THE BEAUTY OF FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is sweet and also bitter. It is sweet when we have offended someone badly and the person decides to forgive us. It is bitter when someone does something bad to us and the pain is so much yet they want us to forgive them.

So, why is forgiveness beautiful? This and other things will form the bases for our discussion today and it is my prayer that God will help all of us to understand the beauty of forgiveness.

Ricky Jackson is a 57 year old man who was wrongly accused for murder and spent 39 years in prison. The witness who claimed he saw Ricky Jackson killed another man was a 12 year old boy who was forced by the police back then told a lie that he saw Ricky Jackson. After 39 years in prison, the boy who was the witness is now an old man, told his pastor that he was forced to tell a lie so his pastor encouraged him to speak out and that was how Ricky Jackson was released from the prison.

The amazing thing about the story I am telling you is that Ricky Jackson was not angry or bitter towards the man that lied against him but he was happy that finally the truth came out and he is free. He refused to be angry or to decide that he will never forgive the people that put him in prison for 39 years. (source: http://fox8.com/2014/11/19/wrongly-convicted-man-in-prison-39-year-about-to-get-out-after-confession/)

What is forgiveness?

Somebody defines forgiveness as giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me. Another person says:

 Forgiveness takes place when the person who was offended and justly angered by the offender bears his own anger, and lets the other go free. Anger cannot be ignored, denied, or forgotten without doing treachery in hidden ways. It must be dealt with responsibly, honestly, in a decisive act of the will. Either the injured and justifiably angry person vents his feelings on the other in retaliation__(that is an attempt at achieving justice as accuser, judge, and hangman all in one)__or the injured person may choose to accept his angry feelings, bear the burden of them personally, find release through confession and prayer and set the other person free. (David Augsburger, cherishable: Love and Marriage, 141-144

Matt 18:21-35

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.  26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'  29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'   30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.  31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.  32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.  33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'  34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."  NKJV

 Lessons

From the verses we read in the Bible, let us look at the message God has for us about forgiveness

1.     How many times should I forgive? Peter asked Jesus. Is it seven times in a day? The answer that Jesus gave him is seventy times seven which is 490 times in one day. V 21-22

2.     A servant was forgiven by his master because he owed a lot of money and could not pay back. His master decided to cancel all his debt. V 23-27

3.     Another person who owes the forgiven servant asked for forgiveness but the man refused and put him in prison. Even though he was forgiven, he refused to forgive others. V 28-30

4.     The forgiven servant was thrown into the prison for not forgiving another person as he was forgiven. V 31-34

5.     God will not forgive us if we refuse to forgive other people from our hearts. V 35

Why is it important for us to forgive?

1.     God want us to be like him because he always forgives us all our wrongs. This is because we are created in his image and likeness.

2.     When we forgive we demonstrate the love of God.

3.     None of us is perfect.

4.     When we forgive God will be proud of us and bless us.

5.     When we forgive we stay healthy and can create room for others to be like us.

6.     Forgiveness brings us closer to God and also closer to one another.

 The beauty of forgiveness is that when God forgives he does not have a back up or keeps data of our past. So also when we forgive, our past will eventually loose grip and we will be free from hurt, pain, disappointment.

When you forgive you are not doing people favour but yourself because you will no longer remain in the prison of your emotions.

Being Complete

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Tim 3:16-17 NIV

Every parent’s delight is to see their children grow and develop in every area of their lives. When you birthed a child and the child grows to talk, walk, hear, and fit in every area of life you feel very happy. Even happier is the parent whose child is both physically and mentally sound and without any form of deficiency or deformity.

 After delivery, it is expected that the child eats well and is properly taken care of so that the proper development of the child to maturity is guaranteed. Suffice to say that many things come to play before a person becomes a grown, matured individual. The areas that guarantees the future of the individual starts from conception and development in the womb, then childhood, teenage stage, young adult, and finally a mature adult. Each stage is important and depends on the preceding stage to evolve and become complete.

When an individual becomes born again, the person is likened to a new born baby and is expected to be fed with milk and as the child grows, other forms of nourishment will be introduced to facilitate growth and development.

The word of God which is also called the scripture is what God uses to feed us to grow to maturity in him. What it does to us to so unique and its transforming power is real. The four areas mentioned in the passage above will help us become complete.

