Brian Cropp: I want to start off this morning by asking you a question, and that question is sort of a personal question. But I think it will be a benefit to you, and that question is “What is the greatest debt in your life?” When I think of that question, I think of my credit card debt. We had three kids in three years, and there wasn’t a lot of time to financially recover from the first one before the next one came along. Throw a couple of car repairs in there, and we’re really trying to pay that off. That’s what I think of as my greatest debt. For you, it might be credit cards; it might be student loans. It might be your mortgage. It could be a court settlement. It could be any number of things, but I want you to think about the greatest debt that you have. And then, think about the weight of that. What is the debt that you carry? How does that make you feel?
This past several weeks we’ve been looking at parables, the teaching stories that Jesus told His disciples and audiences that followed Him in His ministry. You can find all of these parables in the biographical accounts of Jesus’ life, right there at the beginning of the New Testament in the Bible in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Parables are not a common storytelling device these days, so we’ve been using a certain definition so that we can all be on the same page and understand what’s going on. That definition is that a parable is an illustrative story using a natural object of human circumstance to convey a spiritual or a moral subject.
Jesus was trying to accomplish some things by telling these parables. One of these things we’ve said was to create a picture, something sticky in our mind that we can remember over time that we can remember about God’s Truth. They also serve as a mirror, a way to reflect back to us God’s Truth. Then, we can look at our circumstances in light of the parable. Do we like who or what we see in that reflection? They’re also windows. They kind of open up our perspective to brand new vistas and let us see our circumstances in different ways. Today, we’re going to look at a tragic story. I’m going to be upfront with you. The main character of this parable—it doesn’t go well for him, but I think his demise will be a great lesson for us as we move on into the future.
This parable is found in the book of Matthew chapter 18, and here it is. This is Jesus speaking. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may be compared a a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants, who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.”
So, it’s very clear that Jesus is teaching us a lesson about debt and creditors and how is the right and wrong way to pay back debt. Well, He is, but it’s kind of different. On purpose, I didn’t tell you what led up to Jesus telling this story, and I think that will put this in a little better context clue to that in how Jesus started telling the parable. That is He started with “therefore.” I had a pastor when I was a kid who said if you ever find the word, “therefore,” in the Bible, you want to go back and see what it’s there for. So, let’s jump back to verse 21, and we see that Peter came up to Jesus and said to Him, “‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”
Seventy-seven times? Other versions of this same conversation say that Jesus said, “Seventy times seven.” That’s 490 times. That’s a lot of times. I mean, let’s be honest. Someone wrongs you; you forgive them. That’s really good. If they do it again and you forgive them, now you’re being charitable. If it happens a third time and you forgive them, you’re a saint! Four times? You’ve gotta be kidding me! Seven times? Peter comes to Jesus. Seven times? You can almost feel him expecting an “Atta Boy! That’s so high and lofty, Peter! Way to go! You’re really learning stuff about God’s kingdom.” Instead, Jesus comes back with “Peter, you’re wrong, and you’re wrong exponentially.” Then, Jesus launches into this story about the servant and the master. We start to see that Jesus is driving not at a story about finances but of forgiveness, mercy, and justice, and how that looks in God’s kingdom.
Now to get the most out of this particular parable and any parable, we need to know what the different parts of the story are and how that translates into our circumstances. We have the king, and that’s going to be God. We also have the first servant who owes 10,000 talents, and that’s going to be you and me. Then we have the other servant who owes the hundred denarii, and that’s going to be everyone else. The one that represents you and me already starts off the story in a bad way. He highlights the first lesson that we can get out of this parable, and that is that I owe more than I realize.
You may be wondering to yourself, “He owes 10,000 talents. That is meaningless to me. I don’t know what that means.” Well, it’s an ancient currency, and if we were to make the translation of U.S. dollars over the expanse of time with rates of inflation and all that, it’s around 14 billion—with a “B”—dollars. 14 Biillion Dollars! I don’t know if you suddenly discovered you were 14 billion dollars in the hole, I think you’re in trouble. I don’t think you're paying that back. I think it’s impossible. Maybe if you’re diligent, paying back what you can, and on into your great grandkids, maybe if the interest rate froze, you might be able to eventually get that debt paid off. But, it’s, generally, a hopeless case. Frankly if you’re the servant of a king, there aren’t enough legitimate ways to pay this debt back.
Remember, this is a story about forgiveness not finances, so what does the debt represent? Well, that represents sin, specifically our sin debt that exists between us and God. Now because of sin, the Bible tells us that there is this huge gap that exists in our relationship with God. It is absolutely impossible for us to cross. Just like there are not enough legitimate ways for the servant to pay back 14 billion dollars, there aren’t enough good things that you and I can do to reconcile our accounts with God. There is no hope that we will ever repay that because of our active or passive rebellion against God. That is all of us.
