THE FREEDOM OF FORGINESS


TEXT: MATTHEW 18:21-35

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

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.”

 

“RESOLVED” BEING FORGIVEN & BEING FORGIVING


Point: You are not really free until you forgive the ones who have wronged & HURT you.


intro: In the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, Jesus gives three reasons why we who are Christians must forgive others from the heart.

                                                                            I.I must forgive because God has forgiven me.

A.   Sin is a debt that you owe to God.

1.                It is an incalculable debt.

2.                It is an unpayable debt.

B.    God has forgiven your sin-debt through Jesus Christ.

1.                The forgiveness of God is free.

2.                The forgiveness of God is full.

3.                The forgiveness of God is faithful.

C.    The forgiveness you have received from God is the grounds upon which you extend forgiveness to others.

                          II.I must forgive others because no offense is beyond my forgiveness.

A.   The wrong you have suffered from others is significant.

B.    The wrong you have suffered from others is insignificant in comparison to the debt you have been forgiven.

                                            III.I must forgive others because unforgiveness is too costly.

A.   Unforgiveness is wicked., Unforgiveness is torture.


Heavenly Father, thank You for forgiving me and bringing me back into relationship with You. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross to show us the true meaning of forgiveness. Help me to show that same forgiveness to others, so they can see You living in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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