Try Forgiving

Introduction

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Baptism 2nd service

5th Grader starting a small group at his school

Try = make an attempt or effort to do something

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time

Today we are attacking a difficult topic

The goal is to take one step

Forgiveness Is at the Heart of the Gospel.

TRUTH

Matthew 18:21–22 “Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”

In other words, forgiveness isn’t something we count — it’s something we continue

Forgiveness is not a feeling; it’s a choice — a reflection of the heart of God.

When we try, we are making a conscious effort to do something that we are still learning

When Jesus hung on the cross, beaten and betrayed, He said:

Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

That’s not just a line of compassion; it’s the very center of our faith.

Forgiveness is the language of the cross.

And maybe the most shocking example?

Before that night ever happened, Jesus washed Judas’ feet.

He knelt before the man who would betray Him and chose love over resentment.

That’s the truth of forgiveness:

It is not about what someone deserves, it’s about us imitating Jesus

Forgiveness feel impossible when the wound is deep

A wise friend once told me, speak Jesus to the wound and watch it heal

TENSION

Let’s be honest:

Forgiveness sounds beautiful in church… until you have to do it.

When you’ve been lied to.

When trust has been broken.

When someone walked away and never said “I’m sorry.”

Everything in us wants justice, not grace

We replay what they did… over and over

We keep the score

And it feels like forgiving means letting them off the hook

But here’s the truth:

When we hold onto bitterness, the longer it holds onto us

Addiction Recovery

It takes up to 3 years for your brain to fully recover from 1 year of drug or alcohol addiction

Holding onto bitterness keeps us stuck in a story God wants to heal.

Bitterness doesn’t trap them, it traps us.

Forgiveness doesn’t minimize what happened

it releases its control over your heart

You can’t move forward if you’re still chained to what’s behind you

Story of Corrie Ten Boom

Corrie ten Boom, a woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp, once told a story about forgiveness that changed how many people view bitterness.

After the war, she traveled and spoke about God’s forgiveness. One night, as she finished speaking, a man approached her. To her shock, she recognized him — he had been one of the guards at Ravensbrück, the camp where she and her sister Betsie were imprisoned and where Betsie had died.

The man extended his hand and said, “Fraulein (miss), to think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”

Corrie froze. Everything in her wanted to pull away. Memories of her sister’s suffering flooded her mind. Bitterness and pain rose up like a wall.

Then she prayed silently, “Jesus, I can’t forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness.”

In obedience, she extended her hand. And as she did, she later wrote, “A current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.”

That moment taught her — and all who’ve heard her story — that holding onto bitterness keeps you locked in a prison, but forgiveness opens the door and lets you walk free.

Jesus knew that

That’s why He didn’t just tell us to forgive

He showed us how

APPLICATION

Try Forgiving

This week, I want you to try forgiving

You don’t have to have all the feelings figured out

You just have to start with the choice.

Take a moment today and: 

write down one person you’re holding something against

Someone whose name still stirs emotion, pain, or resentment.

Then try this simple prayer:

God, I release them to You. Heal my heart where it’s been wounded, and help me to see them the way You see them.

Pray that every day this week

You may not feel different on day one, but every time you choose forgiveness, you’re taking a step toward freedom

Remember:

Jesus washed Judas’ feet

If He could forgive the one who betrayed Him, then with His help you can try forgiving too.

Prayer Team

Allow them to stand in the gap for you

Say what you need to say… to them.

Forgiveness doesn’t excuse what they did — it frees you to heal and move forward.