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It’s about
forgiveness
Dr. Bobby McGuffie, pastor, flowood baptist church
“I
Love
You”
On January 15, 2023, I preached a message
on a very difficult subject–Forgiveness. It was
one of the most convicting messages I have
personally ever preached. Why was it so
convicting? Because there have been many
times that I have not forgiven when forgiveness
was due. However, as long as there is
opportunity (personally or collectively), there
is time to forgive.
There was one portion of the message
that I would like to share in order for us, as
believers, to truly understand. Without going
into great detail, the passage I used was from
the story of Joseph. This is a story that you
may be familiar with. Genesis 45:1 says,
“Then Joseph could not refrain himself before
all them that stood by him; and he cried,
Cause every man to go out from me. And there
stood no man with him, while Joseph made
himself known unto his brethren.”
Joseph did something very direct that
many of us should do. When the time came
for Jospeh to have a conversation with his
brothers (those who had hurt him or sinned
against him), who had thrown him into the pit,
he removed everyone from the room who
had nothing to do with it. When we desire to
forgive someone, genuinely, we do not bring
other people into the situation who have
nothing to do with the sin or wrongdoing. For
instance, we do not go talk to someone about
the wrongdoing of someone else. Why?
Because they don’t have a dog in the hunt,
per se. We go to the one who has hurt or
offended us and follow church discipline of
Matthew 18.
And if someone comes to you and tells
you what someone did to them, how they
hurt them, or talked about them, or anything
remotely close to that—if you are a believer,
shut it down! We should not listen to what
someone else says, negatively, when we are
not involved.
I would venture to say that most everyone,
who knows Jesus Christ as the Lord and
Savior, would agree with the things written
above. I would also venture to say that not
one reader enjoys hearing their name come
out of someone else’s mouth negatively.
So, what do we do? If we are going to say
anything that hurts our witness, causes our
brother/sister to stumble, or negatively impacts
someone in the future, we ought not do it.
There is a reason that church discipline is in
the Gospel.
The reason is simple, there will be wrongdoing,
but there is a solution made possible
through the blood of Jesus! May we all be
willing to forgive like Jospeh, but ultimately
like Jesus!
Do you remember what Jesus said while
He was hanging on the cross (for you and for
me)? He said, “. . . Father, forgive them; for they
know not what they do.” –LUKE 23:34
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