Everyone has been mistreated. Most of us have held a grudge. Some of us have forgiven, but didn't really want to.
Forgiveness: story of Corrie ten Boom
Lived with her family in the Netherlands
Watchmaker
In 1942, family agreed to hide Jews in their home from the Nazis
Discovered in 1944 and sent to concentration camps
Father and sister, whom she was imprisoned with, died in captivity
Corrie released on Christmas Day, 1944. A week later, women prisoners her age in her camp were killed.
Story:
“No Fishing Allowed” from "Hero Tales: Volume II" by Dave & Neta Jackson.
When the former Nazi guard approached Corrie -
+ What should she do?
+ What did she do?
Corrie ten Boom offered her forgiveness to the man, even though it was very hard.
Read Parable of the Unmerciful Servant -- Matthew 18:21-35
+ Explain this story
+ Do you think God expects us to forgive if we’ve been forgiven?
+ Do you think we are obligated to forgive if we’ve been forgiven?
+ What did the first servant do to deserve having his debt cancelled? (Nothing; God’s forgiveness is a free gift, and it is unconditional & total)
- Why is it hard to forgive others? Sometimes we think, “If I forgive him/her, they’ll think they can do it again”. Or, “If I tell them I forgive them, they’ll think they were right”?
It's not the same thing to say "It's ok to mistreat me" and "I forgive you"!
So, we need to be careful with our words -
When asking for forgiveness: always apologize - say, "I know what I did was wrong".
When offering forgiveness: say, "I didn't like what you did/you hurt me, but I accept your apology, and I forgive you." If we say "it's no big deal" or "don't worry about it" we can send the message we don't want to - that it's ok to be mistreated.
+ If we don't forgive, it hurts me worse than the person who wronged me.
Ex: being wronged is like a bruise. It heals in time. But the memory is like a brick I have to hold. Bricks need to be unloaded. Otherwise we stay weighed down.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
March 14-15: Join the Revolution: What happens when we band together for God's sake
"Revolution" means "great change". What would happen if a great many people all began to live with God inside of them, living his way?
Can one person really change things? If they influence others -
Ex: dominoes - one knocks over the other, which knocks over the next, which knocks over the next
If we were to build a revolution for God:
1. A Revolution only works when we know God's plan for us - what does he want each of us to do
Ex: Otherwise, if we don't know, it's like playing a game where the rules aren't explained
Most kids - and adults - if asked, would not know or would get it wrong!
2. A Revolution only works when we are with others who are working for the same goal
So...I need to know who's with me. I need to spend time around people who are also living for God.
Ex: Humming Game - you have to closely listen to what people say and watch what they do to know if they're on your team
3. A Revolution only works when everyone agrees they'll do the same thing
If I'm surrounded by people who are going to influence me away from God and who will discourage me, I won't get very far.
1 Peter has guidance on what we should do. 1 Peter was written to Christians under persecution - opposition to what they believed and their way of life. 1 Peter 2:11-12 - "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." Peter is saying that even if people around you don't support what you're doing, if you do no wrong, what they're saying can't stick - it will actually reflect well on God.
This Revolution - that people would acknowledge him and start to care - is what God wants. Christians can do it, but as at the time Peter wrote, they have to stick together.
Can one person really change things? If they influence others -
Ex: dominoes - one knocks over the other, which knocks over the next, which knocks over the next
If we were to build a revolution for God:
1. A Revolution only works when we know God's plan for us - what does he want each of us to do
Ex: Otherwise, if we don't know, it's like playing a game where the rules aren't explained
Most kids - and adults - if asked, would not know or would get it wrong!
2. A Revolution only works when we are with others who are working for the same goal
So...I need to know who's with me. I need to spend time around people who are also living for God.
Ex: Humming Game - you have to closely listen to what people say and watch what they do to know if they're on your team
3. A Revolution only works when everyone agrees they'll do the same thing
If I'm surrounded by people who are going to influence me away from God and who will discourage me, I won't get very far.
