Sunday, June 14, 1998 This Week’s Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Luke 15:25-30, Luke 17:3-4, and Ephesians 4:32-5:2, we studied about the importance of having a forgiving spirit. Last week's lesson taught that uncontrolled anger can lead to rapidly deteriorating situations in relationships. This week's lesson taught that an unforgiving spirit can hurt us as individuals and even destroy relationships. Sometimes, a person will carry a grudge for many years, and often, those long-term negative emotions can cause mental, emotional, health, and spiritual problems. In Luke 15:25-30, the parable of the Prodigal Son is a lesson in forgiveness. The younger of two brothers had taken his inheritance, left home and wasted his money in riotous living, and was then returning home broke and in disgrace. While the father openly received his wayward son and rejoiced over his return, the older son was not as thrilled by all the hoopla and celebration. He resented the attention that his brother was receiving just because he had messed up and then come back home.
In Luke 17:3-4, Jesus encouraged believers to be quick to forgive each other. Often, people of the Faith do things which hurt us, and at those times, we should try to be ready to forgive and encourage. This does not mean that we make ourselves doormats for all who wish to walk over us, but it does mean that we should try to be Christ-like in all our actions and relationships, even when we have been wronged. Not all of our associations with others are salvagable. Therefore, we should learn to ask the Lord to have His way in our life with respect to all our relationships. We should strive to be related to those around us in the manner that He would have us to be. We will naturally be closer to some than others, but the important thing is to let God be the God of our relationships, too. We should never let an unforgiving spirit come between us and what He is trying to do through us. In Ephesians 4:32-5:2, the Apostle Paul wrote about the importance of being kind and compassionate to one another. He said that we should forgive others because our heavenly Father has forgiven us.
Sometimes, when we have been hurt deeply, it is especially difficult to forgive. The Apostle Paul indicated that, at those times, we should draw even closer to Christ. By following the example of our Lord, we can show others that His love in us and working through us can overcome anything, even an unforgiving spirit. As much as possible, we, who name Jesus as Savior and Lord, should strive to cultivate a kind, compassionate, forgiving attitude toward other believers. We should try to be peacemakers in a world where there is little or no peace, and we should let the love of Christ dwell in us richly. The Lord has placed us in environments where many of those around us are hurting and in need. As Christians, may each of us try to be faithful to minister to others on behalf of the One Who died for us.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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