1) The document discusses how experiencing God's grace and forgiveness shapes our ability to forgive others. It notes that the more we appreciate how much Jesus has forgiven us, the easier it becomes to forgive the sins of others. 2) Jesus tells a parable about a servant who is forgiven a large debt by his master but then refuses to forgive a fellow servant for a much smaller debt. This shows that those who have received great forgiveness should be quick to forgive others. 3) Experiencing the grace of God begins to change everything, including our willingness to forgive. We love in proportion to how much we've been forgiven.

1. 2 0 1 4 S u m m e r S e r i e s : T h e G o o d a n d B e a u t i f u l C o m m u n i t y
The Reconciling Community

2. Wouldn’t it be great if we could
hand-pick everyone around us?
SWEET!
Much
better. NICE!!!
Lovin’ it!
Hey!!!

3. 12-14 So, chosen by God for this new
life of love, dress in the wardrobe
God picked out for you: compassion,
kindness, humility, quiet strength,
discipline. Be even-tempered,
content with second place, quick to
forgive an offense. Forgive as
quickly and completely as the
Master forgave you. And regardless
of what else you put on, wear love.
It’s your basic, all-purpose garment.
Never be without it. (MSG)
Colossians 3

5. Reconciled by Christ,
Agents of Reconciliation
2COR 518 All this is from God, who
reconciled us to himself through
Christ and gave us the ministry of
reconciliation: 19 that God was
reconciling the world to himself in
Christ, not counting people’s sins
against them. And he has committed
to us the message of reconciliation.

6. to reconcile to cause to coexist in harmony

7. “…not counting people’s
sins against them.”

8. ?
??
?
?Wait.
What?!?

9. Dr. Vinoth Ramachandra
IFES Secretary for Dialogue and Social Engagement
“Grace changes everything.”

10. At least Jesus thinks it should.

11. 23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who
wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he
began to settle accounts, they brought to him a servant
who owed him ten thousand bags of gold. 25 Because the
servant didn’t have enough to pay it back, the master
ordered that he should be sold, along with his wife and
children and everything he had, and that the proceeds
should be used as payment. 26 But the servant fell down,
kneeled before him, and said, ‘Please, be patient with me,
and I’ll pay you back.’ 27 The master had compassion on
that servant, released him, and forgave the loan.
Matthew 18

12. 28 “When that servant went out, he found one of his
fellow servants who owed him one hundred coins. He
grabbed him around the throat and said, ‘Pay me back
what you owe me.’
!
29 “Then his fellow servant fell down and begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ 30 But he
refused. Instead, he threw him into prison until he paid
back his debt.
Matthew 18

13. 31 “When his fellow servants saw what happened, they
were deeply offended. They came and told their master all
that happened. 32 His master called the first servant and
said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt
because you appealed to me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have
mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’
34 His master was furious and handed him over to the
guard responsible for punishing prisoners, until he had paid
the whole debt.
35 “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you if you
don’t forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Matthew 18

14. False and True
If I don’t forgive someone who
has sinned against me…
…then God won’t forgive any
of my sins.
If God truly forgives all my sins
and I’m eternally grateful…
…then I will be moved to
forgive others all their sins.

15. –James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful Community, (116)
“It is absurd for us to glory in the forgiveness God
has given us and yet remain unwilling to forgive
someone who has harmed us.”

16. can’t
have it
both
ways

17. The deeper our experience of
God’s mercy, the easier it is show
that same merciful love to others.

18. 41-42 “Two men were in debt to
a banker. One owed five
hundred silver pieces, the other
fifty. Neither of them could pay
up, and so the banker canceled
both debts. Which of the two
would be more grateful?”
!
43a Simon answered, “I
suppose the one who was
forgiven the most.”
Luke 7

19. 43b-47 “That’s right,” said Jesus. Then turning to the
woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see
this woman? I came to your home; you provided no
water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and
dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but
from the time I arrived she hasn’t quit kissing my feet.
You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has
soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn’t it? She
was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very,
very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the
gratitude is minimal.”
Luke 7

20. 48 Then he spoke to her: “I
forgive your sins.”
49 That set the dinner guests
talking behind his back: “Who
does he think he is, forgiving
sins!”
50 He ignored them and said to
the woman, “Your faith has
saved you. Go in peace.”
Luke 7

21. Undeserved Favor
Experiencing the grace of God began to change everything.

22. The more we appreciate how
much Jesus has forgiven us,
the easier it is to forgive the
sins of others.
We love in direct
proportion to how much
we’ve been forgiven.

23. (benediction slides follow)

25. “4 Jesus is patient. Jesus is kind. He doesn’t want
what belongs to others. He doesn’t brag. He isn’t
proud. 5 He isn’t rude. He doesn’t look out for his own
interests. He doesn’t easily become angry. Jesus
doesn’t keep track of other people’s wrongs.”
1Cor13

26. “6 Jesus isn’t happy with evil. But he is full of joy
when the truth is spoken. 7 He always protects. He
always trusts. He always hopes. He never gives up.”
1Cor13

27. “8 Jesus never fails to love us.”
1Cor13