Under The Surface
Letting Go

Pastor Colin Turner, Oct 6^th, 2019

Scripture: Matt 18:21-35, Eph 4:31-32

Summary: Experiencing God’s grace should release your grip on the grudges you hold. When you won’t let go you can’t receive all that God wants to give you.

Main Thought: If God has forgiven you, you are to forgive others in the same way.

Getting to Know Each Other (Start Here): 

• How do you explain what forgiveness is?
• Do you see examples of forgiveness in your work place or school?

Going Deeper: 

1. What do you think about the Kingdom of God? Do you believe that it is a here and now reality or just a future state? How would you describe a kingdom dweller?
2. Hebrews 12:14-15 talks about living at peace with others and not allowing a root of bitterness take root among us. How does it feel to live in an unforgiving environment? What can we do to trim back the root of bitterness? What do you think it means to make every effort to live at peace with everyone?
3. When you watch the news or listen to podcasts or radio what do you hear more often blame or forgiveness?
4. How has God’s great forgiveness for you impacted how you live? (Eph 4:31-32)
5. Read Matt 6:9-15 and Rom 5:6-11 – is forgiveness a tit for tat activity with God? Talk about how grace plays into forgiveness and living from the source of God’s generous love and forgiveness.
6. Christ’s sacrifice secures our forgiveness and ushers us into the Kingdom. How do we cultivate a transformed heart that allows forgiveness to flow from us to others? How do we guard our hearts from slipping into legalism and forgiving out of obligation instead of God’s motivating love?

Apply it:

• Pray with God about who you may need to forgive. Write down names that come to mind and don’t try and explain them away. Then pray and ask what you need to forgive them for.
• Then listen to God and discover if you need to forgive yourself for anything. Sometimes we trap ourselves in past experiences or hurts. Ask God to forgive you and release yourself to move deeper into His light.

Pray without ceasing:

Our partner church in Moncton is hosting a Soul Care conference the third week of Oct. Pray that the 25 pastoral couples who are being invited as well as many citizens of Moncton would attend and be renewed by the Holy Spirit. Pray that Resurrection Church would continue to impact their community and bring the gospel into their neighborhoods.

Community Reading Plan: 2 Samuel 1-6

This week add 2 Samuel 1 to 6 to your devotions. Read a chapter a day up to and including chapter 6. Look at the relationships that are present in these chapters and keep two questions in mind.

• What do I need to know from this chapter (a truth about my reality or God or a life lesson)?
• What do I need to grow (Is there something God is trying to teach me through His Word)?

Keep a journal nearby and write down any questions or thoughts you can share with your Community Group.Remind and encourage each other to participate in this group devotion.