Enemies Within The Walls (part 3)

Our Father in heaven We thank you this morning Knowing that we come before you as a people who have been Forgiven of all our sins Lord. There's no greater blessing and I Would pray for our time here this morning as we look to see what the Bible says about forgiveness how we ought to think about it how we ought to live it out and.

And the consequences of even failing to do that father I pray that you would bless our time this morning as we look to your word in Jesus name. We pray. Amen. Well, you know I was reminded this morning I'll just tell you what I used to do when I worked in the jail and I would be walking into work and We had these rather large hallways so I'd be walking in one way and somebody else would be walking out the other way leaving and.

And they'd say how you doing Steve and I'd say Better than I deserve. You ought to watch the faces if you want to try to have some fun at work. You know, you think work is dreary and dull and boring. Walk in someday and somebody says how you doing John and you say much better than I deserve watch what they do.

They look at you like you're out of your mind. Now what else can happen if you say much better than I deserve they say You have low self-esteem or maybe even a more or a less direct approach. They might say something like What's the matter?

What's the problem? There is no problem much better than I deserve that's not how the world thinks because you know, you should say something like the world is my oyster, you know, I Think if things were any better, I don't know what I do.

You know, that's what people expect now. Why is better than I deserve such a dramatic answer besides the fact that that's not how people think. But what am I thinking? What am I actually? I'll just let the kind of let the cat out of the bag a little bit.

What am I thinking when I say that? I'm thinking about salvation and I'm thinking about sin and Specifically I'm thinking about forgiveness of sin. And so, you know, sometimes I have to be I'll just true confessions.

Sometimes I don't feel like the most Grateful person in the world. I don't know if that ever happens you but when you say Much better than I deserve and you think about that for a minute. Even if somebody just says well, that's a weird response and they give you the you know the stare.

Like they can't wait to get away from you. When you think about it, you just think I am doing much better than I deserve in light of God's holiness and in light of my sinfulness. When I think about what I deserve which is to be facing the unvarnished unrestrained wrath of God poured out on me.

Like it was on Jesus Christ on the cross I'm doing great. Now try that in the hallway. Much better than I deserve. Why do you say that? Well in light of God's holiness my sinfulness and the unvarnished wrath of God that I deserve.

I I'm blessed. In light of Christ dying for me. I'm blessed. Then watch what people say to you, you know and how they look at. You crazy we've been talking about forgiveness and I Think it's just so vital.

Forgiveness in the Body of Christ and the Problem of Self-Forgiveness

Yeah, even this morning. I was looking at Ephesians chapter 4 and we see. Well, let's just put Ephesians 4 in a little bit of context. Ephesians 1 2 3 are Doctrine 4 5 6 are practice and so in chapter 4 He's really saying these are the things that you need to stop doing and the things that you should be doing this is how you should live in light of chapters 1 2 3 and one of the things he specifically mentions is right at the end of the chapter is forgiving one another just as God has forgiven you.

That's that's rough and he's talking to a church. Within the body of Christ there needs to be forgiveness and I entitled this Series enemies within the walls because the lack of forgiveness within the body of Christ could really be a problem for a local church.

And I also said that lack of forgiveness within a family Can really be a problem. We talked briefly last week about this idea of self-forgiveness. Because I read about it in a journal. But I want to address this a little bit more specifically, what are the two kind of dimensions of forgiveness a Biblical forgiveness that is in other words, what directions can we look at in terms of forgiveness?

What's that Horizontal which is to say that we need to forgive one another and the other one would be Vertical which is we need God's forgiveness. And I say we need God's forgiveness. Why. Because we don't need to forgive God.

It's really interesting. I was talking to somebody last week who? Ran into an unbeliever the doctor's office. Unbeliever just found out something very serious and Turned to this sister in Christ and said do you ever get mad at God?

And I thought her response was great because she spent half an hour Basically sharing the gospel with this woman and then another half hour sharing the gospel with this woman and her husband. Do you ever get mad at God.

Well, that's kind of a Unusual thought does God need our forgiveness? Does he he doesn't need anything from us, but why would he not need our forgiveness? Is it okay to get mad at God? What's that? It's our nature.

But is it okay and I just went back to Job. Just thinking about Job and what happens to Job in the beginning of the book. Other than you know Satan goes before God and says, you know Job isn't. Satan goes before God and says Job isn't so hot.

