“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes”

Recap The Preparation & the Promise Lengthen Appropriate length (rather than extending it) Prolonging its life (condition)

Forgiveness impacts everything God’s love Grace and mercy Relationships Sin and Temptation Stewardship and Giving Righteous living Worship Prayer Reconciliation Confronting inequality

Forgiveness runs throughout the Bible Sacrifice Restoration Life stories Abraham Esau & Jacob Joseph & brothers Moses David Jonah & Nineveh

Forgiveness runs throughout the Bible Prophetic word “If my people, who called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2Chronicles 7:14) “This is the covenant I will make...I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people...they will all know me...for I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

Forgiveness runs throughout the Bible Prophetic word “If you O Lord kept a record of sins. O Lord who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness of sins” (Psalm 130:3-4) “The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion” (Numbers 14:8)

Forgiveness runs throughout the Bible Jesus’ teaching and actions Prodigal Son Unforgiving servant Woman caught in adultery The Lord’s Prayer Paralysed man Forgive as God forgave us

Forgiveness runs throughout the Bible Epistles “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one other. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13) “...without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22) “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32) ”…confess your sins” (James 5)

The Law of Lamech “Lamech said to his wives, ‘Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.’” (Genesis 4:23-24) Cain: revenge x7 Lamech: revenge x77

It has to do with the heart “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve” (Jeremiah 17:10) “The Lord was grieved that he had made man...and His heart was filled with pain” (Genesis 6:6)

The Law of Life “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times’” (Matthew 18:21-22) How many times? Who to forgive? For how long must this go on? Jesus reverses Lamech’s law

Challenge Forgiveness is a lifestyle We often fail to acknowledge we’re the ones who need to be forgiven but we all need to forgive “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent’, forgive him” (Luke 17:14) “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13)