SERMON NOTES:

PRAYER REQUESTS
Gloria Ivers. Pray for healing of Glorias ankle after fusing surgery performed March 3rd. Janet (Kevin Amundsens sister) has an L3 fracture in her back. Pray for healing. Linda (Heather Butterfields sister) for safety for the baby during pregnancy, and to be close to the Lord. Arlene (Dianne Blacks sister) who had a second back surgery. Pray for healing. Candy Swanson (friend of Nancy & Kevin Amundsen) broke her back and has a long recovery ahead. Pray for Ruthann Coburn as she recovers from a procedure for a serious wound on her leg. Stephanies mom, Judy (co-worker of Heather Butterfield) is getting treatment for cancer and doing better. Regina Shu (Judith Shus mother) as she struggles with diabetic neuropathy affecting her mobility. Amina, a six year old girl who has brain cancer (friend of Michelle Ott). Rose Bih (Sam Atu-Tetuhs wife) as she has high cholesterol and heart problems. Kay Prouty (mother of Pastor Pauls brother-inlaw) who has cancer. Steve Gast (Jennifer Huehns college friend) received new lungs six months ago for his Cystic Fibrosis. Pray for continued recovery. Sarah Womack (Nancy Amundsens daughter) as she searches for a new job. Stephanie (Jerry Hermsens friend) for her health. Beverly Dols (John Ivers sister) as she is in hospice care. Jessica Johnson (Stacy Foremans cousin) has been diagnosed with Lyme's disease. Due to the side effects and the illness symptoms she is unable to work. Joanne Seeman Benick (Jon & Jodi Blacks friend) who has cancer. Julie Fjeld (Jennifer & Mike Huehns neighbor) who lives with cancer. John Thiessen as he lives with cancer. Donna McCullen (wife of Ken McCullen) who is suffering from cancer.

DEVOTION
It is very difficult to share that which we dont have. To forgive others we need to be in touch with the grace that has been given to us by God. This week we have the opportunity to see the connection between the graces weve been given and the grace were asked to share. Enjoy! Comments about the devotion can be e-mailed to pastor@colpres.org. Monday, March 10 Read Ephesians 4:25-5:2 We forgive because God first forgave us. The writer of Ephesians shared that our forgiving others originates in God. God forgives us, so that we forgive others. We cant share what we dont have. To forgive we first need to be in touch with the grace that God has given us. When we can appreciate grace and forgiveness, then we can much more easily share that grace with others. Can you remember some times when you had a powerful experience of forgiveness from God? Perhaps you did something that you knew was wrong, and you knew that God forgave you. What was that experience like? How did grace feel? How were you different because of your experience of grace? The more we appreciate our own grace the easier it will be to extend that grace to others. Prayer: Thank you, forgiving God, for forgiving me. Put me in touch with the grace you have for my life. Tuesday, March 11 Read Matthew 20:1-16 Sometimes its hard to forgive because we dont think forgiveness is fair. Weve been taught since we were young that people deserve what they earn. In this story some of the laborers were upset because it didnt seem fair that others should receive the same wage for less work. It wasnt fair!

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By the standards of the world, grace or forgiveness is not fair. Its not fair that someone should be let off the hook for what a terrible act that they committed. Grace operates according to a different system of math. We dont forgive because of its fairness. We forgive to release the pain that we have experienced; and we forgive because God first forgave us. Jesus said in the parable not to worry about what others receive. Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. As long as weve been forgiven, why should we worry if someone else receives graceeven grace that is not deserved? We dont determine who should be forgiven and who shouldnt. God has already decided that everyone should be forgiven. Our task is not to judge others, but to celebrate the gift of grace of forgiveness that we have received. That gift is more than enough! Prayer: Dont let me be like one of the upset landowners in this story. Help me be focused on what Ive received, and not what another person should have. Wednesday, March 12 Read Hebrews 10:11-18 The writer of Hebrews shared that the world changed when Jesus died. Through his death he perfected forgiveness. No longer would people have to pay for grace through the purchase of a sacrifice. Jesus was the sacrifice! His sacrifice didnt cost us anything. God doesnt remember our sins. What a terrific gift. We dont need to be weighed down by an action of ours from earlier in our life. God has already seen it and will quickly forgive us! This gift can release us from our own wrongdoing. What a wonderful gift!

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Prayer: Thanks for your desire to forgive us so quickly. Dont let me get weighted down by an attentions Thursday, March 13 Read 2 Corinthians 4:5-11 We do have this extraordinary message from God. The gift comes from Godwe have nothing to do in terms of creating it. God wants us to share lavishly this gift When we forgive others the life of Jesus is made visible in our actions. Look at what the apostle Paul wrote: For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. 2 Corinthians 4:11 Sometimes people get squeamish about talking about Jesus. We can display Jesus when we forgive others. When we forgive we share Jesus with the world. What a privilege! Prayer: Help me see that when I forgive I not only do it for myself. Im also sharing Jesus with the world! Friday, March 14 Read Luke 15:11-32 The story of the two sons is a terrific illustration of two ways of life. Those two ways are the way of forgiveness and the way of merit. The younger son received forgiveness. It was a gift that he didnt deserve. The gift didnt make sense. But when it was given almost everyone was glad that it was given. A great party was thrown. The older brother lived by the way of merit. He believe that people should receive what they deserve. Obviously he didnt believe that his younger brother deserved forgiveness. The older brothers heart was hard. He followed the rules, but wasnt willing to share grace.

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Sometimes our own sense of goodness can get in the way of grace. A part of us will always believe that if we are good then we should be rewarded. At last most of us have this belief!! Jesus never said that blessed are the good for they shall receive goodness. Instead he said, blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy. There is a direct connection between the mercy we know God has given to us and the mercy that we share. Its easier to live the way of meritbut God wants us to live the way of grace. Can you do it? Prayer: I know its hard to live a life of grace. Help me let go of what I think people deserve and instead celebrate when your grace is shared. Saturday, March 15 Read Luke 18:9-14 We heard this story read this past Sunday in worship. We can view this story as another illustration of the story of two sons that we read yesterday. The Pharisee obviously lived his life based on merit. He believed in his own goodness and believed he should be rewarded. He looked at the toll collector based on merit. Unfortunately he was blinded to his own judgment. The tax or toll collector knew he had messed up. He was like the younger son. In Jesus day the toll collector would have been a hated enemy. He was an enemy of the Jews because he represented the Romansand (like most toll collectors) he had acted unjustly. It would have been confusing for people listening to this story to see the toll collector in such a situation of asking for humility. But this is what grace does to us. When grace happens we dont live by how the world expects people to live. Strange and wonderful events happen! Prayer: Help me live a life based on grace. Help me be quick to forgive others.