All scripture is God-breathed. It means that the word of God proceeds from him. When you read or study the word you take in the breath or life of God into you. This life of God that you take in is what is going to transform you to become a mature individual. The word of God is the food we need to feed on to grow and blossom. The function of the word to an individual is as follows:

1.      Teaching: The word teaches us so that we know God’s mind.

2.      Rebuking: The word rebukes us by disapproving things we do that are wrong

3.      Correcting: The word corrects us so that we learn to do things right

4.      Training in Righteousness: The word trains us with all the necessary tools needed to lead a right life in our thinking and action.

When the word is fully established in your life, you will be equipped and complete to do good works that will glorify God.

GIVE THANKS

‘‘Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’’ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

 A woman once told me that she can go all the way to do things for her younger son but she cannot see herself going the extra mile for her older son. She even said that her younger son has a way of getting things from her because he appreciates whatever is given to him.

Thank you is a word of appreciation that usually comes from the depth of the heart. It is a response to something done that is so unique and comes from a thoughtful heart. It is the acceptance of what is been done with joy and excitement and gratitude. Thank you is a way of recognizing the love that is been expressed and placing value on the love received.

We are to give thanks in every circumstance so that we do not complain to God or to someone else. Whether the circumstance is pleasant or unpleasant, all that matters is for us to find reasons to say thank you. It helps us accept whatsoever that comes our way in good faith without premonitions in our hearts. It helps us see more of God behind every event that comes our way than evil that comes from men or the devil.

The will of God for us is to say thank you in all circumstances. Why will this be the will of God? He wants us to be happy and appreciative. He wants us to recognize him in control of our daily lives so that only him will take the glory.

When we give thanks we enthrone God in the most important place in our heart and we recognize no other power or authority or being above Him.

EXPRESSING FAITH THROUGH LOVE

‘‘For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love’’ Galatians 5:6

How you were born or where you were born has nothing to do with where your life is heading to. Sometimes we feel that we are incapacitated because of our natural disposition in life, and we do not thrive well because we are not our true representatives. The reason for our lackluster lifestyle is because we think that we are inadequate.

In Christ however, we are not inadequate. We are complete and equal before Him no matter how one is highly or lowly placed or how and where and to whom we are born to. In Christ, all that counts is faith expressing itself through love. No background information is needed. Whether you were born outside wedlock or by a prostitute; whether your dad was a pastor or a drunkard; all these are immaterial. Sometimes we boast about how holy we are and tend to have a feeling of super righteousness than others; and sometimes we feel that God loves us better than the people who wrecked their lives before accepting Christ. No matter how genuine our reasons are, they amount to nothing in the real sense.

What makes Christianity a way of life which is unique and different from other world religions is that it is first of all personal, then communal, and it flows out in love to others whether they are Christians or not. This is the bedrock of Christianity and no Christian will live without receiving the love of God and giving it out to others.

Long time ago, there arose a serious problem that was tearing a Christian community apart. The problem started in a town called Galatia, which is a cosmopolitan society with variety of people. The main issue was about circumcision and uncircumcision. Since Galatia is a mix society, the Jewish Christians were holding on to circumcision as the ultimate and looking down on the uncircumcised Gentile Christians as inferiors. The whole issue is about the Jewish nationality instead of a Christian nation where everything is made new and fresh in Christ Jesus. What we see in this community is Christianity by tribal affiliation or in our context ‘‘Church’’ instead of living the practical life and example that Christ set for us to follow.

The life of a Christian is a life of expression. Our faith has something that cannot be suppressed. So, what “counts is faith expressing itself through love.” We have faith in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We look up to Him because we know that all we ever desire or need can be met only by Him. In relying totally on Him, we receive His nature of love and in living our lives daily, that nature that we received overshadows us and comes out to other people. That is why Paul told the Galatian community that “the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love”. If there is anything to boast about, it should be love, nothing more or less.

What is love then? Love is the best thing that we have and treasure most. To some, love is fame, name, and power; while to others, it is wealth, beauty, and ego. Love could also mean anger, pride, and manipulation (remember that whatsoever is best and treasured is love).

For Christians, love is a compound word with so much to offer. Love is forgiveness, acceptance, and submission. Love is bearing with one another, it is showing kindness and dispelling envy; love does not brag or pride in anything. It does not become rude to other people to please self nor does it keep record of people’s wrongs nor does it get offended easily.

Love is always truthful and has no room for evil. It is a shield that protects, it hopes in something good; it trusts and never gives up. It upholds and never let anyone down. When we focus on our faith which is expressed through love, we will be so consumed in it that nothing else will take our time and attention from the life and character of Christ to trivial things.

So, show me that you are a person of faith, show me love not your religious perfection. Love is all I need from you. Love is all I ever wanted. Love is what we all desire to experience in our daily lives.