Is That Baggage Getting Heavy? - Part II

Ephesians  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Ephesians 4:32 KJV 1900
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

“kind” - a generous, sweet disposition.

“tenderhearted” - compassionate

Bitterness (malice)- I want them to feel what I felt

Tenderhearted (compassion) - I want to feel what they feel.

You cannot be kind and tenderhearted to one who has wronged you unless you first forgive them.

“forgiving one another” - It is a given that to be kind and tenderhearted you will be forgiving!
You won’t be kind, you’ll be cruel.
You won’t be tenderhearted, you’ll be hard-hearted
Malice or Kindness
Hardhearted or tenderhearted
Bitterness or forgiveness

The Principle of Forgiveness

“forgive” - to release from debt; to cease from resentment

Forgiveness does not mean overlooking sin.

Proverbs 15:3 KJV 1900
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Beholding the evil and the good.

Forgiveness does not mean you must forget.

Hebrews 10:17 KJV 1900
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
“remember” - to recall or be mindful of.
Got can’t “fail” to remember, He chooses not to recall or be mindful of...

The Prompting for Forgiveness

What are the motivations for us to forgive?
I can tell you what it won’t be...
Your feelings - You won’t feel like forgiving
It won’t be the person who wronged you (you won’t forgive them because they deserve forgiveness - they don’t)
Your motivation starts and ends with God’s forgiveness to you.

And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, EVEN AS GOD, for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

God”s mercy and readiness to forgive ()

Psalm 86:5 KJV 1900
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; And plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Are we “ready” to forgive or “ready” to retaliate?

God’s compassion ()

God’s family ()

Ephesians 4:3 KJV 1900
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

God’s witness ()

God’s command (; )

Ephesians 4:32 KJV 1900
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12–13 KJV 1900
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

The Parameters of Forgiveness

What has to happen before I forgive them?
What sins do I have to forgive? Are there some I do not?
How many times?
Let’s look at the forgiveness that God extended to us...

No Cost (; )

Romans 3:24 KJV 1900
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV 1900
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

No Exceptions (; , )

Isaiah 55:7 KJV 1900
Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
1 John 1:7–9 KJV 1900
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:7 KJV 1900
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:9 KJV 1900
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

No Limit ()

Matthew 18:21–22 KJV 1900
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

The Price for Forgiveness

What’s it gonna cost them? They have to pay for what they did.
Colossians 1:14 KJV 1900
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Romans 6:23 KJV 1900
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
What was the path that Jesus had to travel to go to the cross? ()
The price must be paid by the one who forgives!

You can carry the baggage of your bitterness and die under the weight of it.

You can carry your cross, die to your pride, and free your debtors from what you believe they owe you.

You “die” either way!
You can “die” being obedient to Jesus and be a testimony of His forgiveness.
You can “die” being disobedient to Jesus and be a testimony of hypocrisy (the ungrateful servant)

You will never be more like Jesus than when you extend forgiveness to those who don’t deserve it.

You’ll never truly understand what it cost for Christ to forgive you until you have paid the price to forgive another AS HE FORGAVE YOU!
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