Plantation SDA Church
Welcome! Our speaker today is Pastor Joseph Salajan
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Sermon Theme:
Forgiveness entails rebuke on the part of the one the suffered the harm and repentance on the side that harmed
Social Media Tags to share with your friends:
#forgiveness #forgive #rebuke #harm #repent #repentance #suffer #suffering
Luke 17:3-5 ESV
1. Rebuke
If you go to an English dictionary you may get the impression that to rebuke means to or to put someone down with wordssharp and short. To re-back... to force back… beat back… It seems that etymologically the English rebukecomes from the OldFrench wordbucher,to cut down wood.
For a correct meaning we need to go to the Bible. The Greek verb for “rebuke” is epitimao (epi means upon, timao means to honor, to value, to estimate). So epitimao literally means, “to put honor/value/price upon something or someone,” like putting a price tag/label on a product…
Jesus rebukes the wind (From what? From blowing…!) So what does it mean? Stop it! He rebukes sickness… (from what? From ruining the human being.) What does it mean? Stop it! He also rebukes the unclean spirits/the demons… Then he rebukes people from talking about His identity (Matthew 12:16). What is the obvious meaning of the word? Stop it!
The disciplesrebuked the mothers that wanted to bring their children to Jesus. The Pharisees tried to rebuke people from openly praising Jesus. One of the thieves on the cross rebuked the other… from blaspheming…
Peter rebuked Jesus for talking about his own death… In response, Jesus rebuked Peter for rebuking him… The Bible consistently uses this word with the meaning of stop it!
But there is more to it…It seemsthatthe word also conveys the idea that the rebukere honor/the authority to do so!
So what does it mean, “to rebuke” my brother that sinned against me (that squeezed me)? It means that I have the honor/authority to label his act with its right value and honorably tell him/her: Please, stop it right away!
The purpose of rebuke:
biblical rebuke aims to move the person toward repentance not toward rejection. Always ask yourself: Am I doing this to help that person Or am I just squeezing back right where the stitches are?
Repentance
(Watch yourself!) If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and IF he repents, forgive him. Repentance means a change of mind. The verb is metanoeo, which comes from the noun metanoia meaning beyond the mind (meta-nous)! In order for forgiveness to really take place, the squeezer has to go beyond his/her mind! Otherwise, he/she will go on doing the same!
You cannot solve a problem if you stay in the same mindset in which you created the problem! Don’t expect to be forgiven without you changing your mind! The offended person may be ready to forgive you or may have even forgiven you… but that does not mean you are actually forgiven! The test of receiving forgiveness is repentance…
Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life (SC, 23).
Luke 17:4 ESV
This is not about numbers… it is not a quantitative limitation of forgiveness. This is a hyperbole… a literary device that uses intentional exaggeration to make a point: there is no limit for forgiveness!!! As many times as needed!!!
Alright, BUT… what if the offender does not repent?
We should not think that unless those who have injured us confess the wrong we are justified in withholding from them our forgiveness.It is their part, no doubt, to humble their hearts by repentance and confession; but we are to have a spirit of compassion toward those who have trespassed against us, whether or not they confess their faults. However sorely they may have wounded us, we are not to cherish our grievances and sympathize with ourselves over our injuries; but as we hope to be pardoned for our offenses against God we are to pardon all who have done evil to us. (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, 114)
Forgiveness asks for some education. We have to learn and teach our children the right way. It’s not ok to say it’s ok when it’s not ok!
Bulletin
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• The Ministry of Giving
• Service Order and Participants
• Songs in today's service
• Sunrise/Sunset times
Newsletter
The last section of the online bulletin is the newsletter. Its similar to the print version but enhanced with live web links and other interactive features. It includes:
• Prayer Ministry Update
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