THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 7-27-14

<br> <br>

LESSON TITLE:  “FORGIVENESS.”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY. AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST RAY SULLINS.  HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO KNOW GOD AND TO HAVE THE HEALTH, STRENGTH, AND WILL-POWER TO GIVE THIS TIME TO HIM ON THIS LORD’S DAY MORNING.  THANK YOU FOR PUTTING GOD FIRST TODAY AND CHOOSING TO COMMIT THIS TIME OF OFFERING TO HIS SERVICE.   <br> <br>

      TODAY, WE WILL AGAIN BE UPLIFTED THROUGH OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVING GOD AS COMMANDED, AS WE APPROACH HIS ALMIGHTY THRONE.  HOW ENJOYABLE IT WILL BE TO WORSHIP OUR GOD THROUGH PRAYER, SONG AND THE STUDY OF HIS MATCHLESS WORD.  WON’T YOU DO YOUR PART THIS MORNING TO SEE THAT OUR WORSHIP TOGETHER IS ACCEPTABLE SO THAT OUR GLORIOUS CREATOR MAY BE GLORIFIED? NOW, AS WE BEGIN OUR OFFERING TO GOD, WILL YOU BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER! <br> <br>

      PRAYER:  OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY BLESSINGS OF LIFE AND THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO SERVE YOU. AND FATHER, HELP US TO ALWAYS LOOK TO YOU TO FIND THE STRENGTH AND THE HELP THAT WE NEED, THAT WE MIGHT LIVE AS WE SHOULD AND AS WE LEARN THOSE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE US TO DO THROUGH YOUR WORD. THAT ULTIMATELY WE MIGHT BE FOUND FAITHFUL TODAY AND ETERNALLY AND RECEIVE THAT GREAT REWARD OF HEAVEN. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.<br> <br>

      THIS MORNING, WE WANT TO BEGIN WITH A SONG THAT REMINDS US OF WHAT AWAITS THE FAITHFUL AT THE END OF THIS LIFE.  SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING, “SING TO ME OF HEAVEN.”<br> <br>

      DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      HOW EXCITING IT IS TO WATCH THE FIRST STEPS OF A SMALL LITTLE BABY.  AND HOW MANY THINGS A CHILD HAS TO LEARN AS THEY BEGIN TO WALK AND BECOME MOBILE IN THIS LIFE.  EVEN AS ADULTS WE OFTEN WONDER WHICH WAY TO GO OR WHICH ROAD TO TAKE.  SO, WHETHER YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A BABY IN A LITERAL SENSE OR A BABY IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE, WE ALL HAVE TO BEGIN SOMEWHERE TO BECOME WHAT WE ARE TODAY. 

      THE GREAT NEWS IS, WE CAN COUNT ON A LOT OF HELP ON THE WAY.   AGAIN WHETHER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST STEPS OF A CHILD OR THE FIRST STEPS OF A NEW CHILD OF GOD WE ALL NEED HELP.  THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THE ROLE OF THAT PARENT, THERE BESIDE US AS WE GROW, HOLDING OUR HAND.  THAT LOVING INDIVIDUAL READY TO CATCH US WHEN WE FALL.  WELL, IN OUR PHYSICAL LIVES WE DO HAVE THOSE WHO HELP AND THUS WE LEARN TO WALK, GROW AND TO BECOME THE ADULTS WE ARE.    SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING, WE ALSO HAVE THE PARENT - GOD IN HEAVEN. AGAIN, HE IS THERE, HOLDING OUR HAND, READY TO CATCH US WHEN WE FALL.  <br> <br>

      I THINK THAT DAVID UNDERSTOOD THIS WHEN HE SAID, “OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH,” PSALM 124:8.  WOW, WHAT A STATEMENT!   YES, WE HAVE HELP, AND IT COMES FROM GOD HIMSELF - BUT CONSIDER THE POWER OF THIS GOD WHO EXTENDS TO US THIS HELPING HAND.  THE VERSE SAID, HE IS THE ONE, “WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH.”  NOW THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE.  IF OUR GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND IF HE IS ABLE TO MAKE US AND EVEN BREATHE INTO OUR BODIES THE BREATH OF LIFE - JUST WHAT CAN’T HE DO?   <br> <br>

