prayer warriors (following Jesus Christ, everyone welcome)

[Flock Master64]

[COLOR=000000]Tonight, we will look at the topic of forgiveness, as Peter continues to learn from Jesus. I've inclulded a study guide if you want to dig deeper. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/guz/matthew-18.html[/COLOR]

[COLOR=000000]The text is Matthew 18:21-35.[/COLOR]


[COLOR=000000]The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant[/COLOR]

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[[COLOR=B34B2C]g [/COLOR]]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[[COLOR=B34B2C]h [/COLOR]] was brought to him. 25 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.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[[COLOR=B34B2C]i [/COLOR]] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Peter asks a question about forgiveness. He, in his humanity, with his human heart, considers that forgiving x 7 is a very generous thing, since the law requires forgiveness x 3. He was shocked with Jesus reply.
Then, Jesus tells the parable of the unmerciful servant.
Questions:
Was the debt owed by the first servant a debt that was possible for him to pay?
The Master knew that he couldn't pay it. Why did he demand that it be paid?
Was the servant being honest when he asked for more time to pay the debt?
The Master could have given him more time, but the end result would have been the same... A servant who had a debt that he could never repay.
So, the Master cancelled the debt.
Does this remind you of a debt that you owe that you can not possibly pay? And what was done to cancel that debt? Can you share some verses that support these two thoughts?
The servant then goes to his neighbor. This neighbor owes money to the servant. The neighbor makes the very same request, even using the same words.
How does the servant respond?
How do the friends of the debtor who was thrown into debtors prison respond? Ever have a situation where you see someone being treated unfairly? How do you respond?
How would the Master have wished the unmerciful servant to respond?
How does this parable apply in our own lives?
It's fairly easy to forgive someone who insults us, causes financial hardship, or does other things that make our life difficult in the short term. But what about the big hurts? The ones that don't go away?
Does forgiving mean forgetting?

Now, I have a parable for you.
There was once a young girl who grew up and moved off to start a life of her own. She fell in love with a man who said all the right words, who was very attentive, calling her all the time, spending lots of time with her. They got married, and his attentiveness became obsessive. As time continued, she found herself isolated from her family and friends. He drove her to work, picked her up after work, and often came by to visit during her work day. Soon, he was accusing her of being unfaithful if she talked to her male co-workers. This escalated to beatings. He threatened to kill her if she ever left him. She did leave him several times, and he stalked her. Kept wooing her back with promises that things would be better. Told her that marriage is forever, and she was being disobedient to God if she left him. By now, there were children, and the children were also being beat for minor misbehaviors.
How would Jesus finish this parable?
Forgiveness? How far does forgiveness go? Forgiveness in the face of unrepentance? Forgiveness in the face of repeated harm? 490 times? Scripture to deal with this parable?

Sad parable

 

[Trout14v]

Thank you for sharing about Jesus! I will send prayers for you and your family

 

[ocap]

Thank you for sharing about Jesus! I will send prayers for you and your family

welcome to the thread

and BYC

Lots of great information about birds on this web site (but this is the best thread)

 

[Cynthia12]

Those of us that want to be more Christ like, and serve Him.. we need to remember that we like the first servant, owe a great debt to our Heavenly King for the many gifts we have received from Him. Understanding this unlocks the door to the gifts of repentance and our own forgiveness. The retention of these gifts depends upon our faithful forgiveness of those who have offended us. The Savior said, Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy..Matt 5:7.. and ..With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged .. Matt 7:2...

Forgiving does not necessarily mean that we would approve of the behavior or transgression. In fact there are many actions and attitudes that deserve condemnation. But even in these we must completely forgive the offender.. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven... Luke 6:37 This is a tough one for me considering my past with some things that have happened. My goodness it's hard to forgive sometimes. I see in a lot of scripture..that we are asked to forgive. To forget? I don't see this. Again, we learn from past experiences. I have found that by not forgetting, I've been able to help others that have had similar or the same experience. Or experiences.


