Dear Christian friends:
Last Sunday we learned that we should forgive our brother when he sins
against us. That is fine and good. We Christians know that we should
forgive those who sin against us. But now the question pops up in our
minds as it popped up in Peter's mind that day. Peter asked Jesus,
"Lord, how often must I forgive my brother who sins against me? Seven
times enough?" (verse 21)
When we, like Peter, ask this question we show that we really have not
yet understood about God forgiving our sins. Like Peter and the other
disciples, we need more teaching about God's forgiveness. In our text
we see how Jesus taught Peter and the others about God forgiving our
sins and about our forgiving our brother his sins. So let us attend
to our text and learn more about
God's Forgiveness and Ours
When Jesus taught His disciples about God's forgiveness Jesus used a
parable. The Parable of the Wicked Servant. Like the wicked servant,
we often fail to forgive our brother because we think God owes forgiveness
to us. We do not appreciate God's great mercy in His forgiving us.
The wicked servant felt that way. He did not appreciate the king's
mercy to him. He felt the king owed that forgiveness to him. How can
we know that? Because after the king forgave him his large debt,
10,000 talents of gold (worth about $10,000,000. today), he refused to
forgive his fellow servant who owed him a small debt, one hundred denarii
(worth about $16.90). (verses 24-30) Although the king had shown great
mercy to him he refused to show any mercy to his brother.
When we fail to forgive our brother his sins against us we also show
that we really do not understand God's grace. We seem to think that
God owes us forgiveness of sins and all other things that we need. We
are proud and self-righteous. We think, "God forgives me because I am
better than others." We refuse to forgive our brother because we think,
"He's no good! He does not deserve my forgiveness and help. He's not
sorry. He will not stop his wrong ways. I'm wasting my time with him."
When we talk like that about someone, we show that we do not really
understand about God's grace. Grace is love and forgiveness which we
have not earned. Really we have earned God's anger and punishment as
this wicked servant earned his king's punishment: He slavery for life;
(verse 25) we hell forever. (Matthew 24:46) But as the king showed great
love and mercy to his servant and forgave him his huge debt, so God
our King has shown wonderful mercy to us and has forgiven our sin-debts,
which we ourselves could not pay. God does not owe us forgiveness.
Really He owes us eternal punishment in hell! That's what we deserve.
We deserve His anger and punishment, not forgiveness. When God forgives
us it is because He is a merciful God, So don't think that God owes you
forgiveness.
Another reason why we often fail to forgive our brother is because we
think God's forgiveness is cheap. We seem to think that it cost God
little or nothing to forgive our sins.
The wicked servant thought the same about the king's forgiveness to him.
But it cost the king much money to forgive his servant. The king lost
ten thousand talents of gold, worth about ten million dollars. (verse 24)
What did it cost God to forgive us our sins? Did it cost Him nothing?
Can God forgive sins without cost? No! He is a righteous and just God.
His holy laws must be kept and obeyed. All law-breaking must be punished.
Since we could not keep the law or suffer the punishment of the law, God
sent His own beloved Son to do this for us. "When the right time finally
came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, and born under the Law, to
set free those who were under the Law so that we might become God's
Sons." (Galatians 4:4-5) Peter reminds us what it cost God to forgive
our sins: "You know what was paid to set you free. It was not something
that perishes, such as silver or gold; you were set free by the costly
sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or spot."
(1 Peter 1:18-19) God sent Jesus from heaven to earth to become a real
man so He could keep the Law for us and do all righteousness that God
demands. Jesus also accepted our sin our shame our guilt and the
sufferings of the damned in hell when He died for us upon the cross.
(2 Corinthians 5:21) That is what it cost God to forgive our sins. So
don't think that forgiveness of sins is cheap. It is free to you and me,
but it cost God plenty!
When we understand and remember about God's forgiveness then our forgiveness
will begin to flow to our brother who sins against us. He who has
come with shame and broken, sorry heart to God and confessed his sins
and unworthiness to God and has received God's grace and forgiveness in
Jesus, he can begin to show patience, mercy and forgiveness to his
brother. He will not do like the wicked servant in our text who judged
and condemned his fellow servant with the law. But he will be patient
with his brother, show kindness to him and forgive him. He will not
keep a record of his brother's wrongs or how many times his brother has
sinned against him like Peter did. (verse 21) But he will try to forgive
his brother 70 x 7 times like Jesus says. (verse 22) He will try to
remember that God has called all of us to forgive sins, and not record
sins. And with God's help and Holy Spirit he will try to help all those
in need, whether spiritual or physical need, whether they deserve it or
not.
Remember God's forgiveness to you, and then you can forgive and help
others, whether they deserve your help or not.
Amen.