      THE SAME OLD TESTAMENT WRITER GOES ON TO SAY, “HE IS OUR HELP AND OUR SHIELD,” PSALM 33:20. IN PSALM 30:10, HE AGAIN CLARIFIES THAT GOD IS OUR, “HELPER!”  IN CHAPTER 55:4, WE READ, “GOD IS MY HELPER; THE LORD IS WITH THOSE WHO UPHOLD MY LIFE.”  HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO KNOW THAT OUR GOD IS THERE AND THAT HE IS NOT ONLY WILLING BUT ABLE TO UPHOLD OUR LIVES.  <br> <br>

      WHY NOT TRUST MORE IN THE LORD AND TURN YOUR LIFE OVER TO HIM.  AND NOT ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU WANT OR THINK, BUT ACCORDING TO WHAT HE DESIRES ACCORDING TO HIS LOVING AND PRECIOUS WILL.  ARE YOU RELYING ON THE HELP OF GOD?  ARE YOU COMPLETELY SUBMITTING TO HIS WILL?<br> <br>

      TODAY WE WILL BE CONTINUING OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “EVERYONE WHO LOVES IS BORN OF GOD!”  OUR NEXT LESSON IN THIS STUDY DEALS WITH, “FORGIVENESS!”  SO STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, I WILL BE LEADING US IN THE MAIN THOUGHTS OF THE DAY.  BUT FOR NOW LET’S JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE MORNING.  THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “SOFTLY AND TENDERLY.” 

<br> <br>

LESSON<br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING WITH US THIS DAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND CONSIDER ANOTHER LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO OUR LOVE AS SONS OF GOD, SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN THE FOLD OF GOD. WE ARE TO BE THOSE, WHO LIKE GOD,  ARE ESTABLISHED IN LOVE. AND WHILE WE'VE LOOKED TOGETHER NOW FOR SEVERAL WEEKS ARE DIFFERENT IDEAS THAT REALLY ARE ESTABLISHED IN CHARACTER AND ACTION THAT DEMONSTRATE THE LOVE THAT WE ARE TO BEAR AS CHILDREN OF GOD THE SAME WAY THAT GOD HIMSELF BEARS SUCH CHARACTERISTICS. <br> <br>

      THIS MORNING THEN WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IS REALLY FOUND MAYBE BASED IN WHAT WE CAN SEE IN LUKE CHAPTER 23. AND YOU REMEMBER WITH ME THERE WHERE JESUS HIMSELF HUNG ON THE CROSS, AND AS HE WAS CERTAINLY IN AGONY AND PAIN, HE MADE A STATEMENT. HE SAID, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.” YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT OF FORGIVENESS, FORGIVENESS IS A VERY BIG ISSUE. IT'S A TOPIC WITHIN THE BIBLE THAT IS PARAMOUNT, NOT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO WILL NEED TO KNOW GOD, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE SAVED. IN FACT, WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THE PLIGHT OF SIN, THAT THE WORLD HAS BEEN PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS AND SIN SEPARATES MANKIND, GOD'S CREATION FROM THE CREATOR HIMSELF. <br> <br>

      THEREFORE, WE HAVE THINGS THAT WE MUST DO IN ORDER TO BE SAVED AND GOD HAS THINGS THAT HE HAS OFFERED IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT BE SAVED. AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HE OFFERS IS FORGIVENESS. BUT THAT FORGIVENESS IS OFFERED THROUGH A VERY PRECIOUS THING. THE VERY BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. SO, THE FATHER ALLOWED HIS SON TO COME TO THE EARTH AND TO LIVE, TO SUFFER, AND EVEN TO DIE. IT IS FOUND HERE IN LUKE 23 TO BE PLACED ON THE CRUEL TREE OF CALVARY. IN THERE WITH PAIN AND ANGUISH, WHAT WAS JESUS THINKING ABOUT? HE WAS THINKING ABOUT THOSE WHO HAD CRUCIFIED HIM. HE WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU AND I. HE WAS THINKING ABOUT FORGIVENESS. AND BRETHREN AND FRIENDS, CERTAINLY WE KNOW THAT WE NEED FORGIVENESS AS THOSE OF GOD. <br> <br>

