The American Bible Challenge Bible Study - Part 1Sample

If we were honest, today’s topic can be a challenging one. It’s forgiveness. I’m not talking about the little, “Oops, I’m 5 minutes late for my haircut” kind of forgiveness. I’m talking about the tougher stuff. The “2AM and there’s no way I’m sleeping now” kind. The “hard and even not easily forgotten” stuff; the “man that hurts and just won’t go away” stuff.

There’s no getting around it—this is tough. It requires a lot—choosing to let go, even when everything inside you wants to get even.

But here’s what the people who know way more about this than me say: Forgiveness is where the good stuff all starts. It’s the first step in healing a relationship, righting what is wrong and freeing what is trapped.

The Bible gives us a powerful perspective on forgiveness. Starting with showing us how much we’ve been forgiven, and giving us the chance to get this whole thing started in the first place.

Something happens for me when I see that it’s not just a little grace, but all grace. I don’t deserve it. But when I get a bigger view of how God has forgiven me - it’s just a whole lot easier to get on the road to forgiving others. But I’ll say it again: don’t just take my word for it. Read it for yourself. Get started by clicking below.

Reflection:

Jesus was executed like a criminal. He was beaten, mocked and nailed to a wooden cross. In the midst of that, what did he say to his enemies in verse 34? The “other criminal” recognized who Jesus was. What did he say about Jesus in verse 41? What did the centurion (captain in Roman Army) say about Jesus in verse 47? What impresses you about Jesus’ example of forgiveness in this passage?