THREE THINGS TO KNOW
DON’T MISS THIS
We know there is power in prayer. Join our PRAYER TEAM to serve others as you talk to God. As a prayer partner, you’ll get a weekly reminder of prayer needs + praises submitted online, through pastors or other sources. Consider joining individually and praying as a group when you meet. Sign up at adabible.org/prayerteam.
GROUP VALUES
This March, we are introducing another new spiritual discipline. Talk about what it might look like to practice CONFESSION together during one of your group sessions. Check out Beyond the Weekend on Monday, April 3 to learn more about how and why we confess.
GROW AS A LEADER
Spring is here, and that means another small group LEADER HUDDLE. Connect with your staff contact to get more details. We’ll discuss what staying connected to your group and God looks like over the summer.
DISCUSSION GUIDE
This week we wrap up our series called GOSPEL CHANGE. Today we discuss how the Gospel should lead us to lives of forgiveness.
Do you have any Easter traditions or plans for this year?
THE BASIS OF FORGIVENESS
Have someone read Ephesians 4:32. How do all the verbs in this verse work together with forgiveness?
The basis for our forgiveness is that we were first forgiven by God. What are some reasons people today might give for why they forgive or choose not to?
Pastor Jeff Manion mentioned the importance of paying attention to the emotional harassment of the crucifixion and remembering the cost Jesus paid for our own forgiveness. How does this impact how you think about forgiving others?
Why is true forgiveness always costly to the one doing the forgiving? How can this be helpful to acknowledge?
THE PRACTICE OF FORGIVENESS
Have someone read Matthew 6:12. What does it mean to be released from a debt?
Sometimes, when we’ve been hurt, we believe people “owe us” for hurting us. But forgiveness is a decision to not make someone pay. What are some ways you can decide to forgive someone?
When we forgive someone, we absorb the emotional blow. How does God help us do this?
Even if you have forgiven someone, this may not necessarily lead to the restoration of a relationship. What are some situations where there might be forgiveness and also new boundaries set with someone?
Is there anyone you need to seek reconciliation with this week? How can our group pray for and support you in that?
THE GOAL OF FORGIVENESS
Read Matthew 18:15. What does this passage command us TO DO and NOT TO DO?
As Christians, we are part of a community that is supposed to be radically different. Why do you think Jesus instructs us to be so extravagant in our forgiving?
Sometimes it is hard to know whether we are making any progress on forgiving. This week, we heard three recognizable steps in the forgiveness process:1) recognizing that, as Christians, we were first forgiven by God, 2) yielding our right to get even, and 3) wanting their wellbeing. How can these steps help us see whether we’ve made progress in forgiving someone?
WRAP UP
Today we discussed how the Gospel radically changes the way we forgive others. Which part of the conversation was most challenging for you, and how will you begin to live differently because of that?