Sermon Devotion for the Week
Week 4 – "If you do not forgive."
Introduction
There are Chicago Cubs fans who will never forgive Chicago-native Steve Bartman for reaching out to catch a fly ball...an action some believe cost them a trip to the 2003 World Series. There are Beatles fans who are convinced that John Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono, was instrumental in the band's breakup and will therefore never forgive her. These sorts of grudges can be seen throughout history and in all areas of life.
Questions
1. Who is someone in popular culture that you will never be able to "forgive"?
2. Read Luke 6:37. What is your reaction to Jesus' words "forgive and you will be forgiven"?
3. Read Matthew 6:9-12, 14-15. Jesus is in the middle of teaching his disciples to pray when he says these words. How do these statements relate to the rest of the prayer?
4. On a scale of 1 – 10 how easy is it for you to forgive (one being that you constantly forgive people, ten being that you enjoy holding grudges)? Why can it be so hard for us to forgive?
5. One of the most difficult concepts to grasp regarding forgiveness is that we will likely never feel like forgiving. However forgiveness is not a feeling, it is an action. To forgive is to give up your right to revenge on someone else. When in your life have you truly forgiven someone...even when you did not feel like it? What was that like for you?
6. What prevents us from being people who are eager to forgive?
What now?
Jesus talked a lot about forgiveness. Take a look at Matthew 18:23-35.
Who in your life do you need to forgive? What steps are you willing to take towards forgiving them this week?
Introduction
There are Chicago Cubs fans who will never forgive Chicago-native Steve Bartman for reaching out to catch a fly ball...an action some believe cost them a trip to the 2003 World Series. There are Beatles fans who are convinced that John Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono, was instrumental in the band's breakup and will therefore never forgive her. These sorts of grudges can be seen throughout history and in all areas of life.
Questions
1. Who is someone in popular culture that you will never be able to "forgive"?
2. Read Luke 6:37. What is your reaction to Jesus' words "forgive and you will be forgiven"?
3. Read Matthew 6:9-12, 14-15. Jesus is in the middle of teaching his disciples to pray when he says these words. How do these statements relate to the rest of the prayer?
4. On a scale of 1 – 10 how easy is it for you to forgive (one being that you constantly forgive people, ten being that you enjoy holding grudges)? Why can it be so hard for us to forgive?
5. One of the most difficult concepts to grasp regarding forgiveness is that we will likely never feel like forgiving. However forgiveness is not a feeling, it is an action. To forgive is to give up your right to revenge on someone else. When in your life have you truly forgiven someone...even when you did not feel like it? What was that like for you?
6. What prevents us from being people who are eager to forgive?
What now?
Jesus talked a lot about forgiveness. Take a look at Matthew 18:23-35.
Who in your life do you need to forgive? What steps are you willing to take towards forgiving them this week?
posted by darrel at
1:48 PM
<< Home