I. Main Point for vv. 73-80: We can trust God to use affliction to shape our character, inform our prayers, and strengthen our fellow believers.

II. Main Point for vv. 81-88: Devotion to Scripture enables faithful waiting on God even under extreme duress.

I. Main Point for vv. 9-16: Moral purity comes from an intentional, multifaceted approach to guarding one’s heart with Scripture.

II. Main Point for vv. 17-24: We need God’s help to understand and live his Word because we live in a world that doesn’t.

*Big Idea: A godward life comes from being saturated with God’s Word.

*Main Point: As God’s privileged and blessed people, the church is to demonstrate and declare his greatness.

**Main Point: As Christians, when we have offended others, God commands us to seek forgiveness from them and reconciliation with them.

I. Seeking horizontal forgiveness and reconciliation is important for our relationship with God.

II. Seeking horizontal forgiveness and reconciliation is important for our relationships with others and for the church.

III. Seeking horizontal forgiveness and reconciliation is important for our own well-being.

IV. What’s involved in seeking forgiveness.

*Main Point: As Christians, God commands us to forgive others.

I. The reasons for forgiveness.

(Because God says so.)

II. The posture of forgiveness.

III. The character of forgiveness.

(Forgiving like the Lord forgave us.)

*Big Idea: The risen (and now ascended) Jesus reassures, commissions, and blesses his followers, who in turn are to believe him, proclaim him, and worship him.

I. Appearance: By physical proof, Jesus gave peace and assurance to his troubled, doubting disciples (vv. 36-43).

II. Commission: By his own authority and that of Scripture, Jesus established for his disciples the what, the who, and the how of gospel proclamation (vv. 44-49).

III. Ascension: With a priestly blessing on the disciples, Jesus ascended to glory, as the focus of their worship (vv. 50-53).