Have you ever asked yourself the question should I forgivethis 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. ThenHe gives an example of forgiveness that we each should follow and learn. Forthe next two days I want to touch on this matter of forgiving one another, fortoo many are not willing to forgive and in return their unwillingness toforgive hurts them. The question Jesus was asked.
Matthew18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall mybrother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Hisanswer
Matthew18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I saynot unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
ThenJesus gives His disciples as well as you and I an example of what forgivenessis.
Matthew18:23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certainking, which would take account of his servants.
Matthew18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him,which owed him ten thousand talents.
Matthew18:25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him tobe sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to bemade.
Matthew18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying,Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Matthew18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, andloosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Nowas we read that we see a King, Servants and then one Servant in particular thathad misused his stewardship. Now as I read that, I see a number that meansreally nothing to me except it is a large number 10,000 talents. I really don’tknow what a talent is. I was reading and one man took the time to explain it ina 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-billion820 million dollars. Now if that is so or not is not the point; the point isthat here is a number larger than this man could pay. We are told in the nextverse that “he had not to pay” he couldn’t pay so he fell down and asked for theKing to have patience with him. His lord was so moved with compassion for thisman that he forgave him of all his debt. Do What? Forgave him; he didn’t sethim 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 istrying to teach us. It’s not the money the lesson is on forgiveness. You seeyou and I owe more than we could ever repay but the Lord is willing to forgiveeach of us of all the wrong we have done to Him. The first time we see thatword “forgive” in the New Testament is in:
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us ourdebts, as we forgive our debtors. Wesee that we are to ask God to forgive us as we forgive others. In the verses wejust read we see we see the Master forgive what his servant could never repayand wants him to do the same.
