Previous Service
Welcome
“It’s a hard teaching to bear, “If we don’t forgive others, the Lord won’t forgive us.” So we can ask the Lord to help us by His Spirit within us to do so, as He himself did when He prayed on the Cross, ‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Stella
Worship
Word
One thing that surprised me was to hear someone who had a ministry in healing teach how important it was to forgive everyone, and that it was a question he was often led by the Spirit to ask people before he prayed for their healing, “Is there anyone you need to forgive? Is there anyone that you are holding a grudge or bitterness towards?” For he believed that there is sometimes a link between unforgiveness, and sickness! The person is then encouraged to release that person, to forgive them, and hand them over to the Lord.
We see that Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness was very strong at times e.g.,
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matt. 6:14-15
And it gets even stronger in the parable of the unmerciful servant. This teaching resulted from Peter asking Jesus this question, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Peter thought he was being overly generous here as rabbinic teaching of the time regarded a limit of three times as sufficient. Jesus’ reply of seventy-seven times gives a hint of the generosity of God to be highlighted in the parable He is about to teach, that of the unmerciful servant. Read it again and see the remarkable generosity of God, and how we also must respond to that generosity – Matt. 18:22-35. Such is backed up by the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. So help us Lord in Jesus Name, Amen.
Quote of the week
“This parable is trying to teach us to be amazed by grace and so to be different people – seventy-seveners. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquity.”
Frederick Dale Bruner
Verse of the week
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Let’s Pray
Father God, we thank You for the supreme example of forgiveness as seen in Your Son dying on the Cross. Father God, by Your Holy Spirit help us to forgive those who have really hurt us; Fill our hearts to overflowing with the love of Christ, in Jesus Christ, Amen.