Forgiveness
Pastor G continues his message series on how Waikoloa Community Church is A Place To Belong. This week is the third of an eight part series. The focus in this message is on how our church is A Place To Find Forgiveness. If you have ever struggled to feel like you are truly forgiven by God or if you’ve ever struggled to forgive yourself or if you’ve ever struggled to forgive someone who has hurt you, this is a great message for you to see.
If you missed the previous week’s messages in this series you can use the links below. Mahalo!
Week 1 ~ Week 2
MESSAGE NOTES
Be sure to Read Pastor G’s Daily Devotional Blog here on WaikoloaCC.org/blog/
Kala and Kalana (‘Olelo Hawai’i)
Kalana ~ To ASK Forgiveness, to ask to be untied, unburdened, or set free
Kala ~ To OFFER Forgiveness, to untie, to release, to unburden, or to set free
Aphiemi (Greek) ~ Forgive (ENGLISH)
to forgive, to release, to free, to unburden
Literally: To send away from one’s self, to forsake, to hurl away, to disregard
NOTE: We hurl away the sin, not the person who sinned against us.
Acceptance is drawing a PERSON TOWARD you!
Forgiveness is SHOVING AN OFFENSE AWAY from you!
So, forgiveness is gurling away the offense that damaged your relationship!
Forgive Each Other As Christ Has Forgiven You
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. ~ Colossians 3:12-13
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. ~ Ephesians 4:31-32
God Promises To Say Yes To Our Request For Forgiveness
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ~ 1 John 1:9
The Apostle Paul Called Himself The Worst Sinner of All
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. ~ 1 Timothy 1:15-16
God Forgives By Hurling Our Sins Far Away
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. ~ Psalm 103:12
God Forgives By Burying Our Sins In The Sea of Forgetfulness
He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. ~ Micah 7:19
EVERY Human Being Requires Forgiveness
… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. ~ Romans 3:23
If You Know Jesus, It Is Like Your Sins Never Happened
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. ~ John 8:36
Forgiveness INCLUDES Forgetting!
GO DEEPER!
ALOHA GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) Pastor G mentioned his Daily Devotional Blog on the church website. Did you know that you can subscribe to that so that every day’s entry is delivered to your e-mail automatically? Have you read any of them so far? What do you think? Would you recommend them to a friend?
2) In your own words, describe what it means “to forgive.” How would you explain it to someone who had never heard the term before?
READ: Colossians 3:12-13 and Ephesians 4:31-32
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) What does this command to “forgive others as Christ has forgiven you” mean to you? Is that sometimes hard to do? Why or why not?
READ: Matthew 6:14-15 and John 20:23
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) What happens if we refuse to forgive those who have hurt us, what happens to them, what happens to us? Do the answers from these passage surprise you? Are they hard to accept? Do they bother you in any way? Why or why not?
2) Do you think there are “exceptions to the rule” or is this God’s expectation for us in relating to everyone who has ever hurt us in any way? Explain your answer.
READ: Psalm 103:12 and Micah 7:19
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Do you find comfort in these passages? Why or why not? Pastor Greg made the statement that “Forgiveness INCLUDES Forgetting.” He said that is always true. Do you agree or disagree? Is it possibly to fully forgive someone without forgetting about the offence? Why or why not?
2) Pastor G shared the story of Corrie Ten Boom forgiving one of her Nazi captors. Did anything about that story stand out to you? Could you relate to Corrie’s feelings in some way? If God could lead Corrie to forgive a Nazi, is there any offense that has been committed against you that is impossible for you to forgive? If so, what is it and why is it impossible to forgive?