Sermon Snippet – Thank You, Jesus, for Your Forgiveness
INTRODUCTION – We are to be a thankful people, for we have “the living God, Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (I Timothy 6:17). Today, let us focus on being thankful for God’s forgiveness. Psalm 130:3-4 says, “If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared.” Yes, there is forgiveness with our Savior God.
1. EVEN BEFORE WE ARE FORGIVEN, WE HAVE EVIDENCE OF GOD’S FORGIVING NATURE
Often, we consider the attributes of God from a Trinitarian perspective. For example, the multiple relationships within the Trinity (One God in Three Persons) reveal that the love of God is not merely theoretical and is not exclusive but rather is available to all. Forgiveness is somewhat different, though, for there is no need for forgiveness within the Triune Godhead. Of course, forgiveness flows from the inherently loving nature of God, but we need specific evidence that forgiveness is real and reaches to us. One proof is found in Lamentations 3:22: “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” The fact that we are not immediately destroyed when we sin is a powerful reason to believe in the forgiving character of God.
2. WE HAVE EVEN MORE COMPELLING EVIDENCE IN THE PERSON AND WORK OF GOD THE SON, JESUS CHRIST
Romans 5:8 states, “But God commendeth [demonstrates] His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God withheld deserved judgment, indicating His intrinsically forgiving nature. Then, He actively and openly displayed His forgiveness by dying in our places on the Cross. As He was being nailed to that vile and violent instrument of torturous death, “Then said Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’” (Luke 23:34a). The verb tense of “said” indicates that Jesus kept repeating these words, confirming to us His heart’s desire to express His love through forgiveness. When we look to that Cross, we see tangible evidence of love: we see forgiveness in action.
3. WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THIS FORGIVENESS HAS NO LIMITS
What of the so-called “unpardonable sin” of Matthew 12:31? First, note that this verse specifically says that “all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men”; this is a strong statement of the unlimited availability of forgiveness. Second, the qualifying “but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men” must be understood as a rejection of God’s offer of forgiveness, since God the Holy Spirit is responsible for drawing us to a saving faith in God the Son, Jesus Christ (John 16:7-14). Only if we refuse this forgiveness will we remain unforgiven. The examples of David, an adulterer and murderer (Psalm 32:1), and the Apostle Paul, a killer of Christians (Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-2), reveal the absolute extent of our Lord’s forgiveness.
4. WE HAVE THE EVIDENCE OF GOD’S SPECIFIC PROMISES IN HIS WORD THAT WE ARE FORGIVEN
Both I John 1:9 and 2:12 clarify that through Jesus our sins are forgiven. Since God is eternal and blessedly thorough in all that He does, we logically conclude that this forgiveness is eternal and thorough; we then read the specific promise of I John 5:13 and are assured that we are everlastingly His.
CONCLUSION – May each one of us trust in Jesus for His full, free, and forever forgiveness. May our thanksgiving be heartfelt and hearty as we rejoice that we are forgiven.