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Forgiveness The Birth of Hope Christmas Eve Service – Candlelight service Live To Forgive – • Challenging Message • Is that okay? To be challenged? o Biggest Loser – We don’t want to put expectations on people…If you are comfortable sitting on the couch… • No chance of reconciliation…or righting a wrong? o Regrets in relationships – I wish I could tell them I love them. I forgive them…I’m not mad anymore. I’m sorry for what I did or said. • HOPE!! That ministry brings HOPE!!! o Powerful movie with powerful scenes. o Bob ran from his past o Heart beat in microphone… Forgiveness The Birth of Hope GUILT – A Prerequisite For Forgiveness • Son that crashes his dad’s truck o In order for that son to have any need of forgiveness he must first be guilty.
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o In order for him to seek forgiveness he must recognize he is guilty Confession – It’s hard to receive forgiveness if you have not first confessed your guilt. o But that’s a scary proposition o Guilt demands judgment RUN!!! o There is No Hope where there is no forgiveness. o Guilt….will cause a person to run…and keep running. Guilt drives us out of relationship. Adam – Ran from God Judas was consumed by Guilt Peter denied Jesus 3 times….but Jesus came looking for him…on shore for him to forgive him.
FORGIVENESS – Forgiveness restores relationships. In fact it will cause us to run back into the house of God…. Forgiveness will cause the Wise Men to seek Him out!!! • They didn’t run to the Temple or Synagogues of the Law…but rather the Birth of Hope! • New Hope Everyday!! Lamentations 3:21-‐24 -‐ 21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. 22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” Jesus is Our Hope!! • 1 Timothy 1:1 – Jesus is our Hope • Once we were without Hope and without God In This World! Forgiveness….which is really love expressed….Overlooking another’s faults and offenses. Forgiveness breathes HOPE!! • Give the gift of Hope this year • Fresh chances It is impossible to give something away that we have not yet first received! We didn’t invent or create forgiveness. We are able to offer forgiveness because we have seen it before….because we have received it before. • Be forgiven…. • Forgive Others • Man who begged King for forgiveness but insisted on instant payment from the guy who owed him. • Dad who crashed his parents car… Romans 3:23 – • For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 6:23 – • For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord • The Gift of God is Forgiveness for the World! o Guilt brings death but Forgiveness Life and Peace!! Luke 2:1-‐20 – Christ Born of Mary 2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,[a] who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Glory in the Highest 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold,[b] an angel of the Lord stood before
them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”[c] 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely[d] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. Jesus went after us to forgive us!
• Love always pursues…. Forgiveness follows us…it pursues us.. Jesus came to earth as the • Likewise pursue others with forgiveness and love. Bring a gift to the world. Matthew 12:21 – (NLT) And his name will be the hope of all the world." Peace – Hope – Joy – Love Romans 15:13 – 13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.