Forget it to forgive it.

Philippians 3:12-21 “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly …”

Let’s Pray!

Have you ever had something happened to you that was so embarrassing you wish you could forget? (Epcot Disney story.)

We all have things that have happened that maybe we would like to forget, that includes things in our past that our not so great. But for whatever reason they continue to hold power over our life.

The Apostle Paul is telling the church in Philipi it’s time to forget their past, and instead trust in the renewing work of Jesus.

One And Only Point: When we choose to trust Jesus with our past, He gives us the freedom to walk in forgiveness.

So how do we do this?

1.) Ask for forgiveness.

-Who do we need to seek forgiveness from today? (Have students think on this.)

-By asking for forgiveness when we mess up, we can forget the past and move on with a clear conscience.

2.) Forgive others.

-In the words of the famous Disney singer Elsa, “LET IT GO!”

-Choosing to forgive someone does not make what they did to you right, it just means your not going to be held captive by the hurt anymore.

-Jesus says it like this in Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

-By asking for forgiveness when we mess up, we can forget the past and move on with a clear conscience.

-Who do we need to forgive today so we can walk in freedom?

3.) Learn from past mistakes.

-Paul says it like this in Philippians 3:17 “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”

-We can learn a great deal from our past mistakes. Don’t fall victim to the same pattern.

-The story of our two friends in Florida. (One who continues to live in past mistakes, and the other who now lives in Freedom.)

-When we choose not to forget our past, we are like a rubber band, no matter how hard we try, we can’t break free.

Plea with students to forget to trust Jesus as the good shepherd, that He is someone who will never let them down.

Let’s Pray!