Focal Passage: Matthew 18:21-35
My wife and I have three little boys (ages 10, 8, 5) and I recently took them on a hike. They each had a small backpack containing all the essentials we would need: flashlight, change of clothes (because you never know), drinks, and the most important part … some snacks! We had all the necessary snacks: Vienna sausages, apples, cheese, Slim Jim’s, and some candy! We were ready.
However, somewhere along the trail those bags started to get a little heavy for the boys. One by one they gave them to me to carry and by the end of the hike I had, not only my backpack, but all three of the boys’ too. It was as if I was their pack mule. You know, holding onto bitterness can feel like carrying backpacks around wherever you go. The boys were free, but I was weighed down. In Matthew 18, Jesus shows us that forgiveness is about releasing what we were never meant to carry. This parable teaches us some powerful truths about forgiveness.
Josh Sinquefield
The first thing Jesus is teaching us is that forgiveness is not about keeping score. Peter wanted to put a limit on his forgiveness. He wanted to know how gracious he should be. Jesus flips the question totally. Jesus gives a ridiculous number and the principle is not about the number Jesus gives. He is removing the calculator altogether. He is teaching us that forgiveness in the kingdom of God is not limited, rather it becomes a posture of our heart.
Think about a marriage. What if your spouse only forgave you exactly seven times? You wouldn’t be married very long. Relationships cannot survive on scorekeeping. Is forgiveness something you offer occasionally or is it shaping your heart daily?
The next truth Jesus is trying to teach us is that forgiveness is rooted in grace. Immediately after Peter’s question Jesus uses a parable to illustrate this truth. In this story, there is a servant who owes the king an unimaginable debt. When the servant pleads for mercy, the king does something shocking: he cancels the debt completely. This represents the grace we have received from God. Our sin created a debt that we could never repay, yet God, in His mercy, forgave us fully through Christ. Are you living with gratitude for this grace or have you grown numb to it?
The final truth I want to point out here is that forgiveness reflects the heart of God. After this servant is forgiven this unimaginable debt, he turns around and refuses to forgive someone who owes him a much smaller debt. The contrast is staggering. Having just received mercy, he now withholds it. Jesus’ point is very clear: grace received should produce grace given. It’s like someone being rescued from drowning and then refusing to help someone else struggling in the water. That would blow our mind. Then, why do we not forgive over and over and over again, just as God has done to us? Is there someone I need to forgive today?
On this Palm Sunday let’s remember the old hymn, “Grace Greater Than All Our Sin.” It goes like this: “Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.” B&R
