Lord's Day Sermon
August 30, 2020
God’s Family Members Completely and Perpetually Forgive One Another
Sermon Details
Read passage (ESV) — Matthew 18:21-35
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
21 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?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.[b] 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[c] 25 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. 26 So the servant[d] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,[e] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 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. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[f] until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
Matthew 18:22 Or seventy times seven Matthew 18:23 Or bondservants; also verses 28, 31 Matthew 18:24 A talent was a monetary unit worth about twenty years' wages for a laborer Matthew 18:26 Or bondservant; also verses 27, 28, 29, 32, 33 Matthew 18:28 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer Matthew 18:34 Greek torturersCross references
Matthew 18:21 : ver. 15 Matthew 18:21 : Luke 17:3, 4; [Col. 3:13] Matthew 18:23 : ch. 25:19 Matthew 18:24 : Esth. 3:9 Matthew 18:24 : ch. 25:15 Matthew 18:25 : [Luke 7:42] Matthew 18:25 : Ex. 21:2; Lev. 25:39 Matthew 18:25 : 2 Kgs. 4:1; Neh. 5:5 Matthew 18:26 : Acts 10:25; See ch. 8:2 Matthew 18:27 : [See ver. 25 above]; [Luke 7:42] Matthew 18:28 : ch. 20:2; 22:19; Mark 6:37; 14:5; Luke 7:41; 10:35; John 6:7 Matthew 18:33 : [ch. 6:12; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13; 1 John 4:11] Matthew 18:34 : See James 2:13 Matthew 18:34 : ver. 30; [ch. 5:25, 26] Matthew 18:35 : ch. 6:15; [Prov. 21:13] Matthew 18:35 : 1 Pet. 1:22; [Rom. 6:17]Outline
- Peter Asks About Forgiving _________________________ _____________________________ (21)
- Jesus’ Answer Goes __________________the Suggested _______________________ Limits Proposed by Peter (22-35)
- Applications A. Forgiving others is ______________________ of a __________________ _________________________ in Christ. Title: “God’s Family Members Completely and Perpetually Forgive One Another” Text: Matthew 18:21-35 Theme: Forgiving others in the body of Christ is not optional. If you will not forgive your brother no matter what he has done to you personally, Jesus says you are destined for eternal punishment. Those who understand how much they have been forgiven by God understand that nothing done to them compares to their offenses against God. 9 C o n f e s s i o n o f S i n Gracious Father, in Your mercy You forgave us a debt of sin that we could never begin to repay. We confess we have not shown like mercy to our family in Christ. We have harbored anger and bitterness toward our brethren. We have closed our hearts to their needs. We have turned our faces away from their presence. We have shut our eyes to their needs. We have inwardly demanded repayment for wrongs done to us. We confess our sin of not forgiving our brethren from our hearts. We acknowledge we have placed limits on our forgiveness. We admit we have forgotten how much You have forgiven us. Cleanse our hardness of heart. Forgive our unforgiveness. Pardon our lack of mercy. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. We ask in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. Amen. Personal Confession (silent) Assurance of Pardon Jeremiah 31:33-34 (ESV) 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neigh- bor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” 8 Please seek out and contact one of our Pastors or Elders to talk more about your eternal future. You can find their