2017.01.29.SERMON The POWER of Forgiveness
William Akehurst, HSWC
“To err is human, to forgive divine.”
Romans 1:16 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
1 Corinthians 1:18 (KJV) For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
POWER OF GOD – POWER OF THE CROSS
What is sin?
• Debt: Owed and needs to be paid
• Trespass: eg. Property line
Matthew 6:9-15 (KJV)
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
POWER of FORGIVENESS
Luke 23:34 (KJV) Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
BY HIS BLOOD, HE HAS REDEEMED US AND PROVIDED FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN
Ephesians 1:7 (KJV) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
JESUS, TOOK OUR SINS, AND NAILED THEM TO THE CROSS. THEY’RE GONE. HE NAILED IT.
Colossians 2:13-15 (KJV) 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians 2:13-15 (GW) 13 You were once dead because of your failures and your uncircumcised corrupt nature. But God made you alive with Christ when he forgave all our failures.
14 He did this by erasing the charges that were brought against us by the written laws God had established. He took the charges away by nailing them to the cross.
15 He stripped the rulers and authorities {of their power} and made a public spectacle of them as he celebrated his victory in Christ.
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS
Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Luke 6:37 (KJV) Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER AS GOD FORGAVE YOU
Ephesians 4:29-32 (KJV) 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Mark 11:26 (KJV) But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
JESUS HAS THE POWER TO FORGIVE
Matthew 9:1-8 (KJV)
6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
COVERED BY THE BLOOD
Psalms 85:2 (KJV) Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
READY TO FORGIVE AND MERCIFUL
Psalms 86:5 (KJV) For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
GOD FORGIVES!
Psalms 130:3-5 (KJV) 3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
SINS? GONE!
Psalms 103:11-13 (KJV) 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
At Forgiveness, the Weight and Burden of Sin, the debt and trespass, comes off.
At the Cross, Jesus Paid the Debt. He Cleared the Trespass.
The power of the cross is the Jesus possesses our Forgiveness by settling our debt and erasing our trespass.
BENEDICTION
Revelation 1:5-6 (KJV) 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
