Would the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?!?!?!

Would the Real Jesus Please Stand?!?!

In our post-modern world... you and I are told that all religions are the same, because they all lead to God. Oprah says, "It doesn't matter what you call your personal god (I intentionally use god with a little "g" when quoting her because her theology is off in left field somewhere), nor does it matter how you worship your god... as long as your sincere and passionate, that is all that really matters!

Well, the problem with that is... you can be as sincere and as passionate as you want, and still find yourself being sincerely and passionately WRONG! I would say that an Al Qaeda extremist who straps a bomb to himself and walks into a coffee shop is somewhat sincere and passionate... somewhat. However, I pray you don't believe that he worships the God that you do, just because he is passionate and sincere!

I am going to leave the investigation up to you. Below... you will find what various religions believe about Jesus. Let me know if that sounds like the same Jesus in the Bible:

Hinduism - Jesus was one of many of god’s sons. He was a teacher, or guru. He didn’t rise from the dead.

Buddhism - Jesus was a man who had good teachings. He may have been an enlightened teacher. He was not god.

Judaism - Jesus was a good teacher who taught things that were similar to the teachings of other rabbis of his day. He was not God. Some in the faith, say that, Jesus was a heretical, or a crazy – troublemaker.

Islam - Jesus was a very highly esteemed messenger of Allah. Jesus was one of the greatest prophets, but was not God. Jesus did not die on the Cross, but “was made to appear so to them.” Allah saved Jesus from the cross by raising Him to Himself before death. Many believe that Judas was the one on the Cross.

Mormonism - Jesus lived as a sinless human to show people the way to earn their own exaltation. Jesus was also the brother of Satan, and He had several wives.

Jehovah’s Witnesses - Jesus is God’s created son. Jesus was a perfect human being, but was not god. His death and resurrection earned humans the right to perfect life on earth.

Quotes from Some Famous People:
“Jesus of Nazareth, was a moral man, but I have some doubts about His divinity.” – Benjamin Franklin
“We’re more popular than Jesus. We’ll be around longer than Christianity.” – John Lennon, of The Beatles 1966
“Jesus died too soon. If he had lived to my age, He would have repudiated His own doctrine.” – Friedrich Nietzsche, German Philosopher
"I regard Jesus as a great teacher of humanity, but I do not regard Him as the only begotten Son of God.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“One of the biggest mistakes we has humans make is to believe that there is only one way. Actually, there are many diverse paths leading to what you call God. There are many paths and many different names that end up at the same spot, God.” – Oprah Winfrey in 2002.
“Jesus is not God, I believe I am God.” – Marilyn Manson


However, make no mistake... the Jesus from the Bible is very different from any of the above!

1) Jesus claims the power of forgiving sins showing that He claimed to be God.
"And behold, some people brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven." - Matthew 9:2

2) Jesus Christ is to be Judge of all mankind. Only God could do this.
"The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him." - John 5:22 - 23

3) Jesus existed and had ultimate glory before the world was created.
"And now, Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed." - John 17:5

4) Jesus claimed that only through Him could someone get to the Father!
"Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6

The Jesus of the Bible is very, very different than the Jesus of other religions. Be very careful... just because a religion or a person uses the name of Jesus, it doesn't mean that it is the same Jesus... the Son of God, the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings.

Just another rant!
Shane

We Love Terrorists, but we Hate Babies

Are we living in a nation that is suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder? Sometimes I feel that we are! We have laws and bills that totally contradict each other!

(Side note: I am not in any way making fun of or lessoning this disorder. I know that there are people who suffer from this disorder, and it is very serious. In fact, that is my point. We have a serious disorder in this Nation when it comes to our views on ethics!)

This past January, our new President, in full view of rolling cameras and clamoring press signed an executive order that would close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, and would also ban torture in the process of questioning terror suspects. This means that our military who risk their lives to protect us has to play nice with terrorists who want to destroy this nation by wiping you and your family off the face of this planet, because you are an infidel. So, I guess the new tactic to retrieve valuable intel from imprisoned terrorists on future attacks toward our country must done over a friendly game of Candyland! (By the way, that is my 2 1/2 year old's favorite game.)

Then, the very next day, without the coverage of the media (not a coincidence by the way), our new President signed an order that lifted the ban (placed by the Bush administration) that would allow for U.S. taxpayer money, usually in the form of Agency for International Development funds, to go towards international family planning groups that either offer abortions or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion. The rule also provides federal funding for groups that lobby to legalize abortion or promote it as a family planning method.

