Matthew 18:21-35
By: Alexander Rico
“Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. ’But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. ’So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.’” (Matthew 18:21-35, NKJV)
Forgiving someone can always seem like an impossible task. Someone hurts you either emotionally, or physically; and, we automatically begin to close our minds to the possibility of forgiveness. I know I have a hard time with this myself; however, as we read here, it is something that is commanded of us, and not simply suggested.
Peter, a disciple of the Lord, asks Jesus a very intriguing question. One that I am most assured we’d also ask if we were there. Peter basically asks, “How many times is enough?” How many times should we continue to forgive? I think at this point Peter was anticipating an answer from Jesus stating, “Once.” However, as we see through this passage, it is not the one Jesus gave to him. Nope, instead, Jesus ups the amount of times that Peter had suggested.
Jesus takes Peter’s seven times, and times it by seventy. Now, if you were to do the math on this, you’d come to a total of four-hundred and ninety (490). However, we do not know from this passage if Jesus was counting this as daily or weekly amount. I personally feel, he was referring this to a daily amount, and as so, take our four-hundred and ninety, and times it by another seven (amounts of days in the week). By doing this, you will come to see a larger number equaling three-thousand four hundred and thirty (3430). Now, let’s take this even further…Lets times that amount by the number of weeks in a month (4-5). I’ll use four weeks to make it a little easier. Once you multiply that, you should get a number equaling about thirteen thousand-seven hundred and twenty (13720). And so on, and so forth…
Is that not a large number? (Especially if we were to calculate that for a year.) See? By simply doing the math, we can see that Jesus was attempting to show his disciples, and us, that forgiveness is an act that should not be counted. It is not like we are to go around and forgive people, but check off the amount of times that we have already forgiven them.
In a story called, “I will always Forgive you”, written by Joni Eareckson Tada found in the book entitled, “ Stories for the Extreme Teen’s Heart”, compiled by Alice Gray, we read of a young girl and her brother. One day in Sunday school, the teacher was teaching them about this very same passage. Lisa (the young girl) took it to heart, and began to count from four-hundred and ninety down, each time she had asked her brother (Brent) for forgiveness. She eventually drew up a check box system, and Brent insisted that it was not necessary. But, she wanted too…as time went by she had plenty of things to check off on that chart. By the time she had reached four hundred and ninety, she had her brother sign it off; it was a golden moment we read. However, it was not the last, and in fact, Joni tells us that, it’s hurt would last forever…
See, her brother Brent had become a great Oboe player, and in fact was to try out for New York City’s great orchestra. But, he had been called out which left his sister to answer the phone; and, as it was, she was eager to get on work on time. So, they called, and she not having a pen took down the information in her mind.
A week had since passed, and her brother asked their mom when he was to do the try-out. Lisa remembered, and felt ill… she told her family about the message, but at this point it was too late, it was that day. Brent ran off to his room, and did not come out all day.
Feeling incredibly horrible for messing up her brother’s future, she ran away from home in the middle of the night, she got a job in Boston as a waitress, and every time she’d get a letter from home she’d ignore it. One day, a friend of the family came into the place where she worked, and told her that her brother, Brent, had died in an accident. Lisa returned home that very afternoon, and ran to her room, thinking about her brother. She opened up a small box of treasured items, and memories. Inside, she found a note from her brother stating, “Dear Lisa, It was you who kept count, not me. But if you are stubborn enough to keep count, use the new chart I’ve made for you. Love, Brent.”
She turned the second page, and it looked exactly like the chart she had made when she was a little girl. Written in red felt tipped pen over the entire chart were the words, “Number 491. Forgiven, forever.”
Simply by looking into this story, we can easily see that Brent, though loosing the opportunity of a lifetime, did not wish to hold a grudge against his sister, he simply forgave her.
Same is as what Christ was illustrating through the parable that followed Peter’s question. He tells the disciples about a king, whose servant owed him a great deal of money. Now, this king had a chance to get back this money by selling both the servant and his wife; however, moved with compassion, released him, and forgave his debt. Now, we also see here that this servant, who had been forgiven, also had a person who owed him…and, expected to get his small amount back. When the person who owed him money compassionately asked for forgiveness, the forgiven servant denied his request and had him thrown into prison.
When the king heard of this, he was enraged, and gave the servant he forgave over to the torturers.
What does all this mean? Well, it simply means, that we are forgiven by the King of Kings…and, when we do not forgive others who may have done wrong against us, He will also not forgive us.
Hey, it may seem impossible at times, but it is what Christ has commanded us to do. Some of you may be saying, “Yeah, but Alex, you do not understand what this person did to me.”
Yeah, I may not, but think of all the things you have done against God. Would you want him to not forgive you? Would you want those chains of your sins placed back around your ankles? I hardly think so. I do not think anyone would want Christ to not forgive them of their faults, and errors. So, get out there and when given the opportunity…FORGIVE THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST YOU!
I’ll close with this, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14) Think of what Jesus would do the next time when someone close to you hurts you.
Perhaps some of you are reading this today, and have not had the chance to be forgiven for your errors, and mistakes…your faults, and your sins. If that is the case, there is one who will always forgive you. No, it is not your close friend, neighbor, or relative. Nope, instead, his name is Jesus Christ, and he died on that cross to take your errors, mistakes, faults, and sins…
All you have to do now is simply cry out to him, and ask him to come and be the LOVE, and the LORD of your life.
The Bible tells us in Romans 10:9,10, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart, God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!! For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved!!”
So, what are you waiting for? If you’d like to accept Christ; then by all means, please join me in this simple prayer of acceptance, asking Jesus into your heart, mind, and soul.
“Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner, I take this time to confess all my sins to you, and ask for your FORGIVENESS. Please come into my heart, my mind, and my soul. Lord, take complete control, and be the LOVE and LORD of my life. In your precious holy name, AMEN.”
If you prayed that prayer along with me, I’d like to announce that today, the moment you prayed that prayer accepting Christ into your life the Bible says,“…there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner represents.” (Luke 15:10)
Just like that, you are forgiven, and adopted into God’s family, no questions asked, no strings attached; although, now, you may be wondering what you are to do now that you have asked Jesus into your heart. May you continue to grow now in your new life with Christ Jesus our Lord!
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