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A recent cartoon depicts the fragile state of many people's
nerves. An angry lady pushes her shopping cart through the
express lane at the super-mart and snarls at the clerk, "Listen,
Buster, I work two jobs. I got shafted in a divorce! My car's
making a weird noise. My kid dyed her hair pink and my dog just
had 13 pups! So, don't tell me I have one item too many unless
you have a death wish!"

Most of us live on the edge at times. That's why there's
so much conflict and violence. Jesus was very concerned
about social relationships. He emphasized fairness and
tolerance and forgiveness. One of his most dramatic stories
dealt with this issue. Peter instigated the discussion when he
asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he
sins against me? Up to seven times?" (Matt. 18:21).

He probably thought Jesus would be pleased, because it
seemed more than adequate. The Rabbis only taught an obligation
to forgive 3 times. This was based on an Old Testament
Scripture: "This is what the LORD says: 'For three sins of
Israel, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath] . . .' "
(Amos 2:6).

In Jewish law, 7 represented completeness. So, forgiving 7
times seemed to represent the ultimate in generosity; but Jesus
never adhered to such legalism. He said, "I tell you, not seven
times, but seventy times seven" (Matt. 18:22).
Of course, this indicated a constant attitude of
forgiveness because keeping count to 490 would be impossible.
Then, to further illustrate this important concept, he told an
unforgettable story. He said, "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven
is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand
talents was brought to him. 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. The servant fell on his
knees before him. `Be patient with me,' he begged,`and I will
pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him,
canceled the debt and let him go" (Matt. 18:23-27).

Notice that the master didn't do what the servant asked. He
did much more. Instead of just giving him more time to pay, he
canceled the entire debt. That should have made the servant
extremely happy and grateful. But, it didn't! His attitude and
the actions that followed are unbelievably selfish and cruel.
Jesus continued, "But when that servant went out, he found one
of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He
grabbed him and began to choke him. `Pay back what you owe me!'
he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged
him, `Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he
refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison
until he could pay the debt" (Matt. 18:28-30).

This reaction was so unfair that bystanders reported the
matter to the master. The Scripture says, "When the other
servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and
went and told their master everything that had happened" (Matt.
18:31).

The generous master was furious and took immediate action.
He "called the servant in. `You wicked servant,' he said, `I
canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.
Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I
had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers
to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed" (Matt.
18:32-34).

According to some scholars, the amount owed by the
unforgiving servant came to millions of dollars, while the other
servant only owed him about 12 dollars.

Jesus used this great discrepancy to show how trivial most
of our little aggravations appear when compared to God's total
and complete forgiveness of all our sins.

Why do you suppose Jesus used such a striking analogy to
illustrate this concept? What lessons can we learn from this
parable? What point was he making about forgiveness?

I. FIRST, JESUS DESCRIBED A GOD IS OF LOVE.

The old ideas abut an angry, vindictive deity were wrong.
Jesus revealed God as a loving and merciful Father. He
indicated that God does more than we expect and gives us more
than we ask for. Remember that the man in deep debt merely
asked for more time to pay; but the generous benefactor canceled
the entire amount and set him free. That's what God does. Paul
said, "When you were dead in your sins . . . God made you alive
with Christ. He forgave us all our sins" (Col. 2:13).
John simply said it this way: "Whoever does not love does
not know God, because God is love" (I John 4:8).

II. NEXT, JESUS EMPHASIZED THAT EVERYONE NEEDS FORGIVENESS.

We can't go through life without making selfish decisions
and doing hurtful things. Mistakes are inevitable. No one is
perfect! Thomas Carlyle said, "The greatest of all faults is to
be conscious of none." Paul said, "As it is written: 'There is
no one righteous, not even one' " (Rom. 3:10).

James went further. He said, "Whoever keeps the whole law
and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of
it" (James 2:10).

Trying to deny and cover our own sins keeps us from growing
and makes us judgmental and critical. Jesus said, "You are the
ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows
your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in
God's sight" (Luke 16:15).

III. FINALLY, JESUS COMMANDED US TO OFFER FORGIVENESS.

It's wrong to hate, judge, criticize and resent other
people. We can never realize our own forgiveness and freedom
unless we extend it to others. George Herbert said, "He that
cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself
must pass." Jesus said, "If you forgive men when they sin
against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if
you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive
your sins" (Matt. 6:14-15).