The blessings we get from the gift of forgiveness are many. The main thing is peace. It is the Savior’s desire that we each feel His peace. He said....Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid .. John 14:27.. The forgiveness we offer to others and the forgiveness we receive from Jesus Christ lead us to Him and along the path to eternal life.

 

[ocap]

Forgiveness



It's the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don't deserve

It's the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word...

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It's always anger's own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It's the whisper in your ear saying 'Set It Free'

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

It'll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it's power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

 

[lazy gardener]

Follow up question: what about the person who has deeply wronged you, and they do not see the wrong they've done? They deny the harm they've caused. They are not repentent. As a forgiven believer and follower of Christ, what is my or your responsibilty in this circumstance?

 

[cabincreations]

There are certain people I forgive, but then avoid at all cost. I don't think we need to deal with that person, we just need to forgive them in our hearts, but it doesn't mean we have to invite them for dinner and allow them the chance to do it all over again, especially with some types of people.
I have a son who was always looking for trouble, and who is an addict. It has been twelve years. He is very very abusive, not trustworthy, not willing to take responsibility for his actions. I forgive him. But I have not allowed him in my home for over 7 years. He has done some terrible things. Really terrible, and is a danger to others. We have moved and not even given him our new address. he used to break into our home and destroy things. He has prostituted from our front door, putting our other children in danger.
We tried for years to help him, and got burned over and over again. Until he wants to change, we cannot control his actions.
I forgive him and I pray for him, but I no longer give him the opportunity.

Just like a woman who is abused. She must forgive her abuser, but she does not have to put herself in danger anymore.
Loving and forgiving means that in your heart you truly wish the best for someone, and you don't seek out revenge, but rather pray that God intervenes in that persons life and changes their heart. Give it to God. I think at times we think that *we* have the power to change those who don't want to change. We can't, and we cannot continue to put ourselves in the position of being a victim of their abuse either.

Let go, Let God...and it doesn't happen overnight.

As for those who have wronged you, perhaps borrowed money and not paid back. little things, insulted you...whatever...life goes on. Never lend money with the anticipation of getting it back. I have friends who owe me money and have for years. They are still friends, I just know better than to lend to them. But if they had a definite need, I would help them, including lend. I just wouldn't lend for "wants"

Is this right? Perhaps, perhaps not. Just sharing how I deal with it.

 

[ocap]

Follow up question: what about the person who has deeply wronged you, and they do not see the wrong they've done? They deny the harm they've caused. They are not repentent. As a forgiven believer and follower of Christ, what is my or your responsibilty in this circumstance?

2 Timothy 3New American Standard Bible (NASB)
“Difficult Times Will Come”

3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6

 

[lazy gardener]

Quote: That's what I was looking for. Scripture to deal with the difficult issues. Any one else have input into the difficult parable I started? Perhaps a finish to the story, with scripture to go along with it???

 

[cabincreations]

When the Bible talks about forgiveness in *this* passage, it is talking about forgiveness to the *repentant*...and towards our brothers and sisters. I always assumed our brothers and sisters in Christ? And if they are true believers, then they will give true repentance.
We should be always ready to forgive, if someone asks, no matter what.
But what if they are not repentant and using our kindness to manipulate? Are we supposed to forgive? Does God forgive those who are not repentant? He doesn't, we have to ask, with a truly repentant heart. We cannot manipulate God. He is always ready to forgive us, however. And he does forgive us over and over again...but we are also warned not to commit that sin again, there are consequences.
So are we supposed to forgive the unrepentant?
We have to keep in mind that psychology has really messed up our whole forgiveness roles as well...in psychology we forgive as a selfish act...to make ourselves feel better...be the bigger person...but is that biblical? Does it really help the attacker if we just forgive and remove all consequences?
There is a lot to the whole forgiveness thing...the deeper you look into it the more you find, lol!