30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 16 19-31 Released from self cetredness 19 Restore broken relationships
📖 Luke 16:19-31
22May2020 - *Restore broken relationships* - _Luke 16:19-31_ - Bible reading: _Matthew 18:32-35_
_Luke 16:24 “Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'_
The rich man was calling out to Abraham as father Abraham but his relationship with Abraham did not permit him to escape the torment of hell. His judgement had fallen, for during his lifetime on earth, he was a self-centred person.
The Lord is warning the church that the Judge is at the door and now is the time for us to repent and set our lives right before Him. Let us not assume that all is well because we claim to have a relationship with God.
The rich man was asking for mercy from Abraham and he was also establishing a relationship with Lazarus. These were the two specific issues that he should have put in place during his lifetime on earth, which he had ignored. He should have had mercy on Lazarus and established a relationship with him, who was at his gate.
This is the warning for the church for if we do not show mercy and if we do not establish a relationship with those at our gates, it will be too late, once the Judge begins his judgement. _James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment._
Blessed are the merciful. The Christian life is about living in the blessedness of God. _Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard._ The word of God is making it clear to us that if we are not merciful and will shut our ears to the cry of the people at our gates, then our cry too will not be heard.
This matter of being merciful needs to also be extended to the matter of forgiving those with whom we have hurdles in relationships. Are there people in our lives with whom we are currently experiencing a strained or broken relationship? Are we continuing on in our spiritual journey giving reasons to condone our behaviour? Are we thinking that the Lord will overlook unforgiveness in our heart?
Remember, that this was a part of the prayer that the Lord had taught His disciples. _Matthew 6:15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses._
We know the story of the unforgiving servant found in _Matthew 18:21-35_. This parable came as an answer to the question that Peter asked Jesus on how often he should forgive his brother who had sinned against him. Let us pick up the narrative in its last part.
_Matthew 18:32-33 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. (33) Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'_
The master called the unforgiving servant as, “wicked servant”. This wicked servant was a *forgiven* servant. Forgiven of much that he owed the master. This is what we need to realise. He was forgiven and so are we. We are forgiven by God but the wicked, unforgiving servant was not able to forgive his fellow servant of a far lesser amount than what he had owed the master.
It is the same condition that applies to us. Whatever harm or evil, people may have done to us, because of which we are not able to forgive them, can it be compared to the extent to which we have been forgiven by God?
Look at the judgement on the wicked, unforgiving servant. Do we wish this story away and say that this is not a warning for us? Will we think that on the judgement day the Lord will overlook all our unforgiveness and accept the reasons that we will give Him as to why we were not willing to forgive?
God’s word is clear. _Matthew 18:34-35 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. (35) *"So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.*"_
*Thought to ponder*
```It is the church that has much to repent from, as we prepare to face the Judge.```