WHAT?!?!?! Let me say it again! WHAT?!?!?!

We provide protection to terrorists, but we will give you money to do away with your baby?!?! I don't know about you, but I haven't seen any unborn (innocent) babies flying planes into buildings lately! What are we doing?!?!

We are making this statement as a so called "Christian Nation" (I use the term very loosely): The real threats to this Nation are unborn babies, not terrorists!

Besides that... I think I have read somewhere that we are in an economic crisis? (Sense the sarcasism) We are suffering economically, yet we have the money to send to other countries to help them with abortions. Wow!

Lastly, for all of us law-abiding taxpayers. Our money, whether we agree with abortion or not, is going to help do away with human life. Jeremiah 1:4 is clear on when life begins: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..." So, if I am paying taxes, and my tax money goes toward abortion... Does this make me an accessory to murder?

God Bless the USA! Right?? Oh Lord, save us from ourselves...

But, what do I know? I am just a crazy ranting pastor!
Shane

What is the Biblical View of Cosmetic or Plastic Surgery?

Question: What would be the Biblical View of Cosmetic Surgery?
This topic carries a lot of relevance today. The popularity of cosmetic is growing every year. With medical advances in this field, more and more people are taking hold of the opportunities that it has to offer. So, the question naturally arises… what does the Bible have to say about it?

I would say... First of all, the Bible doesn’t specifically address a Christian having plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery, because naturally it was a non-issue thousands of years ago. So, there is nothing in the Bible to indicate that plastic surgery in and of itself is wrong. However, I think there is something to consider… the act of the procedure may not be sin, yet the reasons behind the procedure can be.

(I want to throw in a disclaimer from the very beginning... Honestly, who cares? This is a non-issue. If we, as Christian people, would be as passionate about Loving Jesus, and Loving People as we are about people having surgeries, tattoos, shaggy hair, and so on... think about how advanced the Kingdom of God would be!)

But, just for fun, let's look at several things concerning this topic.

I. Does the Bible Address Physical Appearance?

The answer is "yes". In several places... One great passage on Physical Appearance is 1 Timothy 2:9 – 10 - "And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair hair or by waering gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do."i.

It is not a sin for a woman to want to be attractive. Paul was not prohibiting these things; he was simply saying that the top priority for women should not be intentionally drawing attention to themselves through Physical beauty.

Beauty begins on the inside. A gentle, modest, loving character gives light to the face that cannot be duplicated by even the best cosmetic surgery. The previous Bible verses challenge us to be more concerned about our spiritual appearance, than our physical appearance. We are to be attractive by the good things we do for God and His people.

II. Statistics on Surgical and Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures:

a. Nearly 11.7 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2007, according to statistics released today by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
b. The Aesthetic Society, says the overall number of cosmetic procedures has increased 457 percent since the collection of the statistics first began in 1997.
c. Women had 91 percent of cosmetic procedures.
d. Americans spent just over $13 billion on cosmetic procedures; $8.3 billion was for surgical procedures, and $4.7 billion was for nonsurgical procedures.
e. The most frequently performed non-surgical procedure are Botox injections, and the most popular surgical procedure was liposuction.
f. The number of surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed on men increased 17 percent since last year.

Frequency of cosmetic procedures by AGE GROUP:
% of total Age # procedures Top surgical procedure Top nonsurgical procedure
47% 35-50 5.4 million Liposuction Botox
25% 51-64 2.9 million Eyelid Surgery Botox
21% 19-34 2.4 million Breast augmentation Laser Hair Removal
6% 65 and over 700,096 Eyelid Surgery Botox
2% 18 and under 205,119 Cosmetic ear surgery Laser Hair Removal

III. Every Decision Should be Considered as a Heart Issue

Many (not all), plastic surgeries are done as attempts to meet emotional voids with physical solutions, to attract attention, or to seek approval from others: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” – Proverbs 31:30

Never forget, that even the most skilled surgeon cannot hold back the hands of time, and all cosmetic surgeries will eventually have the same result... aging, and a common enemy... gravity. Those lifted body parts will sag again and those cosmetically altered facial features will eventually wrinkle.

Far better it is for us to work on beautifying the person underneath: “You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands.” – 1 Peter 3:4 – 5

Also, ladies... You are a beautiful creation by God, so don’t be Caught in the Traps of the World’s Unrealistic Standards for You. Do you mistakenly believe that not meeting society's standards of attractiveness automatically disqualifies you from self-acceptance and happiness?

