Matthew 6:14–15 NIV

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Forgiveness isn't optional for Christians. It's essential.

I. JESUS'S TEACHING ON FORGIVENESS WAS UNIQUE (v. 12)

The Daily Prayers in Jesus's Time “Forgive us, our Father, for we have sinned; pardon us, our King, for we have transgressed; for You are a pardoner and a forgiver. Blessed are You, O Lord, the gracious One who abundantly forgives.”

Why Does This Matter? You can't compartmentalize your relationship with God from your relationships with others. The two are inseparable.

II. DEBTS, TRESPASSES, AND SINS (v. 12)

"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

The Language of Forgiveness The Aramaic Word Khoba khoba meant both sin and debt.

"The faithful need to remember they are asking for forgiveness for failing to forgive what God requires of them (debts) and for their failure to do the right thing when they did act (trespass)." Ken Bailey

What We're Confessing

• We have sinned against his holiness
• We have failed in what he requires of us
• We need mercy, not justice

III. FORGIVENESS IS ESSENTIAL TO LIFE (v. 12)

"Forgive us our debts..."

Food for the Soul John Stott writes:"Forgiveness is as indispensable to the life and health of the soul as food is for the body."

Make It A Regular Practice Notice Jesus teaches his disciples to pray for forgiveness regularly. This isn't a one-time prayer. It's a daily prayer.

IV. THE TERRIFYING CONNECTION (vv. 12, 14-15)

As We Have Forgiven

Matthew 6:14–15 NIV

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Let's be clear about what Jesus is saying:

• Your forgiveness from God is connected to your forgiveness of others
• If you refuse to forgive, you demonstrate you don't understand forgiveness

An unforgiving heart reveals an unforgiven heart

Why Is This So Serious? Because forgiveness is the very essence of the gospel.

Romans 5:10 NIV

Romans 6:23 NIV

Ephesians 2:8–9 NIV

Colossians 2:13–14 NIV

The Demonstration of Repentance

Luke 7:47 NIV

Romans 5:6 NLT

PRACTICAL APPLICATION Is Your Prayer Life Marked by Forgiveness or Vengeance? Who Do You Need to Forgive?

Forgiveness is NOT:

• Saying what they did was okay (it wasn't)
• Excusing their behavior (it's inexcusable)
• Pretending it didn't hurt (it did)
• Putting yourself back in harm's way (boundaries are healthy)
• Reconciliation without repentance (forgiveness is one-sided; reconciliation requires both parties)

Forgiveness IS:

• Releasing your right to revenge
• Entrusting judgment to God
• Refusing to let bitterness poison your soul
• Choosing mercy over vindictiveness
• Extending the grace you've received

The Hard Work of Forgiving

Let me be honest: Forgiveness is hard. But Jesus is saying: For your sake, for the health of your soul, you must forgive.

The Challenge

1. Make a list of people you need to forgive

2. Pray for them by name every day

3. Ask God to help you forgive from your heart

4. If possible and appropriate, take a step toward reconciliation

Matthew 6:9–13 KJV

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Central Idea: The Lord provides exactly what you need.

Application Question: Instead of praying for what you want, have you ever thought about praying for God to change your desires?

I. THE ORDER OF PRAYER MATTERS (v. 11) God First, Then Us 1. Praise God for who he is

2. Pray for his kingdom to be enacted on earth

3. Then, finally, move on to what you need

Need Over Want Jesus is teaching the disciples the proper focus of our lives:

• Our relationship with God first

• Our care for the world second

• An expression of what we need (over what we want) third

Hebrews 13:5 NIV

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

II. DAILY DEPENDENCE ON GOD (v. 11) Day by Day Faith Exodus 16:2–5 NIV

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV

For we live by faith, not by sight.

Building Strong Faith This daily practice can become the basis for a strong faith that can look back and see multiple days when God provided in ample measure.

III. DELIVERANCE FROM THE FEAR OF NOT HAVING (v. 11) The Aramaic/Syriac Translation The Syriac word for amen means "never ceasing, never ending." Thus, Jesus is teaching the disciples to pray for deliverance from the fear of not having what is needed.

The Anxiety of Scarcity Jesus is teaching us to pray: "God, give us never-ending, never-ceasing provision of what we need."

IV. CONTENTMENT WITH BREAD (v. 11) Why Bread? Philippians 4:11–13 NIV

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

The Rich Who Have Everything But Fulfillment “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.” C.S. Lewis

Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

What Are You Actually Asking For? Are You Approaching God Daily? Have You Considered Praying for Changed Desires? "God, help me be content where I am" Philippians 4:11

“God, help me be generous with what I have" 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

"God, help me be grateful for shelter" Psalm 5:11

"God, align my wants with what you know I need" 1 John 5:14-15

Matthew 6:9–13 KJV 1900

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:10 (NIV) “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

I. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE WILL OF GOD (v. 10a)

A. Hebrew Parallelism

- The kingdom of God = the manifestation of the will of God

- The will of God = the reign of the kingdom of God

B. Kingdom Means "Reign"

C. Already and Not Yet We live in the tension—the kingdom is here, but not fully here. It's present, but not complete. And Jesus teaches us to pray for its full arrival.

II. WHAT IS GOD'S WILL? (v. 10b)

A. The Range of God's Effective Will "The kingdom of God is the range of his effective will: that is, it is the domain where what he prefers is actually what happens." Dallas Willard

B. Alignment with God's Design

III. IT'S NOT ABOUT US (v. 10)

A. The Focus of Our Lives

B. Transformation Through Prayer

C. Our Lives Characterized by Devotion

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

So what does this mean for you personally? How do we pray "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" in a way that actually changes our lives?

A. In Your Relationships

B. In Your Work

C. In Your Community

D. In Your Heart Matthew 6:9–13 NIV

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,  but deliver us from the evil one.”