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Hendersonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, NC

David Wright

Freely You Have Received

Well, how many here know what it's like to be in debt?

You know, it just occurred to me, debt is a four-letter word.

It's not the nicest feeling, and you make a payment for something and you still see what remains and oftentimes there's interest attached.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a debt?

Ever wondered how in the world will we ever pay down this debt?

Do you know the average American has $15, 000 in credit card debt?

But this morning I'm thinking of an individual some years back who perhaps may still hold the largest record, if you will, of debt.

Yeah, the former chairman of the NASDAQ Stock Exchange and the admitted operator of the Ponzi scheme.

That might very well be the largest investment fraud in Wall Street history.

In March of 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 felonies and admitted to turning his wealth management business into a massive Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars.

Madoff said he began the Ponzi scheme in the early 1990s, but some investigators believe it started as early as the 80s.

And the amount missing from client accounts, including fabricated games, was almost $65 million.

Does anybody here know the stress of a $65 million debt?

If you do, I'll give you a hint, don't raise your hand.

You know, the median income in America today, that is the Halfway mark, you have the same amount above, same amount below.

The median income today in America is 51, 000.

So if Bernie Madoff could pay back his debt at the average 51, 000 a year, Do you know how long it would take Bernie to pay it all back?

I hope he knows about the health message.

At 51, 000 a year, how long would it take you to pay off your debt?

Whatever it is, my hunch is none of us can really fully imagine or place ourselves in that situation of owing that much money.

But it reminds me of a story in Scripture, and maybe it's reminded you of that same story as well.

We find it in Matthew chapter 18, and so if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn to Matthew chapter 18, and we're going to look at a teaching of Jesus this morning that talks about debt, but our purpose this morning is not a stewardship purpose per se, but the finances help us make the point.

And so we're in Matthew chapter 18 verse 21.

And there we read, Then Peter came to Him, Jesus, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?

You see, the thought and the idea was, based on the rabbi's faulty interpretation of Amos chapter 1 verse 3, that you only had to forgive a person 3 times.

But Peter has been under Jesus' tutelage now for a while.

I'm going to be extra, go above and beyond.

And Jesus knocks Peter's socks off when he continues on here.

Jesus said to him, Verse 22, I do not say to you up to 7 times, but up to 70 times 7.

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

Verse 24, and when he had begun settling accounts, 1 was brought to him who owed him 10, 000 talents.

To help you get an idea, the combined total amount of annual taxes in the time of Christ for Judea, Indomia, Samaria, Galilee, and Perea amounted to only 80 talents.

Combined of all of those areas, that whole entire area combined, yearly taxes, 80 talents.

But this guy owes not 80 talents, but 10, 000 talents.

So this would take 1, 250 years of that region's taxes and revenues alone to settle this account.

1 talent is approximately 20 years of labor.

So 10, 000 talents, you know how many years of labor we have here?

Oh, no, no, no, don't think you're retired.

1 talent is equal to about 75 pounds of silver, or 1, 200 ounces.

1 ounce of silver today is going for about $19.55, but who's counting?

And so if you do the math in silver, you're looking at $235 million.

Let's just talk about dollars based on the median income.

We've already talked a little bit about median income.

If We take that number, 51, 000, the median income for average American families today, and we multiply that by 20 years to get 1 talent.

That would be about 1000000 per talent, but he owes 10, 000 talents, which means in your money today he owes about $10 billion.

So it really doesn't matter how you slice it.

200, 000 years of labor, 1, 250 years worth of taxes of the entire region, 750 pounds of silver bars, valuing at 235 million, or just 10 billion of our dollars today equivalency.

Verse 24, and when he began to settle accounts, 1 was brought to him who owed 10000 talents.

But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold with his wife and his children and all that he had and that payment be made.

And then the servant therefore fell down before him saying, Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.

He's groveling at the feet of this king saying, please, please, give me more time.

Have mercy on me, and I'll be able to pay back every penny, promise.

I think at times we sound like this very same blubbering servant.

If you just give me enough time, I'll balance the books, I'll come up with the money.

I know I messed up, but let me somehow be creative and go above and beyond and somehow impress you enough and earn back your favor enough and if I just give enough, enough, enough, if I just give me enough time." And we barter with God.

I mean, honestly, how much time do you need?

If you think about it, this man is delusional.

He has no real sense of the enormity of his debt.

He doesn't understand how hopeless the situation.

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Freely You Have Received

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