What kind of person do you want to be?

All of us would say something like: I want to be a good person. A kind person. A nice person.

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is giving a sermon about how God’s love changes us.

But, if you think about yourself for just 1 minute—all of us would like to be nicer people than we are.

So, think about this question: What is it that actually changes people and makes them nicer?

Is it…
trying harder and putting more effort in?
meditating and being calm?
hanging out with the “right people”?

Jesus says none of these are the answer. We don’t make ourselves nicer people.

He says that God changes us, through the trust that he gives us.

That’s what Jesus is saying in v. 36:

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

God’s mercy is what makes merciful people. Knowing and trusting God your Father changes you to be more like Him.

And so there’s two things that means for us today:

1) Christians are forgiven forgivers
2) Christian teachers are forgiven forgivers

So, the first thing Jesus says is this: 1) Christians are forgiven forgivers

Please look at v. 37

“Judge not, and you will not be judged;
condemn not, and you will not be condemned;
forgive, and you will be forgiven;

But, don’t misunderstand Jesus’ words. He’s not saying that we earn forgiveness by forgiving. He’s not saying that avoid judgement by not judging.

Remember, he’s just said in v. 36:

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

We should be merciful because our Father is already merciful. And so the way we treat others shows how God has treated us.

If you trust God. If you trust that he’s good. If you trust that he’s forgiven you. Then you will forgive others.

Can you think of someone who is horribly bitter? Someone who keeps making accusations? Someone who keeps pointing the finger?

When people do that, they show that they are not trusting God who has forgiven them.

They show that they do not trust the God of mercy, to be their Father. And they are living as though someone else is their father.

In v. 37, Jesus uses a picture from the marketplace.

give, and it will be given to you.
Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap
For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Imagine a poor Middle Eastern man wearing a robe. A generous woman gives him grain for food. He holds up his robe to receive it. She gives him a large measure, a big portion. She presses it down into his robe so he can carry as much as possible. She shakes it so that there’s no gaps. She gives him so much, it’s spilling over! She is so, so generous!

But we’re not that generous with our forgiveness are we?

You hold back. You remember who wronged you—and how many times. You give tiny amounts of grace—only to people who’ve earned it.

The world’s measure is: ‘You get what you deserve.’
But the Father’s measure is: ‘You get what Jesus deserved.’”

You forgive just enough to feel better about yourself.

And when you do that, you’re using a different measure than the Father.

And that should terrify you.

Because Jesus says: “with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

If you refuse to forgive—it means you’ve not received God’s forgiveness.

If bitterness and blame flow out of your life—how can mercy be flowing in?

1) Christians are forgiven forgivers

And that’s not only true of ordinary Christians, it’s even more essential for church leaders.

That’s Jesus’ second point:

2) Christian teachers are forgiven forgivers

Look at what Jesus says in vv. 39-40:

He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

The way the church works is this: senior leaders are senior repenters.

Church leaders lead by example.

What I say should be how I live.

Because the way that God changes us, is by repentance… by contrition and faith… by us seeing every day how we’ve failed …and so trusting God’s forgiveness.

But, it’s not just me who is a teacher here: every Christian is a teacher. We teach each other.

And so what Jesus says in vv. 41-42 applies to all of us:

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

How can we be Christian teachers? How can we be genuinely useful to each other?

By repenting. By admitting our own errors to God every day… …and trusting him to forgive us and love us anyway.

That is how you take out the log in your own eye.

What do you find when you come to Jesus with your failure? When you admit your sin, when you confess your mistakes, when you stop trying to be the expert…

You find a Father who never runs out of mercy.

You find a Saviour who’s so happy to forgive you!

You find a Holy Spirit who loves to pick up people with logs in their eyes—and make them useful for others.

Jesus didn’t say, “Fix yourself before you come to me.” He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

You don’t need to prove yourself to Jesus. You don’t need to convince him you’re useful. He’s glad to have you here. He’s eager to use you in the lives of others.

What kind of person do you want to be?

Christians are forgiven forgivers
and Christian teachers are forgiven forgivers

And that is the kind of person Jesus wants to change you to be.

A gentle, loving, wise, and helpful person, able to speak to others to build them up and encourage.

That’s how Jesus builds his church:

Not through experts, or critics, or fault-finders. But through people who know their Father has forgiven them. And so forgive others in return.

So this week, go, forgive and share that forgiveness with others.