WEBVTT 0 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:07.320 Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons Podcast. 1 00:00:07.400 --> 00:00:11.000 This is where you can find audio from Sunday morning messages and more. 2 00:00:11.229 --> 00:00:14.479 Make sure you subscribe so that you don't miss future episodes. 3 00:00:14.489 --> 00:00:15.659 And thanks for listening. 4 00:00:22.110 --> 00:00:23.100 Well, good morning. 5 00:00:23.959 --> 00:00:28.180 If you've got your Bibles, I wanna invite you to join me to First John chapter one. 6 00:00:28.870 --> 00:00:30.360 That's where we're gonna be today. 7 00:00:30.549 --> 00:00:34.419 Um I wanna kind of re emphasize some things that you heard some things that Pastor Dave said. 8 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:40.529 Uh but you've got your calendar uh here on this card of all the things that we're gonna be doing in our church church wide. 9 00:00:40.540 --> 00:00:54.849 There are other things like our women's uh ministry, our, our, our teens are doing some stuff, our student ministry, our kids ministry, but this is our church wide things that we wanna point everyone to um with that so excited December 24th instead of doing two different service. 10 00:00:54.922 --> 00:00:56.402 This is one in the morning, one in the evening. 11 00:00:56.411 --> 00:01:06.601 Uh what we've done before and what we're gonna do uh since Christmas Eve is a Sunday is we're gonna come together that morning for our full Christmas Eve service, packing everybody in the room. 12 00:01:06.611 --> 00:01:09.681 Hope to fill it out and be a, be a little bit, uh, uh, uncomfortable. 13 00:01:09.692 --> 00:01:11.342 You'll be so close, but that'll be good. 14 00:01:11.351 --> 00:01:14.501 Uh, and, and, and sweet to remind us all that God is doing. 15 00:01:14.512 --> 00:01:25.944 Uh, but what I'd also like to emphasize is before that morning, you wanna show up early like we normally do and we'll have the lobby filled, uh, with homemade goodies for you to be able to try and be able to sample. 16 00:01:25.954 --> 00:01:30.744 Um and maybe even put some in your pockets and take home like that's between you and the Lord uh whatever you wanna do. 17 00:01:30.753 --> 00:01:43.783 Uh Then also on Sunday, December 31st, last year, uh we started this Sunday fell on January 1 and we started off the New Year by having a time of prayer together for our, our whole church, everybody in here together and had breakfast with that. 18 00:01:43.954 --> 00:01:51.896 And so on Sunday, December 31st, we're gonna do uh that prayer breakfast uh again and so details out how to register for that. 19 00:01:51.905 --> 00:02:21.848 You don't have to pay for it, but we need to know how many to prepare for uh so that we can do that and, and I don't know about you, but it was a great way of starting our year off of being able to come together as a church family um in a very casual uh relaxed atmosphere and, and just coming together to, to fellowship over a meal together and then to spend some intentional time praying, unified together um as a church and then on January the seventh, we'll have um our church family come back that evening. 20 00:02:21.858 --> 00:02:25.427 So all the details and then our adjustments for our discipleship hours. 21 00:02:25.438 --> 00:02:28.087 So you wanna make sure that, that you're a part of that. 22 00:02:28.177 --> 00:02:30.988 Um I hope you had a wonderful, wonderful Thanksgiving. 23 00:02:30.998 --> 00:02:33.587 Um uh a little, a little time to kind of share. 24 00:02:33.598 --> 00:02:34.748 I think I did well. 25 00:02:34.757 --> 00:02:38.748 um I think I did really well with what I was able to accomplish on, on Thanksgiving. 26 00:02:38.757 --> 00:02:43.940 Um So there's a group of guys that, that work out uh on Tuesday mornings up here at the church. 27 00:02:43.949 --> 00:02:46.630 Uh Joel Van Ham um is the leader of it. 28 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:50.320 Like, I don't know if y'all know this or not, but like Joel likes to work out like all the time. 29 00:02:50.330 --> 00:02:52.550 That's what he does, what he talks about, it's his thing. 30 00:02:52.559 --> 00:02:56.610 Um And so he invited three guys who don't uh to join him in that. 31 00:02:56.720 --> 00:03:06.692 Um So it's me, uh Tim Shall and Josh Nick and, and we're just there uh to kind of do some motions and complain mostly is, is what we do uh while we're, while we're working out together. 32 00:03:06.701 --> 00:03:17.832 Uh The, the workout started harder and like most workouts go, you know, over 68 months, like you would think that we would increase in our ability and, and we're just declining in what he can get us uh to do. 33 00:03:17.921 --> 00:03:19.671 So he gave us a challenge though. 34 00:03:19.682 --> 00:03:20.671 He gave us a challenge. 35 00:03:20.682 --> 00:03:26.072 Uh, I don't know if, if, if Tim, or, or Josh, uh, heard Joel or, or really process what Joel said. 36 00:03:26.192 --> 00:03:31.832 Um, but, but he said now on, on Thanksgiving, I want you to be good because we talk about what we eat, the amount of exercise, all those things. 37 00:03:32.529 --> 00:03:56.850 And he said on Thanksgiving Day, I want you to limit yourself to no more than 1600 calories and, uh, with honesty and integrity, I can stand here today and tell you that every plate that I ate was less than 1600 calories, all four of them, you know. 38 00:03:57.449 --> 00:04:08.330 Uh, so, uh, and, and even yesterday, right, I got that styrofoam plate out of the refrigerator and it was probably like 1580 you know, and so we ate that and that was good too. 39 00:04:08.339 --> 00:04:11.750 Uh, but I hope you had a, I hope you had a wonderful, wonderful Thanksgiving. 40 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:12.630 I'm a Thanksgiving guy. 41 00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:13.699 I love Thanksgiving. 42 00:04:13.750 --> 00:04:17.190 I, I love gathering with, with friends and I love gathering with family. 43 00:04:17.220 --> 00:04:21.716 Um, I love getting really full off of nothing but carbs and then taking a nap, you know. 44 00:04:21.735 --> 00:04:24.365 Um, and it's just, just, just good day, good day, good day. 45 00:04:24.376 --> 00:04:30.686 But now it's Christmas season, you know, uh, this weekend, uh, Aaron and, and, and now we get down all the Christmas decorations. 46 00:04:30.696 --> 00:04:34.635 The kids were helping us when we were decorating, um, inside the house. 