10-24-21 | Kingdom Forgiveness
KINGDOM FORGIVENESS
1. Why Forgive?
Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT) – “Then Peter came to Him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!’”
Matthew 18:23-24 (NLT) – “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.”
Matthew 18:25-27 (NLT) – “He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. ‘But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.”
Matthew 18:28-29 (NLT) – “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded.”
Matthew 18:30-31 (NLT) – “But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.”
Matthew 18:32-33 (NLT) – “Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’”
Matthew 18:34-35 (NLT) – “Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
Matthew 6:12 (NLT) – “And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.”
2. How Do We Forgive?
Lead your heart!
Proverbs 23:19 (NKJV) – “Hear, my son, and be wise; and guide your heart in the way.”
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) – “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
Proverbs 23:26 (NLT) – “O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.”
Ephesians 4:30-32 – “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
How to forgive: Make a choice.
Steps To Forgive:
1. Choose to forgive and release them.
2. Refuse to dwell on what happened.
3. Pray for them.
4. Bless them.
How to forgive: Keep your eyes on Jesus.
How to forgive: Cover with the blood.
“I choose to forgive and whatever my feelings will not allow for, the blood of Jesus will surely cover.” – adapted from Lysa Terkurst
Discussion Questions:
1. Is their emotional pain from your past or present?
2. Why is it difficult for us to forgive?
3. Is there someone you are struggling to forgive?
4. How can unforgiveness hinder us from walking into everything God has for us?
5. Are there some things the Holy Spirit is asking you to let go of and give to Him?
6. Will you say yes to forgive today as Stephen said yes to forgiveness?