Sunday 5th October, 2008

Sorry it's late!

If you missed the talk from this Sunday, you can listen to it by clicking here. (24 minutes)
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FORGIVENESS: PASSING IT ON

• Re-read the parable in Matthew 18:21-35. Try reading it slowly and out loud. Can you empathise with Peter’s view that there must be a point when enough is enough?

• Understand How Much You’ve Been Forgiven: Do you feel forgiven? What have you been forgiven of? Think again of the parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15:11-24. Can you picture the father running to you, beside himself with joy? And can you picture yourself as the filthy son, starving and in desperate need?

• Does this picture help you be soft hearted towards others? Think back over the last few months and years. Is becoming softer or harder? Use Galatians 5:22-23 to help you think what a soft heart looks like.

• Decide To Forgive: Why might we choose not to forgive? Are there good reasons not to? Are there people you need to decide to forgive? Are you making excuses to justify not forgiving them? In what ways does not forgiving people hold you down?

• The Process Of Forgiving:

1. Label what has happened as sin. How easy do you find it using the word ‘sin’? Does this seem like an appropriate word or not? Do you need to change the way you think about sin?
2. Blame the person who is responsible. Do you find it easy to blame other people? Do you find it too easy?
3. Release it to God. Is it easy to trust God with your hurt? Why do people not want to trust God in this area? What might God do?
4. Ask God to forgive and bless them. What does ‘bless them’ mean in everyday language? Does it seem impossible to want someone who hurt you to be blessed? What would have to happen to your heart for you to be able to honestly want this? Read 1 Timothy 4:14-18. Does Paul sound like he’s forgiven these people? Assuming Paul’s a mature Christian and he has forgiven them as he should, how can we interpret what he is saying?

• Forgiving Is A Journey: Where are you on this journey? Do you ever feel down because you find it hard to forgive? What would God say to you? Are you moving the right way on your journey?

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