47 00:04:34.656 --> 00:04:38.645 Um, that, that's Aaron's area, you know, she, she decorates the tree. 48 00:04:38.675 --> 00:04:40.126 Uh, it's, it's gorgeous. 49 00:04:40.256 --> 00:04:46.231 Um, if it were up to me, um, like, like, like I would decorate, like everything, like eye level, you know. 50 00:04:46.252 --> 00:04:48.161 Um, what I can see right, right there. 51 00:04:48.171 --> 00:04:55.002 Uh She does let me, um, decorate AAA one ornament that, that I, I say let, she doesn't stop me. 52 00:04:55.092 --> 00:04:57.321 Um, I stop myself except for one ornament. 53 00:04:57.532 --> 00:05:14.649 Um, a few years ago, uh when I was in like prime physical peak of my life, I entered into AAA race and I came in third place in this five K and there was four of us in this race, but, but I came in third. 54 00:05:14.660 --> 00:05:17.209 Um And, and I, and I shared the story a few years ago. 55 00:05:17.220 --> 00:05:31.619 What, what like really motivated me to like to finish strong was like, like with a mile left, a pregnant woman pushing a stroller past me, you know, and I just was like, if I could just finish right after her right, then I'll do well. 56 00:05:31.630 --> 00:05:34.420 And so, uh I got, I got a, I got an ornament for that. 57 00:05:34.429 --> 00:05:38.059 Uh the third place ornament out of a race out of four old men. 58 00:05:38.230 --> 00:05:40.660 Um And so I hung that up on the, on the tree. 59 00:05:40.670 --> 00:05:46.290 It used to be front and center right in the middle and she asked me that I not hang that up there uh uh anymore. 60 00:05:46.299 --> 00:05:53.996 And so now I have the ornament position where when we sit at our kitchen table and eat, it's right at eye level, right? 61 00:05:54.216 --> 00:06:01.105 Just to remind everyone of my accomplishments of third place out of four for a bunch of old guys who I walked more than I ran. 62 00:06:01.115 --> 00:06:02.075 Let's just be honest. 63 00:06:02.186 --> 00:06:06.996 But man, when that eight month pregnant lady went flying by me, I was like, buddy, you gotta do better than this. 64 00:06:07.006 --> 00:06:10.635 And so um we did, but I, but II, I love Christmas now that Thanksgiving's passed. 65 00:06:10.645 --> 00:06:11.555 I love Christmas. 66 00:06:11.566 --> 00:06:13.316 Um I love Christmas movies. 67 00:06:13.325 --> 00:06:13.895 I, I love it. 68 00:06:13.906 --> 00:06:15.795 I don't like Hallmark Christmas movies. 69 00:06:15.805 --> 00:06:16.996 Um I don't like those. 70 00:06:17.006 --> 00:06:19.015 Um, I don't like Netflix Christmas movies. 71 00:06:19.026 --> 00:06:21.611 I like the traditional Christmas movies. 72 00:06:21.622 --> 00:06:24.891 Um, was it 20th anniversary of Elf? 73 00:06:24.902 --> 00:06:25.441 Right. 74 00:06:25.502 --> 00:06:29.552 Um So I know it makes you feel like older than what you should feel when you hear that. 75 00:06:29.582 --> 00:06:30.701 Um, but it's there. 76 00:06:30.712 --> 00:06:31.851 I, I love the food. 77 00:06:31.921 --> 00:06:34.891 Uh Emma and I went, went Black Friday shopping. 78 00:06:34.981 --> 00:06:58.627 Um, and, and our last point was the mall and, and we're getting ready and we got packages and, and, and things loading up in, in her car and, and we were leaving the mall and, and we went to take this turn around like our last stretch to get in the parking lot and, and there was that the, the, the stand that sells like the sausages and cheeses and I was like, Emma, we gotta stop, we gotta just pause for just a second here. 79 00:06:58.638 --> 00:06:59.808 Um And so we got some of that. 80 00:06:59.817 --> 00:07:02.388 So that was fantastic uh to be able to have that, but I love the food. 81 00:07:02.428 --> 00:07:03.507 I love the lights. 82 00:07:03.528 --> 00:07:12.548 Um I spent all day yesterday getting lights out in the yard, getting inflatables out in the yard like we're, we're, we're those people and we love people like us uh that do stuff like that. 83 00:07:12.558 --> 00:07:17.854 Our, our inside of the house is, is, is, is nice and classy and then the front yard is what I do. 84 00:07:17.973 --> 00:07:19.723 Um And so that's fair. 85 00:07:19.734 --> 00:07:21.514 Um I love, I love the gatherings. 86 00:07:21.523 --> 00:07:29.933 I love how we, how we spread them out like this excites me for all of these things that we're gonna do together as a church family and then the things that we'll have with, with our family. 87 00:07:29.963 --> 00:07:32.493 Um um I love that, but I'm gonna be honest with you. 88 00:07:32.503 --> 00:07:32.884 OK. 89 00:07:32.933 --> 00:07:37.963 Uh And, and some people can, can try to be super spiritual about these things and I'm just gonna lay it all out man. 90 00:07:37.973 --> 00:07:45.149 Like, like I love the gifts, like is, is this the safe space to say that like, like I love gifts, right? 91 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:53.359 And, and let's be honest, like you don't get a gift and go wow, I wish that person would have not thought of me like, like, like you like the gifts too, right? 92 00:07:53.369 --> 00:07:55.850 Like we like gifts, we do. 93 00:07:56.089 --> 00:07:59.220 And so as we were kind of coming into this to this season. 94 00:07:59.230 --> 00:08:04.779 Like I got thinking about a, a theme for a Christmas series for us and, and I thought, like, let's talk about gifts. 95 00:08:05.429 --> 00:08:09.500 Well, it's like the Christmas season is, is filled with, with gifts. 96 00:08:10.179 --> 00:08:14.220 We'll, we'll buy gifts for friends and family and for coworkers. 97 00:08:14.670 --> 00:08:17.709 We, we'll, sometimes we'll, we'll do that in like, gift cards. 98 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:19.850 Sometimes we'll think of what they want. 99 00:08:19.859 --> 00:08:22.119 Sometimes they'll give us a long list of all these things. 100 00:08:22.130 --> 00:08:27.420 But, but we love, we, we love gifts and, and here's, here's what I love about the gifts. 101 00:08:27.429 --> 00:08:31.779 Kind of kind of two things, two things about the gifts that I love and, and these aren't in order. 102 00:08:31.790 --> 00:08:33.320 These are, these are equal for me. 103 00:08:33.330 --> 00:08:35.063 I, I love to, I love to get gifts. 104 00:08:35.073 --> 00:08:36.383 I do, I do. 105 00:08:36.393 --> 00:08:38.023 Emma asked me the other day when we were out shopping. 106 00:08:38.033 --> 00:08:40.304 She's like, what do you want for, for Christmas? 107 00:08:40.313 --> 00:08:40.984 And I was like, sweetie. 