Because You Begged Me

Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you? 

Matthew 18:32-33 

Christ clearly illustrates how the process of forgiveness works. In the parable from which our text derives, He tells the story of a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. One servant comes before him who owes a large sum, ten thousand talents. For our purpose this could be ten thousand dollars or ten million, if that helps us get the idea. He pleads with the king who is about to sell his family into slavery and liquidate all his assets. He says, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Christ relates, ‘Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.’ That servant went out and found another servant who owed him a hundred denarii, let’s say, a hundred dollars. That man pleads as well, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ The first servant refuses to hear, and throws the second servant into prison. Others go and tell the king. He recalls the first servant and our text is his reasoning. Thus we see that God, who is the King, forgives on the predication of repentance. We dare not ignore this if we are going to discuss forgiving as God forgives. This is how Christ illustrates forgiveness for us to understand.  

Our God of Grace and Glory, 
we rejoice that there is forgiveness with You. 
We praise You that You teach us how to forgive others.

 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning