Intimate Absolution Part Two

Intimate Absolution has three key components:
      1.      Reveal the Biblical meaning for forgiveness (see Part One for details)

2.      Resolve to follow the Biblical command to forgive

3.      Relinquish our feelings in order to stand in submission to the Biblical promises about forgiveness

Resolve to follow the Biblical command to forgive: Intimate Absolution requires obedience on our part. God forgives us and then commands us to forgive others. No exceptions. Once we are in right relationship with God we have to look at how we are relating to others….

·         Horizontal forgiveness – between you and others.

·         Remember the greatest commandment Matthew 22:37-40: Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

·         Matthew 6:14-15: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father for give your trespasses.

·         Matthew 5:23-24: Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. Be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

·         Mark 11:25-26: And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in Heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses.

·         I know you need forgiveness….we all do (Romans 3:23, 6:23)….and Jesus is saying without exception to receive you have to be willing to also forgive.

·         He even told an amazing parable about this:  

Matthew 18:21-35: Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 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. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'   Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.  "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!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 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. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.  "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

·         Unforgiveness is like poisoning yourself in order to exact revenge on someone who hurt you.

§  Futile: does not hurt the other person at all

§  Destroys you from the inside and defiles EVERYONE around you

§  Hebrews 12:14:15: Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.

§  Kids in a divorce where one parent is bitter

§  Friendships

§  Church splits

Please hear me…refusing to forgive the one who hurt you is saying, “The blood of Jesus is not enough.” Because Jesus died to pay for the sins of the whole world

o   Colossians 3:12-13: Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do

§  Molestation

§  Drunk driver who killed your family members on their way home from church

§  Husband who betrayed you by having an affair with your best friend

§  Terrorists who fly the planes into the twin towers on 9/11

·         Whose sins is weighing on you now?

o    Is it your husband’s, your son, your best friend’s, someone in this room tonight, or is it your own?

o   Will you look at the cross, see His blood covering and washing away that sin that is hurting you.

o   Love Jesus by loving the one who has sinned against you.

·         Jesus loves sinners…therefore, so should we! Our world is in desperate need of this covering love.  You have it in limitless measure….don’t hold back!

o   Proverbs 10:12: Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.