UpStreet – March 2017
Forgiveness is deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn’t have to pay.
Memory Verse: “Put up with one another. Forgive one another, if you are holding something against someone. Forgive, just as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13, NIrV
March 5: We start off the month learning about the lengths God will go to rescue His children. In Luke 15:1-7, we listen to a story Jesus told about a shepherd that risked the entire flock in order to find and rescue the one sheep who has run off.
Bottom Line: God forgives you. God Time Card Week 1
March 12: We continue our look at forgiveness with one of Jesus’ most well known parables. In Luke 15:11-24, Jesus talks about a kid who thinks he’s got it all together. He demands half of his dad’s money and takes off to spend it on himself. It’s only when the money is gone he realizes he’s made a HUGE mistake and needs forgiveness. He’s got just one hope: that his dad will let him come home and be a servant.
Bottom Line: Everyone needs to be forgiven, even me. God Time Cards Week 2
March 19: We continue Jesus parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15:21- 32. Although the son returns ready to work off the money he took from his father, the father welcomes his Lost Son home, and even throws a giant party! But not everyone’s too happy about this. The kid’s older brother has obeyed dad all his life—without a single party to show for it. He’s sulking in the backyard until his dad shows up. And if big brother isn’t willing to let this whole thing go, he’ll miss out.
Bottom Line: When you don’t forgive, you miss out. God Time Cards Week 3
March 26: We finish the month with another one of Jesus’ parables in Matthew 18:21-35. Jesus tells the story of a servant who likes to live it up—even though he’s weighed down by MILLIONS of dollars in debt! This servant gets a big break when the king forgives his debt. You’d think he’s got it made—until he finds a man who owes him a few bucks. You’d think he’d pay it forward and cancel the debt, but that’s not what happened. He gets caught when he didn’t forgive others like the king forgave him.
Bottom Line: Since God forgave you, you should forgive others. God Time Cards Week 4