      I'M REMINDED OF SOMETHING ELSE THAT JESUS SAID EARLIER IN HIS MINISTRY. IT IS ACTUALLY RECORDED FOR US AT LEAST ONE TIME BACK IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW WITHIN THE GREAT SERMON ON THE MOUNT. THERE IN CHAPTER 6 OF MATTHEW WITHIN WHAT IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE MODEL PRAYER OR THAT PRAYER WHICH JESUS GAVE TO TEACH HIS DISCIPLES HOW TO PRAY AFTER THEY HAD ASKED HOW THEY SHOULD PRAY. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT AFTER HE HAS CERTAINLY GIVEN HOMAGE AND PRAISE TO THE FATHER. HE BEGINS MAKING SOME REQUESTS OF GOD AND THAT REQUEST THAT HE MAKES THERE AS HE TEACHES THEM IS THIS. VERSE 12, “AND FORGIVE US OF OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.” YOU SEE, GOD IS A GOD OF FORGIVENESS. AND WHAT MUST WE REQUEST? FORGIVENESS. WE HAVE TO ASK FORGIVENESS OF THE SINS THAT ARE IN OUR LIVES. <br> <br>

      BUT TIED WITH FORGIVENESS IS NOT JUST A WILLINGNESS TO SAY GOD, I AM SORRY. TIED WITH FORGIVENESS IS REPENTANCE. WELL, I'M VERY SADDENED THAT IN OUR DAY AND TIME, NOT ONLY THROUGHOUT THE DENOMINATIONAL WORLD, BUT IN MOST RELIGIONS PEOPLE SEEM VERY CONFUSED ABOUT REPENTANCE. THEY HAVE GONE SO FAR BASICALLY AS TO SAY WELL, REPENTANCE IS JUST SOMETHING I FEEL. REPENTANCE IS JUST SOMETHING THAT IS LIKE A WARM FEELING THAT I GET OR THAT IS PROVOKED BY SIN AND THEREFORE, I AM UPSET. REPENTANCE MIGHT INCLUDE THOSE THINGS BUT I MIGHT REMIND YOU THAT IN ACTS 2, WHEN IT SAYS THEY WERE TOLD TO REPENT, THEY CERTAINLY WERE TOLD TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SIN THAT THEY WERE ENGAGED IN. THAT SIN WAS PLACING JESUS ON THE CROSS. AND SO WHEN THEY WERE TOLD TO REPENT THEY HAD TO ACT UPON THAT. THEY WERE LED, AS CORINTHIANS SAYS, TO GODLY SORROW. IN ORDER TO DO WHAT? THE WORKS OF REPENTANCE. YOU SEE, THERE WAS SOMETHING TO DO IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THAT FORGIVENESS. YOU SEE, GOD WILL FORGIVE BUT WE HAVE TO CHANGE. <br> <br>

      LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT. LET'S SAY THAT I CHOOSE SIN. AND LET'S SAY THAT I HAVE ALREADY DETERMINED IN MY LIFE THAT I AM GOING TO REMAIN IN THIS SIN AND NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT. BUT EVERY DAY I'LL KEEP ASKING GOD TO FORGIVE ME OF THAT SIN EVEN THOUGH I'VE ALREADY COMMITTED AND I'VE ALREADY WITHIN MY HEART, WHICH GOD KNOWS, SAID I'M GOING TO CONTINUE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP OR IN THIS SIN OR IN THIS ADULTEROUS ACTIVITY OR IN THIS FORNICATION, ALTHOUGH I KNOW IT'S NOT RIGHT. WILL GOD FORGIVE US WHEN WE CHOOSE TO CONTINUE IN SIN? WHEN WE ARROGANTLY SAY WELL GOD, FORGIVE ME ANYWAY BUT I'M GONNA KEEP DOING IT. WELL, HOW SILLY. WE KNOW THAT GOD DOES NOT FORGIVE WILLFUL SIN. WHICH IS SIN THAT WE CHOOSE TO DO TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND WE DON'T REALLY, FROM THE HEART, REPENT WHICH MEANS ACKNOWLEDGE AND TURN AWAY. <br> <br>

