Lesson 4: Forgiveness

A. INTRODUCTION

1. Forgiveness is one thing to give and receive when you face death.

2. Who needs it?

a. After a divorce

b. Broken friendship

c. Business deals

d. Abusive parent

e. Family fights

3. When we are spiritually abandoned, recognize the elephant in the room.

4. If you don’t need this lesson now:

a. Others will

b. You will eventually

5. The basis of our forgiveness is forgiving others. “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

God can forgive those possessing a mean unforgiving spirit but when a mean unforgiving spirit possesses us; it means we have not experienced regeneration.

6. When we are born again (a new nature), we want others to experience the same thing we receive from God.

a. Positive: “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in Heaven may also forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25).

b. Negative: “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:26).

B. PETER’S PROBLEM

1. Jesus said, “You cannot follow Me now” (John 13:36). Peter said, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matt. 26:35). Why did Peter fail?

a. Self confidence

b. Contradicted Jesus

c. Compared self to others

d. Didn’t know his weaknesses

2. Peter’s failure.

FIRST - Denial. “This man was also with Him” (Luke 22:56). “Woman, I do not know Him” (Luke 22:57).

SECOND - Renounce. “You also are with Him . . . Peter said, ‘Man, I am not’” (Luke 22:58).

THIRD - Curse. “Surely you also are one of them for your speech betrays you. Then he (Peter) began to curse and swear, saying, ‘I do not know the Man’” (Matt. 26:73-74).

3. How do you think Peter felt?

a. Failure

b. Severed relationship

c. Guilty

d. No hope

e. Broken emotionally. “While he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter . . . (he) remembered the word of the Lord and Peter went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:60-62).

C. WHAT DOES JESUS DO FOR THE ONE NEEDING FORGIVENESS (JOHN 21:1-17)?

1. Jesus doesn’t abandon us. The Lord came to Peter and others who failed at fishing. “They caught nothing” (John 21:2).

a. Is your failure a result of your sin?

b. Does God point out our failures to “touch” our sins? “Did you catch anything?” (John 21:5, ELT).

2. Jesus pursues us. God is the Father who yearns for the prodigal.

3. Jesus doesn’t drag up the past. God is in the healing business not the humiliation business. He’s known by grace not guilt.

4. Jesus had “let go” of the fact Peter had denied him.

5. Jesus is about relationship. “Peter do you love me?” (John 21:15).

6. Jesus gives us a choice to be healed. “Do you love me more than these?” (v. 15).

a. These friends?

b. This job?

c. These nets?

d. Food?

e. Your past life

7. Jesus restores us to a place of service. Forgiveness and restoration go hand in hand.

a. “Feed my lambs” (v. 15) – entry level

b. “Tend my sheep” (v. 16) – helping level

c. “Feed my sheep” (v. 17) – high responsibility

D. GETTING AND GIVING FORGIVENESS

1. You should list the names you need to forgive (not their sins)

2. If they continually “bug” you, it means you haven’t dealt with this issue.

3. If you continually bring up the past, it means you haven’t forgiven them.

4. When you don’t want to let them off the hook, it means they have their hooks in you!

5. Since God requires forgiveness, it is something you can do. “Now I forgive those whom you forgive and when I forgive him, I do it because the presence of Christ is with me. I forgive for your benefit, so that Satan does not get an advantage over me” (2 Cor. 2:10-11, ELT).

6. We don’t forgive others for their sake, we forgive for our sakes.

7. But you complain, “They will get away with _________________________________.” However, they will get away anyway.

8. When you forgive, you choose to live with the consequences if you do not forgive; you live with the consequences anyway.

9. If you do not forgive, it’s a matter between you and the other person. But when you forgive, it’s between God and the other person.

a. If they have done wrong, God can punish better than you.

b. If you are right, God can reward better than you.

E. CONCLUSION: PRAY AUDIBLY

1. “I forgive _____________________________________________________________________.”

2. As you forgive others, God forgives you. “Lord, forgive me for __________________________.”

3. Then pray fervently, “Lord, bless ___________________________________________________.”

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart: