SERMON NOTES

Subject: Blessing #5 - “We are Forgiven

Speaker: Dr. A. Burge Troxel

Date: July22, 2007

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7, Luke 7:36-50

Introduction:

The Book of Ephesians

God’s Blueprint for Heaston Church

Review of Blueprint for the Church – Eph 2:21, 4:16, 1:3

God’s Blueprint = TOGETHERNESS

Ephesians 4:16

“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Outline

The Spiritual Foundation 1-3

What to Believe

The Spiritual Structure 4-6

How to Behave

The Spiritual Foundation

Spiritual Blessings

Spiritual Salvation

Spiritual Union

Spiritual Mystery

Ephesians 1:3

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

Spiritual Blessings – 1:3-14

We are Chosen

We are Predestined

We are Adopted

We are Redeemed

We are Forgiven

We are Sealed

Blessing #5 – We are Forgiven – Eph 1:7

Ephesians 1:7

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”

Forever Forgiveness vs. Fellowship Forgiveness – 1 John 1:9

We Have Been Forgiven

The Pharisee and the Sinful Woman

How Much Have We Been Forgiven?

How Do We Receive Christ’s Forgiveness?

I. The Pharisee and the Sinful Woman – Luke 7:36-46

Luke 7:36

“Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.”

Luke 7:37

“When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume,”

Luke 7:38

“and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.”

Luke 7:39

“When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

Luke 7:40

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.

Luke 7:41

“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.”

Luke 7:42

“Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Luke 7:43

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Luke 7:44

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.”

Luke 7:45

You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.

Luke 7:46

“You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.”

Point: We were all wretched sinners before salvation.

II. How Much Have We Been Forgiven? – Luke 7:47

A. A Lot – The Sinful Woman – The 500 Denarii Debtor

B. A Little – The 50 Denarii Debtor

We were born with a sin debt to God.

The problem is that people don’t understand that they need forgiveness.

C. Nothing – The Pharisee

Not a Christian

D. The Truth – We Owed a Debt We Could Never Pay

Exodus 20:3 – 1st

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

Exodus 20:4 – 2nd

“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.”

Exodus 20:7 – 3rd

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

Exodus 20:8 – 4th

8“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

Exodus 20:12 – 5th

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Exodus 20:13 – 6th

“You shall not murder.”

Exodus 20:14 – 7th

“You shall not commit adultery.

Exodus 20:15 – 8th

“You shall not steal.

Exodus 20:16 – 9th

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

Exodus 20:17 – 10th

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

James 2:10

“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

Romans 3:10-11

10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.

Romans 3:12

“All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

Romans 3:13

“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”

Romans 3:14-16

14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15“Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16ruin and misery mark their ways,

Romans 3:17-18

17“and the way of peace they do not know.” 18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

III. How Do We Receive Christ’s Forgiveness? – Luke 7:48-50

A. We Need someone with authority to forgive sins – Luke 7:47-49, 5:24

Luke 7:47-48

47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven — for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” 48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Perfect passive indicative (both 47 & 48)

Luke 7:49

The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Luke 5:24

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

B. We Need someone to pay the debt – Heb 9:22, 1 Cor 15:3

Hebrews 9:22

“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

1 Corinthians 15:3

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,”

C. We Need to receive forgiveness by faith – Luke 7:50, John 1:12-13

Luke 7:50

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

John 1:12-13

12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

A Prayer of Faith

“Dear Lord, I now confess that I am a SINNER who has SINNED against You. I understand and believe that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died on the Cross for ALL OF MY SINS and rose from the dead. I do now receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. Thank You, Lord, for FORGIVING MY SIN and giving me the gift of Eternal Life. Amen.”

Conclusion:

Let’s respond to Christ with reverent worship for the blessing of complete forgiveness.

Eph Forgiven 6 Notes