“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who
builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the
floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse
because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and
doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the
rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse
with a mighty crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)
FORGIVENESS.
Today’s Culture –> ME FIRST.
“Father forgive them, for they don’t know what
they’re doing.” (Luke 23:34)
“while WE were yet
sinners (opposed to God, at our worst), Christ died for US!”)
Relationship was more important than any
offense.
THROUGH
“Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been
done or putting a false label on an evil act. It means, rather, that the evil act
no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship. Forgiveness is a catalyst
creating the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start and a new beginning.”
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NLT “…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new
person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from
God, who brought us back to himself THROUGH CHRIST. And God has given us
this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the
world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave
us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s
ambassadors; God is making his appeal THROUGH US. We speak for Christ
when we plead, “Come back to God!”