Peter came up and said to [Jesus], “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. 23“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Peter’s question should not surprise us. It is a human question. Peter’s answer, “seven times” (21), seems reasonable and sufficient to patiently and tolerantly fulfill forgiveness. Our inherited sinful human nature always wants to find a way to water down the absoluteness of this Christian principle, especially when it applies to situations in our daily lives. We think, “OK, I forgive you again, but I will not forget.” We like the luxury of holding a little grudge; that way we do not have to let the offender entirely back into our good graces. Basically, when we give forgiveness and then take part of the forgiveness away again it is like no forgiveness at all. What if God did that to us? We would be lost!
The second lesson in our text is an example of double-standard behavior; expecting mercy for self while refusing it to someone else. The Lord’s application of this story to our lives is an inescapable lesson we should never forget: “So also My heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart” (35). If it sounds harsh, it is. We have a way of forgetting just how forgiving God is toward us. Daily we sin much.
But when we fold our hands to pray, open His Word to read, come to His house to worship, or approach His table to eat and drink His holy food, our hearts cry, “Forgive us our trespasses.” And throughout our lifetime, God responds with the same comforting, blessed answer: “I forgive you, fully, with no strings attached. I forgive for the sake of Jesus your Savior.”
It is impossible to overstate how awesome the gracious, loving, caring, forgiving nature of our God is. We deserve nothing, but God gives us everything. We are damnable sinners, yet in Christ God declares us to be saints. We break every Law in God’s book, deserving to be cast into outer darkness, but God, through Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension, adopts us into His family, showers us with His kindness, writes us into His will, and gives us His kingdom to live in forever and ever.
Grace Lutheran Church LCMS
825 North 1st West
Cheyenne Wells, CO, 80810-0728
Sunday Service begins at 9:00 AM
Reverend Steven Zandstra
