Oct. 27, 2024

Background:

• We all have a story to tell of forgiveness or unforgiveness
• Forgiveness is a personal journey and should not be judged
• Some of us will say I will never forgive that person for what they have done to me
• Total forgiveness is not natural, but supernatural and unconditional because we have Christ
• We must ask God to forgive them for hurting us
• Forgiveness means to hurl away
• All of us have been hurt by someone and have hurt others
• We are still being worked on by God

Key Sermon Points:

1. Why should I forgive them?
   • We should forgive because there is a divine mandate (a divine command)
   • We are commanded to forgive (Matthew 6:12,14-15)
   • God forgave us unconditionally
   • Our sins are forgiven (Psalm 103:12)
   • We should not hold anyone responsible for what they do
   • We should not hold anything against them or tell others about it
   • Don't drag others into a mess and cause others to stumble
   • Forgiving a person doesn't mean that we are going on vacation, but that we won't hold onto bitterness in our hearts
   • An unforgiving spirit is not only inconsistent with the One who has forgiven us, but brings chastisement against us
   • The servant was forgiven by his master (Matthew 18:211-27), but the same servant wouldn't forgive a fellow servant
   • The king in the parable is God, we are the 1st servant
   • In Ephesians, Paul gives us the model of Christ
2. We should forgive because God is gracious to us
   • God demonstrated his love for us by dying for us while we were still deep in sins (Romans 5:8-10)
   • We should forgive others as God has forgiven us because of his kindness and grace (Romans 8:32)
   • Sinners with an unforgiving heart and a bitter spirit miss our blessings
   • There are people that you are mad at that are home sleeping, but you are in bondage to your own bitterness...and you miss your own blessings
   • It is important to let that bitterness go
3. We should forgive whatever complaints they have against us
   • Believers are to absorb or forbear like the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 1:3-5)
   • We have to trust God
   • Jesus is the pattern for forgiveness
   • It means that we release the bitterness in our hearts
4. What total forgiveness is not
   • God never approved our sins...he hates sin
   • The act of mercy was demonstrated by God's forgiveness (John 8:11)
   • Jesus forgives, but he does not condone sin
   • If we are in the act of causing sin, he will forgive...but deal with that sin
   • Bitterness will kill you spiritually
   • Jesus, while being crucified, asked God the Father to forgive them (Luke 23:34-35)