FORGIVENESS
My brothers and sisters in Christ, today we begin a five week series titled:
"FAITH". Together let us examine what faith is, why do we have faith, what
are the components of faith and how does faith lead one to salvation? Let
us begin by examining the word FAITH, which is defined in the American
Heritage Dictionary Of The English Language as:
“1.) A confident belief in the truth, value or trustworthiness of a
person, idea, or thing. 2.) Belief that does not rest on logical
proof or material: faith in miracles. 3.) Loyalty to a person or
thing: Keeping faith with ones supporters. 4.) Belief and trust
in God and in the doctrines expressed in the Scriptures or other
religious works; religious convictions. 5.) A system of religious
beliefs. 6.) Any set of principles or beliefs: Bad Faith, Good Faith,
In Faith.
Faith Cure: A cure of an ailment held to be
accomplished through religious faith.”
Now that we have established what the sin of the flesh describes faith to
be, let us turn to God's word and learn how forgiveness is a part of faith.
Matthew 5: 23-24:
"So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that
your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before
the altar and go; go; first be reconciled to your brother;
(reconciled- to have made peace with any differences between you)
and then come and offer your gift."
Matthew 6: 14-15:
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, (trespasses: To commit an
offense or sin against another) your heavenly Father also will forgive
you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 18: 19-21:
"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything
they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven, For
where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in the
midst of them. Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how
often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many
as seven times?" Jesus said to Peter, "I do not say to you seven
times but, seventy times seven."
Ephesians 4: 31-32:
"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be
put away from you, with all malice (malice: desire to harm another
or see them suffer) and be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
My brothers and sisters in Christ, in reading God's word we are made
aware that forgiveness is not a man made concept but that of God. The
problem with forgiveness lies in the wisdom of C. S. Lewis who in 1931
became a Christian but battled with the issues of what it means to be a
Christian, who was God in his life, death, anger, and forgiveness. In
December 1931, C.S. Lewis married his sweetheart Joy, and they lived
until July 13, 1969, when God took her home at 45 years of age. In his
anger, in his pain of missing Joy, C.S. Lewis wrote,
"Forgiveness, is a beautiful word, until you have something to forgive."
There lies the whole problem my brothers and sisters in Christ, for if you
did not have something to forgive, life could be so much easier to live!
My brothers and sisters in Christ, reality is, that forgiveness is not easy.
"I take you to be my wedded spouse, to have and to hold, from this
day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness
and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according
to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my faith."
What do you mean you don't want to be married to me because I
can no longer walk and will have to spend the rest of my life in a
hospital bed? It's not like I ask the other driver to hit me on the
interstate. What ever happened to "in sickness and in health?"
Now you're leaving me?
"Trinity Leah McClure 7 weeks of Springfield, died unexpectedly on
Sunday, January 25, 2004, in Mercy Medical Center. In that same day's
paper, next to Trinity, was another obituary: "Sean Michael Stanley 15,
passed away on Tuesday, January 27, 2004, at Children's Hospital,
following a long and courageous fight with leukemia. Sean was a former
Cub Scout and Boy Scout and his favorite color was orange and he
enjoyed playing cards."
"You see Jacob" whispered Angelica, "children have an important
and wonderful purpose in heaven. These extraordinary creatures
that are being cared for by the children of Heaven all once had a
life on Earth, just like you." "You mean like my puppy Gracie on
Earth?" "Yes, Jacob, just like Gracie."
My brothers and sisters in Christ, the first letter of FAITH, F is for
Forgiveness, which has never been easy and is still not easy at this very
moment in our life.
It happened in school recently when Jerry and Tommy got into a fight.
The teacher went to break up the fight and ask each boy to shake the
others hand and to forgive one another for what had led up to the fight.
"Jerry" the teacher asked, "Will you forgive Tommy?" "Sure" replied Jerry
as he extended his arm out and hit Tommy in the stomach. "JERRY" the
teacher shouted, "I thought I ask you to forgive Tommy? Why did you hit
him JERRY?"Calmly Jerry replied to the teacher, "Sure, I'll forgive him but
I have to get even first." Then, we wonder why we cannot forgive as adults
and use children as property to emotionally hurt another in divorce. It all
begins with learning when one is young and applying it to our adult life.