108 00:08:40.994 --> 00:08:45.504 Like I, I want you to think about what you would like for me to have and then, and then that's what I would like. 109 00:08:45.513 --> 00:08:53.744 II I would like because I like, I like sitting there and thinking that, that this person knows me and, and they thought of this for me and, and they, they've, they've bought this for me. 110 00:08:53.754 --> 00:08:59.484 I, I love, I, I love getting gifts, but I also II, I love to give gifts. 111 00:09:00.033 --> 00:09:00.664 I do. 112 00:09:01.090 --> 00:09:10.960 I, I love to, to see the, the excitement on someone's face when, when they open up the gift and, and they know that, that you thought of them and that, that you thought that they would like this. 113 00:09:10.969 --> 00:09:25.500 And, and, and so you, you, you did that and, and I love the, the gathering together on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with, with, with family and, and just having that, that point in time where, where everyone in the room is just their hearts are filled with, with gratitude. 114 00:09:27.320 --> 00:09:36.750 The tension I think for this season is we can hit a space where it's all about those things. 115 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:39.690 It's, it's all about the movies. 116 00:09:39.940 --> 00:10:08.059 It's all about the food, it's all about the lights, it's all about the gatherings and it's all about the packages under a tree and, and what, what I want us to do is, is to take those things, but especially the, the gifts and, and I was, when, when we look at a package under the tree, when we're, when we're out at the mall and, and we're shopping or we're on Amazon and the 55th package of the week is gonna arrive at our house. 117 00:10:08.070 --> 00:10:08.429 Right. 118 00:10:08.950 --> 00:10:13.710 We're about to hit that buy now button and three things are for someone else and four things are for us. 119 00:10:13.719 --> 00:10:14.780 That's how that works, right? 120 00:10:16.090 --> 00:10:35.119 Is that what when we're doing those things, what we're reminded of is, is Jesus, a gift exchange, giving and receiving of gifts should remind us of Jesus. 121 00:10:35.820 --> 00:10:43.909 He is the ultimate gift, John 316 through 17, for God so loved the world that He gave. 122 00:10:44.969 --> 00:10:55.710 He gave his only son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life for God to not send His son into the world, to condemn the world. 123 00:10:55.989 --> 00:11:16.250 But in order that the world might be saved through Him like this whole season should remind us that God gives us Jesus, the ultimate gift, the gift that we can't repay the gift that we can't pay back, the gift that we don't deserve. 124 00:11:16.260 --> 00:11:31.609 Like the whole narrative that when we, when we read through the gospel account, this is this, this is this packaged gift sent from God to the world that God gives so that Jesus is gonna do something for us. 125 00:11:35.400 --> 00:11:43.809 But here's the thing about the Gospel, God does give and we receive. 126 00:11:45.229 --> 00:11:51.700 But more than likely, unlike the gift you're going to get on Sunday morning on Christmas morning. 127 00:11:52.869 --> 00:11:58.570 This gift of Jesus is not just for us to get and hold on to. 128 00:11:59.479 --> 00:12:03.500 It is for us to hold on to it is ours. 129 00:12:03.619 --> 00:12:10.260 Jesus is mine, but I'm required to, to do something with it. 130 00:12:10.270 --> 00:12:12.260 I'm required to, to share this gift. 131 00:12:12.270 --> 00:12:14.549 Apostle Paul says in second Corinthians 520. 132 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:25.109 Therefore, we are ambassadors of Christ, God making his appeal through us and we implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 133 00:12:26.010 --> 00:12:33.570 So as recipients of this gift, as much as we hold on to, we're called to give it away. 134 00:12:34.549 --> 00:12:44.109 So the next several weeks, as we, as we look at the gift of, of Jesus, we're, we're, we're going to understand and, and press into that. 135 00:12:44.119 --> 00:12:58.520 When you and I enter into a saving relationship with, with Jesus, we are given even more gifts and, and here's the, here's the big idea what we do with these gifts. 136 00:12:58.530 --> 00:13:03.000 Once we receive them matters, it matters. 137 00:13:04.219 --> 00:13:09.289 And so here's the first gift that we're gonna talk about this morning is it's the gift of forgiveness. 138 00:13:10.190 --> 00:13:14.570 It's the gift of forgiveness in Christ in a relationship with him. 139 00:13:15.090 --> 00:13:20.880 One of the things that we get is we we we get forgiveness first John 17 through 10. 140 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:32.109 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his son cleanses us from all sin. 141 00:13:32.739 --> 00:13:35.919 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. 142 00:13:35.929 --> 00:13:37.789 And the truth is not in us. 143 00:13:37.820 --> 00:13:46.320 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 144 00:13:46.330 --> 00:13:51.909 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. 145 00:13:51.919 --> 00:14:07.510 And so at the front end, what we wanna talk about is the gift, forgiveness of forgiveness, received, the gift of forgiveness, received that in Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is as my Lord and savior. 146 00:14:07.520 --> 00:14:09.020 What does that mean? 147 00:14:09.030 --> 00:14:17.619 It means that we have received what, what, what John Rock writes about here, what we have been given is we have been given forgiveness. 148 00:14:18.789 --> 00:14:33.200 We've been given forgiveness for our sins, the sins of our actions, the sins of our attitude and the sins of our nature, all of it, God has forgiven us. 149 00:14:33.669 --> 00:14:35.419 And so what does it mean? 150 00:14:36.049 --> 00:14:46.950 We're, we're used to a world of forgiveness where we say, I'm sorry, someone says, ok, and then we kind of wait for the conflict to come back again. 151 00:14:48.770 --> 00:14:49.710 But what do we mean? 152 00:14:49.719 --> 00:14:52.890 When we say that Jesus forgives us? 153 00:14:53.549 --> 00:14:58.049 Number one, it means this, that Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. 154 00:14:59.359 --> 00:15:09.969 He paid the penalty for our sin just as you will purchase a gift to give to someone in order for us to be forgiven. 155 00:15:10.309 --> 00:15:14.250 Jesus had to pay the price for our sin. 156 00:15:15.119 --> 00:15:25.789 Romans 623 for the wages of sin is death is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. 157 00:15:27.229 --> 00:15:37.200 So what do we deserve death, complete and total removal, the presence of God death. 