God’s Promises…Forgiveness
Luke 7:36-50
Introduction-
Recap-We have looked at faithfulness, wisdom, peace, purpose, and today his forgiveness. Some parts of this sermon were gleamed from sermons on SermonCentral and Illustrations I found there.
This morning we will look at forgiveness.
Forgiveness is something that all people desire and seek, but most cannot do themselves.
Un-forgiveness haunts us in every aspect of our lives. Our relationship with God, our relationship with others, and yes, even our forgiving ourselves.
We pick and choose who we will forgive so we struggle believing that God not only loves us but freely will forgive us if we would ask Him.
Let’s define forgiveness. Both what God says about forgiveness and how the world without God looks at forgiveness.
Webster- Forgiveness
“To give up a resentment of a claim; to pardon one’s enemies.”
What is God’s definition of forgiveness?
Before we can answer that question, we must have an idea of who God is and how we obtain forgiveness from God.
Most look at God as a candyman. Whatever you do, whatever you say God will be understanding and forgiving and will reward you. It is not based upon your behavior but on theGod who forgives. That is a half truth. People who grab the half truth are the same people who have a hard time believing that a loving God would let anything bad happen to us, and when it does, they blame God for allowing it to happen.
God is a holy God! God cannot tolerate sin. God has provided a way for our sin.
Sin had to be dealt with. God is not okay and will not rub shoulders with sin.
God sent Jesus Christ to atone for or take care of sin in our lives.
His death, burial, and resurrection were the payment for sin in mankind.
God offers forgiveness freely, but it comes at the foot of the cross. Forgiveness comes to us in Jesus name!
God freely offers forgiveness, but it came at a cost.
It comes through Jesus Christ. For us to be forgiven it has to come from Jesus.
Text
Luke 7:36-50
The Pharisee’s invited Jesus to dinner. That had to be a moment, because Jesus and the legalistic Pharisee’s got along so well. We know the Pharisee’s were not there to learn from Jesus, but to entrap Jesus.
When a women who had lived a sinful life came to the feet of Jesus.
I am convinced that she had heard Jesus preach and that she had repented and was determined to live a new life.
I believe she came to Jesus knowing that she could be forgiven.
She came out of gratitude and she brought Jesus the best she had. (Her alabaster box of perfume.)
While Jesus reclined, she wiped his feet with her tears and her hair and poured herself out to him.
I believe she had intended to anoint his head, but settled at the feet of Jesus.
(39) “When the Pharisees who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, if this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of women she is.”
That she is a sinner!
Jesus does not even respond to the Pharisees, but directs his attention to Simon.
“Simon, I have something to tell you.”
Church, Jesus has something to tell us today too!
Listen to this and figure out who I am talking about.
He proclaimed a holy war against Christians everywhere.
He threatened anyone who claimed to be a follower of Christ.
He traveled the Middle East to spread his religion and wouldn’t allow any other god.
Who am I talking about? Apostle Paul, who then was Saul. But I could have been talking Osama Bin Laden also.
911 is still fresh in my mind, even though that was 14 years ago.
I remember exactly where I was when I heard about the twin towers being hit by planes.
I remember the anger I felt for the American people, learning about wife’s talking to husbands moments before the towers fell and unborn babies that would never see some of their parents.
People living normal lives one moment and then tragedy hits and they were plunged into chaos.
Do you see how close the actions of Bin Laden and Saul of Taurus are?
Both had religions that opposed Christianity.
Zealous of their faith.
Both persecuted, arrested, beat Christians.
What would Jesus say to Bin Laden? The same that he said to apostle Paul.
I know the evil you have done.
I know the lives you have taken.
I know the hatred in your heart.
I know the violence you are capable of.
1 Samuel 16:7-
“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at, man looks at the outward appearances, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
John 3:16-
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Romans 5:8-
“But God demonstrated his own love for us in this; while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Ezekiel 33:11-
“As surely as I live declared the sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their wicked ways and live.”
Romans 3:23-
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
If there were anybody that I think Jesus might not forgive, it would be Bin Laden, Saul of Taurus, mass murderers.
Jesus cares for sinners. For people like you and I, for people who are wicked to society. He offers forgiveness.
I can’t offer forgiveness like that! Not without the help of Jesus Christ.
In comparison to the purity, integrity, perfection, holiness of God, we are the scum of the earth. Nice eh?
But he loves and offers forgiveness if we ask.
The difference between the best of us and the worse of us is still the forgiveness Christ offers at the cross.
We all fall short and we all are sinners saved by the same grace.
Write this on your heart this morning-
We cannot forgive like that without Jesus and when we think of how much Christ forgave us, we must be willing to forgive others with that same forgiveness.
People today are miserable,
(1) They are lost, they have no hope because they have not grasped the depth that God will go to forgive us what we have done if we would ask him.
(2) People today live with un-forgiveness in their hearts of things people have done against them.
(3) People cannot forgive themselves. They are their own worst enemies and beat themselves up everyday.
Keeping in mind what Christ has done for us-
I. Break from the past
Col. 3:12-13
“Therefore as God’s chosen people holy and dearly loved, cloth yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Bear with each other, and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another, forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
You have asked God to forgive you- He has forgiven you. Move on!
If you have asked forgiveness from someone and they will not…move on!
Break from the past and lean on Jesus Christ.
Set your heart on things above
The forgiveness Christ provides sets people free of guilt, everything from the past goes to the foot of the cross.
The future is what Christ has done and is doing in our lives.
Gal. 5:1
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free from the bondage of the law, guilt, and our past- when he sets you free he does it right.”
II. Power in forgiveness
How many cannot let go a wrong that someone has done to you?
He has set us free of our sins by his mercy and grace.
We must forgive others for their wrongs by his forgiveness also.
We live in a society that is sue happy, looking for ways to hurt others, cheat others. From hot coffee spills to hurt feelings, forgiveness is last in a society that takes revenge and has no mercy or compassion. Christ has brought us out of that and desires us to live above that.
There is a release that only happens as we forgive or as we accept the forgiveness of God.
Matt 6:14-15
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
The power comes through Christ and comes to us when we forgive like Christ forgave.
It is amazing how some can claim to be servants of Christ, but have relationships that go un-mended. Hurt feelings need to be resolved by the power of Christ.
Illustration
A young nun once claimed to have had a vision of Jesus. Her bishop decided to test her truthfulness and ordered that the next time she had a vision she should ask Christ what the bishops primary sin had been before he became a bishop. Some months later the nun returned and the bishop asked if she had asked Christ the question to which she affirmed that she had. And what did he say? The bishop asked, apprehensively. Christ said… and the nun paused a moment… He said, I don’t remember.
We have a God that not only forgives, but is willing to forget!
II. How can you know that you are forgiven
1 John 1:9-
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins.”
When we trust in Christ and not ourselves, we can be certain that he will forgive us.
When we are doing that, you will rest in Christ, even when we don’t feel like it, even when the devil tries to beat you up.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ.”
Illustration-
Movie Bull Durham “ I gave Jesus a chance. But it just didn’t work out between us, the Lord laid too much guilt on me.” I know it is a movie, but Jesus doesn’t lay guilt on anyone who has accepted him, he removes it. He takes it away.
This is a Jesus moment. Only Jesus can forgive our sins. Ask Him to do it.
Only God can help us forgive the unforgiveable. Ask him to do it.
When God forgives, you can be assured that your sins are forgiven. Ask Him to give you the peace of God that passes all understanding and ask Him to fight the battle of self worth and the battle of forgiving yourself. He will do it!
