Free to Forgive

In Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus shares a parable on forgiveness.

It's a parable of the Kingdom of God. He says that those who have been forgiven much should model the forgiveness they have received. Yesterday, in our sermon at Hope Church, we talked about "forgiveness" in the Kingdom of God. Jesus clarifies expectations to forgive in three ways:

1) He gives a "Kingdom Directive" – Matthew 18:21-22 - Peter came up and said, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Peter asks a natural question as to how many times someone is required to forgive. Rabbis of the day taught that people were required to forgive up to 3 times, but not more. So here Peter is more than doubling what the teachers of the day taught.

Jesus responds with… 77 times; some translations say 70 times 7. By the way, this used to mess me up; I would think well, what is it? 77 or 70 times seven?

This is precisely the opposite attitude of what Jesus is teaching here. The point is not 77 or 490 times; the fact is that there needs to be a number high enough. We are never to stop forgiving people. We don't keep score.

2. He give a “Kingdom Perspective” – Matthew 18:23-30 - 23: "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

Jesus shares a story of a king who decided to settle accounts. He says this is how God's kingdom works. That one day, The King decides to settle accounts. Who is the King in this Parable? God

Who is the servant? Me and You. There's a problem: The servant has a debt He can't pay. It's a trillion dollars. So, who is affected by His debt? Everyone in his family. His wife and his kids will all be sold to pay the debt. Trying to delay the inevitable, this servant begs the King for a little more time.

What does the King decide to do? Completely forgive him of the debt. Who benefits in the Parable? Everyone except the King, the King is the one who ends up paying for this man's debt.

But the Parable goes on. It reads like this: after walking out of the palace, the man encounters someone who owes him a few thousand dollars.

What does that servant do? He abuses him, he demeans him, he judges him, and in doing so, He reveals the coldness of his heart. He reveals that he had been using the King. He had no true grasp of the debt he owed and no genuine appreciation for the gift given to him.

3. He gives a “Kingdom Reflective” – Matthew 31-35 - When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

The Parable concludes with Jesus turning the tables on the listeners. He shares that forgiveness, or lack thereof, is a mirror that reflects how our hearts view God. It reveals to our fellow servants, the church, and the world around us what we honestly think of God's grace.

Theologian Henry Thiessen said, "People act according to what they really believe, but not according to what they merely pretend to believe."

If we genuinely believe that we have been forgiven an unpayable debt. We can extend forgiveness to those around us.