Romans puts it this way—“...for all (everybody) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Now when I think of that verse, I think of an archer who’s aiming their arrow at a target and falls short isn’t a near miss, like I’m just off the bullseye a little bit. Or, maybe I’m bad, and I miss the target altogether. But, that’s not the flavor of this verse at all. It’s like you’ve got your bow and arrow, and the target is on the moon. You’re hoping to hit a bullseye to the moon. You’re not going to do it. You’re going to fall short and by a lot. Later… earlier in Romans, we find this that “All have turned aside; together they…” meaning we... “...have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
Our sin has left us in an absolutely hopeless state, so this slave to the king does the only option really left available to him. And frankly, it’s the only option that you and I have before God, too, and that is beg for mercy. He does, and he goes to the king and pleads his case. And, the king forgives 14 billion dollars of debt. I mean, this guy goes from a tragic ending to a happy ending in the blink of an eye. This highlights a second lesson that we can get from this parable, and that is that I have been given more than I deserve.
God’s massive debt reconciliation program began when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth as a human, and Jesus lived a completely sinless life. He’s the only person who has done that, and He’s the absolute only person who could live an absolutely sinless life. When He goes to the cross for us and the blood that He sheds there and the death that He dies there, that should have been me and that should have been you. That death and that sacrifice of blood reconciled accounts. That pays the debt of sin that exists between us and God. This is spelled out very efficiently in Romans chapter six when it says that the wages or payment “of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” You see, our state can go from tragic to happy, too, in head-snapping swiftness, but let’s be absolutely clear.
You can’t pay your debt. I can’t pay my debt. In fact, I’ve been walking with Jesus for years now, and I still sin sometimes. If it weren’t for Jesus, I’m still racking up a larger and larger debt of sin because spiritually I’m a loser. But because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, God sees me through the filter of Jesus’ blood and sees me as completely sinless, as forgiven, and as made right with Him. If you’re walking with Jesus today, that’s how God sees you, too. We have been given so much more than we deserve. There’s a current anti-debt financial advisor. He’s a Christian guy named Dave Ramsey, and he’s got this radio show. Periodically, someone will ask him, “How are you doing?” And, he will respond with “Better than I deserve.” I think he’s getting at this idea that from our perspective whether he’s riding high or he’s down in the dumps, he knows that because of what Jesus has done in his life he’s doing better than he deserves.
We deserve eternal damnation, eternal separation from God, but because of what Jesus did, there is forgiveness—real forgiveness. There really is a reconciliation to God. If today you’re not a follower of Jesus Christ, that offer is available for you, too. You, too, could have this reconciliation in your relationship with God because of what Jesus did, but it takes choosing to turn to Christ as Savior. Then from there, you have the freedom to start living life in God’s ways. Now this story isn’t just about God’s forgiveness of my sin, but it’s a story of systemic forgiveness. Here’s the next lesson that we can get out of this story. That is that I should forgive according to what I have received not according to what others owe me.
Now let’s look at how this plays out in the parable. “But when the same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’”
Now you might start to get the flavor that Jesus is aiming this story at Christians more than other people in the audience. Because if Jesus has forgiven you your massive, 14 billion dollar effectively, sin debt, that should change you somehow. That should make you more understanding, easier to forgive other people, when they do wrong to you. This fellow servant owed the first servant guy a hundred denarii. Again, what is a denarii? In today’s money, that would be roughly ten thousand dollars. Now, I admit that’s not a small amount of money, but there is at least a reasonable chance that that sum could get repaid at some point.
What should have happened is you’ve got a guy who’s been forgiven 14 billion dollars of debt, and the euphoria and the relief that comes from having that debt relieved. He should have looked at his co-worker and said, “Well, you owe me ten thousand dollars. I’m going to forgive you that ten thousand dollars, and I’m going to spread the wealth of this really good feeling. I want you, too, to know the joy of a debt forgiven.” But instead comes abuse; this would be similar to someone you know or maybe someone you don’t know, or maybe it’s a group of people who’ve wronged you in a very, very real way. They’ve offended you.
Remember, this story is aimed at Christians, so the kind of people who should know better how to respond to these things, and instead of forgiving you let bitterness grow and you demand an apology. And, you demand retribution. You will not let these people off the hook. See, forgiveness in God’s view means I no longer hold you accountable for the wrong that you did to me. I forgive you completely, and Jesus is telling you and me that whatever wrong that has been done to us or whatever wrong we feel has been done to us—and let’s face it. At some point in your life, you have been wronged. There has been injustice done to you, but again, this is Christians. Again I’m going to assume that non-Christians are going to respond to being wronged the way that non-Christians respond to that kind of thing.
But to Christians who’ve been wronged, really wronged, by somebody, then because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, it doesn’t matter how wrong the wrong was, how deep the cut was, how ongoing the wrong is. It is chump change compared to what you did to God, and if God was able to find a way to bridge the gap and to forgive your sin debt, then we Christians should be able to find a way to actually forgive and to no longer hold responsible the people who have wronged us. I’m not saying you need to trust them again. They need to build that back, but you can absolutely forgive them of the wrong that they did to you, and we need to do that.
