Episode 95 - The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Jesus says that as we have been forgiven for our trespasses so are we to forgive those who trespass against us - not just once - but 70 x 7 times 

Matthew 18 : 21-35

Transcript

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This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Hello and welcome back to Shine. This week we have been talking about some of the parables. Yesterday we talked about the prodigal son. And today I wanted to talk about the parable of the unforgiving servant. Matthew chapter 18, verse 21 through 35. So if you want to pause and take a quick reread, have at it, or many of you know about this parable where Peter asked him, How many times should we forgive our brother or sister? And Jesus answers, I tell you, not as many as seven, but seventy times seven. And he goes on to give us a story about a servant who was unable to pay his master back. And it was such that the master said, his wife, his children, everything he had had to be sold to pay the debt. So of course, you know, the servant pleaded to his master, be patient with me, and I will pay you everything. And his master forgave him, had compassion, released him and forgave him for the loan. But what we know is a servant went out, probably, I don't know, that very next day. Um, I mean, there's times I see people walk out right out of church or who maybe even in that same day or that same week, despite um asking for the Lord's forgiveness, are unable to do that to those around them. And we see that as the servant went around asking all his people, uh, pay me back what you owe me. And despite those folks pleading with him in the very same way that he did, he demanded to be paid back and threw them in jail. And I think it speaks volumes of our human nature and that we, especially if our backs against the wall or we're in need, are very quick to feel that we have earned forgiveness from those around us. And when we do receive that forgiveness, we are unable to see others around us who we should also give mercy and compassion and forgiveness for. Much like that servant, we feel we are the only ones who deserve it, and nobody else does. Or even we will pick and choose who is worthy of our compassion and our mercy instead of understanding that quite frankly, none of us are worthy of the forgiveness that we have been given through our Lord and Savior. We all have trespassed, we all have sinned, we all are in a position and a posture where we can never pay back the forgiveness that we have been given and allowed through God's faithful love, through his never-ending mercy, and through his grace, all of which are gifts and none of which are merited favor. And in the same way, we have to understand that those around us are also warranted that same level of love, mercy, grace, and compassion. We are all God's children. There are many times I talk to a lot of people with what I do, and I hear a lot of stories. I hear a lot of um anger, uh resentment, um, anxiousness, typically around people feeling they have been wronged, feeling they have received um unjust or unmerited words or behavior or conditions. And I'm always reminded, and many of us, we do the Lord's Prayer every single day or in church, and how many times do we say, first, forgive us our trespasses against you as we also forgive those who trespass against us? It's not this or that, or if this then that. So I hope you reread this parable. I hope that you pause and truly think about those people in our lives who we have held our forgiveness, those people who may not have earned it, but not unlike all of us as children of God, neither have we. And I'll leave you with the last verse of this parable, verse 35. So also my heavenly father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart. Not just your words, but from your heart. And not this brother, but not that sister, and not the little debts versus the big debts. Right? It's all trespasses, and not just once, and not as many as seven times, but seventy times seven, and that's a lot, and I'm not gonna lie, y'all, it is hard. But whenever I start thinking about my need to forgive, I always posture myself and say to Jesus, you have forgiven me for so much. And as that gift, I need to pass that forgiveness on to my brothers and sisters around me. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.