Small Group Leaders Facilitation Worksheet:
Produced by Rhema Bible Church North:
FORGIVENESS

ICEBREAKER: What does this word – FORGIVENESS - mean to you?
[Allow one minute feedback from each person]

READ:Mark: 11v23-25

Verse 24Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Verse 25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him that your Father inheaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

Verse 26 BUT if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Luke: 11v1-4

Verse 1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said toHim, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."

Verse 2 So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Verse 3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

Verse 4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

Matthew:6v9-15

Verse 9In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Verse 10Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Verse 11 Give us this day our daily bread.

Verse 12 And forgive us our debts, As weforgive our debtors.

Verse 13And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Verse 14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Verse 15 BUT if you do notforgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

QUESTION:What principle jumps out at you through these verses of scripture?

[Allow for comment and feedback]

CLARIFY:FORGIVE! But my question isWHY? WHAT?WHEN?HOW?

  • Why are we to forgive?
  • What are we to forgive?
  • When are we to forgive?
  • How are we to forgive?

Unforgiveness is a cancer in the Body of Christ that:

  • Destroys relationships!
  • Causes sickness!
  • And sometimes will even steal life itself!

WORD STUDY:So WHAT is forgiveness?
Hebrew:
Nasa [naw-saw]
To carry away, cast off, to take away, to pardon, and to hold up, to honour.
Greek:
Aphiemi [a fee ay mee]

To cry, lay aside, to leave, to let alone

I HAVE REFORMATTED ALL THE TEXT BELOW

Vine’s Expository Dictionary:
In this latter respect like its corresponding noun [below], firstly signifies the remission of the PUNISHMENT due to sinful conduct,

Secondly, the deliverance of the sinner from the PENALTY divinely and therefore righteously imposed. Thirdly, it in involves the COMPLETEremoval of the CAUSE of offence.

THIS is a picture of true forgiveness!!!

READ:Matthew: 18v1-9

Verse 1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

Verse 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,

Verse 3 and said,"Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enterthekingdom of heaven.

Verse 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Verse 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Verse 6 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hungaround his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Verse 7Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

Verse 8"If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.

Verse 9And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, ratherthan having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

CLARIFY:Here is Jesus sharing on true humility and forgiveness, He shares THREE stories to illustrate FORGIVENESS:

Verse 10-14Sheep. He portrays humans as sheep that are prone to going astray. When this happens we are to seek the straying, we are to bring the straying home, bearing them in our arms rejoicing. The image isof forgiveness that frees us from bitterness or recrimination and provokes a joy that is ableto healevery hurt!

Verse 10Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for i say to you that in heaven their angelsalways see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

Verse 11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

Verse 12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

Verse 13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

Verse 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

CLARIFY:Now inverse 15Jesus speaks of the hurts and sins that mare family relationships. He is encouraging us totake initiative when we are hurting to seek reconciliation

Verse 15Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

Verse 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY WORD MAY BE ESTABLISHED.'

Verse 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathenand a tax collector.

Verse 18Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will beloosed in heaven.

Verse 19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Fatherin heaven.

Verse 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

CLARIFY:Now here Peter recognizes the difficulty in this teaching and objected. He asks HOW OFTEN should such hurt beforgiven.

Verse 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Verse 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"

Verse 22 Jesus said to him,"I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

CLARIFY:SO in verses

1-9 Jesus discusses Humility
In verses 10-14 we are looked at as sheep
In verses 15-20 it looks at family
In verses 20-22 we see the depth of forgiveness – seventy times seventy!!

Following this Jesus goes on to share a parable about the servant with a debt equivalent to SEVEN MILLIONDOLLARS – in modern times.

HOWEVER, the ruler to whom the sum is owed simply forgave the ENTIRE obligation. BUT the servant, the sameservant later demands a minor amount a fellow servant owed him, which is equivalent to only a few hundred Dollars. He actually went as far as having the servant thrown into prison for non-payment!! Jesus’ intention is very CLEAR!!

We who are forgiven an unimaginable debt by God surly must be so moved by GRATITUDE that we treat our fellow brethren as we have been treated – Forgive as YOU have been forgiven!!!

Verse 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

Verse 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

Verse 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and thatpayment be made.

Verse 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'

Verse 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

Verse 28 "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'

Verse29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'

Verse 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.

CLARIFY:Here is a thought for you;the best answer seems to lie in the way forgiveness affects our personalities!

Just as a coin has two sides, never only one, so forgiveness has two aspects that can never be separated.
EXTENDING and ACCEPTING

  • The person who accepts forgiveness becomes deeply aware of his/her weakness and need.
  • Pride is ruled out as we take our place as supplicants before the Lord.
  • This basic attitude releases us from our tendency to become angry with, or judgmental of others.
  • We begin to see others as creatures that are just like us, flawed by weakness.
  • Rather than react with inflamed pride [“He can’t do that to me and get away with it!”] We are free to respond as God does, with loving concern and forgiveness.
  • POINT: It isn’t that God will not forgive the unforgiving, it is simply that the unforgiving LACK the humble attitude that both permits them to ACCEPT forgiveness and to EXTEND forgiveness.

READ:Luke: 7v39-43

Verse 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if
He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for
she is a sinner."

Verse 40 And Jesus answered and said to him,"Simon, I have something to say to you."So he said,
"Teacher, say it."

Verse 41 "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other
fifty.

Verse 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore,
which ofthem will love him more?"

Verse 43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him,"You
haverightly judged."

CLARIFY:Here, Jesus is confronted by Mary of Bethany, the prostitute who takes the alabaster box and ministers to Jesus with her tears, love and gratitude! The value of the box was equivalent to 1 year’s wages as a worker!!

But how can you place a value on what Mary was celebrating? Her sins were many, but when she was forgiven she knew the wonder of God’s gift of love andresponded
back in love!True understanding of OUR forgiveness will keep US humble that will enable US to see others as weak and needy too. We will be able to flow in Godly compassion and will be able to offerforgiveness to others that is essential to our own lives – and so near to the heart of God!

Watch out for the tormenter!

Verse 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.

Verse 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.

Verse 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'

Verse 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

Verse 35 So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.

PRACTICAL:Unforgiveness is a cancer that will lead to living in torment –we need to:Lay it aside – let it go – cast it away – leave it – release it – cast it off!!!!And begin to walk in health, peace and well-being!!

[Allow time to reflect and contemplate]

CONCLUSION:There maybe those that will require prayerful assistance at this point so afford the opportunity for prayer and counsel to help those that are bound by unforgiveness and hurt to be free

AMEN

Produced by Rhema Bible Church North:
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