Youth Sermon: Forgiveness

Introduction

Today, we're talking about forgiveness. You know, forgiveness is a big deal because God has forgiven us. We've all messed up, right? But God, in His amazing love, forgives us. And He wants us to do the same for others.

Let's pray: God, help us to love and forgive each other, just like you love and forgive us.

God, in His amazing love, forgives us. And He wants us to do the same for others.

Main Verses

Our main verses today are from Colossians 3:13-14 and Luke 7:40-50. [Read passages]

So, there's this story in a book called Will Daylight Come. A kid accidentally kills a duck and hides it. His sister finds out and makes him do all her chores. Eventually, he tells his grandma, who forgives him. The point is, hiding our mistakes can weigh us down, but forgiveness can set us free.

Object Lesson

Now, let's do a little object lesson. I want you to think of a time someone hurt you. Got it? Now, imagine that hurt is a heavy backpack you're carrying around. Unforgiveness is like carrying that heavy backpack everywhere you go. But when you forgive, it's like taking off that backpack. You feel lighter, right?

The Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians to bear with each other and forgive as Christ forgave us. That's like our blueprint for forgiveness. It's not always easy, but it's important because it brings us together.

The Importance of Forgiveness

Choosing to forgive is like choosing to take off that heavy backpack. In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus says if we don't forgive others, we won't be forgiven by God. That's a big deal, guys.

Just like building a bridge needs a good plan, forgiveness needs a blueprint. We're called to wrap everything in love, just like the workers who built the Golden Gate Bridge came together to create something beautiful.

Challenge

So, here's your challenge this week: Think of someone you need to forgive. Pray about it, and then take that step to forgive them. It might be hard, but remember, Jesus forgave us even when we didn't deserve it.

Let's pray: God, help us to be Bridge Builders. Give us the courage to forgive others, just like you've forgiven us. Amen.

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. Why is forgiveness important in our relationships?

2. Share a time when you found it hard to forgive. How did you overcome it?

3. How can we apply the blueprint of forgiveness in our daily lives?

4. What does it mean to you to be a Bridge Builder?

5. How can we show forgiveness to others in a way that reflects God's forgiveness towards us?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: Duck, Duck, Forgive
• Group Activity: Bridge Building Challenge
• Youth Challenge: Forgiveness in Action