To be in community means to forgive and to be forgiven. - Henry
Nouwen

Forgiveness is an essential of being a follower of Jesus.

Matt 18:21-35 is a parable that begins with grace and ends with torture.

Matt. 18:21-30 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord,
how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven
times?" 22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven
times. 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 talents 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 "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 denarius. 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 you back.'

Matt. 18:31-35 When
the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed 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 turned
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 from your heart."

1 denari = 1 day's wages

6,000 denarius = 1 talent

#1's debt = 10,000 talents =

60,000,000 days of work =

200,000 years of work

1.  Why
does the King Cancel the Debt?

The king canceled the debt because he was moved in his
heart.

This whole story is about the King's heart and the
servant's ability to grasp the King's heart or be imprisoned by his own heart.

Genesis 4 – Story of Cain

2. Why Does the Servant Think the King Cancelled the
Debt?

Jesus was speaking about being in spiritual bankruptcy before our king.

Whatever the servant thought, it didn't change him.

Transformed hearts occur when what is going on in God's
heart spills over into your heart. Forgiveness happens when what is going on in
God's heart spills over to your heart.

3.  Where
Does the Debt Go?

What does the king do with the books?

When the king forgives the debt, he decides that he no
longer was in the  good
business business ... There is
fundamental change that happens in the king and his whole accounting system.

The King lays down the books.

What happens to the debt? The debt was paid by the king.

Central to forgiveness is understanding that somebody
bears the cost for the wound.

4.  What
does the Servant Cling to?

He refuses to lay down his books.

34 In anger his
master turned him over ...

... 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 from
your heart."

Audio File: 

2009-08-30.mp3

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