This devotional guide prepares its readers for the February 26 sermon called, “Sin and the Lord’s Prayer.” The sermon looks at the concluding portion of the Prayer, “…forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors, And do not bring us to the time of trial…”

Daily Bible Reading:

Monday, February 20, 2017.  Read Luke 15:11-32.  1) What happens when a young, prodigal brother goes home?  His father?  His brother?  2) What reasons might one have for feeling angry and judgmental toward the young brother?  3) What do you think motivated the Father’s response to him?   4) Why do you think Jesus told this story?

Tuesday, February 21.  Read Matthew 9:1-8.  1) What occasion provides, in this case, a great demonstration of faith?  2) What did Jesus first say to the paralytic man?  3) Why do you think he chose those words?

Wednesday, February 22.  Read Matthew 18:21-35.  1) What question did Peter have for Jesus?  2) What was Jesus’ answer?  3) How did the parable, told just after this interaction, contribute to the conversation with Peter?

Thursday, February 23.  Read Ephesians 4:31-5:2.  1) What did Paul tell the Ephesian Christians to “put away?”  2) What does he tell them to replace those things with?  3) What role do you think forgiveness plays in this?

Friday, February 24.  Read Colossians 3:12-14.  1) With what positive traits should we “clothe” ourselves?  2) When we fail in the way we treat each other, what should our response be?  3) Who should be our model for this?

Saturday, February 25.  Read Matthew 6:7-13.  This is the text for Sunday’s sermon.

Devotional Article

High-Cost Forgiveness?

Is it really worth the cost?
by Ron Rose

Preparation

Inside a church, forgiveness is talked about every weekend. But, when you get outside the walls of a church, the reality seems, at times, to be an unexplainable mystery, one that people have trouble grasping.

The latest celebrity messes up and Entertainment Tonight produces an exclusive on damage control and image repair. “Is this the end of the line?” “Will the fans forgive?” Spin-doctors twist words and write scripts designed to garner favor and that elusive declaration of “forgiveness.”

You don’t have to be a Christian to know that without forgiveness you are stuck. The festering wounds of betrayal and humiliation, the corrosiveness of disgrace and dishonor, and the unwillingness to turn loose of hoarded hurts lingers long past the “sin.”

How do you recover from bad choices and what could have been?

Forgiveness, but it’s demanding and bewildering. In the end, it’s a choice — an exacting and misunderstood course of action. Some, outside the faith, label it crazy, or even a symbol of “brain damage.”

Jesus spoke often about forgiveness. It was and continues to be, a deal-breaker part of His Kingdom:

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37 NIV).

This forgiveness is not just limited to the public failures and private indiscretions; it reaches down to all the “minor” installments that have been stacked away in our pain bank.

As I see it, there are two dangerous forgiveness myths that need to be busted:

• Forgiveness takes away the consequences. Get that out of your head.
• Forgiveness has to be earned.
• Forgiveness means you turn loose of this mess regardless of what the other person wants, or does.

Three things happen when a Christian forgives:

• God is honored.
• Grace is experienced.
• Brokenness is healed.

You CAN be a forgiving person because God has given you the power. You can forgive someone else because God has forgiven you. He has shown you the way. When you choose to refuse to hurt the person who has hurt you, you write a story of grace over a bottomless pit of festering pain. And, your choice not only releases the person who has wronged you, but it unleashes the best in you.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:31-32).

Does this sound impossible in your situation? Prayerfully read through the following story and see how God uses it to speak to your heart.

After an argument with her mother, Debbie stormed out of the house and wasn’t heard from for days. Betty, Debbie’s mother, thought maybe her daughter had run away. Following days of agony, the police found Debbie’s 16-year-old body in a nearby creek. She had been raped and strangled.

The investigation seemed to be stuck, so Betty took matters into her own hands. “I saw something in the newspaper,” said Betty. “The wire that was embedded around Debbie’s neck, wrists and ankles was copper-coated. I remember hearing the police say that.”

With the help of a private detective, Betty connected the wire to Debbie’s favorite high school English teacher, Raymond Payne. Months later the police matched the wire. Payne was arrested.

He pleaded guilty and was convicted of first-degree murder. Then he was sentenced to life in prison.

Hatred consumed Betty like poison. “I hated him more than I hated anyone in my life,” Betty said. “I dragged that hate with me everywhere I went.”

Her unwillingness to forgive was distorting her life. She was in a prison without bars, but a prison just the same. Then, six years after Debbie’s death, Betty made a startling decision. She chose to forgive Ray.

Betty visited him in prison to tell him about her decision. The guard opened the door, and Ray came into the room. She opened her arms and he opened his. They stood there in the middle of the room, hugging and crying.

God was honored, grace was experienced, and brokenness was healed. Consequences continued, but the pit of bitterness emptied.
Inspiration

In the summer of 1993, Reginald Denny drove his truck into the riots of South Central Los Angeles. He was stopped at the intersection of Florence and Normandie when two men jumped him, pulled him from his truck, beat him with a broken bottle, and kicked him until both sides of his face were caved in. All the while, video cameras in the helicopter above captured every detail.

Months later at the close of the trial, as the two men were being led away from the courtroom, Denny pulled a surprise move. Defying the advice of his own lawyers, Denny walked over to the mothers of the two defendants and hugged them. He told them that he had chosen to forgive their sons. Tears filled the eyes of everyone in the room.

God was honored, grace was experienced, and brokenness was healed.

One news reporter responded, “Well you know Denny did suffer some brain damage.”

Forgiveness may not make sense, but, oh, how we need it!

Motivation

Isn’t it past time to release your hoarded stash of resentment and bitterness and buried anger? God sent his Son, to forgive you, to show you what it takes to forgive others, regardless. Make that forgiveness decision now. And, get a hug from God.

It’s your choice. Choose to honor God, experience grace, and heal brokenness. Or…

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

“At this, the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow-servant just as I had on you?’ In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed.

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Matthew 18:21-35 NIV).

Hymn of the Week:

And Can It Be That I Should Gain
by Charles Wesley, 1738

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Prayer of the Week:

O Lord, Jesus Christ, Redeemer and Saviour, forgive my sins, just as You forgave Peter’s denial and those who crucified You. Count not my transgressions, but, rather, my tears of repentance. Remember not my iniquities, but, more especially, my sorrow for the offenses I have committed against You. I long to be true to Your Word, and pray that You will love me and come to make Your dwelling place within me. I promise to give You praise and glory in love and in service all the days of my life. Amen.