Sermon Series:
This week, pastoral elder Eric Byrom resumes our sermon series on the Keys to Freedom. After listening to this sermon, please take time and ask yourself and God, who do I need to forgive and whom should I talk to about forgiveness?
Sermon Passages: Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:37; Colossians 3:13; Hebrews 8:12; Psalm 103:12; Romans 12:17-21
Sermon Call: Your journey towards freedom involves forgiveness!
Sermon Outline
1. Forgiveness is a choice not a feeling!
2. Common Myths about forgiveness
A. If I forgive them, I am saying what they did was okay.
Truth: Forgiveness is not saying that the other person’s choice to hurt you was okay.
B. If I don’t forgive them, then I can have revenge.
Truth: The bitterness and resentment we hold toward those who hurt us will poison us.
C. I can’t forgive until the person is sorry and asks me to forgive them.
Truth: Your healing and freedom cannot depend on someone else doing the right thing.
D. If I forgive someone, they must remain part of my life.
Truth: There are times when reconciliation isn’t possible or healthy.
3. How do you forgive?
A. Take the offense to God in prayer. Tell Him what happened and how it affected you.
B. Consider what need this person failed to meet, and ask God how He can and will meet that need.
C. Ask God to help you forgive. Declare that you choose to forgive and release the person from their debt to you.
4. Forgiveness is an active process- not a one-time prayer.
5. Forgiveness is an act of obedience.
Questions for Discussion
1. What stood out to you from the talk this morning? Are there any concepts new to you?
2. Why do you think the enemy wants to keep us from forgiving?
3. Have you ever been unable to forgive someone? What did you experience as the effects of unforgiveness? What happened to your inner peace or joy? Would anyone like to share?
4. On the flip side, has anyone ever made a choice to forgive and then experienced healing and freedom as a result? If so, would you be willing to share?
5. Look back to the common myths about forgiveness from your sermon outline. Have you personally struggled with any of those myths? If so, which one(s)? Are there any other things you’ve experienced that made forgiveness challenging?
6. Have you already thought about an area of unforgiveness that the Lord wants you to address? (It might be forgiving yourself, forgiving God for something you hold against Him, or forgiving another person.) If so, are you willing to share?
Eric Byrom.mp3- Length: 1:34:49
