Relationship Remix - Forgiveness Of Others Copy

Thursday, November 13th

Yesterday I shared that we miss forgiveness when we take our eyes off the cross. We miss forgiveness when we take our eyes off of what the King of Kings has done for us.

Now, flip your Bibles over to Matthew 18 and see a very practical way this takes place.

Let me set it up this way, because we are coming in the middle of a conversation. Jesus is having a discussion and gets done with a challenging teaching around being sinned against and Peter asks a question.

Matthew 18:21-35- 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."

This isn’t about a number, essentially Jesus is saying infinitely number of times. But the push is, the religious leaders and even Peter were looking for a limit to forgiveness. Jesus says it’s limitless and then tells a story.

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.”

What gets your attention? What do you struggle with? What do you resonate with? Which character are you within the story? (yeah, that one hurts)

Now notice a few of these highlights.

The unmerciful servant took his eyes off of the mercy of God and back onto the offense and the offender, which resulted in him staying imprisoned. Imprisoned because of unforgiveness, but also imprisoned by his obvious bitterness, rage, pride, and vengeance. That’s what unforgiveness does, it keeps us imprisoned to the hurt and the consequences of the offense.
What is so incongruent with the servant’s story? A servant acting like a king and judge. He threw his fellow servant in jail, judging and punishing despite receiving grace.

When we, who live only by God’s mercy, sit in judgement of others, are we not putting ourselves in God’s place? We are all servants acting like kings. We ignore our own debt, our own sin, we ignore the forgiveness we received from Christ and hold others to a higher standard than we hold ourselves too.

What changes our heart?

The only thing that will change a servant from acting like a king is getting a view of the amazing love of the King who became a servant. Jesus, as King, one who had power over everything, stepped out of heaven, became a servant and gave the ultimate sacrifice.

God’s forgiveness of us provides the motivation and the power for us to forgive others.

Yet, we still have a choice, either way it is a costly choice, but we still have a choice. Notice how Paul shares it with the church in Ephesus.

Ephesians 4:31-32- 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Do you see the choice? It is similar to the parable Jesus told. We have a choice to be imprisoned or a choice of freedom. Choice of bitterness, rage, anger, brawling slander, or the choice of forgiveness with is kindness and compassion. To be imprisoned by unforgiveness or live freely by the power of forgiveness.

Desmund Tutu said, “There is no future without forgiveness.” Sit in that for a moment. No future without forgiveness. Eternally that is true, relationally that is true.

What is your biggest take away from today? What action step do you need to take?