Consider Forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35)
Gary McManus, 02/20/2022Part of the Mercy series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
February 20, 2022 Matthew 18:21-35
Topic: Forgiveness
--It was important to Jesus.
--It is central to our Christian religion faith.
--As Jesus’ followers, we are called to practice forgiveness.
--Modern life gives opportunities to practice forgiveness every day.
Forgiveness is the lesson in today’s Bible verses.
In Matthew, Jesus first mention of forgiveness?
Answer: The Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6:12-15.
Today’s Jesus story is more of a warning.
Jesus’ story tells of a man in great debt to the King.
The debtor asks for more TIME to repay the debt.
The King, mercifully, forgives the entire debt.
The story is only half over.
A fellow servant is in debt to the first debtor, but a
smaller debt. Using the very same words, the fellow
servant asks for more time. The first servant refuses
to consider any other payment plan or schedule.
Notice: the unforgiving servant violated the Golden Rule. The one who was shown mercy, would not consider anything but payment of the debt immediately, in full. The unforgiving servant did NOT do unto others what he wanted done for him.
He VIOLATED the Golden Rule.
The unforgiving servant did not even consider the same deal that the unforgiving servant offered to the King. THAT is being a hypocrite.
Jesus’ lesson; a warning. . .
“So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
The unforgiving servant. . .
lacks compassion. He refuses to see his situation like his fellow servant’s situation.
The unforgiving servant’s failure to give more time
(be patient) was hypocritical.
Of interest: Matthew mentions hypocrites 13 times.
That is more than any book in the Bible!
Remember last week (Matthew 24:50-51)?
The punishment the Master gave was to put the
bad servant out with the hypocrites:
“there men will weep and gnash their teeth.”
The unforgiving servant will NOT cut a deal with
his own debtor. Forgiveness NEVER enters the
unforgiving servants mind. He isn’t slow to
forgive; forgiveness is out of the question.
God will judge harshly those who refuse to consider
forgiveness.
See James 2:13 .
A real church of real people will need to practice
forgiveness with one another.
Heaven can only be for those who practice forgiveness.
They will be cast out; unfit for human communion,
unfit for heavenly communion, unfit for
Heavenly habitation.
Hell is for those who don’t want to live in Heaven.
See now, why the Lord’s prayer is spoken BEFORE
communion in the worship service?
Amen.
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