The Forgiving Heart II
Notes
Transcript
It has been a minute so we are going to do a quick recap from the first part of the parable. Remember why is Jesus using the parable to teach the disciples and us. It stems from Peter’s question “If my brother sins against me how many time must I forgive him seven times”. Peter goes a little further than the rabbinic custom of their time which was three. but Jesus says not seven but “Seventy times seven”, He then moves into the parable to put things into perspective for Peter and for us. He compares the kingdom of heaven to an earthly kingdom. The first servant owes an astronomical amount, one that can never be paid. He begs for mercy and receives it from the king. What has the king forgiven for you—what was your debt— The king was merciful and gracious and He cleared the servants debt. The king gave him a clean slate. Now lets look at the rest of the parable this morning.
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.’
Remember the last servants amount 10,000 talents, an unimaginable amount (Dry Erase Board) Now this servant only owes 100 denarii, a denarii was one days wages. It would be the equivalent of $50 dollars today. The first servant owed the king approx. 2 million dollars, this servant owed his fellow servant $5,500 dollars. Keep that significant difference in mind as we read on. As we see the story continue the servant that was just forgiven such an incredible debt finds a fellow servant who owes him money. Remember the amounts, yes the amount the second servant owed in that day was a lot, but it paled in comparison to the first servants debt. What was his reaction, was it one of mercy and grace (like what was shown to him). No it was the complete opposite. HE responded with harsh violence, demanding repayment.
29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’
We now see the response of the second servant. Sound familiar, it is almost a word for word quote. He pleaded with his fellow servant, he begged for mercy, but his fellow servant was merciless, his heart was hardened. This servants debt was one he could actually pay—unlike the first servants— he begged for him to allow him time and he would repay all that he owed.
30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.
Here we see the rest of the first servants reaction. After chocking him and demanding payment he was unmerciful. He does what was common practice in that day. He has him thrown into prison until the debt was paid. The servant would work in prison until his debt was paid. The first servant who had been forgiven so much was himself harsh and unforgiving. We have been forgiven of so much yet we often times remain harsh and unforgiving. We hang onto things and do not let them go. True forgiveness comes from the heart. When we have been wronged, or thing we have been wronged we must seek out and forgive. We must be gracious with each other. What has God done for you, and continues to do? Gracious and forgiving.
31 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.
This servants actions were disturbing to their other fellow servants. So, they reported to the king. “They were greatly distressed”. If you think about it and this is only my speculation—how quickly to rumors spread— so these servants who witnessed this knew what had happened to the first servant, remember they worked for the same king, just as we do. They were “greatly distressed because they knew the compassion and grace the kind had shown the fist servant.
32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
The king summons the first servant after he hears about his actions. He is angered by how the servant acted towards his fellow servant. Remember Jesus’ opening statement about this parable “the kingdom of heaven may be compared to”. We have to remember what the comparison is. The king calls him a wicked servant, because he had pleaded for mercy and recieved it, but did not reciprocate it.
33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’
Now the kings anger is shown because of his servants actions. I had mercy on you , which should have caused the servant to show the same mercy. How many of you have been shown compassion, mercy and grace by the king? Than how many of us should be showing compassion, mercy and grace to our fellow servants. ALL. Why do we forgive, because we have been forgiven, why do we love, because we have been loved.
34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.
Now we see a very strong warning in verse 34 and 35. Jesus gives us the warnings out of His love for His children, He deeply desires for our hearts to be changed. “In anger” but wait isn’t anger a sin—when God gets angry He never sins His anger always, always leads to just judgment—. The master has the servant thrown into jail until he paid his debt. But remember our math, the debt this servant owed could never be paid. Now we need to understand Jesus is not teaching about purgatory—Jesus is not teaching that you can lose your salvation. So, what is He trying to teach the disciples and us. Remember this all stemmed from Peter’s question about forgiveness. I think many times we forget about Hell and this parable brings it back into focus. The point Jesus is making is that if we are uncompassionate, unmerciful, and unforgiving we are not one of His disciples Matthew 7:22. This should serve as a wake up call for those who have not accepted Christ, it should also be a wake up call for us who have, but have been being lazy.
35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Now Jesus brings the comparison home. He clears up any confusion in the comparison. The king in the parable is God the Father. The servants are us, those who believe and those who profess to believe. Jesus is telling us that if you do not forgive your brother from your heart, you have not been forgiven. For those who have experienced true forgiveness, will extend the same compassion, mercy and grace that has been extended to us. He makes it clear it is not just about saying the words, it must come from the heart. One commentator puts it this way “we stand between the Cross and the Chair. God’s first judgment on sin the Cross, and God’s final judgment on sin the Chair”. There is no such thing as an unforgiving Christian, it is an impossibility. Once the gospel of forgiveness gets in you it come out of you as well.
The Forgiving Heart II
The Forgiving Heart II
When we come to God’s word we must take all of it, we cannot skip over the parts we don’t find interesting, we cannot skip over the parts we find uncomfortable, we must take the whole counsel of God’s word. People don’t like to talk about Hell, but it is something Jesus talked often about and so should we. People need to understand the importance of the Gospel message, it is one that deals with their eternity. In our culture we have normalized Hell, we picture satan with a pointed tail and a pitch fork, people picture Hell as one big party, like it is no big deal—Jesus says it is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth—sounds fun right—. But wait Jesus offers us something different—the Gospel— 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake He (God) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him (Jesus) we (all who believe) might become the righteousness of God”. We have been forgiven so much— God gave us Christ so we can be adopted into his family— extending His compassion, His mercy and His grace to us, wiping our debt clean.