The Forgiving Conversation

Conversations / Matthew 18:21–33

Intro

The best thing we can do is to understand the weight that has been lifted from us in forgiveness and run to do offer it to others.

Forgiveness is the statement that proclaims to everyone, “You are not just the way you are. There is eternal potential and possibility for growth and change.”

The central conversation in the Christian life is “I have been forgiven. I forgive you.” We see that in this morning’s parable.

Matthew 18:21–22 ESV

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Forgiveness is a foundation to our conversations. It underlies everything. This is a prompt. We don’t always know the script but we do always know the prompt.

At this point we could just be hearing, try harder. Exert more. Forgive better. Do better. But forgiveness is difficult. So difficult that Jesus is going to show us the only way to truly express it. To truly find our way out of it.

Matthew 18:23–27 ESV

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

He has compassion on the man and forgives his debt. Removes it.

And Jesus wants us to see what God in all His power and glory does with all his power and glory. He has compassion and He forgives.

Matthew 18:28–35 ESV

But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

I want to give you two conversational prompts:

Conversation prompt:

I need to ask you for forgiveness

God I need help in forgiving