1 Peter has guidance on what we should do. 1 Peter was written to Christians under persecution - opposition to what they believed and their way of life. 1 Peter 2:11-12 - "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." Peter is saying that even if people around you don't support what you're doing, if you do no wrong, what they're saying can't stick - it will actually reflect well on God.
This Revolution - that people would acknowledge him and start to care - is what God wants. Christians can do it, but as at the time Peter wrote, they have to stick together.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
March 7-8: The Spirit helps us live the life God wants
Q: If I let God come into my castle (my life)…and then I let him into a room…will I change?
A: I still need to obey what is said.
Q: What is the difference, then, between one castle (one life) that has God inside, and another that doesn't? Does the difference depend all on me?
A: No! When God comes in, he brings forgiveness…not by anything we've done, but as his gift. He also brings his Holy Spirit.
**A huge difference between Christianity and other religions:
* Others will give you rules to live by, and then it's up to you to do it.
* Christianity - starts with God doing something for us - the forgiveness of our sins.
We celebrate that!
Then God gives you his way to live
BUT - he also gives you his help to do it
Ex: Difference between your teacher assigning math homework, or assigning it and then sitting down and guiding you, individually, through each problem
Ex: My mom and her new Mac. New programs, systems are great…as long as she's shown how to use them.
Ex: Changing the oil in a car: it must be done. Would you rather: be told you have to do it (you don't know how, so you'll probably do it wrong), pay for someone else to do it ($30), or have someone teach you how to do it (least cost, best option)
God doesn't just give us "The Rules"; he also gives us his help to live the way he wants us to
Think of something you know God wants you to do, but you don't want to or it's hard…the Spirit is there for us.
What the Bible says about the Holy Spirit (partial list):
John 16:7-8 - the Spirit will tell the world when it's done wrong
John 14:26 - the Spirit will teach us things and remind us about who Jesus was
Romans 8:26 - the Spirit helps us pray, especially when we don't know what to pray for
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 - the Spirit gives gifts
A motto: On my own, I can't; but with God's help, I can
How would we live differently if we followed that?
Like being towed behind a boat with a rope, or up a hill on skis - you have to hang on, keep your skis straight, but also let the power (the rope) do its work
In Matthew 14, Peter was able to walk on the water, until he doubted - then he sank.
A: I still need to obey what is said.
Q: What is the difference, then, between one castle (one life) that has God inside, and another that doesn't? Does the difference depend all on me?
A: No! When God comes in, he brings forgiveness…not by anything we've done, but as his gift. He also brings his Holy Spirit.
**A huge difference between Christianity and other religions:
* Others will give you rules to live by, and then it's up to you to do it.
* Christianity - starts with God doing something for us - the forgiveness of our sins.
We celebrate that!
Then God gives you his way to live
BUT - he also gives you his help to do it
Ex: Difference between your teacher assigning math homework, or assigning it and then sitting down and guiding you, individually, through each problem
Ex: My mom and her new Mac. New programs, systems are great…as long as she's shown how to use them.
Ex: Changing the oil in a car: it must be done. Would you rather: be told you have to do it (you don't know how, so you'll probably do it wrong), pay for someone else to do it ($30), or have someone teach you how to do it (least cost, best option)
God doesn't just give us "The Rules"; he also gives us his help to live the way he wants us to
Think of something you know God wants you to do, but you don't want to or it's hard…the Spirit is there for us.
What the Bible says about the Holy Spirit (partial list):
John 16:7-8 - the Spirit will tell the world when it's done wrong
John 14:26 - the Spirit will teach us things and remind us about who Jesus was
Romans 8:26 - the Spirit helps us pray, especially when we don't know what to pray for
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 - the Spirit gives gifts
A motto: On my own, I can't; but with God's help, I can
How would we live differently if we followed that?
Like being towed behind a boat with a rope, or up a hill on skis - you have to hang on, keep your skis straight, but also let the power (the rope) do its work
In Matthew 14, Peter was able to walk on the water, until he doubted - then he sank.
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