Title: You Are Responsible to Pursue Forgiveness Meta: If your forgiveness is going to look like and be modeled after Jesus Christ, then you have to be a pursuer of people. We are to be pursuers of peace. Why? Because Jesus Christ pursued you. Tags: forgiveness,relationships,peace,Jesus Christ,Colossians 3:13,Luke 17:4,Matthew 5:24 1 00:00:00,405 --> 00:00:04,791 I love that Jesus Christ is a pursuer of me. 2 00:00:04,792 --> 00:00:07,135 I need Him to pursue me. 3 00:00:07,136 --> 00:00:08,245 And I want you to know this: 4 00:00:08,246 --> 00:00:13,353 if your forgiveness is going to look like and be modelled after Jesus Christ, 5 00:00:13,354 --> 00:00:16,810 you have to be a pursuer of people. 6 00:00:16,811 --> 00:00:20,421 You say, well what if they have sinned against me, Jesse? 7 00:00:20,422 --> 00:00:22,810 Well, read Matthew chapter 18, what does it say? 8 00:00:22,811 --> 00:00:27,746 If your brother sins against you, do what? What do you do? 9 00:00:27,747 --> 00:00:32,482 Go to Him. Go to Her. Pursue them. (P) 10 00:00:32,482 --> 00:00:33,995 You know what we do sometimes? 11 00:00:33,996 --> 00:00:38,534 You sinned against me, so I am going to wait till you come to me. 12 00:00:38,535 --> 00:00:44,214 No! When your brother or sister sins against you, you go to them. 13 00:00:44,215 --> 00:00:49,332 You pursue them. You pursue forgiveness. 14 00:00:49,333 --> 00:00:51,723 "Well, ok I can get with that one, 15 00:00:51,724 --> 00:00:55,298 but what if they think I did something to them 16 00:00:55,299 --> 00:00:57,814 and I didn't do anything to them?" 17 00:00:57,815 --> 00:01:00,681 What does Jesus tell us in Matthew chapter 5? 18 00:01:00,682 --> 00:01:03,491 If you've come to offer your gift at the altar, 19 00:01:03,492 --> 00:01:08,863 and there you remember what? 20 00:01:08,864 --> 00:01:12,861 That your brother thinks you have offended, sinned against him, 21 00:01:12,862 --> 00:01:16,578 what are you to do then? 22 00:01:16,579 --> 00:01:18,155 Did you hear what He said there? 23 00:01:18,156 --> 00:01:21,844 "Leave your gift at the altar." 24 00:01:21,845 --> 00:01:24,527 We are coming to worship you God, 25 00:01:24,528 --> 00:01:27,007 but I know this brother thinks I've offended them. 26 00:01:27,008 --> 00:01:29,210 There's something between us. 27 00:01:29,211 --> 00:01:34,210 Set the worship down, Jesse. 28 00:01:34,211 --> 00:01:35,605 Go! 29 00:01:35,606 --> 00:01:42,996 Be reconciled to your brother first and then come back and offer that gift. (P) 30 00:01:42,997 --> 00:01:45,233 I am not saying every one has to do this. 31 00:01:45,234 --> 00:01:51,700 Every Sunday in our service, we begin our service with a time of confession. 32 00:01:51,701 --> 00:01:57,733 Cos I am not going to stand up there and sing songs when my heart is not right. 33 00:01:57,734 --> 00:01:59,640 That is just going through the motions. 34 00:01:59,641 --> 00:02:04,316 So we sit and we pray and we ask, "O God, search me and know me; 35 00:02:04,317 --> 00:02:09,280 try me and see if there be any evil way in me." 36 00:02:09,281 --> 00:02:15,193 And we encourage, if there is an issue in this assembly between relationships, 37 00:02:15,194 --> 00:02:21,031 you go be reconciled first. 38 00:02:21,032 --> 00:02:27,041 Why? So you can worship in spirit and in truth. 39 00:02:27,042 --> 00:02:34,570 The onus is always put on YOU in forgiveness. 40 00:02:34,571 --> 00:02:37,255 If your brother sins against you, you go. 41 00:02:37,256 --> 00:02:41,450 If your brother has something that you have done against him, you go. 42 00:02:41,451 --> 00:02:44,741 We are to be pursuers of peace. 43 00:02:44,742 --> 00:02:49,502 Why? Because Jesus Christ pursued you. 44 00:02:49,503 --> 00:02:54,142 We must pursue one another.