Your sins are forgiven.
Summary: Forgiveness and repentance go hand-in-hand. We cannot understand one without understanding the other.
Continue reading “Luke 7:48 – The Gambler”Luke 5:20 – Sent Away
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Summary: There is an intriguing story in Luke about a man who comes to Jesus to be healed. Instead of being healed, he is forgiven and we are left to wonder why.
Continue reading “Luke 5:20 – Sent Away”Exodus 32:32 – Lifted Up
But now, please forgive their sin …
Summary: The Hebrew word for “forgive” is a word that describes physically lifting a burden up and taking it away. This is a perfect description of what God does for us when we go to him for forgiveness.
Continue reading “Exodus 32:32 – Lifted Up”Matthew 18:21 – A Clean Slate
Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister …?
Summary: Being forgiven is a great gift, but one that we don’t always appreciate as we should.
Continue reading “Matthew 18:21 – A Clean Slate”Leviticus 6:7 – At One
In this way the priest will make atonement for them before the Lord, and they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty.
Summary: Looking back over the Old Testament, we see the foundation for the New.
Continue reading “Leviticus 6:7 – At One”Matthew 6:12 – A Sack of Bricks
And forgive us our debts …
Summary: As we begin our discussion of forgiveness, it is helpful to consult the dictionary for a definition of the word “forgive.”
Continue reading “Matthew 6:12 – A Sack of Bricks”Matthew 6:12 – The Way to Heaven
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Summary: At first glance, this passage in the Lord’s Prayer looks simple and unassuming. Looking closer, we find that it masks a dark reality.
Continue reading “Matthew 6:12 – The Way to Heaven”Matthew 12:1 – The BIG PICTURE
His disciples were hungry …
Summary: Understanding God’s perspective on our lives is helpful if we want to understand why we don’t have everything we want.
Continue reading “Matthew 12:1 – The BIG PICTURE”Matthew 4:4 – Food for the Soul
Man shall not live on bread alone …
Summary: There are two kinds of “bread” in the story about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. One is bread for the body, the other is bread for the soul.
Continue reading “Matthew 4:4 – Food for the Soul”Psalm 34:8 – Taste Test
Taste and see that the Lord is good…
Summary: Comparing the Lord to a taste may seem a bit strange, but the metaphor carries with it layers of meaning that can be very helpful to understanding how we are to share the Gospel with others.
Continue reading “Psalm 34:8 – Taste Test”