|
|
|
October
19-20, 2002 WHEN YOUR
BACK’S AGAINST THE WALL! Selected WHEN I JUST CAN’T GET OVER IT! ! HOW
CAN I DISCOVER THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS?
BY UNDERSTANDING: 1. THE
MOTIVATION FOR FORGIVENESS! WE HAVE THE MOTIVATION FOR FORGIVENESS: A. BY
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT GOD HAS FORGIVEN ME! *** Ephes. 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to
one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” [New International Version] ! IF YOU DON’T FEEL GRACE IT’S HARD TO FUNCTION
IN GRACE! B. BY
ADMITTING THAT RESENTMENT DOESN’T WORK! C RESENTMENT IS UNWISE! *** Job 5:2 “To worry yourself to death with
resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do.” [Today’s English Version] *** Eccles. 7:9 “Only fools get angry quickly
and hold a grudge.” [Contemporary
English Version] C RESENTMENT IS UNHELPFUL! *** Job
18:4 “You are only hurting yourself with your anger.” [TEV] C RESENTMENT IS UNHEALTHY! *** Job
21:23-25 “Some people stay healthy till the day they die; they die happy and
at ease…. Others have no happiness at
all; they live and die with bitter hearts.” [TEV] IT’S NOT WHAT YOU EAT AS MUCH
AS WHAT EATS YOU THAT AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH! C. BY
AGREEING THAT I WILL NEED TO BE FORGIVEN! *** Matthew 6:15 “But if you do not forgive
men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” [NIV] WHEN YOU ARE
UNFORGIVING YOU’RE BURNING THE VERY BRIDGE YOU
NEED TO CROSS! BY FAILING TO FORGIVE THE HURT YOU FAIL TO FEEL
THE HEALING! 2. THE
MISCONCEPTIONS OF FORGIVENESS! A.
FORGIVENESS IS NOT MINIMIZING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE! *** Acts 7:60
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them." [NIV] B.
FORGIVENESS IS NOT THE INSTANT RESTORATION OF TRUST! *** 1 Cor. 4:2 “Now it is required that those
who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” [NIV] C.
FORGIVENESS IS NOT RESUMING THE RELATIONSHIP WITHOUT CHANGE! C THE OFFENDED’S TASK IS TO FORGIVE! C THE OFFENDER’S TASK IS: REPENTENCE, RESTITUTION,
REBUILDING! “Never does the human soul
appear so strong and noble as when it forgoes revenge and dares to forgive an
injury.” —E.H. Chapin 3. THE
METHOD OF FORGIVENESS! A. BY
RECOGNIZING THAT EVERYONE IS IMPERFECT! *** Eccles. 7:20 “There is not a single person
in all the earth who is always good and never sins.” [New Living Translation] C WHEN WE’RE HURT, WE TEND TO HOLD OTHERS TO A
STANDARD THAT EVEN WE
CAN’T EVEN KEEP! B. BY
RELINQUISHING OUR RIGHT TO REVENGE! *** Romans 12:19 “Dear friends, never avenge
yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who
deserve it.” [Living Bible] “I GIVE UP MY RIGHT
TO GET EVEN WITH YOU!” –
You deserve… *** Matthew 18:21-22 “Peter came to him and
asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?
Seven times?" "No!" Jesus replied, "seventy times seven!” [NLT] C. BY
RESPONDING TO HURT WITH BLESSING! *** Luke 6:27-28 “But I tell you who hear me:
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.” [NIV] *** 1 Cor. 13:5 “Love is not irritable, and it
keeps no record of when it has been wronged.” [NLT] D. BY
REFOCUSING OUR WAY ON GOD’S WILL! *** Job 11:13-16 “Put your heart right…Reach
out to God. Put away evil and wrong….
Then face the world again, firm and courageous. Then all your troubles will fade from your memory, like floods
that are past and remembered no more.”
[TEV] 1. PUT
YOUR HEART RIGHT! 2. REACH OUT TO
GOD! 3. PUT AWAY EVIL
AND WRONG! 4. FACE THE WORLD
AGAIN! RESULT: YOUR TROUBLES WILL FADE
FROM YOUR MEMORY! “Smart people know how to hold their
tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget.” Proverbs 19:11 [The Message] |