Forgiveness That Frees the Heart
Forgiveness That Frees the Heart
Tony Padgett | Brookfield Church of Christ | April 5, 2026
📖 Matthew 6:12–15Because God has graciously forgiven our insurmountable debt through Christ, we are both commanded and empowered to release others from their offenses — finding personal spiritual freedom in the process.
Christ's forgiveness of us — dying for sinners while we were still His enemies — is the measuring rod for our forgiveness of others. It's not optional; it's conditional.
Matthew 6:14–15 • Romans 5:8God cancelled a $270 million spiritual debt on our behalf. Every grudge we hold is us strangling someone over $2,000 — an act the King will not overlook.
Matthew 18:21–35 • Romans 6:23Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. A root of bitterness defiles not just you, but those around you.
Hebrews 12:15 • Colossians 3:13God didn't tell you to feel it. He told you to do it. Forgiveness is not an emotion — it is an act of the will. The feelings follow the decision over time.
Matthew 6:12 • Romans 12:19Requires ONE person. You can forgive unilaterally, even if the offender refuses to acknowledge the wrong. It releases you from the prison of bitterness.
Requires TWO willing people. It restores the relationship and may not always be possible or safe — but forgiveness can still happen.
List the people you are holding a grudge against. Pray for each one by name, every day for seven days, asking God to bless them — not to punish them.
Mentally and symbolically shred the bill. Decide today you will no longer bring the offense up — to them, to others, or to yourself in moments of rumination.
Where it is possible and appropriate, initiate a conversation of peace. Not every relationship can be restored — but every heart can be freed.
"Lord, forgive me for my sins as I forgive others." Incorporate this as a daily prayer that keeps your heart soft and your account current before God.
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
"Forgiveness is not an endorsement of the wrong done to us. Nor is it a sign of weakness. It is the ultimate sign of strength and trust in God's justice. When we release the debtor, we find that the prisoner we have actually been holding is ourselves."
Forgiveness That Frees the Heart
Sermon Title: Forgiveness That Frees the Heart Preacher: Tony Padgett, Brookfield Church of Christ Date Preached: April 5, 2026 YouTube Video: Watch the Full Sermon (Length: 40:34) Key Scriptures: Matthew 6:12–15; Matthew 18:21–35; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 12:15; Colossians 3:13; Romans 12:19
Think about the last time someone hurt you deeply — not a minor offense, but a wound that still stings when you press on it. A broken trust. A betrayal. A season of cruelty you never deserved. Now ask yourself honestly: Are you still carrying it? Because Tony Padgett stepped into the pulpit at Brookfield this past Sunday with a word that cuts right to the heart of our spiritual health — and it has everything to do with what we do with our wounds.
The Standard God Sets
In Matthew 6:12–15, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray: "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." Tony was quick to point out that this is not poetry — it is a conditional statement. Jesus continues: "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
That is not comfortable language, and Tony didn't soften it. The standard for how we are expected to forgive is the standard Christ demonstrated for us — dying on the cross for people who were actively hostile to God. Romans 5:8 makes it plain: Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Not when we cleaned up our act. Not after we apologized. While we were yet dead in our sins. That is the measuring stick. Not the people around us. Christ.
The Debt We Forget We Owe
To drive this home, Tony turned to the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21–35. A servant owed his king the equivalent of $270 million — an insurmountable debt no human being could repay in a lifetime. The king, moved by compassion, cancelled every penny. That same servant then turned around and seized a fellow servant who owed him $2,000 — and threw him in prison.
When the king heard this, he called the servant back: "You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?"
Tony's application was direct: every one of us has been forgiven an insurmountable debt. Romans 3:23 reminds us that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Romans 6:23 declares the wage of that sin is death. None of us had anything to pay. Christ took our sin and gave us His righteousness. When we refuse to release someone from a far smaller offense, we become that wicked servant — forgiven of $270 million and strangling someone over $2,000.
The Danger of a Bitter Root
"Carrying a grudge," Tony said, "is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." Hebrews 12:15 warns that a root of bitterness, when left unaddressed, springs up and defiles many. The person who wronged you may have moved on without a second thought. Meanwhile, you are sitting with a vial of poison, rehearsing their offense, feeding the bitterness, and slowly destroying your own spiritual health.
