REALLIFE
STUDY GROUP
“Forgiveness:
A Key to Destiny”
ICEBREAKER: What is your favorite type of movie and what
is your favorite movie? (Comedy, Romance, Action, Drama, Science Fiction,
Western, War, Scary, Cartoon/Animated, Disney, Bible, etc...)
DEFINITIONS: Forgive: Aphiemi
(Greek) to send away or release the penalty when someone wrongs you. To extend mercy or pardon,
to give the gift of grace, to set the offender or victimizer free.
CONFESSION: I am forgiven by the blood of Jesus and
because I have been forgiven of so much, I choose to walk in forgiveness on a
daily basis. I choose to release the
past and let the offenses go. I give all
those who have offended me permission to forgive themselves with God’s
help. I even choose to forgive
myself. To those who have disappointed
me I forgive you, I release you and I set you free. I realize that forgiveness
is not just a statement it is a lifestyle and may take a lifetime!
OUTLINE:
Forgiveness is NOT:
·
Conditional
·
Excusing
unjust behavior
·
Explaining
away the hurt
·
Based
on what is fair
·
A
product of weakness
·
Stuffing
your anger
·
Being
a doormat
·
Forgetting
·
A
feeling
·
A
natural response
·
Denying
the disappointment...
Forgiveness Implies:
·
Releasing
your right to hear the words “I’m sorry” even though the offended should still
say it
·
Releasing
your right to be bitter
·
Releasing
your right to get even
·
Releasing
your right to dwell on the offense
·
Releasing
your right to hold on to the offense
·
Releasing
your right to keep bringing it up
TEXT: Genesis 45:4-11;
Malachi 4:5-6; Matthew 5:23-24, 44; 6:14-15; 18:21-22; Ephesians 4:42; Proverbs
17:9; Hebrews 12:15; Luke 6:37; Romans 12:17-19; Colossians 3:13
STUDY GROUP QUESTIONS:
1.
How
would you define forgiveness?
2.
Describe
the first trouble signal of un-forgiveness in your life?
a.
Physically
I feel...
b.
Emotionally
I feel...
c.
Spiritually
I feel...
3.
Describe
one of the hardest people or situations to forgive?
4.
Joseph
was constantly tested with forgiveness before he was promoted to second in
command in Egypt. He had to forgive his
brothers for threatening to kill him and selling him into slavery. He had to forgive his dad for not coming
after him. He had to forgive Potipher’s
wife for lying about him. And it goes on
and on. In other words, God could not
have entrusted Joseph with so much authority until he proved himself. Why do you think that forgiveness is a
prerequisite for being promoted in God’s Kingdom?
5.
Joseph
became a father figure to Pharaoh and one of the reasons was because God could
trust him not to allow bitterness to take hold in his life. I believe that we live in a fatherless
generation of people that are waiting for the true spiritual fathers that have
been tried in the fire to arise. Name
one symptom that this has become a fatherless generation in our culture?
(Undisciplined, Depressed, etc...)
6.
Who
are you called to father or affirm and release forgiveness to?