You know, let me kind of tempt him. I this is just the non-authorized Steve Stander version. Says Job isn't so hot, you know, let me take care of Job and we'll see how really good he is. And so what winds up happening.

Job loses his children his possessions. Just about everything and what does he say? But what's the what's it? Yes. He starts to question God and wonder why and he does all the things that probably we would be wanting to do maybe even thinking that you know It's Right naked.

I came into this world naked. I'm gonna leave, you know, blessed be the name of the Lord. That's ultimately the response we need to have. It's our our sense of forgiveness. Our sense of gratitude or whatever is not determined by our circumstances but by God's faithfulness and What God does is always right and good and so this idea, you know forgiving God.

That's just rubbish. And this idea of forgiving forgiving myself that's also Roche I I just want to repeat what this guy said because I took the effort to type it in so You'll have to listen. I just love this at the end of his or during his journal article.

He said this. I found that the idea of self-forgiveness was completely absent from Scripture. So if you're struggling with forgiving yourself look at the bright side. The Bible never commands it so you're okay.

You don't need to repent of your lack of self-forgiveness. He says though Scripture has a lot to say about self-blame why. Because you're responsible. The key to dealing with self-condemnation is to realize that when we sin against others, we also sin against God.

What's wrong with that statement? It's true, right that when we sin against others we sin against God. But what is. Well, we're gonna read it later. What does God what does David say? Against the only Have I sinned.

And it really wasn't only against God, but it shows the primary the primary nature of sin and The author concludes even so even though I love this if I just made an ellipsis of this listen to this I found that the idea of self-forgiveness was completely absent from Scripture.

Even so I realized how difficult it is to forgive oneself and this is in an academic journal. I just say it just kind of you know, it makes me laugh because that's so self contradictory. Now, let's Let's look at Psalm 51 verses 3 4 such a critical passage and we're going to Really what I hope to deal with and I I don't think we'll finish this morning which is Sad only from this standpoint because I'll be gone for a couple weeks but I really want to work through some practical considerations of Forgiveness.

How does forgiveness take place? How should we look at it within a family context? How should we look at it within a church? But I like somebody to read Psalm 51 verses 3 4. Because I want to finish dealing with this idea of self-forgiveness real quickly and then we'll we'll move on Psalm 51 verses 3 4.

Okay. You know, do we judge ourselves. No, it's right there blameless in your judgment and God's judgment our sin is Against God he says even though as we'll see I think later today meet we might get there.

His sin was against whom? Uriah the Hittite and Bathsheba. But he says against the only have I sent against you. There's my NAS. Slipping in there against you and you only have I said. Why because he understands that primarily God sets the standard and when we violate that standard are others affected?

Yes. But the primary person that we are offending is the person who established the law now. Why do I want to go back to this whole day idea of self-punishment? I don't know if you've ever done this.

But I have to confess that I have have you ever like in your own mind. Decided to punish yourself. Have you ever done that again, I have to confess I have. What do we what do we do? You know, we're like, okay because I've done this I'm going to deny myself.

Now I don't want to confuse this with if your hand sins cut it off. Cassette that's not what I'm talking about. But you know, we we think that somehow we can through self-sacrifice. Through self-denial.

Sort of make up for something. You know, okay. Well in light of me talking like this to my wife. I'm not gonna have chocolate for a month. What is that? It's Roman Catholicism. Only we just kind of skip over the whole priest in the booth thing and you know instead of well I'm gonna have to say three our fathers and six Hail Marys.

Somebody told me once if you had to do that many would be really long. I don't know what that is. I never went through all that. But it is a form of Roman Catholicism because we're in essence. We're saying you know what?

Forget the cross. Forget the death of Jesus for my sins. I'm going to pay for my sins. Me. I think you'll have a real hard time in Scripture finding this idea that somehow Your sacrifice is an acceptable sacrifice to God.

In fact, I could promise you you won't find that. I remember one parent who used to say things like. You know if you don't stop doing X Y or Z you and I are both not gonna get dessert. Now it didn't make any sense to me think about that for a minute.

You know, the parent was gonna punish himself for the sins of the child. I Really didn't get that one but it's just about as. It's not just silly to punish yourself. It really is a denial of the cross of the work of Christ.