      SO WE NEED FORGIVENESS. WE NEED THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD THAT WE MIGHT, AS IT SAYS HERE, BE THOSE WHO ARE FORGIVERS. THAT'S THE SECOND PART OF WHAT HE DEALS WITH HERE. HE SAYS THE ONE WHO FORGIVES IS THE ONE WHO'LL BE FORGIVEN. NOW WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE GOD FIRST SET THE STANDARD OF FORGIVENESS KNOWING OF SIN AND A NEED FOR MAN TO GET OUT OF SIN. GOD SAYS I WILL OFFER YOU FORGIVENESS THROUGH THE BLOOD OF MY SON. BUT NOTICE, EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT HAVE THAT FORGIVENESS, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? WE'RE SUPPOSED TO TURN AROUND AND BE FORGIVERS. <br> <br>

      WELL, LET ME THEN ASK YOU THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THAT COIN. IF I CHOOSE TO NOT BE A FORGIVER WILL I BE FORGIVEN? DO YOU REMEMBER A PARABLE THAT WE WERE OR THAT WE REALLY HEARD FROM JESUS ABOUT, THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT? THE SERVANT WHO HAD MAYBE A GREAT DEBT THAT HE OWED HIS MASTER OR THAT HE OWED ANOTHER. AND THAT INDIVIDUAL CAME TO HIM AND HE PLEADED AND HE SAID I JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY YOU BACK. AND HE WAS EXTENDED MERCY. HE WAS FORGIVEN IN A SENSE OF THE DEAD. HE WAS GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW THAT THERE WAS HOPE EVEN THOUGH HE HAD MADE HIMSELF TO BE FOUND IN SUCH A SITUATION THAT WAS OF DIFFICULTY. BUT THEN ON THE OTHER HAND THAT SAME SERVANT THEN WHEN OUT AND THERE WAS A FELLOW SERVANT THAT OWED JUST A LITTLE BIT. JUST A LITTLE BIT TO THAT MAN. AND WHEN HE SAW THAT SERVANT, HE SAID: YOU PAY ME WHAT YOU OWE OR ELSE. WELL, HE WASN'T WILLING TO EXTEND THAT SAME MERCY AND HE WASN'T WILLING EVEN TO EXTEND A SMALL FORGIVENESS IN COMPARISON TO WHAT HE HAD JUST BEEN FORGIVEN FOR. <br> <br>

      WHAT WAS THE RESULT? THE RESULT WAS THE MASTER WAS FURIOUS. THE MASTER, THE CONCEPT OF GOD BEING FURIOUS, THAT WE WOULD BE SO ARROGANT AS TO THINK THAT GOD FORGIVES ME OF MY MULTITUDE OF SINS AND THEN I TURN AROUND AND AM UNWILLING TO FORGIVE SOMEONE THAT HAS ASKED ME TO FORGIVE THEM. WELL YOU SEE, WE MUST HAVE THE CHARACTER OF GOD. AND THANKFULLY OUR GOD DOESN'T HAVE THE ATTITUDE, SPIRIT, AND WORDS THAT MOST OF US DO. THANKFULLY OUR GOD DOESN'T SAY OH, I'M NOT GOING TO FORGIVE YOU THIS TIME. I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF IT. OUR GOD HAS SAID THAT IF WE COME TO HIM WITH A SINCERE HEART AND ASK FORGIVENESS AND WE DESIRE TO LEAVE THOSE SINS AND TURN AWAY, HE WILL - NOT MIGHT - HE WILL ALWAYS FORGIVE. <br> <br>

