"Why should I forgive him? He's not sorry at all about what he did!" "I mean, I've forgiven her, but I just can't be friends with her any more" True forgiveness has a cost doesn't it? It doesn't allow us to hold on to that hurt any more, it requires us to set it free. Kind of like the way Jesus forgives us right? But so often we want grace for ourselves and justice for others.

How can I not be controlled by your past and let go? Maybe you think you don't need to? How can I let go of what I don't even realize I'm holding on to? How do I forgive? The story of Joseph losing his father Jacob gives us a new perspective on these questions.

In Matthew 18 Jesus is talking to a man looking for answers about forgiveness. Jesus sees that his heart is actually unwilling to forgive. Forgiveness is hard isn't it? But it's time to let go. You're not punishing the person who hurt you by your unforgiveness. You're only hurting yourself.

We pray you'll find that forgiveness will transform every aspect of your life! And that you'll find your identity in the one who has forgiven you and not by what evil that's been done to you.

IIn this Sermon about forgiveness we look again at Luke 15, the story of the prodigal son. This story is full of wisdom, and one of the things God is trying to tell us is, that forgiveness is not a soft option. It is an obligation of grace that God has shown us. We see ourselves a certain way but the Father sees us differently. We pray you'll, not only be encouraged by this sermon about forgiveness, but that you'll resolve to forgive those who have wronged you.

In this Sermon about forgiveness we look at Luke 15, the story of the prodigal son. Are you waiting for others to apologize to you? Are you waiting until justice is done and they get exactly what they deserve? Are you waiting until you think you've punished them long enough and made your point? This passage shows us that we are the ones who need forgiveness and our unwillingness to forgive you're simply making payments on their unconcealed debts. There is so much to forgive and so much to be forgiven, so what are you waiting for?

Nobody talked about forgiveness like Jesus. So often we forget that the radical nature of the forgiveness that we have received in Christ and we are shaped by the outrage culture of our day. In Mark 2, the story of the paralytic lowered through the roof isn't just a healing story, it's actually a forgiveness story. And it reminds us of the beautiful and life-changing nature of Christ's forgiveness towards us.