Pray Like This - Forgiveness

Message Notes:

Byron launches his message with two examples of how difficult it is to forgive:

•Personal story

•Ancient Roman “Curse” tablets/prayers

When Jesus came on the scene He brought a new way to relate with people and personal hurt — “Forgiveness.”

•Matthew 5:43-45

•Matthew 18:21-22

This brings us back to the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:

•V. 12 — and forgive us our debts (sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors (those who have sinned against us).

Interestingly, after He recited (what we call) the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus then gave some further teaching connected to the Lord’s Prayer — further clarification about forgiveness.

•V. 14-15 — 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses,   neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Definition of forgiveness (by Dr. Gerry Breshears)

•“My personal act to release the one who sinned against me from my personal right to collect on the moral debt — to pay them back for their offense. Instead of giving them back the pain they gave me, I absorb the pain into myself with God’s help.”

There are two phases or steps to this definition:

•I let go of the right to collect the “moral debt”

•With God’s help — I let go of my anger against you

•In other words, I will stop attempting to hurt you, and I will stop hurting myself.

Four Dimensions to Forgiveness:

•FORGIVING OTHERS for Hurting Us

•FORGIVING OURSELVES for Making Such a Mess of Things

•FORGIVING LIFE for Being Unfair

•FORGIVING GOD for Not Saving/Helping Us the Way We Think He Should

Ephesians 4: 30-32

Discussion Questions:

Have you ever been so deeply hurt by someone that you have sincerely struggled to forgive them?

•Why do you think it has it been so difficult?

•Can you imagine ever letting it go?

Which part of the following definition of forgiveness is easiest and which part is most difficult to follow?

•“My personal act to release the one who sinned against me from my personal right to collect on the moral debt — to pay them back for their offense. Instead of giving them back the pain they gave me, I absorb the pain into myself with God’s help.”