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Forgive Us Our Sin

Therefore, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And never bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. MATTHEW 6:9-14 ISV

You are a sinner

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 JOHN 1:8 KJV

For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” MARK 7:21-23 NIV

Jesus wants to save us and forgives us of our sins.

As it is written: “There is no righteous person, not even one; There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks out God; They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, There is not even one.” ROMANS 3:10-12 NASB

Although I might be able to put trust in myself. If anyone thinks he has a reason to trust in himself, he should know that I have a greater reason for trusting in myself. I was circumcised eight days after my birth. I am from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a Hebrew, and my parents were Hebrews. I had a strict view of the law, which is why I became a Pharisee. I was so enthusiastic I tried to hurt the church. No one could find fault with the way I obeyed the law of Moses. Those things were important to me, but now I think they are worth nothing because of Christ. Not only those things, but I think that all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash. This allows me to have Christ. PHILIPPIANS 3:4-8 NCV

Sin is the opposite of God!

You shall have no other gods before me. EXODUS 20:3 NIV

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. MATTHEW 5:28 NIV

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. JAMES 3:16 NLT

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. JAMES 4:17 NASB

Sin pulls us away from God

Sin hurts you, God and others

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! ROMANS 7:15-25 NIV

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. JOHN 14:6 NIV

To be freed from sin, we must ask him in

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ROMANS 10:9 NLT

Ask for forgiveness and use sin detangler

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. HEBREWS 12:1-2 NIV

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Take a few moments to slow down and pray the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Think about verse 12 which says “Forgive us our sins.” Sin is the result of placing something else in first place before God, or thinking the wrong thing in your heart. Sin can be knowing we should do something and don’t. What sin entangles you? Is it hard for you to see yourself as a sinner in need of rescuing? Think about the impact sin has on your relationship with God and people around you. What makes it hard for you to ask for forgiveness? Now, focus on God’s love for you. God knew we needed to be saved from our sin and hurt, and provided a way through His son Jesus Christ. Imagine what it would be like to be free from the entanglement of sin and completely embraced in God’s love, forever. What would you be willing to give up in order to experience God’s love? Write your reflections in the space below.

Discussion Questions

  1. PERSONAL REFLECTION: Begin your group time by completing the Personal Reflection Guide (link found above the sermon notes). (Tip: playing some soft background music is helpful here!)
  2. REAL WITH OTHERS: What are some examples of sin? How have you experienced sin hurting you or people around you? (see MARK 7:21-23, JAMES 4:17)
  3. REAL WITH SELF: How does it make you feel to say that you are a sinner? Is it hard for you to admit that you sin? What keeps you from admitting specific or repetitive sin? (see 1 JOHN 1:8,10)
  4. REAL WITH GOD: Read JOHN 3:16-17. How do you feel knowing that God loves you so deeply and wants to help you? Do you struggle believing God will forgive you? Why or why not? (see 1 JOHN 1:9)
  5. REAL WITH OTHERS: How can we become and remain untangled from sin? What habits can your group develop to support each other? (see HEBREWS 12:1-2)
  6. TAKE ACTION: What sin do you keep falling into? Right now is an opportunity for you to choose to confess to God in safe space with your group’s support. If you’ve been considering following Jesus, admit to God that you have sinned against him and believe that he will forgive you through the sacrifice and life of his son Jesus Christ. If you are already a follower of Jesus, confess a sin that has entangled you and take a moment to ask for and receive God’s forgiveness as you continue to become more like Jesus. Close in prayer celebrating people for being real and thanking God for his love and forgiveness.