Pastor Craig

Forgive to Forget

By Pastor Craig Sicilia

Good afternoon everyone

My last lesson was about how we are all sinners

How we were all lost but now found

How by no means of our own saved by Grace

How only through the blood of Jesus Christ are we forgiven into eternity?

Today my lesson is on forgiveness and how important it is

I take you now to my first scripture 1Peter 3:8

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as

Brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

For, Whoever would love life

And see good days

Must keep his tongue from evil

And his lips from deceitful speech.

He must turn from evil and do good;

He must seek peace and pursue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

And his ears are attentive to their prayer,

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil

These are some powerful words spoken here.

We all can be pretty darn sneaky at times.

And as man we can be down right deceptive too.

And the devil didn’t make you do it, he just inspires the thought

And we always want to be forgiven for are trespasses don’t we

Now here is the funny thing about this whole concept,

If you think about it no one really cares, it dose not matter to them,

But we can break their hearts and lose peoples trust

But we still want to be forgiven

And the only person we are really deceiving is ourselves

You see the only person that it really maters in what we do

Is ourselves

So we need to remember that when we are sneaky and deceptive even if we get away with it we really don’t get away with it

Because the person that it maters to knows the truth

We can’t hide from the truth forever it always catches up

Just like one lie will lead to another to justify the first lie

Deception can be done just as easy as not saying anything at all when you know you should

Brothers and Sisters if Jesus is not apart of it or the reason for it then you are deceiving your self.

You can not hide from God, you can only build a wall that keeps you from seeing Him, He always sees you, He is always looking at you from the window and knows everything

You are only fooling your self

Give it all to Jesus don’t hold anything back

If you want true peace, give it to Jesus today,

We are all holding on to something today and I challenge you to give it to Jesus before we are done today,

You need to give it to Jesus and ask for forgiveness so that you can forgive your self he always forgives just like it never happened

It is us who hang on to it we have to constantly forgive ourselves and others

We need to continue our commitment to freedom from sin.

We need to have Christ in our hearts and share him every chance we get

A young couple was deliriously happy when a beautiful little girl was born. This young couple was unsaved, in fact they had somehow grown to hate anything and everything that had anything to do with God, and His Son Jesus Christ. Instead of doing as they should, and presenting the baby to the Lord for His blessing, they made a vow that the little girl, whom we shall call Melinda was never to be allowed exposure to anything that had anything to do with Christianity.

Throughout her young girlhood she wasn't allowed to go to Sunday School. If a preacher or soul winners from a local church visited their home, Melinda was sent to her room before the visitors were let in.

Melinda's parents and grandparents were well-to-do; and she had more toys and dolls than she could keep up with, and ate only the best of foods and wore the very best clothing money could buy. Her parents made sure of her secular and cultural training. She studied piano, voice, and ballet with the best teachers and instructors money could afford; but her parents were doing a very good job of keeping her away from learning anything about the Lord.

One day Melinda's mother was baking her husband a birthday cake, and she discovered that she lacked a certain ingredient. She called her beautiful nine-year old daughter and gave her some money and sent her to the store to purchase the ingredient. Her orders were that the girl should go straight down the street to the store, purchase the article and come straight home.

Melinda, glad to be going out in the sunny spring day, skipped down the street, went into the store and purchased the article, and started back home. Melinda decided it might be fun to take a different route home. So she turned left at an intersection and walked up a back street. She knew that it would intersect a little farther up with the street that would lead to her home, so no harm could come of it.

As she walked along, she began to hear some pretty singing and music, and the farther she walked, the louder it became. Finally, she saw that the singing and music was coming from a big building just across the street from her.

Melinda loved music and singing, and she possessed the natural curiosity of a nine-year-old, so she crossed the street and entered the building. Though she didn't know it, this was a mission house, and inside was a goodly number of down-and-outers: a cross section of the folks from the lower echelon of society; but many seated there had experienced the regenerating power of receiving Jesus Christ into their lives. Some were there, just fulfilling their obligation for having been given breakfast and perhaps some article of clothing.

