Matt 18:19-35 Mercy and Misery – the merciful King and unmerciful servant
Unmerciful Servant with the IMMENSITY of canceled debt is contrasted with his miserly and petulant attitude to those around him.
Find the “RIDICULOUS” statements….
PETER SUGGESTS BOUNDARIES FOR FORGIVENESS
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?”
JESUS’ BIGGER NUMBER
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
IS JESUS’ ANSWER NON-SENSE?
- HOW TO PRACTICALLY COUNT THAT HIGH?
- HOW TO ENDURE TILL YHAT NUMBER IS REACHED??
JESUS PAINTS A PICTURE
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[b] was brought to him.
- REAL NUMBERS HERE??
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.
SCENE CHANGE
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to chokehim. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
Illus – Shaq – “delete the beef”
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?’
- why did master forgive???
“ follow my lead”
– why did master throw servant into prision
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.”
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Notes
Last week:
Treat as a tax collector….???
PART 3:
but this latter part of the parable shows the false conclusions many draw as to their sins being pardoned, though their after-conduct shows that they never entered into the spirit, or experienced the sanctifying grace of the gospel.