now JESUS tells a story in matthew
18 (niv). it’s called the parable of the
unforgiving servant. in this story HE
illustrates why we must learn to forgive, learn to let go.
verse 23, therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. as he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.”
the king calls up and says, everybody who owes me any money, bring them all in and we’re going to settle the accounts right now. and they bring in this one guy who owes ten thousand talents to the king. that is about twelve million dollars. there’s no way he’s ever going to get out of it.
in those days bankruptcy was a whole lot simpler than it is today. you would take the man, throw him in prison and take his wife and children and sell them into slavery. i’m glad that isn’t true today.
next verse, since he was not able to pay the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
notice the servant’s response: the servant fell on his knees before him. “be patient with me,” he begged, “and i will pay everything back.” he says, “just give me a few more days.”
now there’s no way he’s going to pay this back. if he paid back $1000 a day for thirty years that still wouldn’t equal twelve million bucks.
the king’s response: so the servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. he said, “we’ll just write it off. you are forgiven.”
listen, i don’t know what grudge you’re carrying. i don’t know who has hurt you in the past, what memory haunts you today.
some of you are thinking, “i could never forgive that or that person. they hurt me. they hurt me bad. i don’t want to let it go. i don’t want to forget it. i want to hold on to that hurt and i want to hold on to my anger and resentment against them. but you’ve got to let it go.
just a thought from the front porch…
verse 23, therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. as he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.”
the king calls up and says, everybody who owes me any money, bring them all in and we’re going to settle the accounts right now. and they bring in this one guy who owes ten thousand talents to the king. that is about twelve million dollars. there’s no way he’s ever going to get out of it.
in those days bankruptcy was a whole lot simpler than it is today. you would take the man, throw him in prison and take his wife and children and sell them into slavery. i’m glad that isn’t true today.
next verse, since he was not able to pay the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
notice the servant’s response: the servant fell on his knees before him. “be patient with me,” he begged, “and i will pay everything back.” he says, “just give me a few more days.”
now there’s no way he’s going to pay this back. if he paid back $1000 a day for thirty years that still wouldn’t equal twelve million bucks.
the king’s response: so the servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. he said, “we’ll just write it off. you are forgiven.”
listen, i don’t know what grudge you’re carrying. i don’t know who has hurt you in the past, what memory haunts you today.
some of you are thinking, “i could never forgive that or that person. they hurt me. they hurt me bad. i don’t want to let it go. i don’t want to forget it. i want to hold on to that hurt and i want to hold on to my anger and resentment against them. but you’ve got to let it go.
just a thought from the front porch…
