January Series Study Guide - Day 14
Read Matthew 6:9-15
In His teaching on how to pray, Jesus says, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” And then Jesus takes it a step further in verses 14-15 of Matthew 6. When we forgive others, God will forgive us. But if we don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us. Wow. That’s a frightening statement. I thought my forgiveness was as simple as me receiving the gift of forgiveness that Jesus made possible for me by dying on the cross. I didn’t realize it was contingent on me forgiving others. But here’s something that I need to be reminded of over and over and over again: If I’m having trouble forgiving others, I’m not understanding the extent that I need forgiveness. If I’m not willing to forgive others, either, 1) I’ve never properly understood the extent of my need for forgiveness, or, 2) I’ve forgotten. How often do you think about the fact that your sins nailed Jesus to the cross? If I’m continually unwilling to forgive someone, I probably have not truly received forgiveness from God because I have no idea how much I need the forgiveness that Jesus offers me at the cross. Let’s be clear, extending forgiveness does not mean what happened was ok. That’s not what forgiveness means. The word “forgive” means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt. It does not mean we automatically trust and ignore the past, but we have given up our right to hurt others because they have hurt me.
Q: How does a lack of forgiveness affect our prayers?
Q: How does realizing how much we’ve been forgiven influence the way we love God?
Q: Do you agree that harboring unforgiveness in my heart points to my incomplete understanding of my need for forgiveness from God?
Q: When I forgive someone who asks me to forgive them, how does that change my relationship with them? How does it change my relationship with someone I forgive who does not ask for it or see his/her need for my forgiveness?
Q: How can you keep yourself from simply living out of your memories—particularly the memories of how you’ve been hurt—and instead begin imagining what God can accomplish in the future as you forget what is behind and straining toward what is ahead for you in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:13)?