Episode 260: Forgiveness (Leviticus 19:17-18, Matthew 18:15-22)

Jason Leonard preaches on forgiveness.

Resources from the sermon:

"Forgiveness is granted (event) before it’s felt (process). It’s a promise before God not to take revenge on a wrongdoer for his or her sin against you. Making that promise entails three practical commitments. You promise (1) not to constantly bring the sin up to the wrongdoer in order to browbeat and punish them, (2) not to constantly bring the sin up to other people in order to hurt the wrongdoer’s reputation and relationship with others, and (3) not to constantly bring the sin up to yourself—not to keep the anger hot, not to replay the video of it in order to cherish the feeling of nobility and virtue that comes from having been treated unjustly.

At first, when you make those commitments—granting forgiveness—you don’t feel forgiving at all. You are still angry. That’s natural. But if you keep the commitments in a disciplined way (which will be hard)—and you remember the “vertical” dimension: that you’re a sinner living wholly by God’s grace—then slowly but surely you will feel the forgiveness you have granted." -Tim Keller

Forgivness Applied:
Turn Your Cheek

• Lev 19:17-18
• Matt 5:38-39
• Matt 7:1
• Matt 13:24-43
• Heb 12:15

Confrontation

• Matt 18:15-22
• Luke 17:1-4
• Gal 6:1-2
• 2 Thess 3:6-15
• Titus 3:10-11

Confronting a brother or sister in sin:

1. If they sin, go and tell them privately
2. If they don't listen, take 1-2 others along.
3. If they refuse to listen, tell it to the church (if small, leaders if large)
4. If they refuse to listen even to the church, let the person who they sinned against treat them as an outsider.