For-Give-Ness

-Introduction

-Parable of the Two Debtors:  context; Luke 7:41-42

            -The better we realize our need for forgiveness the deeper our love and appreciation

             will be.

-We are in the position of the woman who was a sinner - we need the forgiveness that

 God offers through Jesus.

-Example of my unusual raise at SMB

            -heavy work load, high volume, worked after hours, went the extra mile

            -I felt I deserved the raise.  I was convinced that I had earned it.

            -However, when it comes to God’s blessings, I don’t deserved them and I

             cannot earn them - not a single one of them.

                        -Therefore, I need to have the attitude displayed by the woman who was a sinner.

-For - GIVE - ness

-Any blessing that we receive from God is a gift. 

            -Does that mean that there is nothing that we should/must do?  No, that’s not what

             that means.

            -When we see the question “What must I/we do to be saved?” we don’t find an

             answer that says, “Oh, you don’t have to do anything.  Just do nothing.”

            -There are things that God requires of us - as Jesus said in Matt. 7:21.  Our

             responsibility is to conform to His will.

-Yet, ultimately, God’s blessings are gifts which He gives.

-Psalm 103:1-3, 8, 10-13  (Ex. 34:6-8)

-Psalm 130:3-4

-Isa 43:25

-Notice the prayers of Daniel and Nehemiah:

            -Dan 9:4-5, 18-19

            -Neh. 1:5

-Our attitudes should reflect those that we see in these passages.

-God offers His forgiveness because of His goodness, righteousness, holiness and His

 love for us.  He is willing to grant us forgiveness even though we don’t deserve it and

 can’t earn it.

-John 4:7-10 (vs 10 - “gift of God”)

            -Instead of Jesus asking the woman for water, she should have been asking Jesus for

             spiritual water.

-Rom. 3:23-24

-John 3:16

-Rom. 5:15  (In vs 15-17, the word “gift” occurs 5x in the ESV.)

            -Rom. 6:23

-Acts 13:38

-FOR - give - NESS

-Let me ask you this:  What did Jesus do for Himself?

-He left heaven; took on the form of man, experienced hunger, experienced thirst,

 experienced fatigue, experienced human sorrow, experienced rejection, experienced

 excruciating pain, endured death...for us.

-He did these things so that we can have the forgiveness that we Need - so that we can

 live in the hope of Eternal life - so that we can receive the Salvation of our Souls.

-Luke 7:41-43

            -As Christians, we have been forgiven of much.  Let us have a deep and abiding

             love for our Lord, for our God.

            -May our deep appreciation fuel a deep dedication and motivation as we strive

             to faithfully serve our “great and awesome God who keeps covenant and stedfast

             love with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Neh. 1:5).

-Have you responded in obedience to His word?  If not, you can now and receive the

 gift of forgiveness that God offers through Jesus.

            -Believe (John 3:16, 8:24), Confess (Matt. 10:32, Rom. 10:9-10), Repent (Luke

             13:3,5, Acts 17:30), Be Baptized (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38).

-If you are already a Christian, are you keeping His commandments?

            -If not, confess your shortcomings, repent of them and pray for God’s forgiveness

             (1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).