The following blog post contains notes and application questions from our March 17, 2019 message, A Relentless Activity.
Discussing and Apply the Sermon
- Is there anyone you need to reconcile with? If so, have your community group hold you accountable to doing so within the next week.
- What pain and/or difficult relationship can you turn into prayer? Share with each other in your community group so that as you pray this week you can be praying with and for each other.
Summary
When’s the last time you had to work on a relationship in your life? Relationships require constant maintenance, and just because you need to work on your relationships doesn’t necessarily mean there is anything wrong. As we wrap up this two-week series on forgiveness, Adam Tarnow teaches us how forgiveness is a relentless activity and one of the greatest acts of love.
Key Takeaways
- Three reminders from last week: 1) Everyone has been hurt by others, but not all of us have experienced forgiveness; 2) forgiveness is the release of a debt owed; and, 3) forgiveness is a response to God’s mercy. Forgiven people forgive people.
- Forgiveness is a relentless activity.
- Forgiveness must be relentless because everyone has issues—weird, quirky, bad habits, etc.—everyone...including you!
- When Scripture (Colossians 3:12-13) says to bear with and forgive one another, it is in the present tense—we must constantly do both.
- Forgiveness must be relentless because bad memories don’t easily fade.
- Just because you remember pain doesn’t mean you haven’t forgiven the person who caused you pain. Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily equal forgetfulness.
- How do you handle pain? Take your pain and turn it into prayer.
- Sometimes the relentless activity of forgiveness is simply reminding yourself that you’ve been forgiven by God and that you’ve already forgiven the other person.
- Forgiveness is a powerful act of love.
- Working on relationships is not mundane maintenance, it's missional.
Mentioned or Recommended Resources
- Suggested Scripture study: Matthew 18:21-22; Colossians 3:12-14; 2 Corinthians 10:5; John 13:34-35; Ephesians 4:1-3
- Resource: Conflict Field Guide
- Sermon: The Motivation to Forgive