forgive – Three Minute Bible

March 5, 2025March 5, 2025

Colossians 3:13c – The High Bar

Picture of athlete running to pole vault.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Summary: Forgiving as the Lord forgives, sets the bar fairly high. Fortunately, Jesus shows us how it is done.

”I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

— John 13:15

The quote above is Jesus speaking. The scene was the last supper before he was crucified. It was the Passover meal, the celebration of God’s final curse on the Egyptians before Pharaoh finally let Moses lead the Israelites out.

February 13, 2025February 13, 2025

Colossians 3:8e – Doom Loop

Hand holding a lighted wooden match with a dark woods in the background.

[… rid yourselves of] … slander …

Summary: By following each step in Paul’s thinking, we discover that he has something very specific in mind.

Let’s go back and review the whole verse so far:

“But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander …”

Paul is painting a portrait of a slave to SELF. When we put our self-interest above God and others, we will always find things that offend us. The rest of the world is only interested in pleasing themselves, so since my SELF is most important (to me), it is very irritating when other people do not share my concern for my own happiness.

July 28, 2023July 28, 2023

Ephesians 4:32b – Avoiding Hell

… forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Summary: Today’s passage is for many the heart of the Gospel message: In Christ, we are forgiven for the things we have done to hurt others, offend God, and that ultimately wound our own souls.

January 10, 2023January 10, 2023

Colossians 3:13 – Truly Forgiven

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Summary: Forgiveness is a tricky business. If we are going to forgive others, we have to have been forgiven to have some to give. Fortunately, we have a God with an infinite supply of forgiveness.

January 7, 2023January 8, 2023

Luke 7:48 – The Gambler

Your sins are forgiven.

Summary: Forgiveness and repentance go hand-in-hand. We cannot understand one without understanding the other.

January 6, 2023January 6, 2023

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.

January 5, 2023January 5, 2023

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.

January 2, 2023January 2, 2023

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.”

December 31, 2022December 31, 2022

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.

December 9, 2021December 9, 2021

2 Peter 3:2b Pt VI — My Real Fear

… and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

Summary: Loving each other as our Lord has commanded us is a risky proposition. We have to be willing to expose what is in our hearts and deal with what we find there.