Forgiveness and the Debt of Love

Matthew 18:21–35 NIV

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

The Debt of Love

Last week Paul challenged us to owe nothing but love. This week Jesus challenges us to be careful on collecting on that debt.

Do I really have to forgive?

Peter seems to be quite generous: 7x a day. That would be a lot. It might get annoying. It almost seems extreme. Until Jesus multiplies it by at least 11. This could feel like a burden. 77 times a day? What would it mean at that point? But maybe that is approaching things from the wrong angle. Maybe Jesus is blowing our categories out of the water for a reason.

As Matthew is narrating this story for us, the Spirit led him to share this powerful parable of Jesus.

Remember the guy I mentioned in last week’s sermon. Well he came to work everyday so they wouldn’t come get his stuff. This guy was well beyond that. He owed 10,000 bags of gold. Yeah. That’s the kind of numbers you make up as a greedy little kid imagining how much money you get. Or maybe in a video game you could rack up those kinds of numbers. But this is his reality. Video game like numbers that he owes. 10,000 lifetimes of work might pay it off. He’s toast.

Notice that he doesn’t ask for the debt to be let go. He promises that he will pay back every penny. Hmmmm… Hold that thought...

The Story of Religion

You see I think for this guy it’s a story about religion. Sometimes religion gets twisted or polluted by the bad ideas of human beings. For him it was a story about being from good stock. It was a story about proving his character. Proving his worth. I’m good for it.

Matthew 18:26 NIV

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

Well the truth is he’s not good for it. The whole neighborhood isn’t good for it. Bill Gates probably isn’t good for it. But he’s convinced he can do it. All he needs is a chance.

The King looks at the man. I’m sure he notices his attitude. Well the guy has got some spunk I’ve got to hand it to him.

Matthew 18:27 NIV

27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

The King. The Master has pity on him. He cancels his debt and releases him. He’s free.

So the guy lived a grateful life and the whole village lived happily ever after on a Christmas Card from London with a little boy saying God bless us every one!

Now that should be the ending of this story, shouldn’t it? But it’s NOT the ending of this story. This COMEDY turns into a HORROR flick just like that. This man almost comes unhinged. He goes to a fellow servant who owes him a few coins. He begins to choke him demanding that he pay him back!

Matthew 18:29 NIV

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

This made the man come to his senses and he forgave his friend and the went to celebrate with their families!

Oh, boy, I wish that was the ending to this story. That would be a much better story. But this guy can only think one way.

Matthew 18:30 NIV

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

OK, pick your mouth up off the floor. Trust me, my mind is blown, too. This man who has been forgiven is out-scrooging scrooge by a mile. Google A Christmas Carol if you don’t know who Scrooge is.

What is this guy doing? He’s throwing away his life. He’s trampling on the gift of God. He’s demonstrating that he’s still doing his own thing his own way. He’s proving that he has not truly received the forgiveness offered.

You see, for him this is still a story about religion. Religion where I prove my worth to God, pull myself up by my bootstraps, help myself and fix all my problems. God helps those who help themselves. That’s not in the Bible. But it’s this guy’s Bible.

I first got this idea from Reuben Welch, I believe. But I think he was onto something. This guy is trying to keep his promise. I’ll pay it back every penny. He thinks that’s his job. Get money anywhere he can to pay back the debt and show his worth. And he doesn’t care who he crushes to do it.

This is the story of religion for many people. They go to church to prove they are better than others. If they have to be forgiven they assume they can make up for it with their works. It’s not wrong to want to set things right. But when you begin trying to earn it with God you are getting off on the wrong foot. You haven’t waved the white flag. You haven’t realized that only mercy can save you.

I wish it had a happier ending but it doesn’t. He demonstrates that he hasn’t really received the free gift of grace. All he is interested in is a chance to earn it and pay it back. But Jesus is warning us that this is not God’s way. As rugged American individualists we are tempted to pat this guy on the back. But he’s destroying everyone around him in a dark quest to prove he’s worthy. And God just can’t go along with it.

The Apostle Paul was doing a similar thing. Beating, arresting and killing Christians to prove he was right. Jesus stopped him, blinded him on the road to Damascus. He chose wisely to end this dark quest and receive the love and grace he didn’t deserve and pass it on to those around him. Unfortunately the dude in our story got the memo but didn’t read it because maybe he wasn’t interested.

Matthew 18:32–33 NIV

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’

A question that will ring in his ears for all eternity. It was supposed to be a better story.

This is the alcoholic who just wants one more chance, instead of getting the help they really need. I’ll say this: If religion makes you mean, you’re doing it wrong. The only reason this man was free was because the king had MERCY on him, though he wasn’t worthy on his own. So the old way of thinking and living had to go. Grace was meant to flow into this man’s life and sweep away the greed and the pride. But he didn’t care.

The Story of Grace

Thankfully our ending has not yet been written. God is writing the story of grace. He is offering all of us forgiveness. He is setting us free from the guilt we have before God when we confess, repent and follow Jesus. It’s a great turning in our lives. It’s not just a great discount. It’s not just a get out of jail free card. This is about transformation. Heart of stone, becomes heart of flesh. Scarlett sins turned white as snow. Black hearts made new again in the holy love of God.

When we are baptized or make our profession of faith we are stepping out of the trying to prove we can do it mode. We step into the forgiven mode. We step out of our former way of life. Having received grace, we let it have it’s way in the way we live now. The way of Jesus.

This doesn’t mean we make no mistakes. But it means if we have received forgiveness and refuse to forgive we have sinned again. And it’s a big one. Because when we judge others harshly and hold their past over them we put ourselves in the place of God. Now again, the Christian community is not a place where predators can have their way among mindless sheep. No, God forbid! But it is a place where grace is received and extended. You can forgive someone without letting them harm you again. And certainly you can forgive you family member or neighbor or enemy of the every day things that threaten to trip us up.

If you have been forgiven, the question is simple: why not forgive? Don’t be stingy with the lavish grace of God you have received. Don’t choke your brother or sister over a few harsh words that embarrassed you. Most of the things we hold on to can be let go. If you legitimately struggle with forgiveness or with addiction, seek out the help you need. Get loving support from good people. But commit to healing and work at being able to forgive. But if in fact, you’re a little like the guy in the story, stop it. If it really isn’t that bad and you just refuse to let it go, it’s going to cost you more than forgiveness would.

But the bottom line is this: don’t be such a religious person that all you care about is your own spiritual achievement. Be the kind of religious person who has been forgiven and who has been changed by that love. You can and should start that move today.

Jesus has offered forgiveness and freedom. Receive it deeply into your life. Then, let that one event change how you see every other person from now on. A person to be loved. A person to forgive. Boundaries are still good. But barbed wire cuts both ways.

Those of us with a strong religious stripe who try to get spiritual the old fashioned way: we earn it. Well, we quite simply are not in the flow of life that Jesus wants to give us. There’s nothing wrong with strong commitment. There’s nothing wrong with a willingness to sacrifice. UNLESS these impulses dominate us and prevent us from truly receiving grace. The grace of God. The Love of God. These are what we build our life on. It’s a firm foundation. It shares love and forgiveness with others. The best story possible. The story of Grace.

John said of Jesus: I must become less, that you become greater still. That’s what your years of being a Christian should be producing and reproducing. Grace. Humility. Love. Maturity.

Is it time for a course correction? God allows U-Turns.