158 00:15:38.289 --> 00:15:46.900 But through the forgiveness of Christ and because of Him, what we gain is the eternal life. 159 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:51.020 And Jesus had to do this. 160 00:15:52.570 --> 00:16:00.809 One of my favorite songs at the Christmas season is a song that I don't know if it's written by them, but I've heard it performed by them the most. 161 00:16:00.820 --> 00:16:03.530 It's a, it's, it's a, it's a duo called called Shane and Shane. 162 00:16:03.539 --> 00:16:07.650 They're, they're worship leaders and the, the, the title of the Christmas song is He Came To Die. 163 00:16:09.330 --> 00:16:16.260 And it's a song about the journey from the manger to the cross and what he came to do. 164 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:21.710 So Paul writes in first Corinthians 1515 3 for I delivered to you as of first importance. 165 00:16:21.719 --> 00:16:29.250 What I also received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures for our sins. 166 00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:35.250 This is the price it was paid and we didn't give him anything back. 167 00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:42.900 We couldn't pay him back, we didn't do anything to deserve him to do that. 168 00:16:43.469 --> 00:16:46.049 But everything we did called for his death. 169 00:16:48.229 --> 00:16:53.119 And so he died and Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. 170 00:16:55.010 --> 00:17:03.450 But that hit honest for a moment yours, man, the sins of the world. 171 00:17:04.598 --> 00:17:13.269 He forgives us, not in spite of his death, but he forgives us because of his death. 172 00:17:15.040 --> 00:17:29.468 And then the, the, the second thing, what it means to be forgiven is jesus' righteousness, his holiness, his goodness, his perfection was then imparted to us, right? 173 00:17:30.219 --> 00:17:31.640 He got arson. 174 00:17:32.540 --> 00:17:41.380 We got his good second Corinthians 521 for our sake. 175 00:17:41.390 --> 00:17:42.660 He made him to be sin. 176 00:17:42.670 --> 00:17:49.890 Who knew no sin so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. 177 00:17:51.369 --> 00:18:06.839 I love that verse, Jesus never experienced the feeling of after sin. 178 00:18:08.550 --> 00:18:09.180 All that. 179 00:18:09.189 --> 00:18:26.319 He didn't it was good, it was perfect, it was holy and was in line with the father's will and he deserves all the good that comes from that. 180 00:18:28.670 --> 00:18:40.260 But in this world with this baby who would grow to become a man takes on is all of our sin. 181 00:18:41.339 --> 00:18:43.199 And then he says, you give that to me. 182 00:18:44.089 --> 00:18:52.189 And then here's what I'm gonna give to you all the goodness of who I am and the standing of who you are. 183 00:18:53.619 --> 00:19:00.689 And then the third is, is our sins will be remembered no more. 184 00:19:01.869 --> 00:19:02.489 Wow. 185 00:19:03.569 --> 00:19:10.680 In that gift of forgiveness, our sins will be remembered no more. 186 00:19:11.310 --> 00:19:21.739 The writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 812 for I will be merciful toward their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more. 187 00:19:21.750 --> 00:19:33.239 I, I don't know any other way that we can describe that other than looking at the word of God in their sin and their iniquity, I'll be merciful toward them. 188 00:19:33.250 --> 00:19:35.040 I will not give them what they deserve. 189 00:19:35.050 --> 00:19:36.880 I will not give them what they earn. 190 00:19:36.890 --> 00:19:41.060 And then as far as that goes, hey, I'm remembering it no more. 191 00:19:42.130 --> 00:19:46.880 It's gone pretty good deal. 192 00:19:46.890 --> 00:19:47.250 Right. 193 00:19:48.699 --> 00:19:49.560 Pretty good deal. 194 00:19:50.390 --> 00:19:57.459 Pretty good gift to get well, I severe this morning. 195 00:19:57.469 --> 00:20:01.069 And how my ho ho how do I get that? 196 00:20:02.390 --> 00:20:03.369 How do I get that? 197 00:20:04.729 --> 00:20:09.589 And, and, and you might be in here kind of figuring out like, like how, how do I feel? 198 00:20:10.209 --> 00:20:11.760 How, how do I feel this gift. 199 00:20:11.770 --> 00:20:13.329 How do I receive this gift? 200 00:20:13.339 --> 00:20:14.619 How do I live in this gift? 201 00:20:14.630 --> 00:20:26.839 And, and you've grown up in church or you've grown up here and, and, and, and you've heard the Bible and you've heard messages like this or, or maybe this is first time for you and you're like, oh man, II, I want that, that that's the forgiveness that I want. 202 00:20:26.849 --> 00:20:27.640 That's what I need. 203 00:20:27.650 --> 00:20:29.030 I don't want death. 204 00:20:29.560 --> 00:20:30.739 I want this. 205 00:20:30.750 --> 00:20:32.750 What do I get to get this gift? 206 00:20:34.140 --> 00:20:43.880 And John says, here's what you do out of surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, John says, you just have to confess. 207 00:20:45.069 --> 00:20:48.349 You just have to confess, right? 208 00:20:49.750 --> 00:20:59.569 So I just need to stand up and, and just just start saying things well, no, no, he here's what it means to confess. 209 00:21:00.989 --> 00:21:04.109 Number one, we we, we have to admit that we were wrong. 210 00:21:05.530 --> 00:21:07.069 We got to admit that we were wrong. 211 00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:14.369 We're not gonna have a show of hands if that's difficult for some people in here. 212 00:21:14.819 --> 00:21:19.160 But there's a guy standing on stage wearing a plaid jacket that has a hard time with this from time to time, right? 213 00:21:20.099 --> 00:21:21.479 We gotta admit that we're wrong. 214 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:37.369 We got to admit that our actions, our thought, our word of what we've done is wrong, that it's a sin, but it stands in rebellion to God's standard for our life, but it's wrong. 215 00:21:39.170 --> 00:21:43.680 We have to admit that in that we violate God's standard. 216 00:21:45.469 --> 00:21:46.890 Why is it sin? 217 00:21:48.699 --> 00:21:49.540 Is it sin? 218 00:21:49.550 --> 00:21:53.219 Because we determined it to be, is it a sin? 219 00:21:53.229 --> 00:21:57.400 Because culture and society determined for it to be? 220 00:21:57.410 --> 00:21:58.130 No, no, no, no. 221 00:21:58.140 --> 00:22:02.880 It's a sin because it violated the standard that God gives us. 222 00:22:04.229 --> 00:22:10.800 This is gotta do not form a committee or a council to decide what's sin. 223 00:22:12.030 --> 00:22:23.910 I says, I give this to you in my word of who I am in what I've determined and it's sin because it violates God's standard. 