January 6, 2019

 Letting Go, Moving On
January 6, 2019
Pastor Jonathan Falwell

 

Open:

Everyone messes up! Mistakes made in the past are very hard to forget, and it takes a strong person to move on after a life-altering choice. We can ruin our lives wishing we could live certain times over again, but to put a bad event behind us is necessary for mental health. Can someone share a memory?

This past year has been a season when we’ve been constantly encouraged to make Christ the priority in our lives, grow daily in Scripture, and live godly lives. Now it’s time to look back to see if those messages bore fruit. At the same time, we have the opportunity to put past failures behind us and start with a clean slate in a new year. We will look at the great apostle Paul and learn life lessons of “keeping on keeping on” past adversity.

 

Discuss:

Recognize the pain and failures of the past are not the description of our future:

  • Read Philippians 3:7. The NLT quotes Paul as saying the things that were important to him at one time are now worthless. Can you share some things you have done in the past that are now meaningless because of what Christ has done, and that what is really important is Christ?
  • That verse also tells us we are to forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead. It’s easier said than done. Among your group discuss the difficulty of doing this.
  • Read Genesis 50:14-21. This passage is the perfect biblical example for pastor Jonathan’s message today on letting go of the past and moving on to the future. What were Josephs brothers afraid of? Would someone be willing to share a fear of something in their past they carried for a long time they felt would follow them for all their life? We cannot allow our past to keep us fearful and shape our future. Discuss that we cannot change our past.

Take the right steps …. Seek forgiveness:

  • What are Joseph’s brothers doing in Vs 16-17a? The same steps they took are the same steps we must take for salvation. What two things did the brothers do? These are the same steps we must take with others. Why is this hard?

Respond the right way… forgive

  • When it is reversed and we are the ones being asked to forgive, what must we do? Discuss how hard it is to ask someone for forgiveness.
  • In vs 17b, why do you suppose Joseph reacted the way he did?

Know that the job of judge is not ours

  • In vs 19b Joseph asks an important question. Discuss the question and its effect? A judge in our judicial has an important and weighty duty to perform once someone has been declared guilty. What is it? Do we sometimes try to mete out punishment on someone who has wronged us? In Romans 12:19 it tells us to let God handle the punishment. Talk about why we should do that.

Know that the job of peacemakers is ours

  • Vs 21b tells us Joseph reassured his brothers by speaking kindly to them. He forgave them then proved it by offering to move on. Discuss how this corresponds to God’s forgiveness of ourselves.

 

 

Close:

As we look forward to 2019, it is imperative that we put things behind us that we cannot change. We never find joy by continuing in strife. The solution to strife is to pray about it, pursue resolutions, and be persistent to pray about those conflicts. We will have freedom that comes as a result. For 2019 let’s keep the focus we discussed last week:

  • Stay in God’s Word – read and study His Word daily
  • Talk to Him daily – a strong prayer life is the only way to keep the line of communication open with God
  • Keep a journal of what you’re learning, reading, and praying about
  • Read books, stories, articles about faithful followers of Christ
  • Connect with others in the journey to remain to remain accountable – Christians were not meant to live in isolation
  • Prioritize your faith walk over EVERYTHING else – this includes a commitment to regular, intentional worship services.
  • Don’t quit
    • If you get behind in your devotions and bible reading, you can catch up
    • Falling behind yesterday is not an excuse for today

Doing these things will change the way you live and feel. It will change everything,

 

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