OceanSide church of Christ

 Previous Return to Sermons Next  Click to download Audio

The Power of Forgiveness
by: Dalton Gilreath

I.                    Intro

a.      Luke 17:3-5

                                                              i.      Forgiveness of sin is NOT unconditional

1.      Notice “if” he repent (v3)

                                                            ii.      Forgiveness of sin is NOT marginal

1.      We must forgive every time they ask

2.      We must forgive and “forget” in time

                                                          iii.      Forgiveness of sin is NOT natural

1.      The apostles needed more faith

II.                  The Picture of Forgiveness (Isaiah 43:25 – He does not remember our sins)

a.      Psalm 32:1-2

                                                              i.      Our sin is “covered”

1.      In Biblical times they engraved debts in a stone

2.      When the debt was paid they covered it with wax

3.      Our debt of sin is covered by the blood of Christ

b.      Isaiah 1:18

                                                              i.      The stain of sin is removed

1.      The debt is filled with wax, but it is still visible

2.      God removes the “stain” from the stone as if it was never there

c.       Isaiah 38:17

                                                              i.      God throws our sin behind His back

1.      He takes that smooth stone and throws it behind Him

2.      Can you imagine how far He could throw it?

d.      Isaiah 44:21-22

                                                              i.      God creates a thick fog

1.      After the stone is thrown He places a fog between He and it

2.      Even if He was tempted to turn and watch the stone fly He can’t

e.      Micah 7:18-19

                                                              i.      Our sin is thrown into the depths of the sea

1.      The stone lands in the deepest parts of the ocean

2.      Think of the deepest of all, the Marianna trench

a.      36,000 feet below the surface (7 miles)

                                                            ii.      What a beautiful picture of forgiveness!

f.        Eph 4:32

                                                              i.      Knowing God’s forgiveness, we realize that we must forgive others the same way that He forgives us.

1.      This is humbling to say the least

III.                The Path of Forgiveness (Matthew 18:19-20, 23-35)

a.      In verses 23-35 we notice three key words

                                                              i.      Patience – to be long to anger

1.      Jesus showed an incredible amount of patience during His crucifixion and the events leading up to it.

2.      In fact, He said “Father forgive them…”

3.      If we struggle with anger we will struggle with forgiveness

                                                            ii.      Compassion – moved over another’s pain

1.      We must put ourselves in the other person’s shoes

2.      The good Samaritan has compassion on the man left for dead

a.      Remember that this is not said of the priest and Levite

                                                          iii.      Pity (Mercy) – to extend help to the wretched

1.      Someone has sinned against you but you extend them mercy

2.      Jesus ended the statement with”…for they know not what they do”

a.      We must find this mercy in our hearts for others

b.      Remember that we are all human and sin

b.      In verses 19-20 we notice two other keys to our path to forgiveness

                                                              i.      Agree

1.      This comes from the word sumphoneo (symphony)

a.      Phoneo – sound

b.      Sum – together

2.      So, talk to one another in order to come to an agreement

                                                            ii.      Together

1.      This word means to go together

a.      The tense denotes continuous action

b.      Go together continually

2.      So, talk it out and continue together afterward

c.       These are the 5 steps to the path of forgiving others as God forgives us

                                                              i.      Patience

                                                            ii.      Compassion

                                                          iii.      Mercy

                                                           iv.      Communicating together

                                                             v.      Making the relationship what it once was again