Forgiven

Have you ever asked yourself the question should I forgive this person again? I mean how many times should I forgive them anyway? Well, Jesus was asked that same question and the answer He gave was astounding. Then He gives an example of forgiveness that we each should follow and learn. For the next two days I want to touch on this matter of forgiving one another, for too many are not willing to forgive and in return their unwillingness to forgive hurts them. The question Jesus was asked.

Matthew 18:21  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

His answer

Matthew 18:22  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Then Jesus gives His disciples as well as you and I an example of what forgiveness is.

Matthew 18:23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

Matthew 18:24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

Matthew 18:25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Matthew 18:26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Matthew 18:27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

Now as we read that we see a King, Servants and then one Servant in particular that had misused his stewardship. Now as I read that, I see a number that means really nothing to me except it is a large number 10,000 talents. I really don’t know what a talent is. I was reading and one man took the time to explain it in a way I could understand for he broke the 10, 000 talents down into silver. This is what he had to say; the worth of 10,000 talents in silver was 3-billion 820 million dollars. Now if that is so or not is not the point; the point is that here is a number larger than this man could pay. We are told in the next verse that “he had not to pay” he couldn’t pay so he fell down and asked for the King to have patience with him. His lord was so moved with compassion for this man that he forgave him of all his debt. Do What? Forgave him; he didn’t set him up on a payment plan he just forgave him his debt of 3 billion 820 million. Don’t get so wrapped up in the money issue that you forget what the Lord is trying to teach us. It’s not the money the lesson is on forgiveness. You see you and I owe more than we could ever repay but the Lord is willing to forgive each of us of all the wrong we have done to Him. The first time we see that word “forgive” in the New Testament is in:

Matthew 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  We see that we are to ask God to forgive us as we forgive others. In the verses we just read we see we see the Master forgive what his servant could never repay and wants him to do the same.