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36).
He even indicated that forgiveness must be extended before
we can pray and worship. He said, "When you stand praying, if
you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your
Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" (Mark 11:25).
Paul said, "Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Eph.
4:32).

Now, what if this were today?

If Jesus were telling a modern story, would he talk about
bitter individuals who hold grudges and say, "I don't get mad, I
get even!" Would he denounce "road rage?"

Would he expect husbands and wives and families, fragmented
by divorce to have forgiving attitudes? How would he handle
crimes and court cases and the death penalty?

Would he apply this principle of forgiveness to nations
involved in conflicts and wars?

We don't know what examples he would use or what issues he
would address; but, even though the specific details of his
stories would be different if he lived in America today instead
of Palestine 2000 years ago, his basic teachings would still be
the same.

I. FIRST, JESUS WOULD DESCRIBE A GOD OF LOVE.

We tend to become like the God we worship. If we believe
in a wrathful God, full of hatred and intolerance, we'll feel
justified in holding on to our hostility and resentment. The
"eye for an eye" motto is causing violence all over the world.
God doesn't hold grudges and mete out arbitrary punishment.
He cancels our debt and wipes the slate clean. Even the
Psalmist realized this saying, "You are forgiving and good, O
Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you" (Psa. 86:5).
Jeremiah emphasized God's mercy. The Scripture says, "
'They will all know me . . .' declares the Lord. 'For I will
forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more' "
(Jer. 31:34).

John said, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).

II. NEXT, JESUS WOULD EMPHASIZE OUR NEED FOR FORGIVENESS.

He would try to eradicate bigotry and hypocrisy. He would
probably recommend much of the material in the 12 step program
of AA. It requires members to follow these principles: "Make a
searching inventory of ourselves; Admit to God and others the
exact nature of our wrong attitudes and activities; Be ready to
have God remove our character defects; Ask God to remove our
shortcomings; Make a list of everyone we have harmed; Make
amends whenever possible; Promptly admit all wrongs.
He would insist that we see and admit our own part in
disagreements. David did that. He said, "Wash away all my
iniquity and cleanse me from my sin" (Psa. 51:2).

Solomon said, "He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy" (Prov.
28:13).

John said, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him
out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives" (I John
1:9-10).

It's obvious that when we see our own faults, we'll be more
willing to forgive others.

III. FINALLY, JESUS ENCOURAGE US TO OFFER FORGIVENESS.

We must discover and defuse our anger. Rage hurts
immediately and resentments hurt over the long term. Jesus
would counsel individuals and hold anger management seminars.
Over and over Jesus dealt with these issues. He said, "Do
not resist an evil person . . ." (Matt. 5:39).

He said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you" (Matt. 5:44).

Even the model prayer Jesus gave us, says, "Forgive us our
debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matt. 6:12)
Now, if we're to take the Gospel seriously, what does this
mean for us? Remember the Scripture says, "Whoever claims to
live in him must walk as Jesus did" (I John 2:6).

Jesus practiced forgiveness. Even when he was dying on the
cross he said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what
they are doing . . ." (Luke 23:34).

If he lived today, he would forgive those who hurt him.
That is very difficult.

Just four months after Lesley Moreland became a Christian,
she faced an agonizing test of faith. Her daughter was stabbed
to death. But, despite overwhelming grief, she held fast to her
belief in humanity's goodness.

In the Quaker faith, one of the basic tenets is that God is
in everyone. There are no exceptions. Divinity is in
everybody, and therefore it's our task is to seek it, even when
it's hard to find.

This lady's belief in separating the sin from the sinner is
central to her opposition to the death penalty, which was
abolished in Britain in the 1960s. She said, "It diminishes all
of us to frame an individual by a single act. If somebody kills
a person, they are described as a 'murderer.' That is their
definition. That is what people focus on. That label blocks
off everything else about that person. Obviously, it's a key
thing about them, but it isn't the sum total. People are more
than their sin."

Are you willing to forgive those who have hurt you? Jesus
did.

Can you disregard many slights and realize they are the
result of ignorance? Jesus did!

Can you overlook the irritating habits of your friends and
loved ones? Jesus did.

A wise man said, "To err is human! To forgive divine!" In
a diverse world, full of stress and competiveness, forgiveness
is essential; but it's also a miracle. You can become mature
enough to perform this divine miracle.
Will you do that?

*****

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