2025.04.13 CALLED: to Forgive
Notes
Transcript
5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.
6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
►►►CLICK [title]
CALLED: to Forgive
CALLED: to Forgive
Cain killed Abel and God says to Cain,
10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!
AW Tozer The Blood of Jesus Calls for Mercy and Forgiveness
All blood cries out … Abel’s blood cries out for justice: Jesus’s blood cries out for mercy
“All of the offenses of the human race against God and against each other He bore on that cross…”
Christ bore ALL of the sins of the whole world … that includes the sins committed against YOU! They are already atoned for, so why do you think you have a right to hold a grudge?
“We all reveal the remaining traces of our own Pharisaism when we point to the Cains and the Neros and the Hitlers and their worst offenses which were laid upon our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were involved at His cross, no matter how quiet and how harmless we seem to be.”
All sins are the same in God’s eyes, and all blood cries out!
“All offenses against God will either be forgiven or avenged - we can take our choice.”
But that choice has consequences according to today’s Scripture.
Forgive us for the ways we have wronged you, just as we also forgive those
who have wronged us.
14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
This is not a comforting prayer for someone who likes holding resentment
Is Jesus telling us to request forgiveness, or is He teaching us to ask the Father to CHANGE US?!
Psychologists and doctors in recent years have awakened to the physical and emotional benefits of forgiveness that the Bible has taught about for over 2000 years.
Psychology Today included this on their website about forgiveness for years: “Mustering up genuine compassion for those who have wronged us, instead of allowing anger toward them to eat away at us, is the course of action recommended by most psychologists.”
Dr. Katherine Piderman wrote for mayoclinic.com: “These wounds can leave you with lasting feelings of anger, bitterness and even vengeance — but if you don't practice forgiveness, you may be the one who pays most dearly. By embracing forgiveness, you embrace peace, hope, gratitude and joy.” She continues, “Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge.”
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
April 3, 1974 (51 years ago)– massive tornado across the mid-west
Louisville’s largest park was devastated
Xenia, OH was nearly wiped off the map
Today, the brokenness has healed and the scars have been fixed or covered… you can’t really tell anymore … if you didn’t know it happened, it’s as if it never happened.
That’s how God forgives, when He forgives
His forgiveness is as wide as the “east is from the west”
While hanging on the cross Luke 23:34 records Jesus saying, “Father forgive them!”
demonstrate traditional pacing: “Forgive us our trespasses … as we forgive those who trespass against us” … without the pause!
It’s easy to ask God for forgiveness, but if we really mean to ask Him to forgive us as we forgive others, some of us may not be thrilled with the results.
I would suggest this statement is less of a request for forgiveness, and more of a request to CHANGE US … the make us like Him!
All blood cries out! Is your injury crying out for vengeance or justice like Cain and Abel, or is your injury crying out for mercy, like Jesus’.
Through Jesus, God forgives totally and perfectly. So why would any of us think we have a right to hold on to resentment because of others’ offenses against us. Jesus
doesn’t give us that opportunity or that right.
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us!
We are called to forgive those who have hurt us. Any resentment you may be holding is only hurting you! It’s eating you alive and keeping you from a stronger relationship of forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father who created you.
Lent is a time of repentance. Do you need to repent today and forgive someone?
[ALTAR TIME: Perhaps slips of paper - put names on them - burn them right there in front of everyone]
