30 days to Live - Week 3 - Pastor Nick Grim
Last week we learned that Our relationships should exemplify Christ in our lives.
Have you ever been forgiven of something that you can’t believe someone forgave you for? Most of us have or will at some point in our lives.
Matthew 18:15-20 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Who do you need to forgive if you only have 30 days to live?
How do we start the ministry of reconciliation?
1. It begins with humility and hope. It is also one of our core values at Impact: Humble Adoration (Philippians 2:3-4)
2.Go and tell if you feel like someone has wronged you
3. If they don’t understand or conflict is not resolved take 2 or 3 with you.
4. If they won’t listen then they are put in front of the entire church.
"Unforgiveness is not a loner. It brings its friends along for the ride. If you allow unforgiveness to settle, dwell, and remain in your heart, you will experience strife, hatred, anger, bitterness, jealousy, and resentment—all of which hardens your heart toward God." - Cortney Sargent
We often think in the situation of pain that we are the only ones that are damaged
List of who to forgive:
1. People we don’t know (Politicians, terrorists, people that you don’t see eye to eye with)
2. People we do know (Family, close friends, spouses, and people who have taken advantage)
3. God (He doesn’t need your forgiveness, whatever he did was perfect, but sometimes we are still angry about it.)
Psalm 13: "How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me."
We need to forgive God in our hearts and remember His goodness
Who do you need to ask for forgiveness?
Matthew 18:21-35 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Forgive because you have been forgiven.
The cross is our example of forgiveness.
Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
List of who we need to ask forgiveness from:
1.People of our past
2.People of our present
3.God
Forgiveness is the beginning to reconciliation, and reconciliation leads us to trust.
Forgive everyone because you have been forgiven.