As Melinda shyly entered, they looked back and smiled at the beautiful little girl. She sat down in back, thinking she would stay just a little while and listen to the group on the podium singing such a beautiful song, but one she had never heard before.

The group finished their song, and a pleasant-faced gentleman came to the podium and welcomed the assemblage. After a word of prayer, he began to preach. Melinda knew she should get up and hurry on home, but something seemed to hold her to her seat. The preacher was talking about who Jesus is, and the many compassionate miracles he performed, and finally describing his arrest, trial and cruel treatment by the Roman solders and King Herod Antipas' guards; and finally his crucifixion.

"At that very time of year when lambs were being sacrificed for a covering for sin, Jesus Christ became the Lamb of God; not to cover our sins, but to take them away. Jesus had never committed a sin as we have, but he took all our sins to the Cross, and was nailed there: shedding His precious blood to cleanse us from all sin and make us ready to go to Heaven."

The missionary preached on about why it was necessary for Christ to come down to earth and give His life on Calvary's cross to pay our sin debt. Tears flowed from Melinda's beautiful hazel eyes. The singing group came back to the podium to join the missionary, the piano started up, and they began to sing "There's Room At the Cross For You." After the first verse and chorus the missionary began the altar call with the group singing softly behind him.

"Some of you have gone too long, living your life without Jesus and his wonderful gift of salvation," he said. "Here at the mission house we have offered many of you gifts of food, shelter and articles of clothing. You accepted those gifts, and we're glad; but a greater gift is being offered: the greatest gift ever offered to anyone. The free gift of salvation. And with that gift, another wonderful thing comes to pass: you are adopted into the family of God and become joint heirs with Christ."

Melinda found herself walking down the aisle to the altar in front of the podium. Her face was streaked with tears. A lady knelt beside Melinda and hugged her; then took her Bible and quietly explained how she could give her heart and life to Jesus and be saved. Melinda repeated the sinner's prayer.

There was "joy unspeakable and full of glory" in Melinda's heart as she left the mission house. When she had started from home there was a warm sun shining, but now a cold rain was pouring down. Melinda knew she would be punished for being gone so long and worrying her parents.

By the time she arrived home her pretty dress was drenched, and her blonde curls hung limp down the side of her face. She shivered. Melinda's mother angrily jerked her around to face her, plying her with questions about where she had been so long. Her father came in with an expression on his face that scared Melinda.

Finally, she spoke, "Mama - Daddy - I'm sorry I worried you by being gone so long, but I have something wonderful to tell you. I heard some pretty singing and music, and went inside a building. They told me all about Jesus dying on a cross. Mama - Daddy; I gave my heart to Jesus and ------"

Melinda was interrupted by a loud anguished sound coming from deep in her father's throat. He uttered blasphemous profane exclamations, and became as a man possessed. Melinda had never seen her father like that. Then she saw him strip off his heavy belt and approach her. Melinda's mother wept in loud cries as her husband beat her daughter until she fell to the floor, mercifully passing out.

For two days Melinda was confined to her bedroom. The harsh beating had left not only bruises, but some lacerations. Her mother applied ointments and alcohol rub, saying very little; sometimes with tears in her eyes. The morning of the third day, Melinda awakened with a raging fever and raspy breathing. A doctor was summoned; his diagnosis being double pneumonia. These were the days before penicillin was available. Several medications were tried, but Melinda's condition only worsened.

The fever raged on; and Melinda moved in and out of consciousness; sometimes murmuring bits and pieces of the wonderful things she had heard at the mission. Her mother sat by her bed patting her forehead with a cold cloth. The doctor came by briefly, leaving the room sadly shaking his head.

Just before dark Melinda sat up in bed and called for her mother. Her mother had lost a lot of sleep, and had dozed off when she was awakened by Melinda's call. When she saw her sitting up in bed it gave her a happy start. She thought the fever had broke and there would be a chance for Melinda to recover after all.