He died for our sins. We don't get to. You know determine our own punishment. So I just wanted to deal with that. It's just a dopey idea. Now I mangled this quote from Pastor Dave. So I want to get back to it.

Obstacles to Forgiveness: Long Memories, Pride, and Revenge

Where are some obstacles to forgiveness and I I love this, you know, one is long memories, right? Some folks stop short in forgiveness. They bury the hatchet, but the problem is they leave the handle exposed enough to grab it at a moment's notice.

To truly forgive means we sufficiently cover the whole hatchet. So that it no longer can be found. That's right and I we mentioned this last week the idea of blotting out sins. We need to blot out the sins of others.

It's not like we can always forget and we'll get to this. But we need to not bring them back up if we do remember. I Mean, I've been blessed with a really bad memory and I say I say it's a blessing. I mean think about this if you can.

I mean there are things that I do remember. I can remember, you know. Just every detail about a particular event where I was, you know the temperature everything and then there are other things that I can't remember at all and Specifically if somebody sins against me The Lord has really blessed me and that Most of the time I don't remember it if I say I forgive you.

I'm done with it. It's it's over. Some people that just doesn't happen with and for them. I think it's really more difficult. So what if you remember someone how someone else has sinned against you? What's the problem with that?

What would be maybe a temptation that you might fall into Bruce. Okay, you'd be tempted to think about it to when you see them again to just sort of view them through the lens of Their sin against you and it's going to taint your relationship with them.

Now I'm gonna suggest to you and this is gonna shock you in some cases that might be okay. But for the most part it shouldn't be that way. Why would I say and uh, well, yeah, we'll get a little bit ahead here.

Why would I say in some cases that would be okay? Brian. Sometimes it's wise to be guarded somebody and I'll get to you in a second. Charlie. Somebody brought up a situation here not too long ago. Not just picture this Friend of a friend kind of thing but a relative of this friend committed a heinous Crime against a child in the family.

Would it be wise? To remember what that person had done. I Think it would be. Now I think there are a multitude of you know circumstances we could what if this to death, you know, for example. Let's say that after the sin This person was radically transformed by the work of the Spirit and you could tell that this person was just a new create creature in Christ.

That would be one example. But I Think it would be foolhardy for the most part to just say, you know what? Not only do I not want to think about it, but I'm not going to think about it ever because That's a that's a pretty hard one.

So there are sins that I think are so serious and so potentially dangerous. But certainly if you're dealing with an unbeliever. You know, what's the number one rule of unbelievers as you know repeated often by my wife for me.

Unbelievers act like unbelievers. There's a shocking thing, right. So, you know when in the midst of everything that's going around us in the world When we see chaos and people treating each other badly, you know, our number one thing should be what.

Well Unbelievers acting like unbelievers such things should not be within the church. Definitely but go ahead Charlie you were gonna say Okay, so so I think there are situations where? We need to kind of Wait, we need to be cautious.

But that's not that's not the run-of-the-mill situation. You know a more run-of-the-mill situation is someone says something that Hurts us. That cuts that insults us. And if we carry that around or if you know, not only do we not bury it fully up to hatchet level.

But we somehow are just kind of keeping the hatchet handle behind our back. Then things are gonna get worse and I want to read Philippians 2 verses 3 4 because I think a second thing that prevents us from Forgiving as we ought to is pride pride.

What somebody read Philippians 2 verses 3 4. Okay. Now this is an application. This is not a direct interpretation of this passage, but if we're to do nothing from selfish Ambition or conceit we're not ever to think of ourselves More highly than someone else.

One of the reasons that we don't want to forgive is because we think that an offense that is done to us. It's so serious That they're not worthy of being forgiven. How dare someone say something like that to us?

There have been around people who think that way because I have and I'll tell you what it really does reflect a level of Arrogance and really what does it reflect on how they view other people? I'm gonna argue with contempt bordering on hatred if you can't forgive somebody if you're going to just continue to stoke the fire and to think you know what I can't forgive them because what they did to me was so horrific and usually it's what somebody says and I'm you know what?

I really do plan on in the weeks to come talking about controlling the tongue because I'm gonna tell you this little secret right now. Forgiveness, why do we wind up needing forgiveness? Why do we wind up having to forgive others?

