United Church of God

The Power of Forgiveness

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The Power of Forgiveness

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The Power of Forgiveness

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Forgiveness, that ancient concept, is as essential to modern day life as it has always been. Do we need forgiveness? From what? For what reason? What will it produce in us, once we are forgiven? What is God's teaching?

Sermon Notes

A partial list of Scriptures used: 

Luk 7:1  Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 
Luk 7:2  And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 
Luk 7:3  And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 
Luk 7:4  And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 
Luk 7:5  For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. 
Luk 7:6  Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: 
Luk 7:7  Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 
Luk 7:8  For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 
Luk 7:9  When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 
Luk 7:10  And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. 
Luk 7:11  And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 
Luk 7:12  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 
Luk 7:13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 
Luk 7:14  And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 
Luk 7:15  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 
Luk 7:16  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 

Luk 7:30  But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. 
Luk 7:31  And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? 
Luk 7:32  They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. 
Luk 7:33  For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. 
Luk 7:34  The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! 
Luk 7:35  But wisdom is justified of all her children. 

Pharisees standard of judgement was not GOD's...

So Simon wants to "size HIM UP"... 

Luk 7:36  And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 
Luk 7:37  And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 
Luk 7:38  And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 
Luk 7:39  Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 
Luk 7:40  And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 
Luk 7:41  There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 
Luk 7:42  And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 
Luk 7:43  Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 
Luk 7:44  And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 
Luk 7:45  Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 
Luk 7:46  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 
Luk 7:47  Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 
Luk 7:48  And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 
Luk 7:49  And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 
Luk 7:50  And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. 

GEN 18:3-8 Hospitality was a HIGH duty... EXPECTED... but Jesus was not treated that way!!!

Lot and his daughters... 

Judges 8  serious thing to be UNhospitable.

Nabal and David... almost war and major killing... 

Simon really treated him... poorly.

What can we learn here about the power of forgviness:
1 -  Power to see yourself as YOU truly are... 

Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 
Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 
As good as we might be... we get blindsided by sins, weaknesses we have that are hidden in some closet.

2 - Forgiveness means there is no sin left
Psa 32:1  A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 
Psa 32:2  Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. 
3 - Forgiveness is the power to overcome the past.

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 
Hebs... remember their sins no more... 
Heb 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 

4 - Power to set the right example
Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 
Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 
Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 
THIS IS OUR CALLING, this is WHO we are to be... 

5 - Power to express profound thankfulness... 
The prostitute understood the weight that had been lifted from her.

Luk 17:12  And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 
Luk 17:13  And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 
Luk 17:14  And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 
Luk 17:15  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 
Luk 17:16  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 
Luk 17:17  And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 

Are we like the other nine... or like the ONE Samaritan???

6- the Power to be TRANSFORMED AND CHANGED.
Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 
Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 

7 - POWER TO BECOME/BE LIKE GOD

Luk 7:44  And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 
What would GOD have me do? She responded correctly and timely.  
What is our destiny? THAT is what must be pursued... all we go through... it so we become LIKE HE IS.

1Jn 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 
1Jn 4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 
1Jn 4:9  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 
1Jn 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 
1Jn 4:11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 
1Jn 4:12  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 

As we live daily are we purposeful and midful and aware of the PRICE that was paid for US?  Do we weep... do we see the need for God and forgivenss in our own LIVES??

Mat 5:43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 
Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 
Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 
Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 
Mat 5:47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 
Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 

WHY? Because this is WHO and WHAT and HOW GOD IS... so you must become... to be just LIKE the FATHER.

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 
Rom 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 
Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.