Live In Love | Forgive One Another as Christ Has Forgiven You - Ephesians 4:30-5:2 - Gayle Parker

This week, Gayle Parker opens our next sermon series, Live In Love, with a message that takes us deep into the heart of what it means to truly forgive, drawing from Ephesians 4, the Gospel of John, and the parable of the Prodigal Son. We're challenged to put away bitterness, wrath, and anger, choosing instead to be kind and tenderhearted. The story of the two brothers offers us a mirror: are we the younger son who knows we need grace, or the older brother imprisoned by self-righteousness and victimhood? The message reveals something profound: when we refuse to forgive, we're not punishing the other person, we're locking ourselves in a room of our own making. The REACH model of forgiveness provides practical steps, reminding us that forgiveness is a process, not a single moment. What strikes deepest is the reminder that we can never have a better past, so perhaps it's time to stop dwelling there. Through the Holy Spirit, we're given the same ministry Jesus had: the ministry of forgiveness. This isn't about pretending hurt didn't happen or excusing wrong, it's about choosing freedom over imprisonment, grace over grudges, and living in love rather than grieving the Spirit within us.