Challenges to the Spirit

People Irritate

act rudely publicly

embarrass unfair /

unreasonable deceitful,

hypocritical break promises selfish, lazy at

work don’t pay debts

People Injure speak evil behind

back spread false

reports misrepresent exaggerate faults judge motives put evil

constructions on words and actions

Haughty, Proud lord it over disrespect authority selfish and rude - no

regard for neighbor self-willed – must

have own way

Vengeful, Malicious

return evil for evil hold a grudge act hatefully pleased when

others are in adversity

act in ill-will to those with honor & prosperity

Challenges to the Spirit

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Relationships are…

The meaning of life.

The only things that last.

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“We all stumble in many ways.”

James 3:2

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How We Respond To Hurt…

Rumination – Thinking ourselves to death.

Retribution – I don’t get mad, I get even.

Repression – I’m fine, really. Just

fine.

Reconciliation – Forgiveness is the key.

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“Forgiveness is a beautiful word,

until you have somethingto forgive.”

~ C. S. Lewis

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“The rule of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth cannot

sustain itself forever;

ultimately both parties end up

blind and toothless.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

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The single most important concept in Christianity is

that of forgiveness.

cf. The Prodigal Son

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God Loves To Forgive

Micah 7:18-19

18 Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.

19 He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

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God Loves To Forgive

Psalm 103:8-148 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy... 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

The Unforgiving Servant

1. We Are All Debtors (18:23-26)

18:23 – God will settle accounts with all men someday. (2 Cor. 5:10)

18:24 – Our debt for sin is unpayable. (Heb. 10:4; Rom. 4:1-2)

18:25 – Justice requires payment of all that can be paid – our very soul. (Rom. 6:33)

18:26 – Without mercy we are helpless and without hope. (Rom. 5:6; Eph. 2:12)

The Unforgiving Servant

2. God Is Compassionate and Merciful (18:27)

God does not want us to be separated from Him forever.

God mercifully provides for our forgiveness (while demonstrating His perfect justice - Rom. 3:26)

The Unforgiving Servant

3. God Requires Us to be Merciful to Our Fellow Man (18:28-30)

18:28 – The forgiven slave is harsh to

his fellow debtor slave.

18:29 – His fellow slave pleads for mercy.

18:30 – He gives him justice, not mercy.

The Unforgiving Servant

4. God’s Wrath Is Upon the Unmerciful (18:31-35)

18:31 – His fellow slaves see his lack of mercy and it grieves them.

18:32-34 – His Master carries out the original just punishment.

18:35 – The Lesson: God will not forgive us unless we forgive our brother from our heart. (Matt. 5:7)

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Two Aspects Of Forgiveness

God so loved the world that He

gave His only Son (God’s heart). Jesus died for us

while we were yet sinners (Christ’s heart).

But our sins were forgiven AFTER we repented and obeyed the gospel (the

necessary process).

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Forgive Like the Lord

Colossians 3:13…forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

Ephesians 4:32Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

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“Heart” Forgiveness

Luke 23:34 - Jesus“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Acts 7:60 - Stephen“Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”

Mark 11:25“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.”

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A Heart Willing to Forgive

The ONLY way relationships can be

maintained in families or churches is for us to have a

heart that is willing to forgive.

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A Heart Problem

Instead of resolving relationship problems

we tend to harbor resentments and hold

grudges.

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Man’s Great Challenge

Difficult

1. The forgiving heart we have for one who repeatedly hurts us and repents each time.

Jesus’ Warning About Stumbling Blocks – Luke 17:1-5

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Man’s Great Challenge

More Difficult

2. The forgiving heart we have for one who does not ask for forgiveness, does not repent, and keeps doing us wrong.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain

Luke 6:27-38

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Man’s Great Challenge

Most Difficult

3. The forgiving heart we have for someone who does not ask for it, does not repent, keeps hurting us, and mocks us for even offering it.

Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross

Luke 23:34

Applications in the Home

We see frailties and weaknesses and errors in family members repeatedly.

It’s easy for repetitive behaviors to get under our skin.

“It’s been long enough! They ought to know better!”

“I’ve seen this kind of behavior too long and I’VE HAD IT!”

Applications in the Church

Suffer long with personalities of others

Suffer long with weaknesses of others

Suffer long with poor judgment of others

Suffer long with poor handling of matters

Suffer long with impositions put upon you

Suffer long with everything in everybody (restore those caught in sin)

How Do We Respond?

Hateful comments

Sarcastic remarks

Arguing

Yelling

Apathy

Where is the fruit of the Spirit?

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Remedies To Bitterness

1. We are to quickly resolve our anger before we develop a bitter heart.• Ephesians 4:26-27 is a serious

warning. Unresolved anger gives the devil a foothold. He can attack every area of our lives and strangle the spiritual life right out of us.

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Remedies To Bitterness

2. We are to do good to those who hurt us. • This is NOT optional; it is a

command.

• We must let God provide His justice in His time.

Luke 6:27-28 Romans 12:17-21

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Remedies To Bitterness

3. We are to follow God’s ways of handling problems.

We must not talk with others about how someone has hurt us. That is called tale-bearing or gossip.

We must either cease to dwell on our hurt, or resolve issues scripturally.

Matthew 18:15-17; Matthew 5:24

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Remedies To Bitterness

4. We are to admit our sin in allowing a root of bitterness to grow in us.• When we harbor resentment in our

heart toward those who hurt us, we are just as guilty as they are in the eyes of the Lord.

• Our soul can be in danger. 1 John 1:9

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Relationships are…

The meaning of life.

The only things that last.

Will You Become A Christian?

Hear The Gospel (Rom. 10:17)

Believe in Jesus as the Son of God (John 8:24)

Repent of Your Sins (Acts 17:30)

Confess Jesus as the Son of God (Acts 8:37)

Be Baptized for Forgiveness of Sins (Acts 2:38)

Live Faithfully Until You Die (Rev. 2:10)