Pastor Wayne Cordeiro
December 10, 2006 - W0650

At New Hope, there isn’t much talk about vertical skills in life that focus on specific areas such as business acumen, stock market strategies or consumer reports on the best products to buy. Instead, we speak about principles that affect every area of our lives. Things like forgiveness, wisdom, and insight because these are the principles that will strengthen the very fabric of our life.  

So one of these principles we will focus on today is a gift we must all receive in order to give. 

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”(Mt. 1:21) And He came not only to save people outside the Father’s house, but also to save us. That’s because from time to time we all mess us and even Christians need deliverance from their sins. Why is the principle of forgiveness so important?

Have you ever given a gift to someone that was for your benefit rather than theirs? I remember when I gave my wife a vacuum cleaner, a tool set, and a bread maker. In reality, it didn’t benefit my wife. I gave it to benefit myself. In the same way, forgiveness is like that. When you freely forgive, it really benefits you more than the other person. However, before we can give it away, we have to understand that… 

·        FORGIVENESS IS A GIFT WE MUST RECEIVE.

Undeserved and unmerited, Jesus freely gave us this gift. He paid for it with His life by dying on the Cross. The Bible reminds us that when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He gives each of us a measure of faith. It’s like our parent giving us a gift of money so that we can buy Christmas gifts for others. Similarly, Jesus gave us the free gift of forgiveness and that gift opens up God’s Kingdom once we receive it. Then when God’s Kingdom opens to us, everything else we need will follow. Essentially, we must receive that gift.

“You were dead because of your sins…Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins.  He canceled the record that contained the charges against us.  He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross.”(Col. 2:13-14)

God obliterated or removed all our sins erasing any record of them. This was that gift of forgiveness found on Calvary. Therefore, receiving this gift is the first step, but it doesn’t necessarily ensure our future. God still wants to build upon that gift in order to secure our future. 

It reminds me of when I worked in an auto body shop as a sander. I did a lot of sanding on old rust spots to restore many old classic cars. The painter would inspect my sanding before he painted. If any oxidation from the rust still remained, I had to do more sanding because the oxidation would continue and eventually eat through the paint. The rust needed to be completely wiped away before any painting or rebuilding could be done in a way that would last through time.   

Likewise, forgiveness removes the oxidation of our sins so that God can begin to build upon our restored life. Receiving forgiveness is the first step, but it doesn’t mean that everything is going to work out in our life immediately. It does mean though that God can now restore, repair, and rebuild our life as long as forgiveness we received has removed every bit of sin from our past.  The Bible says that it is the blood of Christ that exonerates and removes all record of our sins.  

Once we have received the gift, what do we do with it? “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.”(Mk. 11:25) Forgiveness is so important that the Bible constantly reminds us: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother or sister, then come and offer your gift.”(Mt. 5:23-24) The Lord’s Prayer says: “…forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Matthew 18:23-35 tells the story of a man who was forgiven and pardoned from a debt he owed to the king, yet he refused to forgive and pardon someone else who owed him money. When the king heard this, he threw the man in prison because he refused to forgive as he was forgiven.    “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” (Mt.18:35)Again and again the scriptures tell us that forgiveness is not only a gift we receive, but…

·        FORGIVENESS IS A GIFT WE WILL GIVE.

That’s right! Once we are forgiven and received His free gift, we must give it away. The reason this is important is because when sin occurs in our life, it sets in motion a progression like rust on a car. If it is not stopped, it results in death.

 I remember a girl I met who had punctured her hand, but had not taken care of the wound.  When I looked at it, there was a red line running all the way up her arm. I told her that it had infected her lymph system and would travel to her heart and ultimately end in death if she didn’t get medical help. She ended up going to the hospital to receive massive antibiotics intravenously to end the infection and her wound began to heal. 

Sin is like an infection. If it is left alone and unresolved, it will surface again in the form of diseases like vengeance, bitterness, malice, criticism, slander, or anger. Think of sin as a flesh-eating disease that slowly progresses to a spiritual death. Though we may feel it’s been forgotten, it is still alive inside us. Whether or not we have sinned against someone or someone against us, either way the enemy’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy…for the wages of sin is death.  Sin has a slow, calculated progression that is non-negotiable because it won’t agree to any compromise. That is the universal principle of sin. The only cure to stop sin’s progression to eventual death is forgiveness. Ignoring sin doesn’t make it go away.

Stem the tide of sin with forgiveness. Otherwise, it will affect our mind, physical health, relationships, and even our children. And if children learn that sin should not be resolved and it will carry through to future generations.  “...I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generation”. (Ex. 34:7) In other words, if we refuse to forgive others, un-forgiveness will become a part of our children’s genetic make-up and will from generation to generation. Thus, God gave forgiveness as the only way to stem the tide of sin.

