A fresh start: forgiving others
A Fresh Start 2025 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 6 viewsBishop R.A. Nichols' latest sermon on forgiveness delves into the profound spiritual and emotional freedom that comes from releasing judgment to God. Using the compelling illustration of stepping down from the judge's bench, the sermon challenges believers to let go of anger, bitterness, and hardness of heart by embracing Christ's finished work on the cross. It encourages self-reflection, asking the congregation to consider who or what they need to forgive, offering a pathway to healing and restoration rooted in biblical truth. The message emphasizes that forgiveness is not just for the benefit of others but for personal liberation and a deeper connection with God.
Notes
Transcript
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Introduction:
From Three Weeks Ago:
Our lives are gifts from God Himself. He was so generous to us that He used Himself as template. We should fight fight the tendency to waste it.
you are unique. you have unique Story. you have a unique gifts. You have unique calling.
We are called to redeemer the time.
From Two Week:
As Christians, we are personally relating to Jesus. Often, because He is God and He loves us we forget about it a little and mail it in.
As we give ourselves a fresh start, lets draw near by allowing ourselves to be interment with The Lord Jesus.
This relates to the purpose of God we talked about last week because we will only be as powerful as we are interment.
Last Week:
Repentance is a major key to a fresh start.
Cleans your hands you sinners; purify your hearts you double minded. Lament and Morn and weep!
As believers we are secure in our salvation.
As believers we should show the fruit of repentance.
Why is repentance a major key to a fresh start?
Repentance is a key to a fresh start because it deals with the guilt that our sin causes on our end.
Healing helps in spiritual growth.
It keeps us united as a people.
. Untimely we see healing in our lives.
This week:
God is Holy. He is entirely righteous . His Holiness and righteousness is why Jesus paid for our sins.
We have learned that forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same. Forgiveness is required. Reconciliation takes work on the offending party as well as the offended.
We can forgive because Jesus is paying the bills for those who harmed us, not only in his Justification of our sins but also the healing of our wounds.
This week we are going to talk about the necessity of forgiving others.
This week we are going to talk about the necessity of forgiving others.
lets look at the main text for our topic this morning.
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
How many of us would agree that we have been forgiven much?
How many of us would agree that we have been forgiven much?
Do you know that there are many Christians who do not realize that they have been forgiven much?
Do you know that there are many Christians who do not realize that they have been forgiven much?
Many people think as long as they can point to people who are worse sinners then them they are good.
Many people think as long as they can point to people who are worse sinners then them they are good.
Christ, not another sinner is the standard.
Christ, not another sinner is the standard.
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
1. Jesus is the standard for righteousness.
1. Jesus is the standard for righteousness.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
a. Christ knew no sin.
a. Christ knew no sin.
Christ was not a sinner as we are. When He went to the cross He went for all of our sins both public and private.
I want us to stop here and think… We act and react sometimes based only on what people know about. We can show out because we have kept this or that a secret. God knows all of our secrets. Jesus died for all of our sins, both public and private.
In the Churches I came up in, some one would get up during testimony service and say, “He’s been better to me than I have been to myself! what that ment was you may not know the whole story but God does!
The reason I bring up the difference between public and private sin is because I feel sometimes we forget the private part of our sin. God The father is a righteous judge, He has to judge the whole account. When we struggle with forgiving others lets look the best we can at the whole account.
b. Jesus, The Christ, became sin.
b. Jesus, The Christ, became sin.
Jesus had the sin of the whole world placed on Him and he paid for that sin so that I could walk in the righteousness of God.
c. As a believer, I now walk in the righteousness of Christ. ( A shout should go here.)
c. As a believer, I now walk in the righteousness of Christ. ( A shout should go here.)
2. Forgiving someone is not the same as reconciliation.
2. Forgiving someone is not the same as reconciliation.
There are forms of abuse that are so egregious that we would never recommend that a person reconcile with their abuser. Sometimes when we draw boundaries we have to allow for the possibility that people have changed. ( Boundaries build fences with gates.
1 a: to give up resentment of or claim to requital for 〈forgive an insult〉
1 a: to restore to friendship or harmony 〈reconciled the factions〉
Take your deepest bitterness as the result of un-forgiveness in your life. Do you have it? now I want you to close your eyes and imagine with me an august courtroom, now look on the bench, wait, can you see in that black flowing robe that you are the judge? Forgivenss is taking off the robe and stepping down from the bench to allow God the Father to take you place on the bench as the judge.
3. For whatever wound you have, there is healing in Jesus.
3. For whatever wound you have, there is healing in Jesus.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.
16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,
15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.
40 When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.
You don’t have to be part of the walking wounded anymore. Jesus is a healer.
You don't have to live in fear any longer. You can have the Peace that passes all understanding.
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Conclusion:
Forgiveness is not only commanded by God and so will be empowered by the God who commanded it, it will also realese you from anger, bitterness and the hardness of heart that results in unforgiveness.
Today we learned that forgiveness is not just a good idea, rather it is commanded by Christ the faithful forgiver.
We have learned that forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same. Forgiveness is required. Reconciliation takes work on the offending party as well as the offended.
We can forgive because Jesus is paying the bills for those who harmed us, not only in his Justification of our sins but also the healing of our wounds.
"Before we close, take a moment to think about who or what you might still need to forgive. Maybe it’s someone from your past, or even yourself. Remember, Jesus has already paid the debt. Let’s not carry what He’s already taken to the cross. As we pray, ask the Holy Spirit to bring freedom, healing, and peace into your heart today."
As the praise team comes up, I am asking the prayer team and the pastoral staff to come forward at this time. If you are in need of healing they will be happy to pray the healing prayer with you.
