FORGIVENESS

Compasion drove everything jesus said and did. Note how often the Gospel writers say he was "filled with compassion" or "had compassion". sometimes this mean conderming sin. At times JESUS did speak harshly to the religious leaders, but he always did it in love. And cental to that expression of compassion was forgiveness. so often jesus taught and reealed forgiveness. Considering the essence of christian theology, that we are sinners in need of GOD's forgiveness, no wonder it is such a powerfull theme in JESUS' life and teachings. WHAT DO THESE TEXTS REVEAL TO US ABOUT FORGIVENESS? Matt.18:21, 22; Luke 23:34; John 8:1-11; Eph. 4:32; 1 John 2:12

JESUS often likens His grace to being forgiven a great debt. Imagine you owed someone one million dollar, and they cancelled the debt. Imagine how you would feel. That is what God's graceis like. And the reason that debt has been cancelled is that JESUS, himself, paid it for us. Also, again and again,JESUS taught that those who have been forgiven must forgive others. An unforgiving christian is a contradictionin terms. Think of the parable of te ungrateful servant (Matt. 18:21-34), the story of marry and simon the pharisee (luke 7:36-50), and even the Lords prayer-"'Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive evryone who sins against us'""(luke 7:4, NIV). When we consider what happened on the stake, and what it cost GOD in order to be able to justly forgive us our sins, it is not that hard to understand why such an emphasis is placed on our learning to forgive others. Think about the difference, not only in our world politicsbut in our own personal reations, families, our homes, etc.

HOW MUCH RESENTMENT, ANGER, AND BITTERNESS RESIDES IN YOU BECAUSE YOU STILL REFUSE TO FORGIVE? HOW CAN YOU BETTER LEARN TO FORGIVE THOSE WHO HAVE DONE YOU WRONG?