah first and then we can trust him. For our material. Needs Matthew 6: 33
- Many parables talked about the importance of giving
- Give to the one who asks of you and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you Matthew 5: 42
- To follow the master requires a life of constant giving.
- The question is not how much do I have to give, but how much am I able to give as a follower of Jesus
- 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
- 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.
- We store up treasure in heaven or poverty with God in heaven
- Our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees. Matthew 5: 20
4. The Poor Ones Deuteronomy 15: 11
- Two words for poor. (so not just giving money but there is another aspect)
- Evyon which means lacking means.
- Anah which means afflicted.
- Avah is also the word used for the Messiah Zechariah 9: 9
- Jesus was humble, poor, and afflicted.
- Jesus did not take on royalty or need for recognition but humbled himself being made in the likeness of man Philippians 2: 7,8
- We are called to follow Jesus in this way
- Fellowship of his suffering Philippians 3: 10,11
- We cannot serve two masters for we will love one and hate the other. Matthew 6: 24
- First disciples were called Evyonim which means the poor ones.
- The Evyonim
- The lord hears the Evyonim Psalm 69: 33
- Lives of the Evyonim he will save Psalm 72: 13
- Early church fathers called believers Ebionites or the poor among the Jews
- 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