      WELL, BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE SINS THAT WE KIND OF KEEP COMING BACK TO? ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH SIN IS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN SINS THAT MIGHT BE A BURDEN TO YOU THAT AREN'T TO ME - AND VICE VERSA. THERE MIGHT BE SINS THAT ARE A STRUGGLE FOR ME THAT DON'T BOTHER YOU AT ALL BECAUSE WE'RE ALL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WE'RE ALL MADE DIFFERENT SO OUR TEMPTATIONS SOMETIMES ARE IN TUNE WITH WHAT MIGHT CAUSE US TO BE TEMPTED MORE BECAUSE OF THE DESIRE THAT WE HAVE AND OUR DESIRES, FRANKLY AGAIN, SOMEWHAT ARE DIFFERENT. AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT IDEA WE UNDERSTAND THEN IN OUR WANT TO BE FORGIVEN, WE AT TIMES WILL MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE. <br> <br>

      IT'S VERY HARD SOMETIMES FOR SOMEONE WHO IS WITHIN AN ADDICTION TO NOT RETURN TO THAT ADDICTION. IN FACT, YOU'LL FIND THE STATISTICS ARE VERY HIGH THAT EVEN AFTER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN, MAYBE SOBER FOR A WHILE OR OFF OF DRUGS, THAT AT TIMES THEY DO HAVE THOSE RELAPSES. WHY? BECAUSE IT'S THOSE SINS THAT ARE APPEALING TO US THAT KEEP DRAGGING US BACK. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT FORGIVEN. IF WE'RE SINCERE AND WE ASK FORGIVENESS AND WE SAY I'M GONNA LEAVE THESE THINGS - GOD FORGAVE US BUT IT'S THOSE FLESHLY APPEALS THAT KEEPS SOMETIMES PULLING US BACK. THOSE EVIL COMPANIONS THAT AGAIN, TEMPT US OR BRING US BACK TO THE SAME PLACE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED AWAY FROM.<br> <br> 

      I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING WITH ME OVER IN MATTHEW 18 THAT THE DISCIPLES WERE DEALING WITH JESUS HIMSELF TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW OFTEN WE SHOULD FORGIVE OTHERS. AND IT'S BASED ON HOW OFTEN GOD WILL FORGIVE US. BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE MIGHT BEGIN TO FEEL HELPLESS AND SAY OH, I'VE COMMITTED THAT SIN BEFORE AND GOD'S JUST NOT GONNA FORGIVE ME OF THAT. BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE AGAIN SEE THAT THE STRUGGLE THAT WE HAVE IS A CONTINUOUS STRUGGLE IN MANY OF THE SAME AREAS, EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT BE SINCERE IN OUR SORROW WHEN WE ASK FORGIVENESS OR REPENT. LOOK THERE IN VERSE 21 OF MATTHEW 18. AND THEN PETER SAID TO HIM LORD, HOW OFTEN SHALL MY BROTHERS SIN AGAINST ME AND I FORGIVE HIM UP TO SEVEN TIMES. BOY, PETER WAS BEING LENIENT WASN'T HE? HE SAYS IF MY BROTHER COMES TO ME AND HE SAYS I WASN'T TRUTHFUL WITH YOU THERE AND I ASK FORGIVENESS AND SEVEN TIMES I'M MARKING THEM DOWN. SEVEN TIMES AND THEN I DON'T HAVE TO FORGIVE HIM ANYMORE. DOESN'T THAT SOUND LIKE ENOUGH LORD? IT'S KIND OF WHAT PETER SEEMS TO BE INFERRING. <br> <br>

      BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE RESPONSE THAT JESUS GIVES ABOUT FORGIVENESS. THAT RESPONSE IS THERE IN VERSE 22 WHERE IT SAYS I DO NOT SAY TO YOU UP TO SEVEN TIMES BUT 70 TIMES SEVEN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MATHEMATICIAN TO FIGURE OUT THAT'S 490 TIMES AND THAT'S A LOT OF COUNTING, NUMBER ONE, IF YOU WERE KEEPING UP WITH IT. BUT IF YOU'RE NOT EVEN KEEPING UP WITH IT OR YOU ARE KEEPING UP WITH IT, THE POINT IS PROBABLY CLEAR. AS MANY TIMES AS IT TAKES. AS LONG AS THE HEART IS. WHY? I'M SO THANKFUL THAT GOD CHALLENGES US TO BE LIKE THAT BECAUSE WHAT IT TELLS ME IS THAT'S WHAT HE IS LIKE. BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT I HAVE COMMITTED THE SAME SIN TENS EVEN HUNDREDS OF TIMES AND I AM STILL MOVED TO SORROW. AND I'M STILL MOVED TO TEARS. AND I'M STILL UPSET. I CAN BE FORGIVEN BY MY GOD. HE KNOWS MY HEART. HE KNOWS WHETHER I HAVE BEEN MOVED WITH COMPASSION. HE KNOWS WHETHER I HAVE BEEN PRICKED OR CUT TO THE HEART. AND THEREFORE, HE KNOWS WHETHER I AM SINCERE. GOD FORGIVES AND FORGIVES AND FORGIVES. <br> <br>

      SO WHAT TYPE OF SPIRIT MUST WE HAVE? WELL, THE VERY SAME IN THE FACT THAT GOD FORGIVES ME AND GOD WILL EVEN FORGIVE ME, AS PETER SAID HERE, OF THE SIN OF MY BROTHER AGAINST ME, WHETHER IT BE THE SAME SIN OR EVEN DIFFERENT SINS. HOW OFTEN DO I HAVE TO FORGIVE MY BROTHER?  AS MANY TIMES AS IT TAKES. AS LONG AS HE STILL, IN A SINCERE WAY FROM THE HEART, IS BEGGING YOUR FORGIVENESS AND WANTING TO GET HIMSELF RIGHT WITH YOU AND IT IS CREATOR. NO WONDER, NO WONDER THAT WE HAVE SUCH EXAMPLES THEN IN SCRIPTURES LIKE MATTHEW 18 AGAIN, WHERE WE FIND THAT IF WE HAVE A BROTHER OR A SISTER WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING THAT HAS OFFENDED US OR HURT US,  WE ARE TO GO TO THEM. WHY? TO WORK IT OUT. TO WORK IT OUT. THAT THEY MIGHT FORGIVE US OR THAT WE MIGHT ASK THEM TO SAY THEY'RE SORRY AND THAT WE MIGHT FORGIVE THEM.<br> <br> 

      YOU SEE, ONE OF THE VERY BASIC THINGS, THE FUNDAMENTAL THINGS OF RELATIONSHIPS, ARE THE ABILITY THAT WE HAVE TO FORGIVE. BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES. YOU'RE NOT PERFECT AND I'M NOT PERFECT. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'VE BEEN MARRIED A YEAR OR FIVE YEARS OR 100 YEARS. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'VE BEEN DATING SOMEONE FOR A LONG TIME. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE JUST FRIENDS. EVEN FAMILY, DEAR AND CLOSE FAMILY, HAVE PROBLEMS. AND WITHIN THOSE PROBLEMS, WHAT THEY FIND THEY NEED THE MOST IS AN ABILITY TO BE FORGIVEN AS WELL AS AN ABILITY TO FORGIVE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY AGAIN I AM SO THANKFUL THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND IN FORGIVENESS THAT GOD FORGIVES US AND THEREFORE WE MUST FORGIVE OTHERS.<br> <br> 

