Grace Bible Church Expository Sermon Notes

cf. Matthew 18:21-35 The Lord’s Day 2/9/97 AM

Jesus has just given His commands concerning restoring a sinning believer and church discipline. Those who respond to a private or public confrontation by turning from their sins, are to be given a full forgiveness. And evidently this gracious unqualified forgiveness somewhat shocked Simon Peter, who thought the Lord needed to modify what He said.

Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? (KJV)

According to Jewish tradition forgiveness should be granted up to the fourth offense. Simon Peter had captured some of the merciful heart of the Lord Jesus and doubled the Jewish tradition and added one more for good measure. But then Jesus answers by a shocking statement, which no doubt jolted Peter and the rest of the Apostles into a new dimension of thinking, increasing the challenge to an unlimited forgiveness.

Matthew 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seven times seven.

The essence of Jesus' answer is that forgiveness is not limited. Even if a brother sins against me either 77 times or 490 times (Greek text could read either way) and each time he or she comes and asks forgiveness, we are to extend a full gracious forgiveness for each offense. Forgiveness is conditional upon repentance as Luke 17 and Matthew 18 indicate, but too often we become the judges as to the genuineness of their repentance. Jesus instead, commands us to forgive even if someone commits the same offense against us directly in the same day, seven times and asks forgiveness! Or even is they continue to offend and ask forgiveness 77 or 490 times, the issue is that we are to extend an unlimited forgiveness to all. And Jesus knew this was difficult, so He gave a parable to help us shift our focus. He said...

Matthew 18:23-25 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, who owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had nothing with which to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Jesus’ example of a servant who owes 10,000 talents is the equivalent of billions of dollars today. The sum was so vast that it was impossible to repay! To illustrate how great this sum is…

So the lord of the servant commanded the servant and his family to be sold for a partial payment, which was customary during Biblical times.

Matthew 18:26-27 The servant, therefore, fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

The lord of the servant forgave the massive debt, out of his compassionate pity. This illustrates God the Father's unlimited forgiveness as He releases our unpayable debt of sin. Sin is, "any want of conformity to the revealed will of God in word, thought or act," which would be an unpayable debt to God! Like 10,000 talents, thousands upon thousands of sins against God, are forgiven when we trust Christ as our Savior. Then the Lord continued...

Matthew 18:28-34 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him an hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not, but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me! Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was angry, and delivered him to the inquisitors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

The servant who demanded payment and refused to release the debt, is similar to believers who after receiving the great compassionate pity from God the Father, refuse to forgive offenses from fellow believers who come with a repentant request for that. We are to focus on the wonderful forgiveness that we have received from the Lord, instead of the offenses received from others! Christians should be constantly thankful and reflecting on the wonderful gracious forgiveness of their own many sins, so the few offenses of someone else, although still a great concern to them, pail in insignificance. When repentance takes place, the Christian should immediately forgive them in light of the Father's great forgiveness. Its a matter of focus! Notice also, in Jesus' illustration that the "wicked servant" was "delivered to the inquisitors, till he should pay all that was due him." He was not to pay the 10,000 talents back, for that had already been forgiven; but he was to repay the debt he owed by refusing to forgive a fellow servant. God has some creative means by which these "inquisitors" exact payment! Someone has said, "Without forgiveness life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation." They experience the chastening of the Lord, becoming angry, bitter, resentful and hard. Jesus concludes...

Matthew 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye, from your hearts, forgive not every one his brother his tresspasses.

God requires we totally forgive others if they come repentant and turn from their sin. Forgiven people become forgiving people! cf. Matt. 5:7; 6:14-15; James 1:13. This completes the process of restoration and church discipline. cf. 2 Cor. 2:5-11.

Main Idea: We are to pursue others to restore them but when we are not successful privately, we must take witness and eventually dismiss them from the local church, if need be. But if they repent, we follow the example of God the Father who has graciously forgiven us from our many sins, and forgive them. The key is our focus on God's forgiveness of our many sins.

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