Series: What Matters 

Date: 4/21/24

Message: Forgiveness 

Foundational Scripture: Col.3:13 

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Intro: When my girls were younger I disciplined Tiffany for something she said she didn’t do. Later I found out she was telling the truth and she really had been innocent. 

     

So I sat down with her and said, honey I’m sorry I made a mistake. To which she replied, I know Daddy but I forgive you. This was a very humbling moment for me as I realized I didn’t deserve forgiveness but because of love I was forgiven.

     

The truth is staggering, I don’t deserve my Father’s forgiveness but it is given because of His great Love.

In Matt 18:21 Peter asked Jesus, How many times do I need to forgive someone when they sin against me? It’s interesting, the Greek word here means, pardon, expire, suffer, permit. So Peter asks how many times do I need to pardon someone else? In simple terms Jesus responds, a lot more than you think you should. Jesus tells a parable and then in verse 35 tells Peter in essence, How do you want God to deal with you? 

     

When it comes to forgiveness that is really the question; When it comes to dealing with others, how do you want God to deal with you? We have to remember that God’s forgiveness comes to us because of His great love for us. (John 3:16) With this we have to remember 1 John 4:19-21 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. So we understand that God’s forgiveness for us is linked to our forgiveness for each other. Not that we earn God's forgiveness but that if we embrace it for ourselves we embrace it for each other.

     

Forgiveness matters because it connects us to the heart of God in a powerful way, because its foundation is the grace and mercy of God. 

     

What we see in the teaching of Jesus is that Forgiveness is about our relationship with God and it impacts others, but it is about who He is, not who they are.

How forgiveness works:

• Forgiveness is a deliberate decision -

• Matt 26:27&28 27 Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is My blood of the  New covenant,which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

• • • Cf. Luke 15:11-32 - The Prodigal Son or The Forgiving Father

• Forgiveness is about letting go - 

• Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

• • • “The old adage, “Bitterness is like drinking poison and hoping someone else would die.”

• Forgiveness is about building relationships -

• Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins

• • [Matthew 7:2 NIV] 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

• Forgiveness is about God -

• Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

• • Forgiveness is not about the offender, it's about your willingness to let go of the offense and turn it over to God. “It’s not saying the offense/offender was right, but that you’re not going to let it have control over you and you’re going to turn it over to God.

Conclusion: None of us deserve forgiveness, thankfully that is not what it is based on! Remember this when it comes to dealing with each other. Freely you have received, freely give.

MIDWEEK LEADERS GUIDE

Series: What Matters

Date: 4/21/24

Message: Forgiveness

Foundational Scripture: Col. 3:13

• Col 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  

This scripture is not a suggestion.  It is very clear on how we are to behave in this world.  Is there someon in your life who has done you wrong and you have not forgiven them?  Maybe you just cut them out of your life?  What does the scripture tell us to do?  

• 1 John 4:19-21 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 

 What does it look like to love a brother or sister?

1.  Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, 

           forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

           Forgiving someone is a deliberate decision.  Is it easier sometimes to hold onto 

            the grudge than forgive someone?  What does the scripture say about this?

• Forgiveness is really about God.  We have redemption for our sins through the blood of Jesus.  We are called to forgive others.  What makes this statement challenging for you? 

GUÍA PARA LÍDERES DE MITAD DE SEMANA

Serie: Lo que importa

Fecha: 21/04/24

Mensaje: Perdón

Escritura fundamental: Col. 3:13

Col 3:13 soportáos unos a otros y perdonaos unos a otros si alguno de vosotros tiene queja contra alguien. Perdona como el Señor te perdonó.

Esta escritura no es una sugerencia. Está muy claro cómo debemos comportarnos en este mundo. ¿Hay alguien en tu vida que te ha hecho mal y no le has perdonado? ¿Quizás simplemente los eliminaste de tu vida? ¿Qué nos dice la Escritura que hagamos?

1 John 4:19-21 19 Amamos porque él nos amó primero. 20 Cualquiera que dice amar a Dios y odia a su hermano o a su hermana, es un mentiroso. Porque quien no ama a su hermano y a su hermana a quien ha visto, no puede amar a Dios a quien no ha visto. 21 Y él nos ha dado este mandamiento: Todo el que ama a Dios, que ame también a su hermano y a su hermana.

 ¿Cómo es amar a un hermano o hermana?

 Marcos 11:25 Y cuando estéis orando, si tenéis algo contra alguien,

           perdónalos, para que vuestro Padre que está en los cielos os perdone vuestros pecados.

           Perdonar a alguien es una decisión deliberada. ¿A veces es más fácil aferrarse?

            ¿El rencor que perdonar a alguien? ¿Qué dice la escritura sobre esto?

El perdón realmente se trata de Dios. Tenemos redención por nuestros pecados a través de la sangre de Jesús. Estamos llamados a perdonar a los demás. ¿Qué hace que esta afirmación sea desafiante para usted?