2017.02.05 SERMON. FORGIVING AS WE ARE FORGIVEN. APPLYING AND LIVING THE GOSPEL
William Akehurst HSWC
Psalms 32:1-11 (KJV) RESPONSIVE READING
1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
(GWT) Blessed is the person whose disobedience is forgiven and whose sin is pardoned.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
(GWT) Blessed is the person whom the LORD no longer accuses of sin and who has no deceitful thoughts.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
(GWT) When I kept silent {about my sins}, my bones began to weaken because of my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
(GWT) Day and night your hand lay heavily on me. My strength shriveled in the summer heat. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
(GWT) I made my sins known to you, and I did not cover up my guilt. I decided to confess them to you, O LORD. Then you forgave all my sins. Selah
6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
(GWT) For this reason let all godly people pray to you when you may be found. Then raging floodwater will not reach them.
7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
(GWT) You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyous songs of salvation. Selah
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
(GWT) {The LORD says,} “I will instruct you. I will teach you the way that you should go. I will advise you as my eyes watch over you.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
(GWT) Don't be stubborn like a horse or mule. {They need} a bit and bridle in their mouth to restrain them, or they will not come near you.”
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
(GWT) Many heartaches await wicked people, but mercy surrounds those who trust the LORD
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart
(GWT) Be glad and find joy in the LORD, you righteous people. Sing with joy, all whose motives are decent.
TODAY’S WORD
Matthew 6:9-15 (KJV)
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
THE ROOT OF UNFORGIVENESS = BITTERNESS
Hebrews 12:15 (KJV) Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
(GW) Make sure that everyone has kindness from God so that bitterness doesn't take root and grow up to cause trouble that corrupts many of you.
The Root of Biitterness.
ILLUS: When you pull a weed from the ground, if you don’t get all the roots, the weed will grow back. Roots absorb and store energy that feeds the weed so that it can spring back to life again and again and again. Without getting rid of the root, the weed will always be a bother in the garden.
Like the root, the heart absorbs and stores bitterness and hurt, anger, hatred, and even thoughts of revenge.
The only way to eliminate the root of bitterness is forgiveness.
KILLING THE ROOT
Ephesians 4:31-32 (KJV) 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
(GW) 31 Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred.
32 Be kind to each other, sympathetic, forgiving each other as God has forgiven you through Christ.
HOW TO KILL THE ROOT. It’s all about the GOSPEL of CHRIST. It’s all about GOD’s love for us. It’s understanding GOD’s characteristic of LOVE.
Romans 5:8 (KJV) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(GW) Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God's love for us.
Luke 6:28 (KJV) Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
(GW) Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who insult you.
In the same way GOD Loves us, we must show love to others.
HOW CAN WE FORGIVE? JESUS COMMANDED US
Matthew 5:43-44 (KJV)
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
• LOVE
• BLESS
• DO GOOD
• PRAY
Colossians 3:13 (KJV) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
(GW) Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:12-15 (GW) 12 As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient.
13 Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14 Above all, be loving.This ties everything together perfectly.
15 Also, let Christ's peace control you. God has called you into this peace by bringing you into one body. Be thankful.
RELUCTANT FORGIVENESS? (See harmony in the Gospel according to Matt, Mark, Luke, John)
Luke 11:4 (KJV) And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV) 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mark 11:22-26 (KJV)
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
WRAP UP
We can rationalize excuses for why we can’t forgive. However, in GOD, in the Power of the Cross, we can find strength to battle through the feelings of anger, hatred, and bitterness, fighting our way back to the cross where Christ forgave us.
And that’s where, by faith, and apply the gospel to our lives, we can find the ability to forgive those who’ve wronged us.
THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS IS:
Matthew 5:44 (KJV) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
• LOVE
• BLESS
• DO GOOD
• PRAY
Jesus did all these things for you on the CROSS.
HE went to the Cross to die for the LOVE HE has for each of us.
HE BLESSED us and did it for our own GOOD by going to the Cross
And there, HE PRAYed, the most powerful message of the Cross…
“Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing”.
They don’t realize that they are sinning and are apart from you.
I thank the LORD, that HE DOES NOT HOLD BACK FORGIVENESS.
ALL WE NEED DO IS TO CONFESS IT AND BELIEVE UPON JESUS AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.
FORGIVENESS AWAITS YOU. RECEIVE HIS FORGIVENESS BY ASKING JESUS TO CHANGE YOU TODAY.
JESUS,
Thank you for the power of the Cross where you died for my sins.
I believe you died for me, and that I am forgiven by believing in what you did for me.
I ask that YOU JESUS would change my life. Help me to forgive and love and pray for others too.
I receive you in my life LORD JESUS. Receive me into YOUR ETERNAL KINGDOM.
I ask all these things, in the Name of the FATHER, the SON and the HOLY GHOST. Amen.
