Favor Follows Forgiveness, Pt. 1

Welcome this weekend, wherever and however you’re joining us.

Grateful to PP P and C, for trusting me with the pulpit. You’ll have me for two weeks, so you’ll get to decide today whether or not you’ll bother to show up next week... Hopefully today the Lord will speak into your life in some way, that you’ll stick around for part two....because it won’t be your typical sermon.

Remember the story of the paralytic.

Mark 2: 2 One day Jesus was teaching to a packed house of people in Capernaum. Four men heard He was in town and carried their paralyzed friend to the meeting, hoping Jesus would heal him. Well, things were more difficult than they expected. There was such a large crowd that they couldn’t even get inside the door. These four men wouldn’t let anything stop them in their mission. They climbed up on the roof, dug a hole, and lowered their crippled friend to Jesus. The Bible says, “They had broken through” (v. 4).

Here’s the tension we face - sometimes for us to get our breakthrough, we gonna have to dig through...

When I open the Word of God, it’s so easy for me to grab a hold of the Scriptures that promise me of God’s Goodness... .

Love the Scriptures on prosperity, I hold true to the promises of His Mercy. We claim scriptures on being whole. Well declare all things in Jesus Name, we walk around saying things like “ I’m so blessed’ We love the subject of God’s forgiveness...

Ephesians 1:7 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

Hebrews 10:17 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

Daniel 9:9 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;

Colossians 1:13-14 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Psalm 103:12 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

And countless others...

Until He gets into our business..

Until He says, Hey, now it’s your turn to extend forgiveness... He starts speaking things into our circumstances that we don’t want to hear. And well, He makes it personal and starts meddlin’…

... He’s starting to dig a whole in the proverbial roof-of our hearts, and we don’t want that mess...

You know that feeling.. when He hits us square in the eyes, and we‘ve no where to run, and nowhere to hide...and we’re the one needing to forgive someone.

In conversations w/ believers as it relates to extending the forgiveness we received to others...you’d think that there might be a new translation...

There’s the You Version Our is the Me Version…”The way I see it version”, or the way I feel version..

Ya know, like: (Joking) I’ll forgive you if you wash the dishes I’ll forgive you when you earn it

I don’t feel like it. When you deserve it. I’ll forgive you when you forgive me

When hell freezes over, then...

(jokingly) I didn’t think the Biblical precept of forgiving one another was predicated on conditions.

And, just to toss this out there....Secondary challenge is that in some situations, the Bible gives evidence His forgiveness of us could be predicated on us forgiving others...

Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Ephesians 4:31-32 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Matthew 6:9-15 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Mark 11:25 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

This is not to be confused w/ the forgiveness that comes with salvation - free…to us.

We’re talking about when we’re ask God “oh bless me Jesus, but I don’t want to forgive them, kind of forgiveness..

Forgiveness in any fashion, and for a variety of reasons is a big deal to God.

Then He takes it one step further.... (pray for them)

Not only am I asking you to forgive them, now I’m asking you to pray for them.

Mat 5:44-45       But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you -

WHY?   “to show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven;”

Biggest reason… so that God can heal you,

James 5:16 says….  Pray for others so that YOU may be healed.

I kno you’re thinking - you want me to forgive them AND pray for them, Jesus?

And Jesus is like, yeah...

so that I can bless you.. So that I can show you my goodness...and so that I can heal your heart…

It’s So that God can bless you and heal YOU...

God loves to show us His favor but sometimes it comes by way of obeying His Word and His precepts....

It is easy to preach that sermon. It’s is easy to share that scripture … It’s a whole nother animal when you got to live that sermon…. I don’t think we quite get these scriptures…until we have enemy.

The Story

Coming home from work one evening - dark around 9 pm. Trained to look around - saw nothing. Did see neighbors garage open Pulled in to my garage, when stepping from my car, I saw A young men behind the car - I need a ride I saw evil and I knew his intentions were not good Audibly heard - “get back in your car” Couldn’t close door - he rushed the drivers side Beat me - attempted to pull me from car Hit so hard, busted my glasses on my face knocked me sideways that my keys went flying - electric car so no horn

Advantage - had on a heel - began to kick

That day, I had gone to dentist and had one of those kits they give you in the center console. Military training reminded me to use whatever you’ve got, so I reached in the console to grab the toothbrush, to jab him in some way to defend myself.

Side note – every woman keeps supplies with them, at all times.  Guys, What supplies?   However, what I pulled out was not a toothbrush....

Ladies are getting it – guys are looking to their wives…???  What she hit him with? I’m sure when I whipped it out put it up to his face,

Maybe that’s what scared him away - Ultimately, he realized he couldn’t get me out, eventually ran.

Those wondering:  why I just didn’t give him the car – he was wedged between the door  - the only way to step out was if he stepped back, I stepped out, he stepped back in.... Anyway, when I felt it was safe, I got out of my car, was entering my home, dialing 911, holding my very bloody face, which btw, was making a mess on my tile, while yelling for my help.

Fast forward, police arrive, take my statement While cops at home, get a call - picked up a young man fitting description, We go up the street. Kid wearing the shirt. I tell the cop, We drive up the street and I see the young man in THEE shirt sitting cuffed on the curb. I state, “that’s him because that’s the shirt - the other was bald w/ tats, but its the shirt, it has to be him

The officer explains that the young man stated that his “brother made him switch shirts...” While in the car, cop radio - I know you think it’s him, but.....

picked up someone around the corner, who just intended to carjack someone…but he stabbed him in the neck and the ambulance on the way.

