CHAPTER 12 FORGIVENESS

Transcription

1 CHAPTER 12 FORGIVENESS

2 Read Ma6hew 18:21-22 Jesus some(mes speaks with yperboles. Rabbis said three pardons are enough so Peter was being generous, but Jesus said not even close. Is there a limit on the number of Gmes to forgive someone? Can you keep track of forgiving someone 490 Gmes?

3 Can you forgive without forgerng? Can you forgive someone who does not repent?

4 Read Ma6hew 5:23-24 Gi> means special sacrifice, brother means fellow Jew. It is a waste of (me for someone to try and maintain a proper rela(onship with God when he is not at peace with his brother. Have you ever opted not to take communion because you had an unresolved issue with someone?

5 Read Ma6hew 18:23-35 Values in this parable are not significant, only used to show magnitude difference One is about $10M and the other is about $20 In OT people o>en sold into slavery to pay debts The king forgave the whole debt even though the slave only asked for (me The slave did not even give his debtor the (me

6 One who forgives is dealt with mercifully One who does not forgive has no right to expect anything different from God How do you feel about this? Does this make God s forgiveness condigonal

7 Does forgiving dismiss the consequences? Some(mes consequences cannot be avoided. You may forgive a person, but it may be a long (me before you can trust them again. How does one restore the trust relagonship?

8 Do we forgive someone who has done something serious and who hasn t repented or asked for forgiveness? The answer is yes and no. If we re talking about pebbles, then we rou(nely forgive. Some pebbles are more serious and we need to confront the person who has wronged us to keep the issue from becoming bigger. How do you determine which is which?

9 When the stones are larger, and the person has not expressed regret, asked for forgiveness, or shown a willingness to change, then there are to parts to forgiveness. The first part is your internal release of anger, biqerness and desire for revenge. How easy is it for you to take this step?

10 To release anger and biqerness, you must forgive. The more serious the wrong, the longer the process may be. Failure to forgive, gives power to the person who wronged you because you con(nue to carry the stones in the backpack of your heart and they rob you of joy, life, and piece. How do you think it feels to give power over you to someone who has wronged you? How do you think it feels to reclaim that power?

11 Forgiveness is believing that the future can be beqer than the past. The past can t be changed, but God can use it to make a beqer future for you. Why do people prefer to remain under the control of the pain of the past, rather than move past it so they can enjoy the present and the future?

12 Some(mes we keep mental ledgers recording credits and debits of those around us. Some(mes we forget to record the credits, but keep on recording the debits when others do us wrong. What kind of a ledger do you keep?

13 If you only keep track of the debits and not the credits, the rela(onship is probably not going to be healthy. How do you go about addressing things another person does that bothers you? Be thankful for those around you and begin to focus more on the posi(ves and remember them, that s the key to successful rela(onships.

14 When Jesus was hanging on the cross, he demonstrated the ul(mate in forgiveness by praying for those who were puung Him to death. How difficult is it for you to pray for someone who has wronged you?

15 How does it feel inside when someone else forgives you when you have wronged them? How does it feel inside when you forgive someone else that has wronged you?

16 Write on one side of your paper the name of someone you need to forgive. Think of the reasons you need to forgive this person and think of a reason why it might be difficult to forgive them.

17 Write on the other side of your paper the name of someone you need to forgive you. Think of the reasons why you need this person to forgive you and think of a reason why seeking this person s forgiveness might be difficult. Put this paper away in you pocket, billfold or purse and look at it in a few weeks to se wha has happened.

18 When someone has wronged you, how do you stop the anger, bi6erness, hate, or the desire for revenge from consuming you? How can you be reconciled to the one you wronged and have the burden of guilt removed? God s answer to both of theses ques(ons is FORGIVENESS!