I would say 99 of the time it's because of things we Say you want to need people's forgiveness less you want to never have to say, please forgive me. Keep your mouth closed. Stop saying what you say and you'll need a lot less forgiveness.

But back to this. This whole idea of self-forgiveness or even self-love self-image. Is that something we have to work on this passage. Philippians 2 is completely against that. Says do nothing from selfishness or empty or selfish ambition or empty conceit.

We ought to think of others more highly than ourselves. We ought to have the mind of Christ the passage goes on to say We out of you know as he Left heaven's throne and came down condescended to walk on the earth.

If he did that then how should we think about other people if he loved enough to do this for us? How should we think about other people the Bible never says? Think better about yourself. Your problem is a lack of self-esteem.

If you would only view yourself the way other people see you then you'd have peace. Doesn't say that. It says think less of yourself. Look at others as more important than you. It's just a completely foreign concept to us because we don't want that the world tells us we shouldn't want that.

But forgiving others is a reflection that we are learning to be humble not that we've ever arrived because we won't and Rejecting a genuine plea for forgiveness shows that we think more of ourselves than we ought to.

Revenge, Temporal Punishment, and David’s Sin

What's another reason maybe why people don't want to forgive a stumbling block for forgiveness? Because we don't want them to get away with it. I've worded it a slightly different way. I Have one word for it revenge.

We want revenge. There will be blood. Oh, yes. Justice is mine. Sayeth the Steve. Oh, yeah, it's on. Let's look at Romans chapter 12. Romans 12 19. This verse is like ritual seppuku to the whole idea for those of you who don't know what that means.

That's Japanese suicide where they kept themselves open. Nice, huh? Nice image. Good morning. How are you? Romans 12 19 who'll read that please. Kind of takes all the fun out of it. God is the Avenger, you know, we want to be the Avengers, right?

Which one are you Captain America the Hulk the Avengers? We want that but it's not ours because you know again, let's just let's just think through this one more time if our sin as David says even though he committed murder and Adultery and he says my sin is against God.

Who's going to get vengeance? We want vengeance. Not just for murder, but when somebody insults us or they do something we don't like we think we should get him back Bruce. But Bruce it might not be what I want.

But you don't understand. I'm angry. You're helping me brother. This is this is counseling 101, right? These are the these are the issues. I mean we laugh but these are the issues that divide us. These are the issues that cause strife in the body.

It is this inability to think of others as more important than ourselves. It's this desire for revenge. It's a failure to understand. Look God's got this. God's gonna take care of it. And you know what if the person I'm dealing with if Bruce Can look at me and say you know what?

Steve isn't perfect, but I think he's a brother in Christ. Then what's true about the sin I committed. It's covered. It's forgiven already, but Bruce You don't understand. You know, we have this thing where we think we have to we have to exact our pound of flesh.

We have to get our vengeance Charlie. It's a good question. Why are there some sins that require? Temporal punishment and why are there some that do not? Well, I would answer it this way there are some that require temporal punishment because our society has Decided they require temporal punishment.

I mean certainly if we were to go back to the Old Testament. You know one of my favorite passages when my kids were younger is Where it talks about if you have a rebellious son. You take them outside the city walls and do what you stone them to death and I'm going you know what you should be thankful.

We're not in Old Testament Israel, or you'd be outside the city walls right now, and we'd be stoning you to death so. So a different a different time a different society a different Commandment from God, but why are there issues that we decide?

Demand punishment in this Structure well, you know let's just take robbery for example. And by the way just on a technical point can I explain to you the difference between robbery and burglary. Thank you, thank you very much.

Burglary is when you enter any locked Facility or even a locker or something like that or when you enter a structure with four walls. Even a garage is a burglary if you enter it to steal, but it's entering with the intent to commit a crime.

So if you enter a store with the idea of shoplifting, it's not just a petty theft. It's a burglary. I used to love that. That's a great felony stat. You know I roll up to the store, and you know the security guard has the mall cop has the.

Has the perpetrator you know. And I say well you know he he nabbed this guy stealing. You know whatever it was pack of gum or whatever, so I just walk up to the suspect I advise him of his rights, and I say how are you planning on paying for your purchase today, sir?