Always remember that God remains the only reliable source of unconditional love that transforms us internally, freeing us from the pressure of constantly having to prove to the world that we measure up. The world tells us the lie, “Whatever you look like, whatever you do to enhance your looks, this is what can give you assurance that ultimately makes you whole.”

IV. Someone who is Wanting Surgery should Weigh the Risks

Ask, “What is my Motivation?” - Altering one's body always provides risks of potential side effects – both physically and mentally. No one should allow themselves to be put "under the knife" without thoroughly researching all alternatives, risks, and side effects involved with the surgery. A person also needs to fully understand his or her motivation for desiring the surgery.

Next, Consult with the Holy Spirit - The most important thing to do before making the decision to undergo plastic surgery would be to consult God about the issue. The Bible tells us that God cares about every worry and concern that we have, so we should take our problems to Him: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.” – 1 Peter 5:7 Through the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, we have the ability to make decisions that will please and honor Him.

My Personal View – The Bible does not address this particular issue as sin, so you can not pronounce judgment on anyone who decides to undergo a procedure.-

If someone earnestly and truthfully prays about a procedure, and does not receive “hindrance” from the Holy Spirit… If that person is not trying to fill some emotional, spiritual, or internal void… If someone can do the surgery without hindering their family financially… If that person is not doing a procedure to vainly show it off, possibly causing others to stumble spiritually…

Then I would say… You are free to do what makes you happy and confident in the Holy Spirit. Honestly, who cares? This is a non-issue. If we, as Christian people, would be as passionate about Loving Jesus, and Loving People as we are about people having surgeries, tattoos, shaggy hair, and so on... think about how advanced the Kingdom of God would be!

The Most Segegrated Hours in America

Last week... History was made in the United States. Whether you're Republican or Democrat... whether you voted for Obama, McCain, or didn’t vote at all... that wasn't the issue. The victory came, not in the form a Donkey, or Elephant, but in the fact that there were millions together in Washington D. C. of all races... black, white, brown, yellow, red. In a political arena, a statement was made – ‘although, there is not a lot of unity over the economy, social issues, moral issues, etc. There is obvious progress that has been made racially!’

In sports... racial unity is displayed beautifully. Men, of all races and backgrounds wear identical uniforms with the same purpose in mind: win! Women, with different skin colors wear uniforms that are the exact same color. Why? Because, they are on the SAME TEAM! What unity! This Sunday... millions will be watching the Super Bowl. There will be a Hispanic man, blocking for a White man, who will be throwing to a Black man, while a Samoan man is trying to intercept it. All the while, millions of people, representing all races, will be cheering them on! The sports world seems to understand racial unity.

However, while political arenas and the sports worlds seem to understand racial unity, the church once again is lagging behind. Sunday mornings from 10 AM till 12 PM is still the most segregated two hours in America. The worst description that a church can receive is this... that church is a White church, this church is a Hispanic church, that church is a Black church, and so on... Churches are supposed to be a visual picture of what takes place in Heaven. I know this may blow some of our minds... but, Heaven will not be racially segregated... there are no white sections, or black sections of Heaven. We will all be around the throne of Jesus worshipping Him... TOGETHER!

The Bible says, “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, ‘Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!’” – Revelation 7:9 – 10 Can you imagine this celebration? What a worship service… with every race and language all together worshipping the ‘Lamb of God’ – Jesus Christ! That is what I call Church! And… our worship services here on earth should be a reflection of what is going on in Heaven.

I have to brag on my church (OHBC) for a minute… This past Sunday, we Baptized… a Caucasian woman, two African-American men, and then a Hispanic male came forward to set a date for Baptism… while men and women of all three races cheered them on! Don’t get me wrong… I know we have a long, long way to go, but I think nothing showcases the blessings of God like RACIAL UNITY!

Jesus, may all races be unified in promoting Your Kingdom!

Just some thoughts from this Ranting Pastor…

Is it Wrong to Dance? Why has this Been Taught?

