My Epic Journey

BOTTOM LINE: Letting go involves identifying the offense and trusting God to fix what was broken.

INTRODUCTION

Forgiveness is necessary.

It’s a must if we are to become the people God designed us to be.

TENSION

Our memories aren’t always the most reliable things when it comes to recounting what has happened in our past.

Our memory can get infused with so many powerful emotions.

The offense against us can become beside the point, and the bigger issue is the person.

If you aren’t careful, you can focus on the “wrongness” of this person and all that this individual represents, and lose sight of the specifics—the thing they did that hurt you.

We begin to mistake our personal feelings towards someone as God’s feelings towards them.

TRUTH

Forgiving someone. Moving on. It sounds so simple.

"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."  (Jeremiah 31.34b)

Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. (Hebrews 10.17-18) 

So how do we get to the point where we move on, where we are able to move past the pain?

APPLICATION

Three ways God forgives us:

1.  He actively chooses not to bring up the sin to HIMSELF.

2.  He actively chooses not to bring up the sin to OTHERS.

3.  He actively chooses not to bring up the sin to YOU.

LANDING

Forgiveness doesn’t come naturally, or easily.

Two choices:  Hold on to the past and let it dominate your life OR forgive as Christ forgave and live a life of freedom.

What will it be?

TOPIC: The NeverEnding Story: Participate In

TEXT: Luke 1.26-55 (New International Version)

How Can I Participate in the Story?

1.Know the STORY.  Mary felt more assured that everything was okay because she knew God’s story.

2.Know your ROLE.  If you are either young or old, big or little, male or female, God has a role for you and the sooner you know it the quicker you will be able to participate in the story.

3.Don’t be AFRAID.  It had to be scary for Mary to tell her parents and Joseph about the new role she found herself in but that didn’t stop her.  Don’t let fear hinder you from doing what God wants you to do.

4.Just DO IT!  Most of us are really good at coming up with excuses.  Stop!  Instead of putting all your energy into excuse-making, just do what God asks you to do.

Here is the teaching outline for week 2 in our series, The Invisibles. 

The Invisibles (2): In Focus

Deuteronomy 10.17-19 (NLT)

17 “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. 18 He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. 19 So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. 20 You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone. 21 He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.

Our response to each other:

1. Show no partiality

2. Look after those in need

3. Love those outside the group

4. Clothe and feed them

Our Response to God:

1. Fear Him

2. Worship Him

3. Cling to Him

4. Praise Him

Micah 6.8 (NIV)

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.