      THERE IS ANOTHER ASPECT TO FORGIVENESS THAT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME THAT'S FOUND OVER IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS. AND THERE, AS THE HEBREW WRITERS MAKING SOME COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW LAW, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT HE SAYS SPECIFICALLY IN CHAPTER 8. THAT IS A QUOTE FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT ABOUT A TIME THAT WAS COMING THAT WE ACTUALLY SEE NOW AS BEING FULFILLED THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS. IT WAS WAITING FOR THE TIME WHEN THE PERFECT SACRIFICE HAD BEEN MADE. THAT IS AGAIN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. AND THERE IN CHAPTER 8 IN VERSE 12, HERE IS THE QUOTE, “FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.” WELL, YOU KNOW GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS. YOU THINK GOD HAS THE ABILITY TO REMEMBER ALL THINGS? CERTAINLY HE DOES. SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT HE WILL NO LONGER HOLD THEM AGAINST US OR TO OUR ACCOUNT. IT MEANS HE'S TAKEN THAT ERASER, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE IT FUZZY IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT HE'S TAKEN THAT ERASER AND HE'S REMOVED IT AND WHAT WAS THERE NO LONGER MATTERS. <br> <br>

      WELL, WHAT ELSE DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT FORGIVENESS? IT TELLS ME THAT WHEN I FORGIVE I NEED TO FORGET. I NEED TO TRY TO NO LONGER HOLD THOSE THINGS TO THE ACCOUNT OF OR THE CHARGE OF THE INDIVIDUAL THAT I AM FORGIVING OR WHO HAS ASKED FORGIVENESS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S A HARD THING TO DO ISN'T IT? IT'S A HARD THING TO, AS WE MIGHT SAY, FORGET BECAUSE WE HAVE GOOD MINDS AND WE CAN REMEMBER THINGS. CAN YOU REMEMBER THINGS BROTHERS? WHAT ABOUT SISTERS? I KNOW MY WIFE CAN REMEMBER THINGS THAT I SOMETIMES WONDER CAN IT BE TRUE? SOME PEOPLE HAVE GREAT MEMORIES. BUT WE'VE GOT TO LEARN TO BE ABLE TO FORGET IN THE SENSE OF NOT HOLDING THAT AGAINST SOMEONE. IF MY BROTHER OR MY SISTERS COME UP TO ME AND THEY SAY I AM SORRY, I NEED TO FORGIVE THEM AND NO LONGER HOLD IT AGAINST THEM. WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK ON ISN'T IT? THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOWARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ABLE TO TREAT MY BROTHER AS CHRIST WOULD HAVE ME TO TREAT HIM THE MOMENT AFTER HE HAS ASKED FORGIVENESS. AND I'VE FORGIVEN HIM AS I WAS TREATING HIM BEFORE THE EVENT, WHICH I FELT WAS AN OFFENSE, EVER TOOK PLACE. <br> <br>

      AREN'T YOU THANKFUL FOR A GOD WHO FORGIVES YOU AND NO LONGER HOLDS ON YOUR ACCOUNT ANY CHARGES AGAINST YOU THAT HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN. AND AREN'T YOU THANKFUL THAT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE SAME FOR YOUR FELLOW MAN AS WELL AS YOUR BRETHREN. TO FORGIVE THEM OF THEIR TRESPASSES WHEN THEY ASK AND TO ALSO NO LONGER HOLDETH THEIR CHARGE. IF WE DO THESE THINGS AS GOD HAS COMMANDED AND IF WE WILL FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE THAT HE HAS LEFT US, WE WILL LEARN TO BE THE FORGIVERS THAT GOD WANTS US TO BE. AND AS THOSE FORGIVERS THAT GOD WANTS US TO BE, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN BE ASSURED OF - WE WILL BE FORGIVEN. AND THE FORGIVEN WHO ARE FAITHFUL WILL RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      WHAT A BLESSING IT HAS BEEN TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THE THINGS OF GOD THIS MORNING.  THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR PART IN MAKING ALL THESE THINGS TO BE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.  AS ALWAYS, WE INVITE YOU BACK EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS OFFERING FOR GOD!  <br> <br>

      BUT FOR NOW, LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM?  POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES?  NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>

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      MAY WE FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF FORGIVENESS WHICH JESUS SET FOR US IN HIS WORD, THE BIBLE!  REMEMBER, THE FORGIVER WILL BE FORGIVEN! FURTHERMORE, THE FORGIVER WILL RECEIVE THE GREAT REWARDS PROMISED BY GOD?  ARE YOU A FORGIVER?<br> <br>