Question: Is Dancing Wrong? Why has this Been Taught?
Taught at the Orchard Hills Baptist Church Seekers Class

- This question has usually been associated with Baptist. You hear the statements, “Baptist don’t dance.” I’ve heard pastors say, “You can’t have a praying knee and a dancing foot on the same leg.” This debate is usually found in the center of a generation gap. The older generation has a stance, while a younger generation asks, “Why”? However, let’s see what the Bible says:

I. Dancing in the Bible – Let’s be very clear from the beginning… dancing is found in the Bible. And, guess what? No one was struck with lightning bolts while they were doing it!
a. Dancing as Worship unto the Lord: There were obviously times in the Bible where people danced as worship unto Jehovah. Here are a few examples:
i. “And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.” - 2 Samuel 6:14 – 15
ii. “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.” - Psalm 30:11
iii. “Praise His name with dancing, accompanied by a tambourine and harp.” - Psalm 149:3
iv. “Praise Him with the tambourine and dancing; prise Him with strings and flutes!” - Psalm 150:3

b. Dancing, just to Dance: However, there were also instances in the Bible, where people were dancing just to dance. Dancing is a big part of Jewish culture. They danced at parties, birthdays, and weddings. Don’t forget… Jesus first miracle was performed at a wedding (John 2), where they would have been dancing. Does this mean that JESUS WAS DANCING? You can probably bank on it!
i. “A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.” - Ecclesiastes 3:4
1. This verse is in a context of scripture that is dealing with different scenarios in life. Everyone experiences good times, and rough times. There will be times when you will cry, and times when you will laugh. There will be other times when you will be grieving and hurting, then there will be other times when your dancing and having a great time.
ii. “To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs and you didn’t mourn.’ For John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by results.” - Matthew 11:16 – 19
1. Oh no! Was Jesus is connected with having a good time? People were critical of everything He or John the Baptist did. It is a okay to be a Christian and have a good time. I promise! The concern is… What environment are you placing yourself in to have that ‘good time’?
iii. “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house.” - Luke 15:25
1. This was possibly an act of worship in thankfullness to God fro returning the boy. However, let’s be clear about this… it was a coming home party! They were celebrating, and dancing!

- This is what I believe the Bible says: Obviously the act of dancing is not a sin in itself. I think the confusion has come from this… the main concern was not the act of dancing, but rather, placing yourself in the setting that dancing takes place a lot of times - bars, clubs, etc. Then, the things (fairly or unfairly) that are often associated with those places - fights, alcohol, and one night stands (sexual immorality, for those not familiar with the term).
o I believe everyone should consider a couple of things with this issue:
1. The way you dance: If you want to dance with your wife, then I would consider that a wonderful thing. I usually don’t dance. Not, that I believe it is wrong, but rather, because I can’t and therefore… I embarrass my wife.
• However, I think the ‘booty-grinding dancing’ (for lack of a better term) can be a negative act. Especially, between two unmarried individuals, because it can cause you or someone else to sin. It could cause those “ol’ hormones” to awaken.
• Girls especially… The way you dance could cause a man to look at you and lust after you. Don’t give a reason for someone to stumble, because of your actions.
o 1 Corinthians 8:9, 12 – “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to weak. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.”

2. Where you dance: What environment are you placing yourself in to have a ‘good time’? My grandpa always said, “If you hang around skunks long enough, you’ll start to smell like one.” There is no one who is strong enough to place themselves in a negative environment consisently and it not affect them in negative ways!
• If you are around the bar scence or club scene… you will inevitably take on the bar and club scene. You can’t have a growing and life-changing relationship with Jesus, while consistently placing yourself in a scene that will hinder that relationship.

I knew a group of young Christian men, who had the bright idea of going into Strip Clubs to share Jesus with people. Well… sadly to say… none of those men are serving the Lord any longer, because they got so caught up in that scene.

Is it Biblical for a Woman to be a Senior Pastor?

This question is a bomb that’s ready to explode with controversy. But, here we go:

1. Adam - In the Bible, there is a common theme of leadership. To understand the roles of ledership, the roles of men, and the roles of women; we must begin in Genesis the book of beginnings.
a. Adam and Eve: Genesis 1:26 – 27 = God made us male and female as the crowning jewel of His creation. He made men and women equal, yet with different roles.
1. Example: Daughter plays with dolls, while the brother tries to bomb it with his Cheetos.
ii. Helper – Gen. 2:20 = God made women as ‘helpers’, which explains why it is not uncommon to find women pursuing careers and ministries that enable them to genuinely help other people.
b. Adam as Leader: God made man first, which established him as the natural leader.
i. Tne Fall took place when the man sinned – Gen. 3:6 – 7
ii. God came looking for the man after the Fall – Gen. 3:9
iii. He would rule over the woman – Gen. 3:16
iv. God held Adam primarily responsible for the Fall – Gen. 3:17, Rom. 5:12

2. Old Testament Kings, Priests, and Prophets – In the Old Testament, all kings, high priests, and prophets were men. All twelve tribes of Israel were named after twelve men.

