Luke 23:34a ESV

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

• He took our unrighteousness and gave us His righteousness.
• The most important relationship was healed by His forgiveness.
• Forgiveness can heal relationships.

Three questions About Forgiveness (What, Who, Why):

#1) WHAT IS FORGIVENESS?

Matthew 6:9-13 ESV

Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

• Debt: When we sin, we have a debt with God.
  • Two types of debt:
    • Transgressions = external sins
    • Iniquities = internal sins

• Debtors: When people sin against you, they have a debt with God and you.

• Forgiveness is the cancelling of debt. Forgiveness is also a decision and is a healing opportunity.

#2) WHO HAS SINNED AGAINST YOU?

• The people that hurt us the most are the people we love the most.
• Many times the amount of hurt we feel is not so much of how large the offense was but rather how much we love the offender.

#3) WHY SHOULD YOU FORGIVE?

Colossians 3:12-13 ESV

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

• We forgive people because we are forgiven people. We forgive people because God says we must.

• Forgiveness is a gift that God gives to be shared; Not because they deserve it, but because He deserves it.

FORGIVENESS IS NOT…

• Forgiveness is not waiting for someone to acknowledge their sin, apologize, and repent.
• Forgiveness is not a one-time event.
• Forgiveness is not reconciliation.
• Forgiveness is not automatic trust.
• Forgiveness is not forgetting.
• Forgiveness is not a feeling.
• Forgiveness is not denial.
• Forgiveness is not swallowing pain.
• Forgiveness is not God’s forgiveness (no one gets away with anything)

Benefits of Forgiving:

A) FORGIVENESS GLORIFIES GOD

• When you glorify God you mirror Him. God is calling us to be His reflection.

Exodus 34:6-7 ESV

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

• We are never more Christ-like than when we make the decision to forgive.

B) FORGIVENESS IS GRACE TO THEM

• Blessed marriages are marriages that reflect the glory of God.

Genesis 50:19-20 ESV

Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

• Who are we not to forgive?

C) FORGIVENESS IS A WITNESS TO OTHERS

• Forgiveness is a witness.

Acts 7:55-60 ESV

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

• Is what you are doing reflecting Him or not?

D) FORGIVENESS BLESSES YOU

— Physically

— Mentally

— Emotionally

— Relationally

— Practically

E) FORGIVENESS DEFEATS THE DEMONIC

• Forgiveness invites the Lord to fight for us in the spiritual realm. It demolishes any open door, opportunity to the devil.

Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

CONCLUSION

• When you refuse to forgive, you are inviting the unforgiven entities into your life.

Matthew 18:23-30 ESV

King

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

Servant #1

24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

Servant’s Servant (#2)

28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

Matthew 18:35 ESV

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

• The debt we owe if we choose not to forgive is an eternity of punishment.

• So, today, if you’re here with someone you’ve sinned against, ask for forgiveness. If you’ve been sinned against, forgive them. if you are not sure how to… ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.