Matthew 18:21-31 (ESV)
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And 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. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But 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.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison (a debtor’s prison) until he should pay the debt. 31 When 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.
Titus 3:5 (ESV) – Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.
Matthew 18:32-35 (ESV)
32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers (torturers, or tormentors), until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
When we see a person we can’t forgive, we relive the moment of pain and rejection. Our soul is pierced with that pain all over again.
A person’s injury toward us created a debt relationship.
Jesus has freed us from a “debt relationship” with our Father. The result is that we live free from a debt relationship with others.
When you forgive, you’re breaking a covenant of bitterness and indebtedness.
Luke 6:36 (ESV) – Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Mercy = to withhold the judgment someone deserves.
Regardless of how we lived before we came to the Lord, we can’t live that way any longer. Once you’ve been shown mercy, you have to show mercy to those who have wronged you.
Matthew 6:12 (ESV) - “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
We can’t have it both ways. If we’re going to let God resolve our spiritual debt, we must allow Him to resolve the spiritual debt of our enemies.
We must prepare ourselves to give mercy because people ARE GOING TO MESS UP!
We must live with the conviction that the only source for true restoration and freedom is Jesus!
Romans 12:19-21 (ESV)
9 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The greatest thing that God can do is to punish Satan by redeeming your enemy!
Discussion Questions:
1. Read through the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18. What is the hypocrisy of the “wicked servant?”
2. What is the definition of a “debt relationship?”
3. Are there people in your life that you need to free from a debt relationship to you?
4. Why can it be hard to believe that God will deal justly with our enemies?
5. Why is it important to remind ourselves of the enormous debt Jesus cancelled for us?
6. What is the ultimate way that God will punish Satan, our true enemy?
7. How do we partner with God in punishing our true enemy?