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Sermons on Forgiveness: Letting Go and Being Set Free

2,881 sermons

Forgiveness is hard, whether you need to forgive someone or you need to be forgiven yourself. Pastors do not pretend it is quick or easy, and they do not say that hurt does not matter.

These sermons look at what Jesus taught about forgiveness, what it does and does not mean, and how people find the freedom to let go.

Sermons on forgiveness to start with

Chosen for how closely they stay on forgiveness, then for length and how recent they are. Every sermon is the church's own recording.

  1. What Jesus Was About: Forgiveness - Shannon Pappas

    Waypoint Church (San Mateo, CA) · November 2, 2026 · 33 min

    Drawing on Mark 2, the sermon presents forgiveness as central to what Jesus was about, showing that Jesus prioritized forgiving sin over physical healing. Because God has forgiven us, we are called to forgive others, even thoug...

  2. Breaking the Chain of Unforgiveness

    Encompass Church (Parker, CO) · November 1, 2026 · 44 min

    This introduction to the Break the Chain series on Philemon argues that forgiveness is essential for every Christian because believers are called to be conformed to Jesus, who prayed, taught, and modeled forgiveness, even from...

  3. Forgiven / Tim McCool / 10-25-26

    Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church (Echola, AL) · October 28, 2026 · 33 min

    The sermon teaches that forgiveness of sins is a debt that Christ paid at great cost, as an act of God's rich grace. Because we have been forgiven so much, believers must learn to absorb the losses caused by others, forgiving a...

  4. The Purpose of Forgiveness as a Choice

    Jeff Rasnick, First Baptist Church (Shelbyville, TN) · October 28, 2026 · 36 min

    Pastor Jeff preaches on Philemon 8-9 under the title 'The Purpose,' arguing that forgiveness is a choice rooted in God's own forgiving nature. He explains that refusing to forgive leads to disobedience, bitterness, Satan's foot...

  5. Forgiving Others

    Creekwood Church of Christ (Mobile, AL) · October 27, 2026 · 31 min

    The sermon uses the story of Brandt Jean forgiving Amber Geiger and the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18 to show that believers must forgive others because they have been forgiven an unpayable debt by God. It cl...

  6. Living in God's Forgiveness by Forgiving Others

    Our Savior Lutheran Church (Muscatine, IA) · October 18, 2026 · 19 min

    The sermon draws on Micah 6:8 and Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18 to show that God freely forgives our enormous debt through Christ. Because we have received such grace, we are called to forgive others...

  7. Forgiveness, Reconciliation and Healing

    Church of the Cross (Bluffton, SC) · September 13, 2026 · 32 min

    The sermon centers on Matthew 18's parable of the unforgiving servant, arguing that forgiveness is central to the gospel and essential for reconciliation and healing. Drawing on Corrie ten Boom's story, the speaker says Christ'...

  8. God Turns Evil Into Good Through Forgiveness

    Our Savior Lutheran Church (Winchester, VA) · September 13, 2026 · 22 min

    Pastor preaches on Genesis 50 where Joseph forgives his terrified brothers, showing that God turned their evil into good to preserve His people. He distinguishes forgiveness, which is a heart matter, from reconciliation, which...

What does the Bible say about forgiveness?

The Bible ties forgiving others to the forgiveness we have received from God. These are the verses behind most sermons on the subject.

  • Ephesians 4:32Forgive as God forgave you

    and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you. (ASV)

  • Colossians 3:13Bear with one another

    forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: (ASV)

  • Matthew 6:14–15Forgiven and forgiving

    For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (ASV)

  • 1 John 1:9If we confess our sins

    If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ASV)

  • Luke 23:34Jesus forgives from the cross

    And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots. (ASV)

  • Psalm 103:11–12As far as the east is from the west

    For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his lovingkindness toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us. (ASV)

What pastors are saying

“Our forgiving is never the price of God's forgiveness; it is the fruit of God's forgiveness.”
“How can we be forgiven if we can't forgive others? How can the love of the Father dwell within us if we can't forgive?”
“Folks, when we let the forgiveness sink in, the forgiveness of God toward us, it changes us. And it frees us to forgive other people as well.”
“Despite our past, God forgives. He is committed to such, according to his grace, to forward-giving. In other words, forgiving.”
“God is never more like Himself than when He is forgiving. So we are never more like God than when we are choosing to forgive.”

More sermons on forgiveness

  1. Current ServiceSt John's Lutheran Church · November 8, 2026
  2. Righteousness That Exceeds the PhariseesCrane Avenue Church of Christ · November 8, 2026
  3. Thyatira, A Corrupt ChurchEvangelical Free Church of Hamilton City · November 8, 2026
  4. Restorative Justice (Returning Citizens Sunday)City Church · November 8, 2026
  5. Who Do You Say You AreWord of Knowledge Ministries · November 8, 2026
  6. Ephesians Week 3Flint River Baptist Church · November 8, 2026
  7. How Can God Use Someone Like David?Relevant Church · November 8, 2026
  8. 0e5993677 1488664875 Power Of ChoiceBelievers Destiny Church · November 7, 2026
  9. The New Commandment to Love and Die to SelfLiving Faith Chapel · November 7, 2026
  10. 3 1 20 Effects Of Amnesia Jonay 4 5 11Cape Ann Bible Church · November 7, 2026

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Churches Discussing Forgiveness

Sermons and quotes are from churches' own recordings and appear under their names. Opinions are theirs. Bible text: American Standard Version (public domain).