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Wow. Those are some serious words from the Master. Let’s delicately walk through forgiveness…

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1. Sin causes brokenness, a disruption in God’s original order; forgiveness helps to reset the brokenness (like a bicycle chain that has come off it’s track–the bike cannot go far until the chain is reset to its proper gear);

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2. Forgive/Forgiven/Forgiveness occurs 136 times in the Bible. Wow. Extremely important.

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A. Joseph toward his brothers who sold him into slavery (Genesis 50:15-21);

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B. Hosea toward his wife Gomer (entire book of Hosea, specifically 1:2-3 and 3:1);

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C. The father toward the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)

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D. Jesus asking the Father to forgive those who are crucifying Him (Luke 23:34)

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E. Jesus forgiving Peter after Peter denied Jesus 3x (John 21:15-19)

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1. Mercy (not giving people the bad/punishment that they DO deserve)(Genesis 50:21)

2. Grace (giving people the good/blessing that they do NOT deserve)(Genesis 50:21)

3. Not keeping a record of wrongs/bringing up the past offense over and over again (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

4. Focusing on other positive qualities of the person who has hurt you (2 Timothy 4:11 and Philemon 1:23-24 refer to Paul talking about Mark, the same Mark who deserted Paul in a previous missionary trip as noted in Acts 15:36-40);

5. Being able to associate with/be around the person who has hurt you (2 Timothy 4:11)***

6. Re-instating a person into service (John 21:15-19);****

7. Asking others to bless/treat well the person who has hurt you (Colossians 4:10)

8. Praying for God to bless the person who has hurt you (Matthew 5:43-48)

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A. We feel like the other person is “winning”; that is, if we forgive we feel like there is no justice for the crime committed against us (e.g. no punishment for the offender); if there is no justice, if we forgive and forget, then the crime committed against us has not been heard, has not been settled, has not been made right; our pain/hurt have not been validated if the other person just “gets away” and we are therefore hurt twice–once by the person and a second time by the seeming lack of action taken to fix the situation.

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B. But Jesus’ death on the Cross validates our pain/hurt–by dying on the Cross to offer forgiveness/payment for every single sin that has ever been/will be committed, JESUS Himself acknowledges the sins that have been committed against us (He doesn’t sweep them under the rug). He Personally addresses those sins, telling us, “I see what has happened to you. It was wrong, I am OUTRAGED by it, and I am doing something about it. The punishment the other person deserves, I am taking it in their place. You don’t have to get revenge on the person–I am receiving the revenge they deserve. So free yourself from seeking revenge, allow yourself to be healed by releasing your anger at them since God the Father’s pure/holy anger has been fully directed at Me. Now follow Me and let Me heal you…by teaching you to love those who have hurt you.”

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1. Have an accurate view of God: Remember that Jesus has forgiven you of the bad you’ve done (and how much it cost Him to offer you forgiveness)(Colossians 3:13)(Luke 7:37-47);

2. Have an accurate view of yourself: You are not defined by the crime that was unfairly committed against you…you are defined by Him Who allowed the ultimate crime to be unfairly committed against Him (Colossians 3:3).

3. Have an accurate view of those who hurt you: they are sinners like you, they are created in the image of Almighty God like you, they are loved dearly by Jesus Who desires that they receive His grace/forgiveness (like you)(Jonah 4:1-11).

4. Ask God for help through prayer;

5. Ask others for help (to pray for you);

6. Practice small acts of kindness toward those who have hurt you.

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ForGIVEness is a gift that is freely given away; it’s not taken and certainly not unconsciously/accidentally applied. It is a choice we make, not a feeling we necessarily feel. Let’s pass it out today…

Matthew 6:15 NIV

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