224 00:22:24.810 --> 00:22:32.829 And then the, the third, that in that once we admit that we were wrong, once we admit that we violated God's standard. 225 00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:35.469 The third thing we must do is we must admit that we're guilty. 226 00:22:36.449 --> 00:22:40.930 I must admit that we're guilty now, but you, you maybe push back. 227 00:22:40.939 --> 00:22:43.400 Well, I've already admitted that I'm, that I was wrong. 228 00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:47.270 Why do I have to admit now that I'm that I'm guilty? 229 00:22:49.810 --> 00:22:50.750 And I would say this. 230 00:22:52.280 --> 00:22:55.020 Have you ever been wrong at something? 231 00:22:55.770 --> 00:23:17.709 And then blame someone else for it, like traffic in Harbison on Black Friday and the person who's standing there at the do not turn left and they're turning left or they're trying to turn left and you're behind them, right? 232 00:23:18.849 --> 00:23:23.839 And then with your daughter sitting beside you, you lose your cool. 233 00:23:24.369 --> 00:23:24.890 All right. 234 00:23:25.349 --> 00:23:26.640 Not saying I did that. 235 00:23:26.650 --> 00:23:28.189 That's just a hypothetical. 236 00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:31.280 Was I wrong? 237 00:23:31.300 --> 00:23:31.949 Yes. 238 00:23:33.430 --> 00:23:35.770 Did I violate God's standard? 239 00:23:35.780 --> 00:23:36.569 Yes. 240 00:23:37.949 --> 00:23:41.339 But here's the breakdown that can happen for us is number three. 241 00:23:41.349 --> 00:23:46.750 If they would not have done that, then I would have not done this. 242 00:23:47.949 --> 00:23:55.180 Now, who have we tried to make is the guilty party, then them right? 243 00:23:56.569 --> 00:24:04.579 And for our sin, there is no guilty party other than the person who committed the sin. 244 00:24:05.630 --> 00:24:12.300 So we have to admit that we're wrong that we violated God's standard and that we are guilty. 245 00:24:12.739 --> 00:24:22.969 But then the fourth and this is where confession becomes more than just giving a list of things that we confess that we've done. 246 00:24:23.900 --> 00:24:27.280 We embrace repentance, a desire to change. 247 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:31.410 We embrace repentance, a desire to change. 248 00:24:31.589 --> 00:24:46.180 What happens in us when we, when we sin and when we confess is that the Holy Spirit in us draws us to a part where we do not want to do the wrong and the evil that we long for. 249 00:24:46.859 --> 00:24:51.609 And instead we wanna embrace the standard that God has for us. 250 00:24:52.869 --> 00:24:57.479 And the words that Paul uses in His epistles that we live a life worthy of the calling. 251 00:24:58.339 --> 00:24:59.910 We live a life. 252 00:24:59.920 --> 00:25:12.859 We, we, we, we can't do it perfect, but we live a life worthy, worthy to be called sons and daughters of the living God because of the work of the Holy Spirit. 253 00:25:15.060 --> 00:25:19.290 So, have you admitted you've done wrong? 254 00:25:20.959 --> 00:25:25.369 Have you admitted that you have violated God's standard? 255 00:25:26.569 --> 00:25:32.709 Have you admitted that you're guilty if we check all of those boxes? 256 00:25:34.439 --> 00:25:44.849 But we don't feel the drawing of the Holy Spirit called conviction to make a turn to head toward the path that God has for us. 257 00:25:45.520 --> 00:25:46.599 Then we've missed it. 258 00:25:47.859 --> 00:25:49.270 I read an author this week. 259 00:25:50.339 --> 00:25:51.699 He was asked a question. 260 00:25:51.709 --> 00:25:52.839 This author is a pastor. 261 00:25:52.849 --> 00:25:56.119 He was asked a question from one of his church members. 262 00:25:56.800 --> 00:25:59.550 How often should we confess? 263 00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:01.560 And here was his answer. 264 00:26:01.569 --> 00:26:02.890 It'll be on the screen. 265 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:04.469 He said, confess, daily. 266 00:26:04.489 --> 00:26:11.500 Confess, often confess as the spirit leads, I love that confess daily. 267 00:26:11.739 --> 00:26:16.290 Confess often confess as the spirit leads. 268 00:26:17.410 --> 00:26:24.609 May that be the positioning of us and who we are of what we're long for, of who we desire to be. 269 00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:25.709 When do we confess? 270 00:26:25.719 --> 00:26:26.750 We confess daily. 271 00:26:26.760 --> 00:26:28.949 I don't know about you, but daily, I need it. 272 00:26:31.380 --> 00:26:32.650 Well, when do we confess daily? 273 00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:38.500 Well, we confess often how often, well, as often as the spirit leads. 274 00:26:41.229 --> 00:26:47.420 But why, why, why are we at this spot? 275 00:26:47.750 --> 00:26:54.640 If if God's forgiven for forgiveness has forgiven us for past sins, present sin and future sins? 276 00:26:54.650 --> 00:26:56.300 He's forgiven us fully. 277 00:26:56.310 --> 00:26:57.219 Why? 278 00:26:57.270 --> 00:26:59.420 Why do I need to confess daily? 279 00:26:59.469 --> 00:27:01.540 Why do I need to confess often? 280 00:27:01.550 --> 00:27:04.660 Why do I need to confess as the spirit leads? 281 00:27:05.069 --> 00:27:07.819 When John 13 6 through 11? 282 00:27:08.689 --> 00:27:11.300 It's the kind of Jesus washing the disciples feet. 283 00:27:12.209 --> 00:27:18.390 And there's a dialogue that happens in this and I wanna read this to you starting in verse six. 284 00:27:19.229 --> 00:27:24.459 He came to Simon Peter who said to him, Lord, do you wash my feet? 285 00:27:24.500 --> 00:27:25.839 No washing the feet. 286 00:27:25.849 --> 00:27:27.119 That's what servants do. 287 00:27:29.729 --> 00:27:34.310 And, and Simon Peter is like, no, no, no, like you shouldn't have to do this for me. 288 00:27:35.510 --> 00:27:38.739 And Jesus answered him what I am doing. 289 00:27:38.750 --> 00:27:44.150 You do not understand now, but afterward you will understand. 290 00:27:44.250 --> 00:27:48.449 And Peter said to him, you shall never wash my feet. 291 00:27:49.030 --> 00:27:50.660 And Jesus answered him. 292 00:27:50.670 --> 00:28:02.069 If I do not wash you the work of the cross, the blood of our savior, you have no share with me. 293 00:28:03.239 --> 00:28:04.900 And Simon Peter answered him. 294 00:28:04.910 --> 00:28:09.449 Lord, not only my feet only but also my hands and head. 295 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:11.609 Verse 10. 