Forgive as God Forgave You
CONNECTING with my Lord
Think about the price that He paid for YOUR sin, and take some time to thank Him for His forgiveness!
[Discuss the magnitude of our sin (Psalm 40 – the horrible pit and the miry clay) – and thank the Lord for His forgiveness]
What do you think was going through the Lord’s mind during the Lord’s table knowing His disciples would sin against Him (betray Him, forsake Him, and deny they even knew Him)?
[His love for us, grace, and mercy AND glorifying His Father He modeled forgiveness and the “go and be reconciled” process.]
CONNECTING into my Life
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate yourself as being a forgiving person?
What steps of growth do you need to take that would help you to be a more forgiving person?
[perhaps consider the cross and the blood of Christ, humility, realize that if you don’t forgive others, God wont’ forgive you!]
Is there an offense for which you have NOT granted forgiveness and therefore you need to go to a person and ask their forgiveness? [various answers]
What is the biggest truth or principle that has challenged you in this lesson about God and about you?
- About God: [His frequent forgiveness of our sin/restoration]
- About myself: [the magnitude of our sin]
CONNECTING into my Church!
Prayer Time: Pray that we will be a forgiving ABF, church, families, individuals
Forgive as God Forgave You
READ: Matthew 5:23-24
Key Principle: Our forgiveness show what we think of God’s forgiveness!
I. You CANNOT forgive in your own strength.
II. Forgiveness is neither a FEELING, nor FORGETTING, nor EXCUSING.
III. Sin creates a DEBT that must be paid.
Mt. 6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
1 Pet. 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
• Will you TAKE payments (punish you, w/hold forgiveness)?
• Or MAKE payments (i.e. putting away our desire to make the other person suffer, showing love in spite of our pain)?
V. Forgiveness is a DECISION modeled after God’s forgiveness.
Col. 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
- In response to God’s love for me and in reliance on His grace, I forgive you.
* Forgiveness is a promise – I promise I will not:
#1: DWELL on this incident1 Cor. 13:5 Love…keeps no record of wrongs
#2: BRING up this incident and use it against you
Note: If habits, patterns, then discussion may be helpful
#3: TALK to others about this incident
#4: Allow this incident to STAND between us or HINDER our personal relationship.
Quote: “Good thought, hurt you not; Gossip never, friends forever”
* Earthly fathers should model our heavenly Father’s forgiveness!
* Forgiveness is a tremendous evangelistic opportunity!
[Note of explanation: An unsaved person is not capable of true repentance apart from salvation, that person cannot be truly reconciled and/or restored]
VI. God’s forgiveness INSPIRES our forgiveness.
Mt. 18:32-33:Then the master called the servant in. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?
* When someone doesn’t forgive others, often they don’t understand the enormity of God’s forgiveness to them! Point: We failed to see the holiness of God!
* Remember the replacement principle: Put off AND Put on!
* Good feelings follow right actions!
END OF DVD – Open Discussion/Small Groups
CONNECTING IT! – GROUP DISCUSSION
Some churches are viewed as being unforgiving. How does that affect the willingness of members to confess and seek help with their sins?
[people are slow to solve problems –they have NO HOPE – therefore, individual growth is hindered, the discipleship process is weaken, and ultimately, evangelism/outreach is weaken if not almost destroyed!]
How can Faith Baptist Church and our ABF cultivate an environment and atmosphere to confess and seek help with sins?
[obedience to Matt. 18, Matt. 5, Eph. 4:32, 1 John 1:9, etc – through humility and grace – be quick to admit we’re wrong and quick to forgive – keep our focus on the Cross and the blood shed for us (i.e. reconciling man to God!),; and keep our focus on the holiness of God, His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and patience!]
Over your life what have you understood “forgiveness” to be and look like? If your view/understanding of forgiveness has changed, describe how it has changed:
[various answers – some may associate forgiveness with FORGETTING, or even being UNCONDITIONAL – i.e. granting forgiveness to someone who was NOT repentant (which can’t be done according to Luke 17:1-4)]
Answer the following after watching the DVD teaching in ABF: Which of the four “I promise” statements (listed under point 4 on the front page) are hardest for you to make or keep when forgiving? Why?
[various answers]
CONNECTING to the Word – Small Groups
A person that has a small view of his or her own sin has a small view of God. Read Psalm 8 and note the truths about God that are related to His greatness, mercy, and grace:
[For further study: Psalm 103]
How do the following verses help us to be a forgiving person?
Psalm 86:5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.
Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
CONNECTING with my Lord
Think about the price that He paid for YOUR sin, and take some time to thank Him for His forgiveness!
What do you think was going through the Lord’s mind during the Lord’s table knowing His disciples would sin against Him (betray Him, forsake Him, and deny they even knew Him)?
CONNECTING into my Life
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate yourself as being a forgiving person?
What steps of growth do you need to take that would help you to be a more forgiving person?
Is there an offense for which you have NOT granted forgiveness and therefore you need to go to a person and ask their forgiveness?
What is the biggest truth or principle that has challenged you in this lesson about God and about you?
- About God:
-
-
- About myself:
CONNECTING into my Church!
Prayer Time: Pray that we will be a forgiving ABF, church, families, individuals
Forgive as God Forgave You
READ: Matthew 5:23-24
Key Principle: Our forgiveness show what we think of God’s forgiveness!
I. You _______________ forgive in your own strength.
II. Forgiveness is neither a ______________, nor _______________, nor ______________.
III. Sin creates a __________ that must be paid.
Mt. 6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
1 Pet. 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
• Will you TAKE payments (punish you, w/hold forgiveness)?
• Or MAKE payments (i.e. putting away our desire to make the other person suffer, showing love in spite of our pain)?
V. Forgiveness is a ____________ modeled after God’s forgiveness.
Col. 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
* Forgiveness is a promise – I promise I will not:
#1: ____________ on this incident - 1 Cor. 13:5
#2: ___________ up this incident and use it against you
Note: If habits, patterns, then discussion may be helpful
#3: __________ to others about this incident
#4: Allow this incident to _____________ between us or _____________ our personal relationship.
“Good thought, hurt you not; Gossip never, friends forever”
* Earthly fathers should model our heavenly Father’s forgiveness!
* Forgiveness is a tremendous evangelistic opportunity!
VI. God’s forgiveness ___________ our forgiveness.
Mt. 18:32-33:Then the master called the servant in. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”
* When someone doesn’t forgive others, often they don’t understand the enormity of God’s forgiveness to them! We failed to see the holiness of God!
* Remember the replacement principle: ___________ AND __________!
* Good feelings follow right actions!
CONNECTING IT! – GROUP DISCUSSION
Some churches are viewed as being unforgiving. How does that affect the willingness of members to confess and seek help with their sins?
How can Faith Baptist Church and our ABF cultivate an environment and atmosphere to confess and seek help with sins?
Over your life what have you understood “forgiveness” to be and look like? If your view/understanding of forgiveness has changed, describe how it has changed:
Answer the following after watching the DVD teaching in ABF: Which of the four “I promise” statements (listed under point 4 on the front page) are hardest for you to make or keep when forgiving? Why?
CONNECTING to the Word – Small Groups
A person that has a small view of his or her own sin has a small view of God. Read Psalm 8 and note the truths about God that are related to His greatness, mercy, and grace:
[For further study: Psalm 103]
How do the following verses help us to be a forgiving person?
Psalm 86:5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.
Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.