FOUNDATIONS OF FORGIVENESS LESSON #1 I. GOD S FORGIVENESS IS

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1 FOUNDATIONS OF FORGIVENESS LESSON #1 Intro. Tonight we re going to open our series the foundations of forgiveness concentrating on God s forgiveness to us. In the upcoming weeks we ll look at our forgiveness of others How to forgive others and how we can know if we ve forgiven others If we re ever going to have the grace to forgive others we first have to have an understanding of God s forgiveness of us Billy Graham, In these days of guilt complexes, perhaps the most glorious word in the English language is forgiveness. R.T. Kendall, I suspect that guilt is one of the most common emotions for Christians- even the most advanced Christians. Luke 23:33-34a 33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them I. GOD S FORGIVENESS IS A. WE ALL NEED FORGIVENESS BECAUSE Romans 3:23 (NKJV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 1. Whether people admit it or not; all are guilty a. One of the hardest things to do is admit our guilt We need God s forgiveness because we re all guilty Romans 3:10 (NKJV) There is none righteous, no, not one. I John 1:8 (NKJV) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. B. WE ALSO NEED FORGIVENESS BECAUSE 1. The source of many of the problems people face today is guilt Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 1

2 a. One of the reasons there s so much drug addiction and alcoholism is people feel guilty b. The reason some of us have trouble developing strong friendships or relationships is our guilt c. The reason some people don t come to church is they feel guilty We all need forgiveness because we re all guilty- ALL HAVE SINNED Sin is the one thing we all have in common with each other Our sin is the very thing that forgiveness is all about II. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT GOD S FORGIVENESS IS Matthew 18:21-22 (NKJV) 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ex. When Jesus told Peter to be willing to forgive 7x s 70 it s because that s the way God forgives; again and again and again. Psalm 86:5 (NKJV) For You Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. A. GOD S FORGIVENESS IS 1. Most of us have lived long enough to have a past that we re not real proud of 2. One of the best things about forgiveness from God is our past can be past Micah 7:19 (NKJV) He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Psalm 103:12 (NKJV) As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. a. The word remove means to send away Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 2

3 Jeremiah 31:34 (NKJV) "No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." b. If we ve been feeling guilty about something we did in the past that we ve asked forgiveness for we need to let it go because God has 3. David had a revelation of forgiveness we all need to have 2 Samuel 22:21-25 (NKJV) 21 "The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has recompensed me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all His judgments were before me; and as for His statutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity. 25 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His eyes. This is David talking and these are the words he uses, "The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has recompensed me For I have kept the ways of the LORD I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His eyes. David wasn t flawless in his life a. In 2 Samuel 11 we read about David committing adultery and murder b. Years later in 2 Sam 22, David writes about keeping himself, having clean hands, and being blameless c. He had suffered some hard consequences from his sin But somewhere he had gotten over his past and so should we God s forgiveness is for our past B. GOD S FORGIVENESS IS ALSO 1. This is one of the hardest things for us Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 3

4 a. We may believe that God forgives us for our past b. It can be a lot harder believing in His forgiveness for what we ve just done 2. Something we have to remember about ourselves a. Christians still sin b. I wish this wasn t true but it is I John 2:1 (NLT) My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. We re meant to live for God, say no to temptation, but the sad truth is all of us will sometime or another fail When we do, it s important for us to believe that forgiveness isn t just for our past; it s also for our present 3. If we sin, we need to come to God instead of running away from Him Psalm 51:3 (NKJV) For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Psalm 51:3 (TLB) For I admit my shameful deed Jesus didn t die on the cross just for the sins of our past He died for those we need forgiveness of today And better yet, for those that we ll need forgiveness of tomorrow C. GOD S FORGIVENESS WILL BE THERE Hebrews 7:25 Message Bible He s there from now to eternity to save everyone who comes to God through him, always on the job to speak up for them. III. HOW CAN WE KNOW WE RE FORGIVEN WHEN WE We need to realize two simple facts to overcome guilt A. GOD S FORGIVENESS IS BASED ON Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 4

5 Hebrews 9:11-12 (NKJV) 11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 1. This draws a picture from the Old Testament ex. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies in the Temple and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant. a. When Jesus died on the cross, His blood was sprinkled in heaven once for all to purchase eternal redemption for us 2. Our forgiveness has never been about whether we were worthy or not a. There s something inside us that feels the need to suffer for the wrongs we ve done b. The whole revelation of God s love for us is that He suffered in our place When we doubt His forgiveness we do a great disservice toward the suffering and sacrifice He made for us God s forgiveness is based on Christ s sacrifice for us B. SECONDLY, IF WE RE GOING TO OVERCOME GUILT WE HAVE TO John 1:10-12 (NKJV) 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 1. This truth is so simple many miss it a. God s forgiveness is based on Christ s sacrifice and our receiving it, period Romans 10:9-11 (NKJV) 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 5

6 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 2. If we make God s forgiveness dependent on our worth or works we will never be free from guilt a. This is true because we will never feel worthy enough or do enough to feel forgiven The reason Christ came is because we could never earn forgiveness Only He could pay the price necessary; a sinless sacrifice ques. How can we know we re forgiven if we still feel guilty? ans. Christ paid the price for us. ques. How can we get past the feeling of our guilt? ans. By simply trusting (receiving) His sacrifice for ourselves. Prayer and confession: Thank You, Jesus, for giving Yourself for my forgiveness. I believe Your forgiveness is for my past, for my present, and it will be there in the future. I don t take for granted what You have done for me; in Your name, Jesus, Amen. FILL IN THE BLANKS FROM LESSON #1 I. GOD S FORGIVENESS IS (SOMETHING EVERYONE NEEDS) A. WE ALL NEED FORGIVENESS BECAUSE (WE RE ALL GUILTY) B. WE ALSO NEED FORGIVENESS BECAUSE (WE FEEL GUILTY) II. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT GOD S FORGIVENESS IS (IT DOESN T STOP) A. GOD S FORGIVENESS IS (FOR OUR PAST) B. GOD S FORGIVENESS IS ALSO (FOR OUR PRESENT) Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 6

7 C. GOD S FORGIVENESS WILL BE THERE (IN OUR FUTURE) III. HOW CAN WE KNOW WE RE FORGIVEN WHEN WE (STILL FEEL GUILTY?) A. GOD S FORGIVENESS IS BASED ON (CHRIST S SACRIFICE) B. SECONDLY, IF WE RE GOING TO OVERCOME GUILT WE HAVE TO (RECEIVE FORGIVENESS) Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 7