Jesus Teaches Forgiveness

Golden Text: Matthew 6:14

Matthew 6:14 KJV 1900

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Read: Matthew 18:21-35

Matthew 18:21–35 KJV 1900

21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

One of many of Jesus teachings focuses on Forgiveness. Our parable in answer to a question today is dealing with that.

Unforgivness is like a deadly cancer or poison that will take you down.

READ THE PRAYER OF THE UNFORGIVING MAN by Augustus Hare in the INTRODUCTION

“O God, I have sinned against Thee many times; I have been often forgetful of Thy goodness; I have broken Thy laws; I have committed many secret sins. Deal with me, I beseech Thee, O Lord, even as I deal with my neighbor. He hath not offended me one hundredth part as much as I have offended Thee, but I cannot forgive him. He has been very ungrateful to me, through not an hundredth part as ungrateful as I have been to Thee, yet I cannot overlook such base ingratitude. Deal with me, O Lord I beseech Thee, as I deal with him. I I remember and treasure up every little trifle which shows how ill he has behaved to me. Deal with me, I beseech Thee, O Lord, as I deal with him,” Can anything be more shocking and horrible than such a prayer? Yet this is just he prayer the unforgiving man offers up every time he repeats the Lord’s Prayer. Augustus Hare (Cited Circuit Rider Sunday School Book April - June 2021 p32)

Peter asks Jesus a question about how often we should forgive people. The typical Rabbi answer would have been “three times”

Peter goes beyond that and says, “Seven”

Jesus goes even further and says,

Matthew 18:22 KJV 1900

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Seventy times seven - we know isn’t Jesus saying keep track of how many times you forgive until they reach that number 490 - but rather constantly and consistently forgive without keeping track or score.

Then Jesus shares a parable that highlights the ridiculousness of unforgiveness.

Matthew 18:24 KJV 1900

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

Ten thousand talents = $100,000

Matthew: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition 5. The Extent of Forgiveness 18:21–19:1

If the servant worked 365 days per year, he would need at least one hundred fifty thousand years to earn enough money to pay the debt—assuming he had no expenses! It is no wonder that he was not able to pay (18:25); one wonders how he could ever have amassed such an incredible debt.

What joy and relief that must have brought this man - but then he does the (pardon my language) stupidest thing -

Look at

Matthew 18:28 KJV 1900

28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

an hundred pence = $10.00

Matthew: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition 5. The Extent of Forgiveness 18:21–19:1

Jesus concluded the parable by declaring that God would so treat each of His listeners unless they would forgive their brother from their heart (18:35). The point of the parable is painfully clear. The debt believers owe God for their sin is incredible large, far too great to ever repay. But God graciously forgives that debt. For believers to refuse to forgive someone else who has offended them reveals a failure to understand and receive God’s forgiveness. Even if the offense is great, it pales in comparison to the debt owed God. To complain about Jesus’ demand that His followers forgive without limits or conditions shows that they are still keeping track of wrongs. To truly understand and receive God’s forgiveness means a heart that forgives others without conditions or limits.

Jesus taught us to pray “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors” or another records “trespasses”

That word “forgive” means to send away not to dwell or think on it but get rid of it.

It also sounds that our forgiveness is conditioned upon our forgiveness of others.

Matthew 6:15 KJV 1900

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Forgiveness is an act of Divine Love 1 Cor. 13:5 “Thinketh no evil” means “it keeps no record of wrongs”.

Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes What Does It Mean to Forgive Another?

What Does It Mean to Forgive Another?

In his book Caring Enough To Forgive / Caring Enough To Not Forgive, David Augsburger suggests that forgiveness is a “journey of many steps” taken carefully and thoughtfully, the steps including:

1. To see the other as having worth again, regardless of wrongdoing;

2. To see the other as equally precious again, in spite of the pain felt;

3. To cancel demands on the past, recognizing that changing the unchangeable is impossible;

4. To work through the anger and pain felt by both in reciprocal trusting and risking until genuineness in intention is perceived and repentance is seen by both to be authentic;

5. To drop the demands for an ironclad guarantee of future behavior;

6. To touch each other deeply, to feel moved by warmth, love, compassion, to celebrate it in mutual recognition that right relationships have been achieved.*