Key Points

Forgiven people forgive people.

Gratitude for our own forgiveness is the fuel for extending it to others.

The woman with the alabaster flask loved much because she had been forgiven much.

Taking forgiveness for granted produces little love; deep gratitude produces deep love.

Unforgiveness is a self-made prison that tortures the one who refuses to release the debt.

Jesus calls us to forgive not seven times, but seventy-seven (or seventy times seven) times; that’s radical, ongoing forgiveness.

Bitterness is a root that defiles many and gives the enemy a foothold.

We cannot be un-saved by unforgiveness, but we can live in torment and lose our freedom and joy.

Forgiveness does not mean forgetting what happened; it means releasing the person and bearing the cost ourselves, just as Jesus did.

Discussion

Pastor Bob said we either take forgiveness for granted or receive it with gratitude. Which one more accurately describes your current posture toward God’s forgiveness of you?

The sinful woman “loved much” because she had been forgiven much. How does remembering the depth of your own forgiveness change the way you view people who have hurt you?

In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the man who was forgiven a massive debt refused to forgive a tiny one. Where might you be holding on to a “small” debt while forgetting the enormous one Jesus canceled for you?

Jesus said the Heavenly Father will treat us the same way if we do not forgive from the heart. What does “from the heart” forgiveness look like in practical terms?

Have you ever experienced the “prison” or “torture” of bitterness and unforgiveness? What helped (or is helping) you get free?

Hebrews 12 warns that a root of bitterness can defile many. How have you seen unforgiveness spread and affect relationships beyond just the two people involved?

Is there anyone the Holy Spirit is bringing to mind right now whom you need to forgive, or ask forgiveness from? What is one step you can take this week?