Here’s a story that shows us just how important forgiveness is:

On October 2, 2006, a gunman, who was Amish, living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania shot 10 girls between the ages of 6 and 13 because he was angry that his baby girl died. Then he killed himself.  Five of the girls survived, some completely disabled with the only movement they have is within their eyes. They reported that 13-year-old Marian Fisher told the gunman to shoot her first because she was the oldest. It was attempt to stall for time so that someone might rescue the others. However, the gunman, Charles Roberts shot her and the others before turning the gun on himself. As horrific as this story was about the senseless murder and suicide, the amazing grace exampled by the elders of these slain children and visited Charles’ wife and children to offer forgiveness.   

Ann Rogers, a religion reporter for the Pittsburgh Post appeared on FOX News to describe the ability of the Amish people to forgive. She said that their life revolves around their faith. The way they dress is not merely to be quaint. Their appearance and love for their enemies is to show that they are real in how they live their lives for the kingdom of God. To them, forgiveness is a holy obligation that is sincere and to be acted upon quickly rather than waiting to feel forgiveness because they are not called to hatred. They will wrestle with those feelings of anger later on when they bring them to God. 

If they held on to vengeance, it would affect everything they believed in, even to future generations. We may not buy into the lifestyle and culture of the Amish, but we should want to buy into their character.

Sin’s infection can only be eradicated by forgiveness. So, forgiveness is a gift we first receive freely. Then forgiveness becomes an intentional gift biblically designed to stem the advancement of sin. Without it, sin will move us towards death and a legacy passed down to generations that will twist our reputation and turn us into cynical people. 

What gave those Amish people such amazing grace to forgive and how can we move towards that grace? There are three divine principles that have summarized what we have learned about forgiveness and the amazing grace to forgive.  

THREE DIVINE PRINCIPLES

1.     PRIORITIZE PRIORITIES.

…be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:3)

“…if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 Jn. 1:7)

When our priorities are strong we don’t worry about an unpaid debt, a betrayal, money, position, or power. What matters most is that our relationship with God, family, and others God has called us to be with. We can’t let anything interfere or disrupt those relationships. Remember keeping the unity of the Spirit is more important than anything else. We need to figure out what our greatest priorities are so that we don’t forfeit the greatest treasures in life. 

So after we prioritize our priorities, the second step towards is to:

2.     forgive FOR your own health. 

Dr. Petit and a team of doctors compiled an editorial on the importance of forgiveness on the health of the human body. It was found that un-forgiveness causes the neuron transmitters in the brain to go haywire, the adrenal glands to overproduce and weaken the immune system, and the neurobiological homeostatic equilibrium to go off. The state of the body chemistry becomes off balance causing depression, moodiness, and anxiety. It was found that those people who can’t forgive have a greater amount of disequilibrium in their minds and bodies. 

You see, forgiveness is a spiritual principle that stops the progress of sin so that healing can take place and God can restore us to health. It doesn’t mean everything is fine or that an injustice did not occur. It means that we understand the principle of forgiveness allows healing to take place. “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (Mt. 18:34-35) It simply means that if we don’t forgive, we are the ones who are thrown in prison.

So, forgiveness is for our health. And the last principle to remember is…    

3.     forgiveness is first given and then it is received.

“But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”  (Mt. 6:15)

Who do you need to forgive? Someone who didn’t keep a promise? Someone who cheated you? Is it a brother, mother, spouse, child, co-worker? Give that person a gift of forgiveness this Christmas. Of course, you can choose not to, but know that your future depends on it.  Sand down sin to bare metal with forgiveness and be done with it. 

So remember that forgiveness is a gift that when we give it we receive health, we receive release. It’s the greatest gift we can give this Christmas. Let’s all stem the tide of sin with gifts of forgiveness because: Christmas is For-Giving.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Q1: How do we receive God’s free gift of forgiveness and why should we give it?

Q2: If sin is revisited, does that mean your gift of forgiveness was not real?

Q3: How can you practice giving the gift of forgiveness?

Q4: Think about the ‘nature’ of the gift of forgiveness.  Is it a gift that can be refused?

Q5: What are some ways in which you can deliver your gift of forgiveness?

Q6: Do you have a story about someone who exemplified the grace of forgiveness?  What was their defining character trait that enabled them to display such grace?

  "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong with our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.”       (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NLT)

 Sermon Notes Ministry: Debbie Chang, Doreen Rabaino, Leighton Loo,

                                                Jay Tsukayama & Rhonda Pang