THE LORD’S PRAYER
“The Magic of Forgiveness”

Pastor Timm Jackson | 03.13.16

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” - Matthew 6:12

Forgiveness gets the hate out!

Understanding the magic and power of forgiveness.

1) God will always forgive us.

“Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on, sin no more.” - John 8:11 (NLT)

Forgiveness is reciprocal.

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” – 1 John 1:9 (NLT)

2) I forgive me.

Forgiving yourself means…
• I accept my humanity as a human being.
• I have the freedom to fail.
• I accept responsibility for my failures.
• I can forgive myself for my failure.
• I accept God’s forgiveness.
• I can begin again.

3) I forgive that person who hurt me!

4) Forgiving and Forgetting.

Peter asked, “Jesus, how should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “Not even seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.” - Matthew 18:21-22 (NLB)

GOING DEEPER

SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 6:9-12, John 8:1-12

GETTING STARTED:

Do you find it easy or hard to ask for forgiveness?
How important is it to you to forget a wrong done to you?

A CLOSER LOOK:

Let’s begin…
Matthew 6:12 “and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”

Do you agree that forgiveness gets the hate out? How do you feel about Jesus’ statement in John 8:11 where he says, “Go your own way, and from now on, sin no more.”?

Do you understand that forgiveness is reciprocal?

Have you ever found it difficult to forgive your self?

Forgiving yourself means…
• I accept my humanity as a human being.
• I have the freedom to fail.
• I accept responsibility for my failures.
• I can forgive myself for my failures.
• I accept God’s forgiveness.
• I can begin again.

What about the statement… If we can’t forgive ourselves it means we have a higher standard for ourselves than God has?

DIGGING DEEPER:

How important is forgiveness to you. Do you find it harder to forgive or to be forgiven?

Jesus statement in Matthew 18:22, that we must forgive seventy times seven means what to you.

Is it even impossible to forgive?