Why do we find it hard to forgive? Depending on the offense, the frequency, the person, and the depth of hurt caused to you, forgiving someone may be one of the most difficult things you ever do. But why is that? There are many reasons, but a contributing factor that often gets in the way is nothing more than the natural impulses of our flesh. We feel a loss of control; we think justice is no longer pursued and transgressions are overlooked, etc. Two of the most common reasons we struggle to forgive are because we sense a lack of authenticity or because we want the pain they caused to be felt in return. Deep down, there is this dark side to our thought process that desires the transgressor to suffer in some way. But in the end, by remaining angry we are inevitably allowing their offense to continue to hurt us. Nothing good comes from harboring bitterness or resentment. Scripture is clear: withholding forgiveness is a sinful, godless response that should not characterize a follower of Christ (Mt 6:12; Mk 11:25; Col 3:13). In this week’s sermon text, Luke describes an encounter that Jesus has with a prostitute woman grieving over her sin (Lk 7:36-50). The forgiveness he offers shocks the audience observing this bizarre scene. This story is not some random isolated event. Luke includes this amazing episode in his account of Jesus’s ministry so his audience can see the transformative work Jesus has come to perform in all our hearts. This woman, who is perceived to be a degenerate sinner, receives God’s loving forgiveness despite her past. Her life is forever changed. No longer is she held captive by her sin or tormented by her guilt. Jesus tells her to “go in peace.” Only when we feel the weight of that burden lifted will we readily forgive. Only when we recognize the severity of our sin will we see the depth of God’s loving compassion. Don’t take lightly the undeserved forgiveness you have received on the account of Chris’s work on the cross. Don’t be like the unforgiving lender in Matthew 18, having received forgiveness from the king for some enormous amount of money, only to turn around and withhold forgiveness from his neighbor. Let your response to those who sin against you stem from a greater awe of Christ’s compassionate love for you. May God help us “forgive one another just as God in Christ has forgiven you” (Eph 4:13). –Pastor Nate
Sunday at Liberty
9AM: Baptists in America–Civil War/Split over Slavery
10AM: Pastor Rory–A God Who Forgives–Luke 7:36-50 (sermon notes)
6PM: Evening Gathering at the Wagners’
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