TITLE: The Path to Forgiveness
TEXT: Matthew
6:14-15
PROPOSITION: We must learn how to forgive
others.
QUESTION: What?
KEY WORD:
Myths
SCRIPTURE READING: Same
INTRODUCTION:
Forgiveness is a HUGE topic
3 levels of forgiveness
Between individual and God
Between two individuals
Within ourselves
We often are not as forgiving as we should be
This sermon will focus on forgiving each other
Illustration to get us started
Parents got a call – son hit and killed by drunk driver
Visited the convicted drunk in jail
Taught – cried – forgave – baptized
Appealed to have sentence reduced
Traveled together to schools to speak about drunk driving
Question: Would you have been able to do that?
What Forgiveness is NOT:
Forgetting
Condoning
Absolution
Form of self-sacrifice
Sign of weakness
What Forgiveness IS:
Form of realism
Sign of positive self-esteem
Letting go of guilt
No longer wanting to punish those who hurt us
Moving on
Conclusion:
Dr. Sidney Simon, “How to Make Peace with Your Past and Get On With Your Life”
“You forgive so that you can Finally get rid of the excess baggage that has been weighing you down and holding you back; so that you can be free to do and be whatever you decide instead of stumbling along according to the script of painful past experiences wrote for you.”
Is there someone you need to forgive?
Bottom Line – You can't go to heaven until you learn to forgive.