The Message of the King: “How to Practice Righteousness” (Matt. 6:1-18)

[Sung Psalm: 51]

simply means that I have sorrow that this situation is happening. An apology is a “defense” – an “excuse”:
“I’m sorry, I’m having a bad day.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
“I’m sorry your face got in the way of my hand…”
“If you hadn’t provoked me, I wouldn’t have done that…”

Far better to say, “What I did was wrong. Please forgive me.”

But even “please forgive me” can be misused!

In Genesis 50, Joseph’s brothers send a message to Joseph, telling him that their father, Jacob, had said, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you.” (v17)

Joseph had already forgiven his brothers. But they are afraid that Joseph was just waiting for his father to die, and then he could get his revenge.

I’ve seen people talk openly about their repentance – how they have asked for forgiveness – but the other person would not forgive!

Ah! the deceitfulness of the human heart! We see the failings of others – but we are blind to our own! This is at the heart of what Jesus means by the hypocrite – the one who criticizes others, but does not apply the same standard to himself!

Look at Jesus! As Jesus describes the character and qualities of the disciple in the Sermon on the Mount, who is he describing? The Sermon on the Mount shows us Jesus! The Sermon on the Mount describes the life of the disciple because it first and foremost describes the life of the one who showed us how to live like this!