Outline

 

1. Granting and Receiving Forgiveness

2. Not a Question of Frequency

3. The Spirit of Forgiveness

4. Our Great Example

 

1. Granting and Receiving Forgiveness

 

Matthew 6:15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

 

Mark 11:25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.

 

2. Not a Question of Frequency

 

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”  22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

 

 

3. The Spirit of Forgiveness

 

Matthew 18:31-35 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

 

Romans 12:8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

 

4. Our Great Example

 

Colossians 3:13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.