Prison Break 7 “Life with out Parole”

 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

TODAY…we are taking a hard look at unforgiveness and how it can hold us captive….and give us “life with out parole”

WE WILL look at What…Who….Why…and How to forgive

WEBSTERS…FORGIVE: To give up resentment of or claim to requital (recompensation or retaliation)

RESENTMENT: To express ill will towards something or someone

Forgiveness is the willingness to give up your resentment toward someone who has wronged you, regardless of how serious or painful that wrong might have been. In other words, you give up any desire to get even.

Col 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Psalm 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

PRETTY AMAZING HOW GOD FORGIVES US!

“FORGIVING IS NOT FORGETTING”

FORGIVENESS SHOULD BE GIVEN…BUT TRUST IS EARNED.

….it is about releasing you desire to get even!

2) WHO SHOULD I FORGIVE…

Who did Christ forgive:

Romans 5:10 10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US EVEN WHEN WE WERE HIS ENEMIES!

If we want to forgive like Christ….that means forgiving people that don’t care about our forgiveness!

Even on the cross….Jesus demonstrated this by saying in

Luke 23:32 "Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots

*They humiliated him…degraded him….took away his dignity…..yet he offered prayer for their forgiveness even though they didn’t even want it!

NOONE EVER SAID FORGIVNESS WOULD BE EASY!

*To forgive like Christ means we forgive even when the offender doesn’t deserve or even want our forgiveness.

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