Well I I have no money, and I have no credit cards all right burglary. Felony yes. Robbery is using force or fear to take something. So it's a completely different thing if something happens to your home if somebody breaks in your home.

It's not a robbery you were not robbed a Rob is a robbery is you know? Putting your hands up. You know stick them up. That's a robbery so there you go you learn something today. Now why does society decide that robbers and burglars need to be punished?

Why can't they just say you know what? Please forgive me. Here's your stuff back. We'd have a lawless society. There have to be some temporal Punishments for some crimes because otherwise people just be running around all the time because here's the truth if you get arrested for a burglary.

How many burglaries have you probably committed before you get caught a? Ton so the only way to dissuade some people is to is to bring about that kind of punishment, so you know there are other. Maybe crimes that we could talk about him, and maybe we'll cover them more as we go on, but I want to go to 2nd Samuel chapter 11 because I've referenced this story of David and we know the the scoop David sees Bathsheba on the rooftop and you know in In almost kind of Samson esque language he doesn't say get that woman for me, but he decides to make it happen right and she becomes with child and instead of Doing the right thing at that point He just compounds his sin by doing what by having the husband of Bathsheba sent to the front of the line.

So that he's going to die in battle, and we'll pick up the story here in 2nd Samuel 11 verses 25 to 27 and this is after Uriah has been killed in battle and He gets told of this David said to the messenger Thus shall you say to Joab do not let this matter displease you for the sword devours now one and now another.

Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it and encourage him. In other words, he's just like you know what Uriah died. That's just kind of the way it goes in war sometimes these these things happen verse 26 when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead she lamented over her husband and When the morning was over David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife and bore him a son.

But the thing this is the the killer verse here, but the thing that David done had done displeased the Lord. Now if we read other passages in Scripture, what would we read about David he was a man after God's own heart.

And when we read this passage, it's really hard to discern this committed adultery committed murder. Then he takes the murdered man's wife. And he just kind of this whole cover-up thing. I mean, this is like, you know water gain on steroids.

This is horrific but moving on here I Think we could say that your sin will find you out. Look at 2nd Samuel chapter 12 verse 1 and the Lord sent Nathan to David. Nathan the prophets. He came to him and said to him there were two men in a certain city the one rich and the other poor.

The rich man had very many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing but one little you lamb. Which he had bought and he brought it up and he grew up with him and with his children. It was used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms.

And it was like a daughter to him. This is the family pet. Now there came a traveler to the rich man and He the rich man was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guests who had come to him.

He was greedy. But he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him. In other words the man who had plenty stole from the one who had almost nothing. Took his little miniature wire-haired dachshund sacrificed him.

My anger is kindled and then look then David's anger was greatly kindled against this man. He said to Nathan as the Lord lives the man who has done this deserves to die and he shall restore the lamb. Fourfold.

I'm gonna make him go out and buy four purebred wire-haired dachshunds and give him back to that guy. Because he did this thing and because he had no pity. And then we have the reveal as they say on TV.

Nathan said to David you are the man. I'm gonna stop right there for a moment. Have you ever had that kind of moment in your life? I know I have where somebody just kind of maybe they don't even point their finger at you.

But they've laid out the circumstances and they go. In essence, you're the guilty man. You're the sinner. Now there are two possible responses there, right. One is No, I'm not how dare you say that. And the other one is I Can't hardly talk because I'm so broken over my sin.

That's where David winds up. Nathan says David you are the man. That says the Lord the God of Israel. Listen to all the God did for him. I anointed you king over Israel and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

I saved your life and I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah and if This were too little I would add to as much more. Why have you listen despised the word of the Lord to do what is evil in his sight and you have struck down Uriah the Hittite with a sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites and Here we get back to this question that Charlie asked.

There can be temporal consequences. In other words, even if we're forgiven. There can be consequences in this life for what we do. Listen to verse 10 now therefore. This is the judgment of the Lord upon David.

The sword shall never depart from your house. You're never gonna know peace because you have listen not just despised the Word of God. But you have despised me. You have despised God. Hated God. Do we think about sin that way?

Sin is hating God. Because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. That says the Lord behold I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before you rise and give them to your neighbor and he shall lie with your wives in the side Of the Sun for you did it secretly talking about Bathsheba.

But I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Sun it's gonna be on the front newspapers. Everybody's gonna know. Your life is gonna be a wreck. David said to Nathan, but you don't understand.

