Big Idea of the Series: Many people think that they deserve to pay back those who have wronged them. As we enter the season of Lent, we are reminded that the reason Jesus went to the cross was for our sins. Do we want God to pay us back for this? How should we live as people of the cross when it comes to payback?
Bad Idea
Big Idea: God calls payback a bad idea. He calls us to love instead. He doesn’t pay us according to our sins but rather loves us through Jesus.
Busted Life
Big Idea: When we pay back people for the wrong they have done to us, our lives become broken. We live in a cycle of anger and fear.
Broken Heart
Big Idea: We may think that payback will make us feel better. But we forget that it affects the lives of others. We don’t feel better, and others get hurt.
Backward Thinking
Big Idea: Thinking that we must pay back the wrong done to us is backward thinking. We make ourselves to be a little god in paying back. We need to trust God to take care of us and deal with the person who has hurt us.
Blown Opportunity
Big Idea: Paying back hurt for hurt causes us to miss an opportunity to be a witness for Jesus.
Blessing Missed
Big Idea: Not showing mercy to the one who hurt us causes us to miss the blessing of having mercy shown to us.