without works is….DEAD.” “Faith It is not faith OR works; it is faith AND works. For me, the that touches on this best is: Ephesians 4:32 kind and compassionate to one another “Be forgiving each another, just as in Christ, God forgave YOU.” Forgiving people is a part of Jesus’ invitation to: follow Me.” “Come, 4 The Scriptures, OBVIOUSLY, place a high emphasis on the practice of forgiveness. And the question that might be banging around in your mind is: “WHY?” - WHY do the Scriptures - Why does JESUS put such a huge premium of forgiveness. Well, I think there can be multiple answers to that but ONE answer that seems to surface over and over and over again is that forgiveness appears to have the power to LIBERATE people. (e.g. of Josh) Some years ago, my brother-in-law, who is a Christian author, was speaking in a auditorium, and was specifically highlighting the therapeutic nature of forgiveness. After his speech, a whole group of psychologists (who had been sitting in the front row) came forward in mass, and they said as a group, didn’t agree with EVERYTHING you said today; “We but one thing we ALL agreed on, was your statement of the therapeutic nature of forgiveness.” And one of the psychologists, a fellow who had been in the field for over a quarter century said THIS to my brother-in-law;
“Faith without works is….DEAD.” It is not faith OR works; it is faith AND works. For me, the that touches on this best is: Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each another, just as in Christ, God forgave YOU.” Forgiving people is a part of Jesus’ invitation to: “Come, follow Me.” 4 The Scriptures, OBVIOUSLY, place a high emphasis on the practice of forgiveness. And the question that might be banging around in your mind is: “WHY?” - WHY do the Scriptures - Why does JESUS put such a huge premium of forgiveness. Well, I think there can be multiple answers to that but ONE answer that seems to surface over and over and over again is that forgiveness appears to have the power to LIBERATE people. (e.g. of Josh) Some years ago, my brother-in-law, who is a Christian author, was speaking in a auditorium, and was specifically highlighting the therapeutic nature of forgiveness. After his speech, a whole group of psychologists (who had been sitting in the front row) came forward in mass, and they said as a group, “We didn’t agree with EVERYTHING you said today; but one thing we ALL agreed on, was your statement of the therapeutic nature of forgiveness.” And one of the psychologists, a fellow who had been in the field for over a quarter century said THIS to my brother-in-law;
SERMON-February-25-2018-1.docx