"Mama," Melinda said softly.

"Yes, sweetheart; I'm here."

"Mama, I want you to bring me the dress I was wearing that day."

"No honey," her mother groaned. "You don't want to see that thing. It was soiled and torn and had some bloodstains on it. I threw it in the trash."

"Please Mama, go and get it for me."

"But why, Melinda?" Her mother protested. Melinda's father appeared in the doorway of the bedroom with guilt and grief written all over his haggard face. Melinda had lain back down again, closing her eyes. She hadn't seen her father enter. She spoke softly, but loud enough for both parents to hear her final words on earth.

"Mama, an angel came and told me I would be going to Heaven soon. I wanted to take the dress with me so I could show Jesus that I shed some blood for him."

You see friends you can not hide from Gods will in our life, you can’t hide God or truth from someone else either

It is between God and every individual, it is a personal relationship that is so precious and private where all truths are known, no matter how many other people have been deceived.

Let us continue on in 1Peter 1:13 now

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right , you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, do not be frightened, But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God’s will to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.

Friends we have hope and life through Christ.

It is free for the taking, no questions asked,

But you have to forgive yourselves and give it all to Christ don’t hang on to those things tearing you apart inside any longer,

Its only you that it is hurting, and only yourself that you are deceiving, so won’t you let go today

Remember my last lesson, it is the Devil that makes you feel like that is the biggest sin in the world, and that God could never understand, THAT IS A LIE FRIENDS

The Devil wants you to feel separated from God, God always forgives like it never happened

Probing Your Own Heart

Is there anyone whom you have not forgiven from the heart?

By what criteria do you forgive others?

Building on Some Foundational Concepts

We should set no limit on the offenses we will forgive.

We are to forgive the offender as often as he needs it. Brother Z wronged me three times in one week, so he needs forgiving for those three times. I must also forgive him as often as I need it. You see, this week in question may have been four years ago by now...and every so often I struggle all over again with the hurt, the insult, the anguish, the embarrassment, and the anger. And every time the struggle returns, I need to forgive him. That is, renew the decision to release him of his debt to me.

Compassion should precede forgiveness.

Compassion for his servant's inability to meet his own need motivated the lord to forgive. The lord could not have had that kind of compassion without putting himself in the servant's place. The sincerest forgiveness comes from compassion, not from obligation or self-interest. Forgiveness is primarily concerned with granting freedom and blessing to another.

Those who have been forgiven should show forgiveness.

The first servant had experienced compassion and forgiveness. Alas, he absorbed neither. Why not? Perhaps you can find the answers as near as within your own heart. In your own relationships, do not overlook this parable's biggest lesson: Those who have been forgiven should show forgiveness.

Unforgiveness produces a bitter harvest.

Nothing good comes from unforgiveness. Those who sow it damn themselves to reaping unforgiveness when they will want desperately to be harvesting forgiveness.

Friends, Jesus is right next to you right now, He wants to forgive you for everything right now, but you have to give it all to him, All you have to do is open your heart and He will be there in an instant. You will find God in so many places when your heart is open that it will be a constant amazement to you.

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered a root beer. Once again she smiled at him. The boy was delighted!

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face.

She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home.

Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

She replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." But before her son responded, she added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Questions and Responses

Why forgive?

Recognizing our own need of forgiveness, we forgive others. In the parable the lord went from "I forgave thee all" to "pay all"! Those who do not forgive others damn themselves to eternal punishment! Even though God's forgiveness wipes us clean, our unforgiving spirit will restore all our debts to our heavenly account!

Knowing their need, we forgive others. Mercy deals with people on the basis of need...their need. The merciful individual responds to other people in their failures and shortcomings as he would respond to himself -- gently, considerately, redemptively. Mercy helps. Mercy sacrifices. Mercy forgives.

Most of you know I produce thepastors.org and on their we put out a weekly cartoon called church mice dedicated to our little church here in the fields with the mice entering and leaving at will, and this weeks cartoon I have for you its about how God forgive compared to how man forgives. I have this for you as a reminder that we are the only one who puts conditions on forgiveness not God,

I will read it to you now.

