No Offense | Week 5
When Forgiveness Seems Impossible
Getting Started:
Have you ever found yourself in a place where you needed to be rescued?
How did that make you feel?
Obviously, you were rescued. What emotions changed in the process?
Digging Deeper:
Read Colossians 1:13-14
For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
What did Jesus have to do to rescue us from the dangers of hell and place us in the safety of his kingdom?
Read 1 John 1:9-10
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
God’s forgiveness is vital to our relationship with Him. How does that forgiveness change our lives?
Read Matthew 18:23-30
Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
What perspective does this Scripture give on forgiveness?
How easy or difficult is it for you to forgive?
How should God’s forgiveness affect our relationships with others?
How does our pride play a part in NOT forgiving others?
What is the impact on our own life when we refuse to forgive?
How do you think forgiving will impact other areas of your life?
NextStep:
Find peace this week by extending forgiveness to a person or situation. Lean into your Life Group for support during this time.