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Element Christian Church

Forgive Week 1: Can We Even Learn What It Means To Forgive?

Locations & Times

4890 Bethany Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93455, USA

Sunday 9:00 AM

Sunday 10:45 AM

Welcome to Element

We strive to ensure the biggest thing people think when they hear about Element is Jesus! We aim to glorify God by teaching and living out the Scriptures, transforming community in Gospel Community, and planting churches.

Quick Connect Groups

Connect with new people and go deeper into the notes from the service each week and will run through the end of the Forgive series. For more details, email Michelle.Gee@ourelement.org

Drive In Movie Night

Time to build those box cars and park them at our drive in! Friday, July 28th at 6pm. Water and popcorn are provided for free and other snacks will be available for purchase at our concession stand. *Cars and kids not required to attend. All are invited to come enjoy the movie

Financial Peace University

Whether you are trying to get out of debt or figuring out how to save more for children’s higher education, retirement, etc… the lessons learned throughout this course will help give you the tools to reach those goals even faster.

https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/calendar/event/130054985

Replanted Conference

Foster, adoptive & kinship parents – You are not alone. The Replanted Conference provides a time away for caregivers to be refreshed, equipped, and inspired! Regardless of where you are in your adoption and foster care journey, we've created something special, just for you.

https://www.ourelement.org/replanted

New to Element? Need prayer? Just want to connect?

Click the link to fill out our Digital Connect Card so we can know you were here and send you a "Welcome" email.

https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/295918

Church Center - the app

Free in your phone's app store and a huge resource to stay in touch with Element! Download today!

Help Needed!!

Click the link below to see all the various areas you can serve at Element and sign up to help

https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/395779

This week's song list

Interested in looking for some of the songs we sang this week? Here's the titles and original artists: In Tenderness - Citizens Furious - Bethel Music O Come to the Alter - Elevation Worship How Deep the Father's Love For Us - Austin Stone Worship How He Loves - John Mark McMillan Sweetness of Freedom - Citizens

Forgive: Week 1
Can We Even Learn What it Means to Forgive?

This message marks the first in a series of 11 messages on the topic of forgiveness inspired by Tim Keller’s book Forgive. As we progress through the series and come to understand what forgiveness looks like in our own lives, we have to start with a broader exploration of what forgiveness even is - renouncing revenge and being open to reconciliation. Many people, inside and outside the Church, have different opinions of what forgiveness is, but we must come to understand how it is portrayed in Scripture.

Matthew 18:21-22

Matthew 9:6

Mark 2:5

Matthew 9:2

1 Corinthians 1:18

It’s important to recognize there is always a cost to forgiveness. Forgiveness addresses a reality of wrongdoing that has implications for others—it goes hand-in-hand with God’s own perfect justice. His forgiveness of us acknowledges the cost of our sin and the necessity of it being atoned for. The starting point of our forgiveness toward others is recognizing that God has first forgiven us through the resurrection. Through recognizing this vertical dimension of forgiveness (God to us), we understand that forgiveness is not natural to humans, but a miraculous reflection of the heart of God.

Vertical
• Why do you need God’s forgiveness?
• In what specific ways has God forgiven you?
• What has been the cost of your own sin?
• What are the effects of God’s forgiveness on your own life?
• What is your deepest need?
• What does God’s forgiveness say about His character?

Internal
• Where have I seen or experienced forgiveness in my life?
• What is my deepest wish? Is it truly what I need?
• What is the biggest problem with myself?
• What areas do I try to hide from others because I’m ashamed or afraid of what they would think of me?
• Do I view myself as worth forgiveness from God or others?

Horizontal
• How have you experienced forgiveness, or a lack of forgiveness, with others?
• What kinds of actions from others have led to a desire for revenge?
• How does forgiveness toward others feel unnatural?
• Where do you feel God is calling you to pursue forgiveness/ restoration?
• What would it mean if the Church were marked by a spirit of forgiveness?

Action Steps
• Pray for a relationship that is yet to be restored.
• Thank God for His forgiveness of you and reconciliation with Him.
• Pray for Element—that God would move in His people through this series to bring about restoration and reconciliation.
• Review and work through this week’s additional resource: “Forgiveness Principles”

Forgive Reading Plan

For a deeper study of the passages covered this week, download this helpful guide

https://audio.ourelement.org/forgive/notes/2023_forgive_readingPlan.pdf

Online Giving

Give electronically of your tithes and offerings here:

http://www.ourelement.org/give