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Luke 17:1-10

The stone that will kill your Goliath

I have a weakness with spiders. As a boy my nightmares would be filled with spiders, crawling everywhere and on me. Only in the last few years have I overcome my fear enough to catch or kill a huntsmen spider. Before then it was my wife’s job.

Forgiveness takes courage

We all have something in our lives which is like Goliath was to David, a huge dangerous problem/monster. David had faith in God and killed Goliath with a sling and a stone. I’d like to encourage you with the idea that forgiveness can be like the stone David used to kill his monster.

People who have hurt us can control us through out fear of them. We can feel like our guts are twisting inside us when we have to see them, or speak to them. But forgiveness can kill whatever it is that is holding us captive and whatever is hurting us. When we forgive a person it means we are letting go of what they did to us. We no longer have to feel angry, guilty or shamed. When we forgive we are like David flinging his stone into Goliath’s head.

There is nothing that has happened or that is happening that you cannot forgive. It is invincible, the biggest Goliath fall all the harder when faced with forgiveness. Jesus proved the invincibility of forgiveness when he died on the cross, when he took our guilt and shame upon himself and forgave us. Let me encourage you to forgive so that you can experience its invincibility. the Rev

06 Forgive (It’s Invincible)

Bible Reading: Genesis 45

Exercises

• Discuss what the brothers were going through, particularly in Gen 42:18-24

• Discuss how Joseph got through all his trials, Gen 45:4-5

• Discuss in what ways Joseph and Jesus are similar

• Share in what way you have been encouraged to forgive by Joseph’s example

• Share in what way you will now practice the invincibility of forgiveness.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for Joseph’s testimony to the invincibility of forgiveness. Encourage me by his example to deliberately forgive people those things which have been holding me captive. Help me have the courage to loving confront people with their need for my forgiveness if it is appropriate to do so. Lord enable me to be humble when I need to seek someone’s forgiveness. May you set me free from anger, resentment, guilt and shame with your invincible forgiveness. Amen

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