Here is the critical distinction Tony drew: forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same thing. Reconciliation requires two willing people. Forgiveness requires only one — you. There are situations where reconciliation is impossible or unsafe, and Tony acknowledged that honestly. But forgiveness, he declared, is never impossible. It is the choice to release the offender from the debt you feel they owe — not primarily for their benefit, but for yours. "When we release the debtor, we find that the prisoner we have actually been holding is ourselves."
Forgiveness Is a Decision, Not a Feeling
This may be Tony's most urgent point: forgiveness is an act of the will, not a wave of emotion. "God didn't tell you to feel," he said. "He told you to do." You may pray for someone while still feeling the pain. You may choose to forgive while the wound is still raw. Over time — through persistent prayer, focus on Christ, and praying specifically for that person's blessing rather than their destruction — the feelings begin to follow the decision.
Tony offered three concrete starting points:
Write the names. List the people you are holding a grudge against. Pray for each one by name, for seven days, asking God to bless them. This is not a formula — it is a discipline.
Cancel the debt. Mentally and symbolically shred the bill you feel they owe you. Decide you will no longer bring the offense up — to them, to others, or to yourself in moments of bitterness.
Seek restoration where it is safe. Where possible, initiate a conversation of peace. Not every relationship can be restored — but every heart can be freed.
And remember: "Forgiveness is not an endorsement of the wrong done to us. Nor is it a sign of weakness. It is the ultimate sign of strength and trust in God's justice." Vengeance belongs to God (Romans 12:19). When we hold onto it, we are holding something that was never ours to carry.
📌 A Word from Barry
Having preached at Brookfield for 23 years, I know this congregation has walked through real pain — real betrayals, real loss. Tony did not preach a soft word on Sunday. He preached a liberating one. The families in these pews have quietly carried burdens for years. I've prayed over some of them personally. What Tony reminded us is that forgiveness isn't surrendering what was done to us. It's surrendering the right to be destroyed by it. That's not weakness. That's the gospel in action.
— Barry G. Johnson, Sr.
🔥 This Week's Challenge
This week, I challenge you to write down the name of one person you have not fully forgiven. Following Tony's guidance, commit to praying for that person — by name — every day for seven days, asking God to bless them. You do not have to feel it to do it. Claim the promise of Matthew 6:14 and trust that in releasing them, you are releasing yourself. Do not wait until you are ready. Start tonight.
Small Group Discussion Questions
Tony draws a sharp distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation — "forgiveness takes one person; reconciliation takes two." In what real-life situations might forgiveness be necessary while reconciliation is genuinely not possible or safe? How would you explain this distinction to someone who has been deeply wounded?
Matthew 6:14–15 presents our forgiveness of others as connected to God's forgiveness of us. How does this challenge the common idea that forgiveness is something we offer only when we "feel ready"? What does this truth say about the relationship between our obedience and our spiritual freedom?
In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21–35), the servant who was forgiven $270 million could not forgive a $2,000 debt. In what areas of your own walk with Christ are you most tempted to minimize your need for grace while maximizing the offenses of others?
Tony said unforgiveness is like "drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." Have you witnessed — in yourself or someone close to you — the spiritual and emotional damage that bitterness produces over time? What did that look like?
Hebrews 12:15 warns that a root of bitterness "causes trouble and defiles many." What steps can a small group or church community take to cultivate a culture of forgiveness before conflicts arise, rather than scrambling for resolution after they do?
Living This Out
Tony Padgett did not come to Brookfield's pulpit to make forgiveness easier — he came to make it undeniable. We worship a God who looked at the full weight of our sin and chose the cross. The debt has been cancelled. The only question now is what we will do with ours.
Watch the full sermon at the link above, and come back next week as we continue our series Sermon on the Mount: Pursuing Excellence in Christ. For more resources and weekly content, visit BarrysBureau.org.
Forgiveness That Frees the Heart
Sermon Quiz • Tony Padgett • Matthew 6:12–15
Test Your Understanding
Seven questions drawn directly from Tony's message on forgiveness, anger, and the heart. Take your time and think it through!