296 00:28:11.619 --> 00:28:12.770 Jesus said to him. 297 00:28:12.780 --> 00:28:20.280 The one who is bathed does not need to wash except for his feet, but it's completely clean. 298 00:28:20.910 --> 00:28:29.709 So here's what Jesus says in me, Peter doesn't understand this yet in me, in the work that I'm going to do. 299 00:28:30.260 --> 00:28:33.000 You do not need to be washed completely. 300 00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:36.839 You've been made queen. 301 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:45.500 But here's what's going to happen as you walk along this world, Peter. 302 00:28:46.239 --> 00:28:48.219 Yy, your feet are gonna get dirty. 303 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:51.020 Your feet are gonna get dirty. 304 00:28:52.219 --> 00:28:57.630 Verse verse 11 for he knew who was betray him. 305 00:28:58.560 --> 00:29:02.099 And that was why he said not all of you are clean. 306 00:29:03.660 --> 00:29:12.359 So Jesus says, listen, listen, you're in here but but here's what I, what I need to do for you daily. 307 00:29:12.810 --> 00:29:15.800 You've been cleaned, you've been made new by the blood of the lamb. 308 00:29:15.810 --> 00:29:18.969 When we are found in Christ, we are brothers and sisters in him. 309 00:29:18.979 --> 00:29:21.319 We have been bought, we have been sealed. 310 00:29:21.329 --> 00:29:31.020 This is who we are, but Daly, your feet are gonna get dirty daily. 311 00:29:32.089 --> 00:29:38.260 We're gonna walk through this world and we're gonna pick up the sin that's there. 312 00:29:39.290 --> 00:29:40.380 We're gonna commit it. 313 00:29:40.949 --> 00:29:44.729 We're gonna violate God's standard and we're gonna think that we're justified for doing it. 314 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:52.979 And when the spirit and who he is convicts us and draws us, the, the imagery that that's getting here is that we confess it. 315 00:29:54.310 --> 00:30:06.770 And here's what happens when we sin as Children of the living God, our relationship and who we are in Christ is secure. 316 00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:11.739 But when we sin, the fellowship is broken, right? 317 00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:15.260 It clouds the relationship that's there. 318 00:30:16.339 --> 00:30:19.709 When we sin, we don't trust him like we should. 319 00:30:20.239 --> 00:30:24.030 When we sin, we don't pray to him like we should. 320 00:30:24.040 --> 00:30:29.390 When we sin, we fall short and we break that relationship that's there. 321 00:30:29.900 --> 00:30:35.560 And what confessing does is it restores this. 322 00:30:35.569 --> 00:30:36.739 That's right here. 323 00:30:36.750 --> 00:30:39.709 We're not earning back our salvation. 324 00:30:40.599 --> 00:30:50.530 What we're doing is we're building back the joy of our salvation in the fellowship with our father, married couples. 325 00:30:50.540 --> 00:30:55.560 You, you, you probably at some point in time have had a conversation like this in your marriage. 326 00:30:55.569 --> 00:30:57.439 Um Aaron will will, will say this. 327 00:30:57.449 --> 00:31:03.900 She, she's better at acknowledging this in, in, in her discernment with, with things, but we'll, we'll hit like those busy seasons. 328 00:31:03.910 --> 00:31:29.760 You know, work is busy, kids are busy, activities are busy, the house like stuff has to be done and there's these things that are going on and, and, and what she will say to me is, hey, hey, hey, we're, we're, we're, we're feeling disconnected right now and, and what we need to do is acknowledge these things that we're doing and then intentionally look back into restoring some of these pieces from our, from our marriage that we've kind of walked away from for a season. 329 00:31:29.770 --> 00:31:30.069 right? 330 00:31:30.699 --> 00:31:31.839 And I love that about her. 331 00:31:33.589 --> 00:31:41.239 And that's what confession is for us, for God that I've walked away and I need to draw this back, right? 332 00:31:42.209 --> 00:31:45.000 So that's the gift of forgiveness received. 333 00:31:45.969 --> 00:31:48.709 But as we said, this is about what we're gonna do with this as well. 334 00:31:49.150 --> 00:32:06.689 And so we're talking about the gift of forgiveness given this is clear in scripture that we're to do this three verses that I or three passages I wanna read to Ephesians 432 be kind to one another, tenderhearted forgiving one another as God and Christ forgave you. 335 00:32:06.699 --> 00:32:18.569 Colossians 312 through 13 put on then as God's chosen ones holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another. 336 00:32:18.579 --> 00:32:24.540 And if one has complained against another forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you. 337 00:32:24.550 --> 00:32:28.819 So you must also forgive Matthew 614 through 15. 338 00:32:28.829 --> 00:32:34.180 For if you forgive others, their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 339 00:32:34.189 --> 00:32:37.550 But if you do not forgive others, their tres trespasses. 340 00:32:37.560 --> 00:32:41.780 Neither will your father forgive your trespasses. 341 00:32:43.150 --> 00:32:49.810 So we can't argue away in scripture that forgiveness is just what we receive. 342 00:32:50.770 --> 00:32:56.050 That if we are followers of Jesus Christ, we have been forgiven. 343 00:32:56.750 --> 00:32:59.949 And what we are called to do is to forgive others. 344 00:33:00.430 --> 00:33:03.239 This is called to be who we are. 345 00:33:03.369 --> 00:33:12.010 And, and, and what happens when we, when we don't forgive others, what we experience of what the scripture teaches us. 346 00:33:12.020 --> 00:33:13.619 One of two things. 347 00:33:14.189 --> 00:33:22.489 Number one, we've either never truly experienced the forgiveness that comes with a relationship with Jesus Christ. 348 00:33:24.050 --> 00:33:26.300 If we're unwilling to forgive others. 349 00:33:27.500 --> 00:33:47.180 The first thing that we have to check is number one, maybe we haven't ever experienced the forgiveness that comes with a relationship with Jesus Christ, which means this, we're not saved, which means this Jesus isn't our savior, which means this, we're not a Christian, which means this, we're going to hell. 350 00:33:48.790 --> 00:33:49.780 That's one. 351 00:33:50.739 --> 00:34:02.359 The, the, the second is, is this if you are saved, but you've got this person, man, you know who I'm talking about right now. 352 00:34:02.369 --> 00:34:10.540 That person's face is in your brain and you're like bo but you don't know whoever. 