We forgive because we have been forgiven.

This is the starting point for genuine forgiveness. If you don’t understand how much you have been forgiven, you won’t want to forgive anybody else.

If you’re hard on yourself, you’re going to be hard on others.

But the more grace you receive from God, the more gracious you’re going to be to others.

The more forgiven you are by God, the more forgiving you’ll be toward others.

Forgiven people forgive people. Forgiven people love people.

Those that have been forgiven much love much. If you have not been saved by grace than you have no incentive to give grace.

If you want to love well you have to experience forgiveness well. If you experience forgiveness well, you join the group of forgiven people who forgive people.

You will never know what love is or have the capacity to love another person in the way God intended for you to love another person until you have experienced the forgiveness of God.

You have to be forgiven to extend forgiveness.

Unforgiving Christians either don’t know how much they have been forgiven or have taken for granted how much they have been forgiven.

Colossians 3:12-14 NLT Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Please don’t miss tonight’s special forgiveness event at Encounter. We have an extended worship set and are going to have an epic forgiveness tonight.

I look forward to seeing you all back at Encounter tonight.

Bill Rieser

Encounter Pastor

bill@thehopeencounter.org