This morning's sermon was on Forgiveness. Pastor Jeff Bloomfield unpacked reasons why we don't forgive and reasons why we should.
Key Scriptures:
- John 1:31-33 "31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’"
- Luke 23:34 "Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
(This was when Jesus was being let to be crucified. If he asked God to forgive them then I should be able to forgive anything on this side of heaven)
- Ephesians 4:31-32 "31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Forgiven people should be forgiving people. Our human instinct isn't to be forgiving but to get justice. Vengeance shouldn't be our priority. As Jeff was talking about this I kept hearing the saying "get better, not bitter" in my head. Forgiving brings healing. Seeking justice brings bitterness, anger, resentment, and the list goes on and on.
5 Reasons We Don't Forgive:
1. They don't deserve it. Ouch. This rings true. How often do I think someone doesn't deserve my forgiveness when Jesus didn't deserve to die but he did it anyway for the forgiveness of my sins.
2. They aren't sorry/contrite. It's a lot easier to forgive someone when they ask for forgiveness. When they don't even recognize they did something wrong it's a whole different ball game.
3. Our anger/bitterness = justice. We seek justice, but justice can only come from God. We don't get to play judge, jury and executioner.
4. Our own ego/pride. Forgiving someone isn't easy and you have to get over your pride to do so.
5. We lose perspective of our own need to be forgiven. Our perspective should always be on the cross.
Unforgiveness is like you drinking poison and expecting the person who wronged you to die.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it's a constant attitude." When you adopt an attitude of forgiveness before you are even wronged you'll see life differently. Offenses that would have normally hurt you won't seem like such a big deal.
5 Reasons to Forgive:
1. It glorifies God.
2. It blesses us. - Not forgiving others has been scientifically proven to have physical, emotional, and spiritual effects on our bodies.
3. It blesses others.
4. It is a witness to others.
5. It opens you to the flow of the Holy Spirit.
Unforgiveness inhibits you from walking into your God given purpose.
The Holy Spirit inside us is like a light switch. Electricity is run to a house, but if you don't turn on the light you'll continue to live in the dark with the light is literally in arm's reach. We have to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us (turn on the light switch!) Many of us don't ask because we don't understand the Spirit so we continue to live an ordinary life wondering why we can't reach that next level in our relationship with God.
Turn on the light.
Key Scriptures:
- John 1:31-33 "31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’"
- Luke 23:34 "Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
(This was when Jesus was being let to be crucified. If he asked God to forgive them then I should be able to forgive anything on this side of heaven)
- Ephesians 4:31-32 "31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Forgiven people should be forgiving people. Our human instinct isn't to be forgiving but to get justice. Vengeance shouldn't be our priority. As Jeff was talking about this I kept hearing the saying "get better, not bitter" in my head. Forgiving brings healing. Seeking justice brings bitterness, anger, resentment, and the list goes on and on.
5 Reasons We Don't Forgive:
1. They don't deserve it. Ouch. This rings true. How often do I think someone doesn't deserve my forgiveness when Jesus didn't deserve to die but he did it anyway for the forgiveness of my sins.
2. They aren't sorry/contrite. It's a lot easier to forgive someone when they ask for forgiveness. When they don't even recognize they did something wrong it's a whole different ball game.
3. Our anger/bitterness = justice. We seek justice, but justice can only come from God. We don't get to play judge, jury and executioner.
4. Our own ego/pride. Forgiving someone isn't easy and you have to get over your pride to do so.
5. We lose perspective of our own need to be forgiven. Our perspective should always be on the cross.
Unforgiveness is like you drinking poison and expecting the person who wronged you to die.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it's a constant attitude." When you adopt an attitude of forgiveness before you are even wronged you'll see life differently. Offenses that would have normally hurt you won't seem like such a big deal.
5 Reasons to Forgive:
1. It glorifies God.
2. It blesses us. - Not forgiving others has been scientifically proven to have physical, emotional, and spiritual effects on our bodies.
3. It blesses others.
4. It is a witness to others.
5. It opens you to the flow of the Holy Spirit.
Unforgiveness inhibits you from walking into your God given purpose.
The Holy Spirit inside us is like a light switch. Electricity is run to a house, but if you don't turn on the light you'll continue to live in the dark with the light is literally in arm's reach. We have to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us (turn on the light switch!) Many of us don't ask because we don't understand the Spirit so we continue to live an ordinary life wondering why we can't reach that next level in our relationship with God.
Turn on the light.
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