I had low self-esteem. Bathsheba made me feel better. Uriah the Hittite he was behind on his tax payments. And this is where we see the heart of David. I have sinned against the Lord. No excuses. And Nathan said to David the Lord also has put away your sin.

You shall not die. It's what he deserved. But the Lord has put it away. Remember we talked about what that means East from West. He's moved it away from David. Nevertheless because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord.

The child who was born to you shall die. Now we read that we go, uh, that's not fair. How's that right? Why should the baby die? Listen to what one commentator says. He says having shown utter contempt.

Utter contempt for the Lord. David's son will die. Means surely die. He goes on to say when David slept with the woman and created new life. The woman did not belong to him. That was not his wife was Uriah's wife.

The child cannot belong to David. He cannot enrich himself. Through his sin and in a sense justice is done for Uriah. Uriah's dead. But the Lord took vengeance for Uriah. David was punished. He didn't get to keep the fruit of his sin as it were now before I move on and into the next section because I really do want to talk about the process of Forgiveness.

Since we have just a couple weeks off anyway. Not weeks off of Sunday school. Just weeks off of this. I Want us to just think about this kind of how do we accept accusations against us if someone says to you in kind of less than Nathan language.

You have sinned against me. How should we respond? What do we want to do? What is our almost like knee-jerk reaction if somebody says, you know what you sinned against me? No, I haven't and if they're right in front of you, you know, they probably just got kicked in the shins or something.

What should we do? Somebody says, you know what? Steve Bruce. April Dan. You sinned against me. What should we do? Okay, how have I sinned against you? Let's say they come to you and they say, you know what Steve you sinned against me and here's how.

Then how should we respond? Humble ourselves and you know, I'm going to suggest the first thing that we ought to do and this is I think I'm gonna say this a lot keep our mouths closed and Think for a minute.

Evaluate what they're saying, you know, what if we're not convinced in our own mind, then what would be the right thing to do? Maybe maybe ask forgiveness anyway, but I'm gonna suggest something else Brian.

Ask the Lord to show you and I think if you you know, if someone brings something to you and you're not really sure. Here's what I would I would almost urge you to take some more time to think about it to pray about it.

Search what the scripture says and if in fact you have sinned against that person then you need to go back and say what I Have sinned against you and I need your forgiveness. Would you please forgive me?

I Mean there is in this moment when Nathan says to David you are the man and David response. His response is I've sinned against the Lord. There's a Brokenness and we're gonna see this play out when we go through Psalm 51 in a little bit bigger context here.

We're gonna see that brokenness. Play out a little bit and that's our response if we know we're guilty is not defense. It's crushing it should be crushing we should feel the weight of that. We should feel the guilt of it because we are guilty and we'll talk about and I'll just give you a little preview and then we'll close in prayer, but as weighty and as crushing and as Harsh as it is to say.

Yes, I've sinned the blessing is in forgiveness, there's a release of that weight and in 99 of the cases there ought to be with forgiveness what? Reconciliation a restoration and This is why it's so critical not only within the church.

But in your homes and we're gonna talk about that because if you don't grant forgiveness. Then that other person is walking around with what? The guilt the shame the weight of their sin and you're like, well, I'm not gonna forgive you or maybe I'm just not Gonna talk to you until you figure it out and you come groveling across broken glass all across the kitchen.

And please don't break anything important. We want to see the other person suffer and crawl and writhe like a worm on the floor or whatever it is do this, you know the dance of Sorry, whatever it is. And the truth is let's just go back to where we started if we think about ourselves, rightly.

If we think about all that we have been forgiven if somebody comes to you and they're broken about their sin and they're really sorry about it and They really want your forgiveness. What would cause you to say?

You don't deserve it pride sin. But nothing godly not right thinking not thinking in light of all that God has forgiven me of how could I possibly withhold? Forgiveness from you. How could I do that? Let's pray our father in heaven.

Lord, would you work in our lives in our families and our homes? And within this church to make us a people swift to forgive in light of all that you have forgiven us. Let us get joy out of forgiving.

Let us experience that release of the sorrow that comes with sin. Father I pray that you would restore relationships in our homes and Within our church body and that we would be just Delighted that we would be eager To forgive and swift to reconcile.