Matthew 18:21-35 | Psalm 103:6-14 | Gospels in Lent Track: Mark 13-14
You’ve got to give it to Peter. You can almost hear him whisper to his brother: “Hey Drew, watch this, I’m going to show Jesus just how much we’ve learned about grace and forgiveness…”
[turning around to face the Lord]
“So, Jesus, we should forgive someone as many as seven times, right? That’s a lotta love, Amiright!?”
Nice try, Peter. Put away your calculator. You can’t outdo Jesus.
Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Should I forgive as many as seven times?”
Jesus said, “Not just seven times, but rather as many as seventy-seven times. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle accounts, they brought to him a servant who owed him ten thousand bags of gold. Because the servant didn’t have enough to pay it back, the master ordered that he should be sold, along with his wife and children and everything he had, and that the proceeds should be used as payment. But the servant fell down, kneeled before him, and said, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ The master had compassion on that servant, released him, and forgave the loan.
“When that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred coins. He grabbed him around the throat and said, ‘Pay me back what you owe me.’
“Then his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he threw him into prison until he paid back his debt.
“When his fellow servants saw what happened, they were deeply offended. They came and told their master all that happened. His master called the first servant and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you appealed to me. Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ His master was furious and handed him over to the guard responsible for punishing prisoners, until he had paid the whole debt.
“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you if you don’t forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Psalm 103:6-14
The Lord works righteousness;
does justice for all who are oppressed.
God made his ways known to Moses;
made his deeds known to the Israelites.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
very patient, and full of faithful love.
God won’t always play the judge;
he won’t be angry forever.
He doesn’t deal with us according to our sin
or repay us according to our wrongdoing,
because as high as heaven is above the earth,
that’s how large God’s faithful love is for those who honor him.
As far as east is from west—
that’s how far God has removed our sin from us.
Like a parent feels compassion for their children—
that’s how the Lord feels compassion for those who honor him.
Because God knows how we’re made,
God remembers we’re just dust.
Prayer
God,
Honestly, limitless forgiveness seems kind of reckless. I know you know what people are like. How will they ever learn if they’re forgiven all the time? I’m just being honest.
I know your compassion is deeper than mine, that you can see beyond the limits and boundaries I set up for my safety and that of those I love.
So move me to your ways, Lord. Set me at the place where your compassion and forgiveness knows no end.
By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.