RCCG JUNIOR ZEAL FOR 2024/2025 – AGE 16-19 TEACHER’S MANUAL – SUNDAY 9TH OF FEBRUARY, 2025 – LESSON TWENTY-FOUR (24) – TOPIC: FORGIVENESS
Click HERE for Previous RCCG Manual
RCCG JUNIOR ZEAL FOR 2024/2025
AGE 16-19 TEACHER’S MANUAL
SUNDAY 9TH OF FEBRUARY, 2025
LESSON TWENTY-FOUR (24)
TOPIC: FORGIVENESS
MEMORY VERSE: Matthew 6:14- “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you”.
BIBLE TEXT: Matthew 18 21 22
[21]Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
[22]Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
LESSON AIM & OBJECTIVES: To foster personal growth, healing, and reconciliation in students and families. Through the lesson, students should be able to:
- Understand what forgiveness is and what is not and its importance in the Christian faith.
- Explore practical guidance on how to forgive others.
INTRODUCTION: Forgiveness is the intentional and voluntary process of letting go of feelings of resentment, anger, or vengeance towards someone who has wronged you. It involves releasing negative emotions and replacing them with empathy, compassion, and understanding. Forgiveness is not just a moral obligation but a foundational aspect of one’s relationship with God. Matthew 6:14-15, Col. 3:13
OUTLINES
A. UNDERSTANDING FORGIVENESS
B. PRACTICALSTEPS TO FORGIVENESS
A. UNDERSTANDING FORGIVENESS
WHAT FORGIVENESS IS:
i. LETTING GO: Forgiveness involves letting go of feelings of resentment, anger, and bitterness towards someone who has wronged you. Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:31-32.
ii) CHOOSING PEACE: Forgiveness is a conscious choice to pursue inner peace and emotional healing. It’s about prioritizing your well-being over holding onto past hurts. Mark 11:25, Matthew 5:23-24
iii) EMPATHY AND COMPASSION: Forgiveness involves cultivating empathy and compassion towards the offender, understanding that they are flawed human beings capable of making mistakes.
iv) MOVING FORWARD: Forgiveness is about moving forward with your life without being bound by past grievances. It’s about focusing on the present moment and building a better future for yourself. Matthew 5:23-24
WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT:
i). Excusing or Justifying: Forgiveness does not mean excusing or justifying the offender’s actions. It’s not about minimizing the harm done or pretending that the hurtful behavior was acceptable.
ii) Reconciliation: Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. While forgiveness may pave the way for reconciliation, it’s possible to forgive someone without restoring the relationship to its previous state, especially if the offender hasn’t shown genuine remorse or changed their behavior.
iii) Ignoring Boundaries: Forgiveness does not require you to ignore your boundaries or tolerate further mistreatment.
B. 1) PRACTICAL STEPS TO FORGIVENESS
i) Acknowledge the Hurt: Recognize and acknowledge the pain and hurt caused by the offender’s actions. Allow yourself to feel and process these emotions without judgment.
ii) Understand the Offender: Luke 17:3-4
iii) Decide to Forgive: Make a conscious decision to forgive the offender. Understand that forgiveness is a choice you make for your own well-being, not necessarily for the benefit
of the other person. Mark 11:25
iv) Release Resentment: Let go of feelings of anger, resentment, and bitterness towards the
offender. Hebrews 12:15
v) Empathize and Show Compassion: Cultivate empathy and compassion towards the offender. Recognize their humanity and inherent worth, despite their actions. This can help soften your heart and open the door to forgiveness. Psalm 32:1
vi) Avoid Rumination: Refrain from dwelling on the past or replaying the hurtful events in your mind. Instead, focus on the present moment and ways to nurture your own well being. Philp. 4:8
vil) Set Boundaries: Establish healthy boundaries to protect yourself from further harm. Communicate your boundaries clearly and assertively, if necessary, but also remain open to the possibility of reconciliation if the offender demonstrates genuine remorse and willingness to change.
viii) Forgive Yourself: Finally, extend forgiveness to yourself for any mistakes or shortcomings related to the situation. Recognize that you are deserving of compassion and grace, just as much as anyone else. Ephesians 1:7-8
Remember that forgiveness is a process that takes time and effort. It may not happen overnight, and that’s okay. Be patient and gentle with yourself as you navigate the journey towards forgiveness and healing.
SUMMARY: Forgiveness is a serious decision that you make over and over again. We don’t have enough forgiveness to go around. But God does. So when our limited resources run out and we are unable to forgive, we can ask him to forgive others through us. In so doing, we take one more step of obedience and allow ourselves to become a conduit of God’s grace.
CONCLUSION: In Matthew 5:44 Jesus commands us “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Ask God to reveal his love to your offender in your heart, and for him to dissolve negative emotions. Is there any more powerful witness of God’s transforming grace than someone who can display true forgiveness to the “unforgivable”?
QUESTIONS:
- Is there any sin undeserving of forgiveness?
- What is the negative effects forgiveness in a person’s life?
DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SUNDAY: LUKE 11:46-54
MONDAY: LUKE 12:1-15
TUESDAY: LUKE 12:16-30
WEDNESDAY: LUKE 12:31-45
THURSDAY: LUKE 12:46-59
FRIDAY: LUKE 13:1-15
SATURDAY: LUKE 13:16-35
Open Heavens 2025 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
ALSO READ: CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW US ON TWITTER ⊗ OPEN HEAVEN ⊗ JOEL OSTEEN DEVOTIONAL⊗ ABOVE ONLY ⊗ OUR DAILY BREAD ⊗ SEEDS OF DESTINY ⊗ JOYCE MEYER DEVOTIONAL ⊗ RHAPSODY OF REALITIES ⊗ JOHN HAGEE ⊗ MFM DAILY DEVOTIONALUTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST⊗DCLM DAILY MANNA ⊗ JOHN PIPER DEVOTIONAL ⊗