How do we forgive and forget?

Human forgiveness has little to do with forgetfulness. We just don't have the capacity to extinguish a memory at will. Thus "forgive and forget" sets the standard way above the attainable. Forgiveness does its work despite the memories. In fact, we could say that forgiveness does its work because of the memories. However, forgiveness does not indulge the memories and their feelings. Rather, forgiveness affirms its action and then refuses to review the offense and the accompanying feelings.

But what if I have a hard time not reviewing certain offenses?

Forgiveness is not denial -- it acknowledges the wounds and wrong responses...and chooses to forgive anyway. Then it turns to God for healing of the wounds and cleansing from the wrong responses.

Now consider another angle. Do you want to review a record of wrongs, failures, and offenses? Look no further than your own. God leaves absolutely no room for keeping a record of how others treat you. However, we all need to recognize what Paul might have called "our own chiefest of sinners ailment." When we consider our own record (hopefully confessed and forgiven) before God, we will be able to forgivingly deal with how others treat us.

You see you need to forgive your self before you can truly forgive others, That Devil sits right there telling you your no good, The Devil convinces you that God will never forgive that, Why that is the worst sin in the World, FRIENDS THAT’S A LIE God forgives you just like it never happened it is us who put value on our sins not God and it is the Devil telling you that you are not worthy not God….

holding up a $20 bill. In the room, who would like this $20 bill?

Hands started going up. He said, I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.

He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, who still wants it?

Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, what if I do this? And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. Now who still wants it?

Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value.

It is still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value: dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to God and those who love you.

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE.

You are special - Don't ever forget it.

Give it to the Lord today, He wants you, He wants you now, you may not be worthy but he can make you worthy, he can forgive all your sins right now, right this second, all you have to do is give them to Him and He will forgive them all

Can I obligate someone to forgive me?

Both of the debtors in today's parable had absolutely no legal or moral foundation on which to construct a case for forgiveness. So they didn't even try. Instead, both of them asked only for time to pay their debts. They both recognized that their forgiveness depended entirely on the discretion of their creditors...and apparently didn't even dream of asking for it.

So can I try to obligate someone to forgive me? I hardly see on what basis. My duty is to recognize my failure to my fellow man and to do what I can to make amends. In humility I can then ask for forgiveness. Their obligation to forgive is before God, not before me. (And I need not remind them of that!)

All you have to do is worry about your obligation,

And it is so important that you do, if you don’t you will be a slave to lies and deception, and you will fill unworthy and at war with your self, you need to forgive to forget, and you may never forget but you will be at peace with it through Christ, and through Christ you will have hope of Life and harmony just like what Pete talks about.

Don’t be a slave to your sin, because God forgives you, it is you who can’t forget and forgive your self

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with, out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting discouraged, he headed back to dinner.

As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember, the duck?"

So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help me make supper."

But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember, the duck?" Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he killed the duck. She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you.

But, I was just wondering how long would you let Sally make a slave of you."

Friends, we are going to close here, but first I repeat my challenge for my alter call, What ever you are holding on to today come up here and remember the blood that Christ shed for your sins and give them all to him and ask forgiveness He has already forgave you friends,

Come up and remember His body that he willingly gave for our sins, all of our sins, so that we may have everlasting life through Christ

He is waiting for you, He knows everything, He saw it from the window of your heart first hand, the only person you are fooling is your self

Friends He has been here all the time, just waiting and praying for hope for you, come up to the alter and give Jesus everything

I know that you are tiered and scared, I know that you feel that it is to big or not His problem, but give all of it to Him today, and you to can feel the peace that was bought on the cross, for you and me

The peace that only Jesus can give, and its yours today right here right now, or you can wait He will be waiting when ever you are ready but it is my prayer that you give it to Him now so that you can rid your self of your burdens, He wants them after all He paid the price with His blood so that we may have life

pastor Craig Sicilia productions