353 00:34:11.270 --> 00:34:11.840 All right. 354 00:34:12.310 --> 00:34:13.850 And here's what I typically say to that. 355 00:34:14.250 --> 00:34:16.168 I've got someone like that. 356 00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:21.560 And chances are I am that person to someone. 357 00:34:21.570 --> 00:34:22.300 And so are you? 358 00:34:23.998 --> 00:34:27.868 And what's happening right now in your relationship with the Lord? 359 00:34:28.279 --> 00:34:36.549 Is your unwillingness to forgive, is causing a break in your fellowship with God it's causing a break. 360 00:34:36.819 --> 00:34:44.799 Your unwillingness to forgive them is sin in your life and the sweetness of the goodness of the relationship with your father. 361 00:34:44.809 --> 00:35:10.260 The joy that you're called to experience in him is not being lived to its full capacity in your life because you've chosen bitterness instead of forgiveness this past week as I was studying and, and preparing for this, I, I've read, there's a, there's a Christian counseling uh uh network in, in California and, and they, they, they wrote an article about this. 362 00:35:10.270 --> 00:35:15.139 And so I, I wanna share the, the title of the article was how can a Christian forgive? 363 00:35:16.600 --> 00:35:26.810 And, and as we close, I wanna share what they gave, I typically, I'm weary of like do these five steps and then everything is great, right? 364 00:35:27.540 --> 00:35:35.219 But as I read through this, as I prayed through this, as I got back into this, this morning, I'm like, well, it's hard to push back against this. 365 00:35:36.100 --> 00:35:45.209 So I if you're, if you're a person right now, like me, I struggle with this and you're struggling to forgive someone in your life. 366 00:35:46.399 --> 00:35:57.060 My, my prayer for you, we're gonna go over these pretty quickly is that you will ee embrace this of how you can forgive someone that's hurt you, right? 367 00:35:57.070 --> 00:36:15.020 Number one is this, acknowledge the pain, acknowledge the pain too many times I feel like, and, and, and, and pastors myself included, we, we've done a poor job of acknowledging that you're hurt, not because you want to be hurt, but you're hurt because someone hurt you. 368 00:36:16.580 --> 00:36:18.209 And that hurt is real. 369 00:36:19.399 --> 00:36:33.800 And that hurt has brought scars, sometimes, physical, sometimes emotional, sometimes spiritual scars and all it takes is something to jar your memory. 370 00:36:34.219 --> 00:36:35.760 It can be their face. 371 00:36:35.770 --> 00:36:46.760 It can be as small as a smell or a word that you hear and you're taken back to that place and you recycle the hurt all the way over again. 372 00:36:47.389 --> 00:36:53.709 And so what I want to begin with, what they began with is I, I is the first team to, to acknowledge the pain, right? 373 00:36:54.350 --> 00:37:00.800 N number two is, is think through things, think through things. 374 00:37:01.080 --> 00:37:07.850 I, I love their vagueness of, of number two as you acknowledge the pain, think through things. 375 00:37:09.060 --> 00:37:28.290 Think back to the setting of, of where it happened and where it took place, think through and ask yourself the question, why is this so hard to give up and so easy to hang on to take time to journal and to think about yourself within the Goddess of the Holy Spirit to just process and, and and understand and to think through things. 376 00:37:28.300 --> 00:37:36.959 So that number number three can happen, imagine being on the other side, imagine being on the other side. 377 00:37:39.699 --> 00:37:42.780 Imagine putting yourself in, in their shoes. 378 00:37:44.189 --> 00:37:53.209 Don't seek to justify, just seek to understand, just seek to understand. 379 00:37:54.669 --> 00:37:55.820 So acknowledge the pain. 380 00:37:55.830 --> 00:37:56.989 Think through things. 381 00:37:57.000 --> 00:37:58.790 Imagine being on the other side. 382 00:37:59.370 --> 00:38:00.169 Number four. 383 00:38:01.149 --> 00:38:02.530 Remember God's forgiveness. 384 00:38:03.879 --> 00:38:13.020 Remember God's forgiveness, the fully innocence of Christ for us. 385 00:38:14.370 --> 00:38:16.770 Did you asked for it? 386 00:38:16.780 --> 00:38:18.419 So Jesus said, I'll go to the cross. 387 00:38:19.139 --> 00:38:22.280 No, Jesus went to the cross even before you asked for it. 388 00:38:24.399 --> 00:38:26.560 And how did God forgive you? 389 00:38:26.570 --> 00:38:27.330 Forget fully? 390 00:38:28.389 --> 00:38:29.909 Remember God's forgiveness. 391 00:38:30.389 --> 00:38:34.189 Number five, number five, reflect on the biblical command. 392 00:38:35.209 --> 00:38:39.590 If you, if you wanna write these down, these are just three verses that that commanded us. 393 00:38:39.600 --> 00:38:53.270 So go back, Ephesians 432 Colossians 312, 313, the very words of Jesus in Matthew 614 to 15, there's more in scripture. 394 00:38:54.239 --> 00:39:00.030 But those three that we can come to as Jesus calls us to love one another. 395 00:39:00.340 --> 00:39:02.719 As Jesus calls us to serve one another. 396 00:39:02.729 --> 00:39:05.090 As Jesus calls us to be kind to one another. 397 00:39:05.100 --> 00:39:07.239 Jesus calls us to forgive one another as well. 398 00:39:10.260 --> 00:39:13.129 Number six, let go with a hurt. 399 00:39:14.389 --> 00:39:15.040 I go with her. 400 00:39:17.020 --> 00:39:18.479 I understand this is a process. 401 00:39:20.679 --> 00:39:28.949 But as we move down through what we're doing in all of these is we're allowing the work of the Holy Spirit to work and to work and to work. 402 00:39:28.959 --> 00:39:35.439 And, and here's what I found out in, in my life and maybe this rings true in yours too. 403 00:39:36.939 --> 00:39:53.020 I'm holding on to the hurt because I want to hold on to it, the more that they hurt me, the easier it is to hate them and like go with the hurt, acknowledge it. 404 00:39:53.850 --> 00:39:54.709 It's real. 405 00:39:56.129 --> 00:39:56.830 Let go. 406 00:39:57.729 --> 00:39:58.469 Let go. 407 00:39:59.040 --> 00:40:05.479 Number number seven, forgive, continually, forgive, continually. 408 00:40:06.459 --> 00:40:06.870 Thanks. 409 00:40:07.929 --> 00:40:12.850 Don't let forgiveness be a holiday that's off in the calendar. 