Sermon Tone Analysis

Concept Thoughts

21

Peter is not just concerned with how to deal with the sins in a church- Jesus just talked about the corporate side of discipline.

But what about me? people have hurt my feelings, caused me pain, I have been the victim of someone else’s sin

So, Peter throws a reasonable guess out there: 7 times seems compassionate.

Most of us would lose a lot of patience with a friend or brother or sister on their 8th offense against us.

22

Jesus is making a point, it is NOT 49 strikes and your out.

This is hyperbole, exaggeration, making the point that when you hit 50 you’ve probably lost count.

Your forgiveness, like God’s, should be inexhaustible

Because it is actually God’s forgiveness that is what you are using to forgive others

23

Remember parables are always meant to explain something specific.

This is about how we are to act in forgiveness to one another, not as much about the technical details of how God’s forgiveness works in our lives.

(This story is more about how we should forgive others than about God’s forgiveness)

This parable is meant to explain how we should act with one another in forgiveness

The relationship of God and mankind sets the stage

How that relationship effects our life with others is really a main point

What all of those relationships looks like

This relationship in the parable has a basis of debt, imbalance

The King= God

Being a King meant making decisions and in this story the King needed to get some capital to do move forward with his plans.—

He needs money.

24

The King was intending to collect from the one who owed him the most money first.

10,000 talents= 12 Billion dollars in today’s currency

Average american salary is about 60k or $166/day

$153/day

$167x 6000= 1.2 mil (Talent)

1.2 mil x 10,000= 12 Bil

So in modern speak, this guy owes the King 12 billion dollars

Obviously this guy did not have this money.

Jesus is speaking in ridiculous terms

25

Going into debtors prison would get rid of this guy, but it wouldn’t get any money back for the king.

Not really, not in perspective of the 12 billlion$ he is owed.

26

The claim to repay is silly, but what other claim does he have?

He is guilty of owing this much.

He falls down in guilt.

He said empty words that could never, ever earn him the right to stand back up

27

Great definition of forgiveness: to let go of what someone owes to you

Great definition of forgiveness: In compassion, you release what is owed

The compassion of this King means that the servant would never have to earn it.

The King’s release means that both the servant and the King move on

The Kings forgiveness means that life can press forward, relationships can be productive, and the Kingdom can go back to it’s highest priority

Great definition of forgiveness: In compassion, you release what is owed

We all owe God for our debt

If God was patient with you, could you pay back that debt?

Get baptised, keep the rules, go to church

28

You can’t unguiltify yourself

God choose to forgive us, paid the debt, release us, take the loss

Forgiveness isn’t making them pay, forgiveness is looking at the debt owed, calculating the cost, and letting go.

(This story is more about how we should forgive others than about God’s forgiveness)

The King makes a wise choice to forgive because the offense was in the past.

The past is always permanent, but doesn’t have to paralyzing.

That is one reason why we are told to leave vengeance to God.

He can rightly punish, restore, condemn, apply consequences in a way that Justice is served.

But, we don’t have this power.

Forgiveness is an act of faith- it shows that we trust God to act as the judge

28

The other slave would have owed him $17,000 in modern day.

Just imagine: walking away from a 12 billion dollar payday

How bright the colors are and how pretty the music is

Unless, the colors aren’t bright.

And the music is dreary

And instead of considering all the bad things you deserve you begin to immediately consider all the good things that you think you deserve.

This elation should be our relationship with God.

This high point of understanding all that you have been forgiven- that joy that you have, the peace, the rest, the warmness, the good things you see in the world--- all of these and more remind you of how good God is, how precious Jesus is, how you don’t deserve a second of it.

This servant doesn’t see the sunshine that way though.

His first concern is to get what is owed to him.

So, he finds a guy that does have a debt with him.

The other slave would have owed him 100 laborer’s day’s wages

one silver roman coin= $8 USD

$800 in modern day.

He stands with a position of absolute authority: grabbing and choking and demanding.

These are the verbs of unforgiveness

Compare to “compassion, released, forgave”

29

In a similar turn of events this second servant began to beg, asking for patience.

Offering the promise of payment, a reasonable promise

30

The will was not there though.

The resources were.

The occasion was.

The ability was.

The need was there.

The opportunity and knowledge and responsibility --- all of these were present.

But the will to forgive was not there.

Instead, he did everything he could to ruin this other guys life.

31

Being unforgiving is obviously a bad plan.

Even the other servants who aren’t Christians in this story, see that this is wrong.

This needs to be helped.

They were greatly distressed by the hypocrisy.

The imbalance.

They could see how this first servant experienced something wonderful and undeserved, yet acted in the opposite way.

(Even people who aren’t Christians can smell a fake.

But, Christians can and should have the discernment to see when there is an imbalance in the lives of those around them.

32

Everyone will see the master when He summons them.

The time in between the forgiveness being offered and the second meeting will show the world and the King what you thought of His offer.

33

No chance to plea ignorant.

Only the obligation to do the right thing is levied— Forgiveness is GIVEN not EARNED

He had a legal right to expect his $800- but not a moral right.

The question is HOW.

HOW could I forgive someone who did this to me or my family??God’s mercy to you is the HOW in forgiveness

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you (REF)

“Well you don’t know what that person did, you don’t know the hurt, the deep pain, the terror, the anger I feel, the sadness that they forced on me.

You don’t know the scars I have to carry now because of them.”

And you’re right, I don’t.