Sermon Notes:
Sanctifying Jesus as Lord of your past:
1. If a believer hurt you, ________________ with them to seek _________________, and ____________.
2. If a __________________ hurt you, communicate with them and seek understanding and reconciliation _______________________________________.
In Matthew 18, Jesus says that:
3. Forgiven people are ________________ to forgive others.
4. The source of our ___________ to forgive is rooted in God’s ______________________ towards us.
5. Jesus commands this of us because God is committed to our ___________________.
6. Forgiveness is _____________________ to live with the ____________________ of another’s sin and _____________ it in the righteous, just __________ of God!
Follow-up Questions from Sunday:
Ice breaker: What was the best part of your holidays?
Digging Deeper:
1. When you think of hurtful relationships that most people have In their past, who do you think are the common characters? What do you think are the offenses?
2. We read in Matthew 18:15-17 that Jesus wants us to lovingly talk to believers that hurt us. Why do you think this is? Why do you think He gives us these steps in this section of Scripture?
3. As you read Ephesians 4:1-3, what do you think are the key words and the main goal?
4. How would you define what forgiveness is?
5. Read Matthew 18:21-27. When did you accept Christ and how do these verses apply to you on that day?
6. Read Matthew 18:28-30. Why do you think people find it so hard to forgive others?
7. Read Ephesians 4:31-32. What do you think would happen, deep in your soul, if you forgave all the people that hurt you in your life?
8. What part do you think feelings play in your ability to forgive others?
9. Read Matthew 18:31-34. Why do you think it is so important to God that you forgive others?
10. Read Romans 12:19. Why do you think this verse helps some people forgive others? Does it help you?
11. Read Matthew 18:35. Jesus adds a special requirement here – to forgive from the heart. According to the Bible, the heart is a place where we think, will, and feel. Have you ever had someone tell you that they forgive you, but it doesn’t come across like they really do? Have you ever done that to someone else? What is the quality of God’s forgiveness to you? How does knowing that help you to forgive others?
Taking it Home:
Read Philemon this week and see how the Apostle Paul used a letter to begin the journey of dealing with difficult circumstances between believers. Pray that God might give you wisdom to create a letter like this to begin the process of confronting fellow believers that have hurt you (Matthew 18:15-17.)
Steps to forgiveness:
1. Pray and thank God for forgiving you of all of your sins through the work of Jesus on the cross.
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and to reveal to you anyone you have resentment and bitterness towards who you need to forgive.
3. If He brings up some names, get out a piece of paper and write down the name and the sins that they committed against you.
4. Ask Jesus to help you process these things. If you have to be angry and do a Psalm 109 go ahead and tell God how you feel about it! He understands.
5. Thank Him for the promise of Romans 12:19 and trust Him that He will deal with it.
6. Trust God in that forgiving others you will find freedom from the past.
7. One by one, pray “I forgive (name) for (state specifically what you are forgiving them for) as You have forgiven me of all my sin. I choose to obey and forgive this person, trusting You will deal with their sins against me!” “Lord, help me to find your freedom from this person in Jesus’ name!”
8. Burn the papers with the names and sins against you, praising God that your sins have been cast as far as the east is from the west, never to be remembered again.
9. If you need help in this process, seek out one of the pastors at church.