Matthew 18 - 4.2.25
Scripture
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35)
Observation
In the parable of the unforgiving servant, we see a man who owed the king ten thousand bags of gold. He deserved to be put in prison and have all his assets (and his family) to be liquidated, and the proceeds to be given to pay his debt. However, the king had mercy on him and forgave him.
There was a man who owed him a hundred silver coins. He did not show mercy to his fellow servant. He forgot that the king had forgiven him his huge debt which was 600,000 times more than what his fellow-servant owed him! Instead, he threw him into prison till he could pay off his debt. His master heard of it, and cancelled the forgiveness of the debt that he had originally issued. He ordered that the unmerciful servant be put in jail and commanded to add torture to the jail sentence.
Jesus ended the parable with a grim warning that this is how our Heavenly Father will treat us unless we forgive our brother or sister from our heart (Matt 18:35). Forgiveness is a commandment, and not an option. If we want to be forgiven, we must forgive. Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us” (Luke 11:4). This includes the implicit caution that we won’t be forgiven if we won’t forgive those who sinned against us. Jesus made this very explicit when he said “if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matt 6:15).
Our forgiveness should not depend on whether the person who offended us has apologized, or has stopped hurting us. We need to forgive regardless. Jesus has told us to be wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove (Matt 10:16). If that person is continuing to harm us, we need to take steps to remove ourselves out of harm’s way. However, we are not allowed to hold on to unforgiveness or any form of grudge. We are not to allow a “root of bitterness” to spring up defiling us (Heb 12:15).
Application
Let us examine our hearts to see if we hold any unforgiveness towards anyone in our life. All of us who have lived on this planet for a while, are sure to have incidents where we have been harmed, injured and hurt by others. Let us check if we have truly forgiven the people who have hurt us. If the memories of hurt are coming up with associated anger and pain, there is still an iota of unforgiveness still remaining. Let us ask the Lord to help us to forgive them just as he forgave us. And forgive them in faith, not by our own ability, not by power, not by might, but by His Spirit (Zech 4:6). When we sincerely ask Him to help us, He will help us to forgive in Jesus’ name.
Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for forgiving my sins. You took away my sins and erased them by your blood, you washed me clean and justified me, as if I had never sinned. Help me to show the same forgiveness to others who have hurt me. Show me if I am harboring any unforgiveness in my heart. Please shine your light on the hidden parts of my heart and expose any unforgiveness that I am holding on to. Help me to let go of it completely. Help me to forgive that person without holding anything back. I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13), and you will give me the ability to do what you have commanded me to do when I seek you. My help comes from you my Father, who created the heavens and the earth (Psalms 121:1). Lord, I forgive everyone who has hurt me in Jesus name. I set them free in my heart and refuse to hold any grudge against them. Thank you for helping me. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
- Asha Chacko George
