South County Church
Forgetting the Past
Locations & Times
South County High School (Entrance 15)
Saturday 10:00 AM
Thrive – healthy and growing in all areas of your life.
Do others have a version of you that doesn’t exist anymore?
a. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV – 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Big Idea: God defines us…not our past!
Scripture: Philippians 3:3b-14 HCSB – 10 My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. 12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
What does forgetting our past look like?
a. Taking hold of Christ and all that He has done for you
i. Philippians 3:11-12 – 11My goal is to know him…12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
ii. Romans 12:2 NIV – 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
iii. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NLT – 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
b. Receiving Forgiveness and Forgiving Yourself
i. Is there anything in your past that makes you cringe?
1. Acts 7:57-60 NLT – 57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
ii. You have been forgiven!
1. Psalm 65:3 NLT – 3 Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.
iii. You also need to forgive yourself!
1. Ephesians 4:32 NLT – be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
c. Embracing who I am in Christ and Reaching toward being more like Jesus
i. Remember the old version of you? It doesn’t exist anymore.
1. Acts 9:13-15 NLT – 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
2. 1 Peter 5:8-9a NLT – 8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.
3. Romans 8:1 NIV – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
ii. Who am I in Christ?
1. You are Chosen – Ephesians 1:4
2. You are A New Creation – 2 Corinthians 5:17
3. You are God’s Masterpiece – Ephesians 2:10
4. You are God’s very own marked by the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 1:13-14
5. You are called out of Darkness into His marvelous Light – 1Peter 2:9
What are you hanging onto that Christ has already forgiven?
a. Isaiah 43:18-19 NLT – 18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
b. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV – 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Next Steps
- Memorize: 2 Corinthians 5:17
- Evaluate: Am I hanging onto an old version of me that Jesus has forgiven?
- Action: Choose to forgive yourself from your past mistakes and failures. Embrace who you are in Christ!
Do others have a version of you that doesn’t exist anymore?
a. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV – 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Big Idea: God defines us…not our past!
Scripture: Philippians 3:3b-14 HCSB – 10 My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. 12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
What does forgetting our past look like?
a. Taking hold of Christ and all that He has done for you
i. Philippians 3:11-12 – 11My goal is to know him…12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
ii. Romans 12:2 NIV – 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
iii. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NLT – 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
b. Receiving Forgiveness and Forgiving Yourself
i. Is there anything in your past that makes you cringe?
1. Acts 7:57-60 NLT – 57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
ii. You have been forgiven!
1. Psalm 65:3 NLT – 3 Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.
iii. You also need to forgive yourself!
1. Ephesians 4:32 NLT – be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
c. Embracing who I am in Christ and Reaching toward being more like Jesus
i. Remember the old version of you? It doesn’t exist anymore.
1. Acts 9:13-15 NLT – 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
2. 1 Peter 5:8-9a NLT – 8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.
3. Romans 8:1 NIV – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
ii. Who am I in Christ?
1. You are Chosen – Ephesians 1:4
2. You are A New Creation – 2 Corinthians 5:17
3. You are God’s Masterpiece – Ephesians 2:10
4. You are God’s very own marked by the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 1:13-14
5. You are called out of Darkness into His marvelous Light – 1Peter 2:9
What are you hanging onto that Christ has already forgiven?
a. Isaiah 43:18-19 NLT – 18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
b. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV – 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Next Steps
- Memorize: 2 Corinthians 5:17
- Evaluate: Am I hanging onto an old version of me that Jesus has forgiven?
- Action: Choose to forgive yourself from your past mistakes and failures. Embrace who you are in Christ!