Sermon Tone Analysis

Are You Good at Forgiving?

In the past 3 weeks, we have been in a series on Sunday nights entitled:

“The Christian and Forgiveness”

We looked at:

The Call to Forgive

An Unforgiving Heart

Judgement and Forgiveness

Tonight we are going to finish up this series, but the necessity of forgiveness is not coming to an end… The call to forgive is continuing forward.

And this call is not an option - it is a command - a mandate from our Savior Jesus Christ.

It is not the pastor’s idea

It is not the churches platform… It is God’s plan for His people...

Some harbor injuries, injustices and instead of dealing with them and letting go of them - we hang on to them - and like the game “telephone” it keeps growing and changing as time goes on...

The injustices or perceived injustices are magnified, blown farther out of context, proportion and reality… The misunderstanding, wrong was probably an unfortunate misunderstanding - and even if it was planned - it should still be forgiven!

Tonight as we look into the Word of God, I want to ask you a question...

Are You Good at Forgiving?

Let me ask that again -

Are You Good at Forgiving?

Be honest…

Because if we are not good at forgiving - our relationship with the Lord is hindered… hampered...

You cannot be right with God, if you are wrong with man...

I have had people that there were issues with…

I have apologized when I have been in the wrong...

I have apologized when I have been in the right...

Some relationships have been restored...

Some relationships have not...

But I will not stand before God for their response - I will stand before God for my life - I will stand before God for whether or not I have forgiven...

Let me ask that Question again...

ARE YOU GOOD AT FORGIVING?

PRAY:

The Lord - as God was prayed to...

The Lord - as a man - Prayed...

luke5.16

The need for Jesus to communicate w/ God the Father - He prayed...

This was a central theme in the Lord’s life and his example to us - prayer...

But when the Lord taught the disciples to pray, we find some qualifiers and expectations on our prayers… a connection - a tie - between praying and forgiveness.

In the model prayer of , we find 9 statements… The first 4 are directed to and are about the Lord - The 5 that follow are about us...

but in these statements - we find that connection between forgiven and being forgiven.

Few Observations:

The teaching on forgiveness - in the parable of the unjust steward as well as in this passage, the Lord’s forgiveness is not speaking of our salvation...

When a person is saved, their eternal destiny is changed…

They are born into the family of God -

it is speaking of our fellowship and closeness to the Lord.

It is not speaking of losing our salvation.

In one of the messages, I used an illustration of people who had owed me and my businesses $ -

several people came up to ask if the debt was ever paid… No is the answer...

I still love them, I have no bitterness towards them -

If they and their family had need - I would help them out...

I have had people owe me money, or wrong me in other ways and we have put food on their table anonymously, $ in their mailbox for Christmas for them and their children, I have purchased clothes for people who have wronged me...

I am not putting myself up as the perfect example - I have just learned how to forgive...

1. Forgiveness is Needed

We need forgiveness

2. Forgiveness is Given

…for we also...

As the Lord forgives us… we forgive

Unconditionally

…for we also forgive....EVERY ONE....

3. Forgiveness is Basic

We are not speaking of the deep things of God...

We are not looking into the mysteries of the Kingdom...

We are not delving into Prophecy and Eschatology

We are looking at the model prayer for believers -

Baby christians

New believers

this isn’t rocket science - this is Christianity 101...

And when you do not forgive - you are showing your immaturity as a believer

mat6.

Let’s look at one who forgave… great injustices...

Of course we know that the Lord has forgiven the most -

But - what about Joseph???

Are you good at forgiving?

mat5.21-

Are you Good at forgiving?