How to Free Yourself From Prison: Forgiveness!
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” Lewis B Smedes. Jesus taught us about forgiveness! We must forgive to be forgiven!
Forgiveness does not come easily or naturally to anyone I don’t believe. By nature we want the person who has offended us to be punished to the degree that we feel offended if not more!
The story Jesus told in Matthew 18 gives us serious thought about the importance of forgiving others!
Let’s have a look at what he said.
It starts out with with Peter asking Jesus how many times he must forgive his brother when he sins against him. In those days, the Jewish Rabbis taught that 3 times was the accepted limit so Peter suggested 7 seven times thinking he was being generous.
Surprise – Jesus tells Peter the number is not 7 but 70 x 7! In other words, don’t be counting Peter, just forgive!
To illustrate forgiveness, Jesus gives us a parable; a story with a very important lesson that is exceedingly important and difficult for many of us.
The Unmerciful Servant: Receives Forgiveness
Jesus tells the story of a King who decides it is time to settle accounts with his servants.
One servant owed the King 10,000 talents (worth about 12 million in our current day). He was clearly unable to pay this debt so the King commanded that he, his wife and children, and all that he owned be sold and the money raised be applied to his debt. Nevertheless, this would only cover a small fraction of what he owed….even after everything was taken from him!
This servant pleaded with the King to ‘have patience with him‘, that he would ‘pay back all that he owed.’
Of course this was an empty promise as he had absolutely no possible way to raise that kind of money.
The King, the man’s master had compassion on this servant and forgave ALL his debt!
The Forgiven Servant: Refuses to Grant Forgiveness
Later, this forgiven servant who just had his entire debt of 10,000 talents forgiven, (remember about 12 million in our current day) sought out one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 denari which was equal to about 100 days wages. He took him by the throat and demanded, “Pay me what you owe!”
Though the fellow servant fell down at his feet and ‘begged for patience to repay the debt,’ the forgiven servant refused and had him thrown into prison!
Be Patient With Me
Both of these servants made the same request of the debtor- “be patient with me.” However, only one servant received mercy and forgiveness.
Significantly, it was the one with the far greater debt who was forgiven and received mercy but then adamantly refused to forgive his fellow servant of a much smaller debt.
Other Fellow Servants Observe This Offense!
As we often do, we notice other peoples’ offenses but overlook our own.
In this story, the servants who witnessed this assault went to the King to report it. Of course the King was very angry when he heard of the assault, the demand for payment and the unforgiving attitude of the one he had just recently forgiven such a large debt!
The parable ends with this unforgiving servant being dealt justice instead of the mercy that he initially received.
Lessons We Need to Learn About Forgiveness!
- Genuine forgiveness from the heart is required of all who have been forgiven by God. If we forgive in words only, but not from our hearts, we remain under the same condemnation.
- Sometimes our unforgiveness is much more obvious to those around us. We can be blind to our own sinful conduct.
- Our loving, merciful and great God is willing to forgive us of our great debt- our sin. Any debt owed to us is absolutely insignificant in comparison.
- No person can ever offend me to the extent that my sins have offended God who is Holy.
- Our heavenly Father will not forgive us if we are not willing to forgive others. Mark 11:25
- We are told in Ephesians 4:32 that we are to be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ has forgiven you.
- We are not to withhold forgiveness from another person who sinned against us until they are properly repentant. Why not? Because like the servant who was forgiven but was unwilling to forgive, we stand as forgiven sinners who must also forgive.
- James 2:13 clearly tells us “Those who will not forgive can not expect to be forgiven.” We can expect judgement without mercy if we show no mercy.
- It is important to understand two important points: 1. that forgiveness and reconciliation are distinct, in that true reconciliation of relationship can only happen when both parties are agreeable to it. 2.Forgiveness does not necessarily shield someone from the legal consequences of the offense committed.
Prayer of Response
Merciful Father, this story of Jesus hits home with us! It reminds us of how much you, the King of Heaven, have forgiven us, of how much Jesus paid to provide forgiveness for us. Yet we keep track of the many small or large offences committed against us. We struggle to forgive! We prefer justice for others and mercy for ourselves.
Lord God, help us to examine the unforgiveness we are holding on to and release us from being imprisoned by it. We do want to live life freely, abundantly and with great effect without being held back by this sin.
We pray this in Jesus’ strong, merciful, forgiving and powerful name, Amen
