Forgive One Another
✝️ SERIES: ONE ANOTHER — The Commands That Shape the Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 6 viewsIn Ephesians 4 and Matthew 18, Scripture teaches that forgiveness is not optional for followers of Christ — it is essential to spiritual health and unity. Unforgiveness traps believers in bitterness and keeps wounds open, while forgiveness releases the heart from the prison of resentment. Paul reminds the church that forgiveness flows directly from the gospel: just as God forgave us fully and freely in Christ, we are called to forgive one another. Forgiveness does not excuse sin or erase pain, but it entrusts justice to God and opens the door to healing. Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant warns that those who forget the magnitude of God’s grace will struggle to extend it to others. When believers choose forgiveness, they reflect the heart of Christ, restore peace within the church, and experience the freedom God intended for His people.
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✝️ WEEK 5 — FULL SERMON PACKAGE
✝️ WEEK 5 — FULL SERMON PACKAGE
Forgive One Another
Forgive One Another
Series: One Another: The Commands That Shape the Church
Texts: Ephesians 4:31–32; Matthew 18:21–35 (HCSB)
Title: “Set Free to Set Free”
🛐 OPENING PRAYER
🛐 OPENING PRAYER
Father, we come before You today aware that forgiveness is one of the hardest commands You give us. Many of us carry wounds, memories, and hurts that still ache. We ask You now to soften our hearts, open our hands, and remind us of the mercy You have shown us in Christ. Teach us today that forgiveness is not weakness but freedom. Speak to us through Your Word, and lead us toward healing, reconciliation, and peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
📖 SERMON MANUSCRIPT
📖 SERMON MANUSCRIPT
INTRODUCTION — THE WEIGHT WE WERE NEVER MEANT TO CARRY
INTRODUCTION — THE WEIGHT WE WERE NEVER MEANT TO CARRY
Unforgiveness is heavy.
It weighs down our hearts.
It clouds our joy.
It poisons relationships.
It steals peace.
Many believers say they believe in forgiveness — until they are asked to practice it. Forgiveness feels unfair. It feels costly. It feels impossible. And that’s exactly why Jesus speaks so clearly about it.
Paul writes in Ephesians 4:
“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
Forgiveness is not optional for the believer. It is not based on what others deserve — it is rooted in what Christ has done.
POINT 1: UNFORGIVENESS IMPRISONS THE HEART
POINT 1: UNFORGIVENESS IMPRISONS THE HEART
(Ephesians 4:31)
Paul tells us to put away:
Bitterness
Anger
Wrath
Shouting
Malice
These things don’t protect us — they imprison us.
Unforgiveness:
Keeps wounds open
Replays offenses repeatedly
Turns pain into poison
Chains us to the past
Illustration:
Holding unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person gets sick.
Application:
You cannot heal what you refuse to release.
Forgiveness is not saying the hurt didn’t matter — it’s saying Christ matters more.
POINT 2: FORGIVENESS FLOWS FROM THE CROSS
POINT 2: FORGIVENESS FLOWS FROM THE CROSS
(Ephesians 4:32)
Paul grounds forgiveness in the gospel:
“Forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
We forgive because we have been forgiven.
At the cross:
Our debt was canceled
Our guilt was removed
Our record was cleared
Forgiveness is not based on fairness — it’s based on grace.
Matthew 18 — The Unforgiving Servant
Matthew 18 — The Unforgiving Servant
Jesus tells the story of a servant forgiven an unpayable debt who refuses to forgive a small one.
The point is clear:
Those who grasp grace extend grace.
Those who forget grace withhold forgiveness.
Application:
Forgiven people become forgiving people.
When we refuse to forgive, we disconnect ourselves from the joy of grace.
POINT 3: FORGIVENESS FREES EVERYONE INVOLVED
POINT 3: FORGIVENESS FREES EVERYONE INVOLVED
Forgiveness does not excuse sin.
Forgiveness does not erase consequences.
Forgiveness does not require reconciliation in every situation.
But forgiveness does:
Release control
Restore peace
Heal hearts
Reflect Christ
Jesus forgave us knowing we would still fail again.
Illustration:
When chains are unlocked, both the prisoner and the guard are free.
Application:
Forgiveness is not forgetting — it’s trusting God with justice.
Forgiveness is not weakness — it is spiritual strength.
🎯 APPLICATION — HOW DO WE FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER?
🎯 APPLICATION — HOW DO WE FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER?
Remember how much you’ve been forgiven
Release the right to revenge
Refuse to rehearse the offense
Pray for the one who hurt you
Trust God with the outcome
Forgiveness is not a moment — it is a process of surrender.
🔔 CONCLUSION — THE FREEDOM OF FORGIVENESS
🔔 CONCLUSION — THE FREEDOM OF FORGIVENESS
Jesus did not forgive us partially.
He did not forgive us reluctantly.
He forgave us fully and freely.
When we forgive one another, we reflect the heart of Christ and experience the freedom He intended for us.
You were not forgiven to remain bound —
you were forgiven to live free.
🙏 CLOSING PRAYER
🙏 CLOSING PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for forgiving us when we could never repay the debt of our sin. We confess that we often hold on to hurts longer than we should. Give us the grace to forgive as we have been forgiven. Heal wounded hearts, restore peace, and free us from the chains of bitterness. Teach us to trust You with justice and to walk in the freedom forgiveness brings. In Your name we pray, Amen.