3. The Practice of Jesus – Jesus was a revolutionary when it came to the treatment of women. Women during His time were treated as property, denied education, and were handed a veil to cover themselves so that they would dissappear into oblivion. (Interestingly, the death religion known as Islam, still treat women like this today.)
a. Jesus’ Treatment of Women: Jesus often violated social taboos regarding women.
i. He brefriended the Samaritian women – John 4:7 – 26
ii. He spoke publicly to the widow of Nain – Luke 7:12 – 13
iii. He often used women as examples of great faith in His teachings
iv. He allowed a sinful women to anoint Him – Luke 7:36 – 50
v. Two of His closest friends were two women that He loved like sisters – Luke 10:38 – 39
b. Jesus Chose Twelve Disciples: Jesus chose twelve men as His disciples.
i. Jesus honored, taught, and loved women and even included them in vital positions in His ministry. But He did not elevate women to the highest level of leadership, in keeping with the creation order and the Old Testament example.
ii. One, might say, that Jesus did not want to be controversial. However, He did choose fishermen, a tax collector, etc. as leaders. Plus, wasn’t He controversial enough to be put to death? I don’t think that would have stopped Him!

4. Teachings of Paul and the New Testament – Paul continues to follow the Creation order, the prophets and the Old Testament, and the example of Jesus.
a. The Letters to Timothy and Titus: Paul, in his letters to Timothy and Titus clearly describe the qualifications for being a pastor/elder/overseer.
i. 1 Timothy 2:11 – 14 = These verses are very, very touchy. To figure out the true meaning of these verses, we must look at the context of the rest of these writings. The very next Chapter explains the qualifications of the pastor/elder/overseer, so these verses seem imply that a woman cannot be Biblically considered for this position.
1. v. 12 – ‘Teach’ = This is in reference to the teaching of a pastor. (Just a side note: This entire letter is written to Timothy, who is a young pastor in Ephesus).
2. V. 12 - ‘Authority’ = The Greek word used here, is the only place it is used in the New Testament, and it refers to the highest authority in the church: that of pastor.
ii. 1 Timothy 3:1 – 7, Titus 1:5 – 9 = Notice how many times the pronouns “he” and “him” are used compared to how many feminine pronouns are used.

1. Three Views from these Scriptures:
a. Liberal: All ministries and offices in the church, including the role of pastor, are open to men and women.
b. Fundamental (Traditional): Women are not permitted to be an elder, pastor, deacon, serve communion, teach men, lead worship, pray or speak in the church services, etc. Women should focus on ministries for other women and children. Or, if your Baptist, the poor women are stuck cooking and cleaning up after the fellowships.
c. Moderate: In my opinion, this is the correct Biblical view. Men and women are partners together in every area of ministry. All ministries in the church are open to all qualified men and women with the singular exception of the office of pastor, which the Scriptures require to be a male-only office. Women can serve in teaching, leading music, serving communion, be in full-time paid ministries, go to seminary, etc.

I thank God for godly women who aspire to serve Jesus with their lives. I also thank God that women have often stepped into leadership roles when there was an over-abundance of lazy, uncaring, incompontent men, and a shortage of godly men seeking to use their lives to lead in the Kingdom of God.

But, if I am going to be faithful to serving God with my life by studying and teaching the Bible, then I have to say that the role of pastor is reserved for qualified men only.

Forgiveness (Do I Really Have To???)

Fireproof Your Life
“Forgiveness” By Shane Pruitt

Preached at OHBC 12 - 14 - 08

A 2001 study done by the American Medical Student Association revealed a correlation between reviewing hurtful memories and measures of the stress response (EMG, heart rate, blood pressure). When subjects were encouraged to think forgiving thoughts, the stress response was diminished.
o Decreased anger and negative thoughts
o Decreased anxiety
o Decreased depression and grief
o Decreased vulnerability to substance use

A Great Quote - “Forgive me my mistakes, I’m still kid learning the responsibility of being an adult.”

Matthew 18:21 – 35

- This parable is only recorded in Matthew. Maybe because it meant the most to him being a forgiven and hated tax collector.

