He Came to Forgive

12/7- Lord’s Prayer- 4- “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”

Read: “Be kind, one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven you.”  (Ephesians 4:32);You…will give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins.”  (Lk. 1:77)

Thoughts: Jesus came at Christmas so that when we mess up we can still get to God.  God gives us a second chance.  He also wants us to give others another chance too- even if they hurt us and we don’t want to trust them.  If we want to be forgiven when we mess up, then we need to be forgiving toward others who also hurt us- even if they do not deserve forgiveness.
    There are lots of people who rise up out of their inaction to hurt or get revenge for a wrong.  Jesus came to forgive.  Then He asks all those who follow Him to be forgivers too. 

Activity: On a piece of paper write down one thing you want to be forgiven.  Put the pieces from each family member in a box.  Then go outside and burn them- saying, “As far as the east is from the west so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”  Trace the Lord’s Prayer on the illustration above, saying it together.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus that you came to forgive us.  Give us the grace and help we need to forgive others.