VALENTINE VESPERS 2026

SONG #620- ON JORDANS STORMY BANKS

PRAY

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT FORGIVNESS THIS EVENING AS IT SEEMS TO BE NEEDED IN LARGE MEASURE...

IT'S NOT THAT ESAY TO OFFEND ME PERSONALLY , BUT EVERY PERSON IS DIFFERENT IN THAT REGUARD....

? BY SHOW OF HANDS , HOW MANY OF US HAVE EVER BEEN OFFENDED?

I THINK WE PROBABLY ALL HAVE AT SOME POINT AND PROBABLY MAD FOR A WHILE & GOT OVER IT , BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DONT GET OVER STUFF SO EASY.

? IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO IS STILL OFFENDED ABOUT SOMETHING?

WELL , THE LORD JESUS & HIS WORD (THE BIBLE) HAS SOME INSTRUCTION FOR US ABOUT THIS VERY THING.

JESUS CALLED SOME FOLLOWERS AND THEY WATCHED HIM & FOLLOWED HIM AND SOMETHING STOOD OUT TO THEM , AND THEY NOTICED IT IN JOHN THE BAPTIST AS WELL, AND THEY ASKED HIM TO TEACH THEM SOMETHING , DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT IT WAS ?

IT WAS TO PRAY , LUKE 11:1-4

1 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2

Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: ‘Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.

3

Give us each day our daily bread.

4

And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.

JESUS TAUGHT HIS FOLLOWERS TO FORGIVE OTHERS AS WE OURSELVES NEED FORGIVNESS FROM GOD!

HE SAID IN LUKE 6:35-38 -35 But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.

36Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.37Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

I WILL TELL YOU WHAT I WANT IN GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGEATHER, AND RUNNING OVER , THAT IS GOD'S GRACE!!

I WANT GOD'S UNDESERVED KINDNESS - THATS WHAT GRACE IS! AND IF I WANT IT I MUST GIVE IT! THAT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF SOWING & REAPING!

EPHESIANS 2:1-9 -

1Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.

2You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

3All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,

5that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

6For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms, where he sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

7so God can point to us in all future generations as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

8God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

9Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast.

I DID NOTHING TO DESERVE GOD'S GRACE, BUT HIS GRACE STILL AMAZES ME!

JESUS DIED FOR MY SINS THAT I MIGHT BE FORGIVEN EVEN THOUGH I COULD NEVER DESERVE IT

JESUS PRAYED FOR GOD TO FORGIVE HIS MURDERERS AS THEY WERE KILLING HIM.

1 OF THE MOST CHRISTLIKE THINGS YOU COULD POSSIBLY DO IS TO FORGIVE OTHERS !

Matthew 6:14-15 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.

IT HELPS TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE STAND IN NEED OF FORGIVNESS BEFORE GOD , AND THAT SHOULD HELP US FORGIVE THOSE WHO HAVE BENT US OUT OF SHAPE, THOSE WHO HAVE DONE US WRONG, THOSE WHO HAVE NEGLECTED US, THOSE WHO MAY HAVE SAID HURTFUL THINGS OR DONE HURTFUL THINGS TO US.

FOR YOUR OWN GOOD I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FORGIVE THAT YOU MIGHT BE FORGIVEN

CLOSING HYMN - READING RESPONCE # 758