I. Receiving Forgiveness Matthew 18:21 – 27
1. Peter’s Question: "Do I forgive someone Seven times?"
i. The Pharisees of the day tought that it was considered sufficient to forgive someone three times, but on the fourth time, there should be no forgiveness.
ii. Jesus replies "Forgive someone Seven times Seventy"
a. Jesus did not mean his followers ought to keep count up to 490 times,but rather, don’t keep track. It is like us saying an infinite amount of times.
2. The key to Forgiving others is Remembering how much God has Forgiven You.
3. Jesus set the Incredible Example for Forgiveness
a. “ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right and died for us sinners. God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” - Romans 5:6, 8
i. Forgive – Greek (af-ee-ay-mee) “lay aside, let go, put away”
ii. It is easy to ask God for forgiveness but difficult to grant it to others.
a. “ And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. If you forgive those who sin against you, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:12, 14 – 15

4. Keys to Receiving Forgiveness:
i. Ask God to reveal anything that you’ve done to hurt someone
ii. You have to be open and honest
iii. In apologizing, don’t bring up the other person’s faults.
iv. In apologizing, don’t try to blame others
v. To receive forgiveness, you must be willing to forgive
vi. Seek God’s forgiveness first
vii. Realize that forgiveness is necessary for worship
a. “ But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins too.” – Mark 11:25

II. Giving Forgiveness Matthew 18:28 – 35
- “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have someone to forgive.” – C. S. Lewis

1. Carrying Unforgiveness only hurts yourself.
i. You can’t always control what happens, but you can control whether you forgive or not.
ii. If you’re the one carrying unforgiveness, then you’re the one suffering. They don’t care, or even know that you've grown bitter towards them. You’re the one that can’t sleep, eat, or think about anything else. You’re the one driving everyone else around you crazy, because it is all you talk about. NOT THEM!
2. True Forgiveness is:
i. Asking God to reveal anything that you need to forgive
ii. Important for reducing stress and anger
iii. A deliberate decision
iv. An deliberate action
v. A step in the process of healing
vi. An on-going process
vii. Done in obedience to God

3. True Forgiveness is/does not:
i. Always deserved
ii. Just a feeling
iii. Require an apology from the person you’re forgiving
iv. The same as forgetting
v. Mean that I agree with the other person’s behavior
vi. Require that I fully trust the other person
vii. Minimize the hurt that I’ve suffered
viii. Require that the other person forgive me as well

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” – Colossians 3:13

- “When you bury the bury hatchet, don’t bury it in someone else’s back.” – Anonymous

Illustration THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS
- On October 2, 2006 at 10:25 AM, gunman Charles Carl Roberts IV walked into a oneroom Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. Held hostages for about half an hour before eventually killing five school girls aged 6 – 13, before turning the gun on himself and committing suicide.
However, the Amish community extended forgiveness: One Amish man held shooter’s sobbing father in his arms, reportedly for as long as an hour, to comfort him. The Amish have also set up a charitable fund for the family of the shooter. About 30 members of the Amish community attended shooter’s funeral and Marie Roberts, the widow of the killer, was one of the few outsiders invited to the funeral of the victims. Marie Roberts(shooter’s wife) wrote an open letter to her Amish neighbors thanking them for their forgiveness, grace, and mercy. She wrote, "Your love for our family has helped to provide the healing we so desperately need. Gifts you've given have touched our hearts in a way no words can describe. Your compassion has reached beyond our family, beyond our community, and is changing our world, and for this we sincerely thank you."

Video Clip:
- Caleb and Catherine Holt (Fireproof Movie) having been falling apart. Caleb is watching online porn, she is seeking an office romance. They have filed for divorce. However,Caleb’s dad ask him to do a book called the Love Dare, which is a for forty day journey in learning to love. He gets saved, and seeks the forgiveness of his wife to save their marriage.

Conclusion:
- Imagine my only child, Raygen, on the Cross. Put her face to what all Jesus went through for us: physically and spiritually.
o Now take her down! I don’t and can't love you that much.
- However, God does.
o Even while hanging on the cross… Jesus forgave!

“When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed Him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified – one on His right and one on His left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’” – Luke 23:33 – 34

o Jesus was suffering the most horrible, painful death ever devised by sinful man, and he looked at the people responsible for His suffering and prayed for their forgiveness.

I don’t have a right to hold grudges. You don’t have a right to hold grudges!