Free To Forgive - Yana Conner

About this sermon

Free To Forgive | Yana Conner Join Yana Conner as she tackles one of the hardest commands in scripture: forgiveness. Drawing on Matthew 18:21-35 and the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, this teaching answers three critical questions: why Jesus calls us to forgive, what forgiveness is, and practically, how we actually do the work of forgiveness. We live in a broken and fallen world, where everyone has a story of pain and offense. Though disappointment may shock us, the core expectation of Christ’s kingdom is clear: forgiven people forgive. If you are a follower of Jesus and a citizen of God’s kingdom, forgiveness is the ethic and practice you are responsible for. Yana Conner defines forgiveness as a merciful decision to release an offender of their debt and not retaliate against them in anger. It is a willful commitment, not merely a feeling. Offense is a withdrawal from your "shalom account" (well-being). When you forgive, you release the debt because the offender cannot pay it back; only God can restore you and fill your account back "into the black". We wrestle with four main barriers to obedience: emotional pain, anger, forgiveness amnesia, and a lack of clarity. • Emotional Pain: Acknowledge what happened and pour out your heart to God, as the Psalmists did, to make space for healing. • Anger: Submit your just anger and its impulses to God, trusting that He is concerned about your case and promises: “Vengeance is mine says the Lord I will repay”. • Forgiveness Amnesia: Like the unforgiving servant, we forget the immense forgiveness we received. Reach for the cross and remember what Jesus has done to inspire you to extend that mercy to others. Unforgiveness is a trap: by holding onto anger, we allow the offender to continue to control us, defining us as bitter people. The offender does not have the power to free you or refill your account. True forgiveness is an act of mercy given to the other person. When we forgive, we put Christ and his mercy on display, partnering with the work God is doing in the world to bring shalom (well-being). Don’t forget to share with a friend, and be sure to subscribe to our ONE channel for ongoing inspiration and encouragement. ------------------------- Living Beyond Offense: Doing the Hard Work of Forgiveness God's Way by Yana Conner https://a.co/d/iagkhsL ------------------------- We’d love to connect with you! To learn more about our movement, visit one.online ------------------------- To learn more about the organizations we have partnered with or if you are need of resources visit: https://www.one.online/outreach Want to support this ministry? Text ONE to (833) 313-4483 or visit https://www.one.online/give FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: https://oneonline.link/instagram https://oneonline.link/facebook https://oneonline.link/TikTok https://oneonline.link/twitter

Topics

• Forgiveness
• Overcoming Obstacles