We drive around the corner, He pulls up in the back of the police car and I looked in his eyes and I saw the same evil... Of course, they arrest him, and do whatever they do. Over the next couple of months, court hearing dates, continuances, dates, continuances, etc...

One day I received a phone call from the Victims’s something or another department. (Personally despite the word) - Was asked if I needed counseling Up until this point, I truly believed I had forgiven that young man, and had moved on per se’,

Anyone who asked me, I told them the same thing..., how the Lord was so good to me, how I had chosen to forgive him... I read what the Bible said.. I told myself repeatedly How I was good, no grudges, etc...

Until....(Stopped for coffee)

One day on my way to church, stopped for coffee at a gas station. See young man, asked for food (At that time, I had a friend whose son was on the streets w/ a drug addiction, couldn’t help but think of her wanting someone else to help her child). Brought him in, he gets what he needs…

When I was back in my car backing out, a grey who was also backing out, pulled in behind me, blocking me then suddenly the driver began to approach my window. My window was cracked - I tried to close it...

When that man began to approach my window - everything stopped: any logic, my functionality... Heart was literally beating out of my chest.

That man, with tears in his eyes, simply said, “that’s a nice thing you did ma’am.” The look on my face probably didn’t say, “that’s kind of you to say’…

I’m confident I looked like a woman afraid of him... I’m equally confident that that gentleman thought that the sheer look of terror on my face was because he was black, and I was a white woman in a fancy car...

and that bothered me terribly - It was then I got angry! And I just continued to get angry w/ everything...

Before I wasn’t angry w/ those young men -"I had forgiven “ them...

But now....I got mad.

I was mad that a man who had nothing but kindness to offer probably feel horrible, and for the record, my carjackers weren’t even black –

and the idea that they had taken my ‘supposed ‘ security away.

The forgiveness I thought I extended was no where in sight.

Now, it was eye for eye...

They hurt me, I’m going to hurt them THey shamed me, I’m gong to shame them THey broke my trust, I’ll show them...

Next several months, hearings, court dates, continuances, etc... with each month , angrier and angered,

Embarrassed to say - If we had public executions, I wanted them impaled. It really was beginning to eat me up inside.

And then Jesus... Gonna get a little Wonky...

One day, getting ready for work, thinking of how angry I was, Bathroom Mirror Vision Story

TELL OF THE VISION Saw: courtroom, See gents on the right, myself and my attorney on left And it’s as though I’m watching it as an outsider…. How do you plead – not guilty each count, not guilty, etc…

All the sudden - back in the courtroom

End of the trial – stand – we find the def’s guilty – Punishment 40 years…  

Immediately I “see” myself talking to my attorney,  - they need help not 40 years prison time, tell him they need help.

All the sudden the judge asks if I’ve got something to say – stand at the podium They need help, not prison, blah, blah

He says to me : …That crime/punishment demands punishment. Someone has to pay it…That’s the Law...

Start calculating my kids age – tell him I’ll take it

Warns me – can’t say I don’t deserve it, Can say it’s not my fault, Can’t say it’s unfair You’re willingly taking their punishment – you’ll be treated like the criminal I understand

Immediately I’m in jail

Walking down the aisle – blanket, jumper, shoes, undergarments, walking to a woman who it’s apparent, doesn’t like me. I hear the jeers, comments – thinking I don’t’ deserve this, I’m innocent – hear the judges words…no, you don’t get to say… Just as we get to the woman,

Suddenly, back in the courtroom…

Now I see the judge and the Judge is the Lord…. The Lord’s words as Judge - Lord said to me,

“Susan, in the same way I Have forgiven you, I’m asking you to forgive them.” Brought me to my knees - literally. There on my bathroom floor, i dropped to my face and could only repent for having a heart towards those young men that were filled w/ anything less than compassion.

This is where I will land:

This is where we have the tendency to get stuck.

We miss out on God’s favor and his goodness cause we just get stuck… Get stuck on recalling how we felt when we were betrayed Get stuck on how we feel about someone that hurt us Get stuck on the words someone used that hurt us..

We get stuck. Anytime we wish to move into forgiveness, Satan will bring you back to an incident, then we relive that over and over again.

He’ll work overtime to keep you and I stuck!

He’ll tell you they don’t deserve your forgiveness... We feed that memory and just stay stuck!

Marriages fail because some one gets stuck. Many suffering w/addictions are triggered into an binge episode because they’re recalling a difficult event .

Here’s the lesson for us today..

I learned first hand that day,

When we choose get UNSTUCK to do things his way, His Favor follows the same forgiveness to others that has been extended to us.

The above goodness of god would have been enough…

Cause I was set free that day.

But God is a god of abundance... And he wants to do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond what we can imagine.

My choice to obey God and forgive them led me to one of the most amazing outcomes... I couldn’t have even made it up this good.....

Frightening to me - An unforgiving heart almost kept me from one of the most remarkable ends to a story that really is made for television...lol and I got to be a part of it...

Imagine w/ me... Imagine a turn of events that leads a stranger to sit in my car, “my boyfriend’s in jail cause he jacked up some broad”....And I was the broad...

You don’t want to miss part two.. Because favor really does follows forgiveness.

I’m going to turn it back over to your campus pastor, but first I’m going to just pray for us...

Luke 17:3-4

3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

 Col 1:13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

1 John 1:9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.