High Voltage Outline - January 21, 2007

Lesson Topic: Surprising Realities- Week 3 - God's Got Forgiveness for You!
'Fun Factor': Average
Volunteer Involvement: Above-Average
Music: N/A
Student Involvement in Music: N/A
Lesson Quality: Average
Length of Lesson: 36 minutes (with 3 video clips thrown in)
Student Response: Average
Overall Night Rating (scale of 1(not good) to 10(awesome)): 5
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Surprising Realities
Week 3 – God’s Got Forgiveness for You
High Voltage – January 21, 2007 – Jim Clark
Surprising Reality:
We’ve all messed up and done wrong.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

God forgives our mess ups
‘But so that you know that the Son of Man (Jesus) has authority on earth to forgive sins…’ then he said to the paralytic, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’ And the man got up and went home. Matthew 9:6-7
For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. Psalm 25:11
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. Psalm 32:1-2

God forgets our mess ups.
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. Declares the Lord. Jeremiah 31:34b
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12

We have to forgive the mess ups of others.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:12, 14-15
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’ Matthew 18:21-22
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

Surprising Conclusion:
What happens when we are forgiven or we forgive others?
Peace
That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:19
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

Purification
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7

Pardon
Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:10-11
And are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24

Action Steps:
I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' Luke 15:18-19
1. Ask for God’s forgiveness.

2. Believe that you are forgiven.

3. Commit to sharing God’s forgiveness with others.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20

The Bottom Line: God’s forgiveness for you far outweighs anything you have done or could do.
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Questions for Further Discussion with students:
1. How does it feel to know that God has the power and the willingness to forgive and forget mistakes?
2. Who do you need to forgive in your life? Who has wronged you? Hurt you? What steps do you need to go about to insure that that forgiveness takes place?
3. Who do you have in your world who needs to hear about God's forgiveness? What might be standing in the way of your sharing it with them?

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Overall the night was pretty good. But it was overloaded with video clips. Good topic for clips, but we just had too many.

JC