The question is, "If one has never experienced the unconditional forgiveness
of God the Father, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then how can
one forgive another in the sin of the flesh? Or put another way, "Only the
forgiven can truly know forgiveness." Sadly some of the most unforgiving
people you will ever meet sit in the pews on Sunday morning.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, the basis of all forgiveness lies in
understanding.Forgiven people understand their own guilt. (I AM HUMAN, I
AM BREATHING, I AM NOT PERFECT.) Forgiven people understand the
need for intervention. ( I cannot do this alone. I must go speak to my pastor,
seek assistance to deal with this issue in my life.) Forgiven people
understand grace. It is by the grace of God alone I am not behind bars or
having health/financial/relationship problems. For I could be you and you
could be me. By the grace of God I am where I am.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, look at the Book of Romans in the Bible.
Then one may understand what being forgiven means. In the Book of Romans
it is revealed to us how we can receive God's forgiveness of our sins but the
first three chapters are devoted to what?
The first three chapters of the Book Of Romans is devoted to explaining our
guilt to God the Father.
Romans 1: 18:
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and wickedness of men who by their wickedness supress the truth."
Romans 2:23:
"You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?
For it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed (blasphemed: To
speak of God in disrespect.) among the Gentiles because of you."
Romans 3:7:
"But if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory,
why am I still condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good
may come?-as some people slanderously charge us with saying.
Their condemnation is just."
If we are being honest and truthful then we will admit that we all are guilty
before God, as Paul states in Romans 3: 10-18:
"as it is written: "no one understands, no one seeks for God. All have
turned aside, together for they have gone wrong; non one does good,
not even one." "Their throat is an open grave, they use their tongues to
deceive." "The venom of asp (asp: a poisonous small snake) is under
their lips," "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are
swift to shed blood, in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of
peace they do not know." "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
In case you have missed the message Paul adds familiar words that are
difficult for many to hear, for they are true.
Romans 3: 23-24,
"since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are
justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in
Christ Jesus."
While so many are busy in the sin of the flesh in finding reasons not to
forgive, theyare forgetting. Forgetting that when they look into a mirror
there before them is a sinner looking back at them.
"since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Forgiven children of God understand the need for intervention. For if it were
not for God in their life they would be lost and spinning out of control. They
have felt the grace of God in their life and know the truth. They make the
choice to be healthy mentally, spiritually and physically.
It was December 1, 1977, at the Heath High School in Paducah, Kentucky
when a group of high school students gathered to pray at the beginning of
class as they normally gathered daily. As they were closing in prayer a
fourteen year old freshmen walked upto the group and began firing into the
prayer group. One of the survivors of the shooting, fifteen year old Melissa
Jenkins, was left to live as a paraplegic due to spinal cord damage from the
shooting. Melissa, a Christian, sent this message to the freshmen who had
shot her, "I forgive you."
Melissa knew she was a sinner and she had a choice. To live and
physically, emotionally, spiritually die because she was full of wrath and
anger at the freshmen who changed her life forever or to forgive him and give
it to God. To take what had happened and use it to serve God unto others.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, forgiveness does not release the one
who has offended you. Forgiveness frees you from your bondage of hate
and anger that will destroy not the one who harmed you but you.
Each of us has a choice in our life. Forgive or burn in the pits of hell within
us or make the
choice to give it to God to forgive another and be free. In our hate, and our
need for revenge the devil is at his glory and we are left exhausted mentally,
physically, emotionally and spiritually. We cannot have eternal life and
heaven without God's forgiveness through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We cannot have peace on earth if we do not let it go, ask forgiveness of the
one who has offended us. If you cannot forgive them then give it to God and
tell God where you are.
GOD I CANNOT FORGIVE THEM, EXCEPT THROUGH YOU.
Then you will be free.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, forgiveness begins with the first letter of
the word Faith. How can one begin to have Faith without Forgiveness?
Luke 7:47:
"Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for
she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
May we be in prayer,
"Father how can we love another, let alone ourself, laugh, cry, enjoy life,
the touch and presence of the one we love if we cannot forgive another
and let it out of our life? May we look to you Fahther, not that of the
world, for our strength, guidance and wisdom in our daily life.
Amen
QUESTIONS REGARDING FAITH AND FORGIVENESS:
Read Matthew 5: 23-24 and Matthew 6: 14-15. What do these scriptures
say to you? Write down your thoughts.
Jesus says in Matthew 18:21-22, to forgive seventy times seven. Does this
mean to you to forgive someone 490 times?
What does this passage mean to you in your life?
In your life how do you deal with forgiveness? Can you forgive or do you
harbor your feelings?
How have you experienced forgiveness in your life?
Name one person you need to forgive in your life. If you cannot
personally forgive them can you ask God to forgive them and let it go?
Write their name and what you want to say to them.
What does Luke 7:47, say to you? Write down your feelings and
be honest with God.
Write a prayer of forgiveness.
.gif)
03/01/2004 JWM
Back to Sermons
Some images provided by ArtByCheryl.com