2-03-08 Mat 18_21_end

Communion: Dave Young, Romans 5:1-11
Dave telling about his time in the Navy and his period where he was searching for Osama and working with bombs and artillery. He spent a lot of time work not a lot of time sleeping. He was checking vehicles for bombs as well as people. He was stressing that it is very stressful. Fought hunger, emotion, whatever physically and psychologically. Seven months later he started studying the bible and this was really hard as well, because he had a different battle to face. At the end of the day in war your friends could die. We have this hope that doesn’t disappoint us, because God has poured out his love. We were/are reconciled to him. The hope he has now that will never disappoint us, he just doesn’t know how he did it when he was in the navy.
Service: David B.
Book of Matt 18:21-end
We want to find no limits. Cell phones, coupons, and stores.
Is there a limit on forgiveness. Jewish law states you can forgive 3 times but the 4th you give up. (Amos, Joab). Peter may have been trying to get some favor from the Lord by saving 7 times, but God responds with larger number and a parallel.
We should be forgiving and full of grace, because that is what we received from our Lord and God.
People never saw their need, despite their giving circumstance. 3 coupons; death row, Fiji housing, and olive garden.
There is a theme of grace throughout the whole Bible. He gives us grace because He chose to do so. Psalm 139:4, God knows our thoughts before we even speak them. We need to learn to forgive and give grace, because God has given us much.
1) Our discouragement in a situation usually stems back to something that we are bitter, upset, or misunderstood from God. Genesis 45:1-15. Don’t let others know about the shame and disgrace his brothers had done to him. Let’s do this one on one. The way to forgive someone is not the harsh use of your tounge.
2) Second not intimidating them he embraces them and hugs them and weeps upon them. Jesus gave his disciples ultimate grace, even when they desert him.
3) Thirdly he lets them regain their dignity. Ultimately Joseph gave the glory to God for his position. God still lets our past work for our good. God allowed it to happen with a purpose. We need to remember what we have been forgiven of in order to be able to forgive everyone else. We need to see how God sees us and how he forgave us. Simon and the sinful woman, she saw her sin.
4) Fourth forgiveness is life long, it means we live a life of forgiveness. Genesis 50:15, his family were scared that Joseph was going to be totally angry, so they make up a fake story to keep him at bay. Joseph forgave them then and he forgives them now.
5) Finally we need to examine our own lives. Maybe we need to restore our relationships, with God, the church, whomever.
Ephesians 4:31-32