WELCOME TO THE JACKSON STREET CHURCH OF

CHRIST

PLEASE TURN OFF CELL PHONES

1 John 1:5-10 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not

practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our

sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is

not in us.

CAN I BE

FORGIVENESS

A. SOME PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM FEELING THEY CAN BE FORGIVEN.

B. EVEN THOUGH GOD REMEMBERS OUR SINS NO MORE, WE MAY NEVER FORGET THEM.

C. WE MUST LEARN TO FORGIVE OURSELVES.

I. YOUR SINS CAN BE

FORGIVEN

I. YOUR SINS CAN BE FORGIVEN.A. The apostle Paul was forgiven of persecuting the

church and having Christians put to death. Is your sin that bad?1. Acts 26:9-11 Indeed, I myself thought I must do

many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11

And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

2. 1 Timothy 1:13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

I. YOUR SINS CAN BE FORGIVEN.

B. DAVID WAS FORGIVEN OF ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA AND HAVING HER HUSBAND KILLED. 2 Samuel 12:9-14 Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. 10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' 11 Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; >>>

I. YOUR SINS CAN BE FORGIVEN.

and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.' " 13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14

However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."

II. IF WE HAVE REPENTED OF OUR SINS,

CONFESSED OUR SINS, AND BEEN BAPTIZED FOR

THE REMISSION (FORGIVENESS) OF OUR SINS, ALL OUR SINS ARE

FORGIVEN.

II. OBEDIENCE BRINGS FORGIVENESS

A. Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

B. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

C. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

III. GOD TAKES OUR SIN

AWAY, TOTALLY

III. GOD TAKES OUR SIN AWAY, TOTALLY

A. GOD WILL FORGIVE “ALL” OUR SINS - Psalm 103:2-3 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,

B. GOD DOES NOT REMEMBER (HOLD AGAINST US) OUR SINS - Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

III. GOD TAKES OUR SIN AWAY, TOTALLY

C. EVEN WHEN OUR SINS ARE THE WORST (SCARLET) GOD STILL FORGIVES US - Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

D. GOD HAS REMOVED OUR SINS TOTALLY - Psalm 103:10-12 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

IV. WE MAY ALWAYS REMEMBER OUR SIN EVEN THOUGH IT IS

FORGIVEN (FORGOTTEN BY

GOD).

IV. WE MAY REMEMBER OUR SIN

A. DAVID - Psalm 51:1-5 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.

B. PAUL - 1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

V. WHEN OUR SINS HAVE BEEN BLOTTED OUT (FORGIVEN) THE

JOY OF OUR SALVATION IS RESTORED

V. JOY OF SALVATION IS RESTORED

A. JOY OF SALVATION - Psalm 51:7-12 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

V. JOY OF SALVATION IS RESTORED

B. TIMES OF REFRESHING - Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

C. THE REMEMBRANCE OF OUR SIN SHOULD NOT KEEP US FROM THE JOY OF OUR SALVATION IN THE LORD.

D. WE MUST ACCEPT GOD’S FORGIVENESS AND FORGIVE OURSELF.

VI. WE MUST ALSO

FORGIVE OURSELF

VI. WE MUST ALSO FORGIVE OURSELF

A. SOMETIMES WE HAVE TROUBLE FORGIVING OURSELVES EVEN THOUGH WE UNDERSTAND GOD HAS FORGIVEN US.

B. A recent study from Brandeis University in Massachusetts suggested that a capacity for self-forgiveness would lead people not to blame themselves for stress factors beyond their control, ultimately translating into a longer and happier life.

VI. WE MUST ALSO FORGIVE OURSELF

A.FAILURE TO FORGIVE SELF KEEPS US FROM BEING EFFECTIVE CHRISTIANS 1. A CLEAN CONSCIENCE CAN SERVE

GOD - Hebrews 9:13-14 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

VI. WE MUST ALSO FORGIVE OURSELF

A. FAILURE TO FORGIVE SELF KEEPS US FROM BEING EFFECTIVE CHRISTIANS

2. FAILURE TO ACCEPT OUR FORGIVENESS KEEF US FROM GOWING AS CHRISTIANS - 2 Peter 1:5-9 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

YOUR FORGIVENESS

A. HAVE YOU BEEN FORGIVEN OF YOUR SINS?

B. HAVE YOU ACCEPTED YOUR FORGIVENESS?

C. HAVE YOU FORGIVEN YOURSELF?

TONIGHT’S SERMONTHE ABUNDANT LIFE - CHARACTER