410 00:40:13.959 --> 00:40:18.580 Let forgiveness be a daily reminder of what we're called to do. 411 00:40:19.780 --> 00:40:30.409 Whether it's your spouse, your kids, your coworkers, your friends, your parents, the strangers on the street, forgive, confess daily. 412 00:40:30.699 --> 00:40:52.760 Confess, often confess as the spirit leads, forgive daily, forgive, often, forgive as the spirit leads and then the last one and we'll close with this, pray for the person who hurt you, pray for the person who hurt you. 413 00:40:57.399 --> 00:41:02.939 It's hard to be mad at a person that you pray for. 414 00:41:04.580 --> 00:41:06.949 Now, let's talk about what your prayer looks like. 415 00:41:09.629 --> 00:41:11.989 This isn't God. 416 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:15.000 I thank you for today and all these blessings that you're giving us. 417 00:41:15.010 --> 00:41:23.010 And Lord, you know Ralph today, he just needs some wrath, God, right? 418 00:41:24.310 --> 00:41:29.840 Not like sodom and Gamora wrath just like lose your job today. 419 00:41:29.850 --> 00:41:32.709 Wrath, God like that'd be good for Him. 420 00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:36.270 You know, pray for Him. 421 00:41:37.770 --> 00:41:43.909 Maybe we begin by if they don't know Christ, that we would pray that they would come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 422 00:41:45.179 --> 00:42:00.689 Maybe instead of praying for their punishment, that we pray that they would be blessed, that their relationships would be filled with joy, that they would have financial opportunities that we would learn to celebrate with them when they have things to celebrate. 423 00:42:01.389 --> 00:42:12.219 Maybe we pray as we put ourselves in their shoes and we understand that we don't know why they do the things that we do, they seem that they're angry and they always try to lash out and hurt us and we don't understand why. 424 00:42:12.239 --> 00:42:15.659 And so we pray for those, for them because others have hurt them. 425 00:42:16.010 --> 00:42:33.570 And we know that I found in my life that when the Holy Spirit brings me to the spot where I pray for those who hurt me, which by the way, Jesus says, pray for those who persecute you, pray for those who persecute you. 426 00:42:35.050 --> 00:42:40.949 That's our response, not a fist but a prayer. 427 00:42:42.149 --> 00:42:49.310 Pray for those who persecute you found when I can pray for those who hurt me. 428 00:42:50.429 --> 00:42:56.770 And I ask God, God help me forgive them that God's faithful to do what he says. 429 00:42:56.780 --> 00:42:57.360 He's going to do. 430 00:42:59.550 --> 00:43:04.699 I don't know about you, but I love opening the package of forgiveness. 431 00:43:06.459 --> 00:43:11.260 But maybe this Christmas season, I understand that I open that all the time. 432 00:43:12.479 --> 00:43:21.320 And what I need to do is to find those who I don't think deserve it and understand that they're just like me. 433 00:43:23.969 --> 00:43:30.350 And then I mark this season of giving away the forgiveness that God has given me. 434 00:43:30.989 --> 00:43:31.770 Would you pray with me? 435 00:43:33.560 --> 00:43:34.040 God? 436 00:43:34.050 --> 00:43:35.540 I thank you so much for this time. 437 00:43:36.510 --> 00:43:38.370 I thank you for the beauty of your word. 438 00:43:39.689 --> 00:43:48.750 Well, I thank you that we confess our sins and you were faithful and just to forgive us, gotta pray. 439 00:43:48.760 --> 00:43:56.409 If there's anyone here who has not experienced that forgiveness that comes from a relationship with Christ, that today would be the day that they could experience that. 440 00:43:57.000 --> 00:43:58.689 And it's not found because they deserve it. 441 00:43:58.699 --> 00:44:00.929 It's found because this is who you are and this is what you do. 442 00:44:01.840 --> 00:44:13.479 And they can experience that through a saving relationship with you or that they'll admit that they're a sinner, that they'll believe that that Jesus Christ is God's son. 443 00:44:13.929 --> 00:44:19.280 and through his sacrifice, our sins are paid and through the power of his resurrection. 444 00:44:19.290 --> 00:44:25.020 Lord, we are given eternal life and in that word that we will confess to. 445 00:44:27.689 --> 00:44:51.260 Lord, I pray if there's anyone here who does not know you or that they will not leave here today without coming to know Jesus Christ is be God for all of us, for all, every, every one of us, from the youngest of the young to the oldest of the old, there's someone we need to forgive. 446 00:44:52.919 --> 00:44:57.479 They may be in this room, they may be sitting next to us. 447 00:44:59.189 --> 00:45:03.050 They may be someone we haven't spoken to in 2030 4050. 448 00:45:05.530 --> 00:45:38.540 And Lord, what we're holding on to is bitterness and God, I pray that in the kindness and the goodness of your Holy spirit or that you would draw spot of understanding how you've forgiven on in that war that we would desire to forgive others in the same format where to live joy that comes in a relationship with you what I know, you know that none of us deserve and we're called to do it. 449 00:45:41.370 --> 00:45:43.000 Can't we experience that freedom? 450 00:45:45.370 --> 00:45:57.409 Or I I recognize that some of us in this room have been hurt in ways that many of us could not understand. 451 00:45:59.050 --> 00:46:00.479 And it is difficult. 452 00:46:02.479 --> 00:46:09.889 It is painful, spiritually, emotionally, physically in war. 453 00:46:09.899 --> 00:46:12.010 Today today is just not happening. 454 00:46:13.320 --> 00:46:14.750 What, what I pray? 455 00:46:14.899 --> 00:46:25.340 Number one, if there's that man, woman or child in this room, who is with that Lord Lord, I pray that right now what they would forgive, what they would feel is your, is your grace and mercy. 456 00:46:29.270 --> 00:46:30.929 God, I pray that you would work in. 457 00:46:33.090 --> 00:46:48.689 We would understand that when we forgive others, it's not about them, but it's about so God would they be we dear? 458 00:46:50.389 --> 00:46:52.080 But they walk this out. 459 00:46:55.560 --> 00:47:19.800 Lord, I pray that they would see victory area of their life where they currently are experiencing where we ask all these thanks again for listening and be sure to check back next week for another episode. 460 00:47:20.129 --> 00:47:27.879 In the meantime, you can visit us at Willow Ridge church.org or by searching for Willow Ridge Church on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.