A few weeks ago we looked at Jesus’ model prayer that was recorded, and there was this line in there that was recorded a couple of different ways in the Gospels. One way is “...and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” That’s in Matthew. In the book of Luke, it’s put another way—“...and forgive us our sins…(as we) forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” See the sins we commit against each other also in a way kind of put us in debt to one another, and we need to forgive those debts, those sins, not because they’re little but because you have been forgiven so very much. It’s hard, and we do forgiveness badly. You will feel like if I forgive this person then it really feels like God is ripping me off and I’m not really going to see justice.
But, here’s the truth of the thing. Our unforgiveness brings torment. There’s a nice little button that Jesus puts at the end of this story, sort of a moral to the tale. He says this—“So also my Heavenly Father…” ...when I remember the master threw the first servant in jail until he could pay his 14 billion dollars back… “...So also my Heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Will do—that’s what the Father will do; that’s a promise. If you don’t forgive, you will face torment. In this version of the Bible, the translators used the word, “jailers.” In other translations, the word, “jailer,” is translated as “torturer” or “tormentor.” Jesus was not shy about saying that there was an intersection between the physical world and the spiritual world. Our Western thinking has driven a wedge in there and argued that the spiritual doesn’t exist at all and that all we experience is in the physical. And if you have a spiritual experience at all, it’s some kind of psychological or emotional experience you’ve had, but it’s not a real one.
The Bible is very clear that there really is an intersection between the spiritual and the physical. It’s possible that when He said, “...you will face torment when you don’t forgive…” ...it’s possible that it’s emotional or psychological. That’s conviction from the Holy Spirit to Christians saying, “You’re not doing what pleases God, and you need to fix it.” It’s correction coming from God. That’s possible that’s what He meant, but I wouldn’t be surprised if He also meant that that opens us up to demonic attack, to spiritual attack, until we’re able to forgive somebody from the heart. See, the demons feed on our sin, and they will tempt us into sin and enjoy it and desire to devour us in our sin. So if you're a Christian and you need to forgive somebody, I really encourage you to forgive and forgive quickly.
There’s this chilling statement that Jesus made in His famous Sermon on the Mount, and you can find that in Matthew chapters five through seven. It’s sort of His “line in the sand” sermon saying how His ministry was going to be different from all of the other ministries out there. He says in there that “...if you forgive others their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” What Jesus wants to highlight is whether we forgive somebody once, seven times, 77 times, 490 times...whatever that is...that God’s Kingdom is a kingdom of the forgiven.
I want to share with you an acrostic that I hope will be a tool that you can use to help forgive people better. Forgiveness is a choice. It’s not a feeling, and you may not want to forgive or feel good about forgiving, but it is a command by God that we need to forgive others. So, I hope this will be a help to you as you forgive those who have wronged you in the past or those who will wrong you in the future. There are verses on your handout that are tied to this, and I encourage you over the next several days and weeks to look at those verses. Pray through them; ask God how they apply to your life. But here we go; here’s the acrostic. It spells the word, “FORGIVE.” F is forsake bitterness. The verse there in Hebrews talks about a root of bitterness. As we know, roots produce fruits, and trust me, you do not want the fruits that come from a root of bitterness. Do not let that root grow in your heart.
O stands for only God judges justly. Jesus Christ was the most unjustly treated person in all of human history, and He did not put His trust in the human court system or in human justice because it ripped Him off. He put His trust in God’s justice system, and we need to do the same thing because God our Father will never rip us off. Humans will 100% of the time, but God never will. R—repay evil with good. No good comes from revenge or from retribution. It just kind of spirals down into chaos and anarchy. As God’s family, as Christians, we are called to be better than that, so we need to forgive others when they have wronged us.
G stands for get rid of your record of wrongs. God completely erased your record of wrongs when you trusted in Jesus as your Savior, and you need to do the same to others. I is initiate the reconciliation. To reconcile, somebody has to be the first mover, and so as a follower of Jesus, you can be the adult in the relationship and start to take steps toward reconciliation. God is so adamant that this happens that also in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that He would rather you leave church, stop worshipping God in an organized service, and go reconcile with somebody because people are that important. Once you’ve offered forgiveness or you’ve been able to forgive somebody else, then you are clear to be able to worship God with a clear heart and with clean hands.
V is view them through the cross. Just as God sees you as sinless because of the filter of Jesus’ sacrificed blood on your life, because of the cross, you can also forgive other people. Then, everyday remember that the demons are out there like sharks in the water smelling your sin and wanting to feed on you. Again, forgive and forgive quickly. Maybe it’s everyday in your daily time with God that you ask for help in forgiving somebody and to no longer hold them accountable for the wrong they did. Maybe it’s multiple times a day that you need to ask for God’s help, but over time, you absolutely can begin forgiving a person from your heart.
I started this with a question. I want to end with a different one. That question is “Will you settle your accounts today?” As a Christian, if there are people in your life that you need to forgive, then I would forgive them. Again not because what they did to you was small, but because you have been forgiven so much. If you’re not a follower of Jesus, then I would highly encourage you to know the joy and the thrill and the relief of having this massive sin debt forgiven. You can trust Jesus as your Savior and have His sacrifice and His death that should have been yours covering your life. Then, you really can be reconciled to God today, and I encourage you to do that.
For Christians and non-Christians, you can use that FORGIVE acronym over the course of this week. Lord willing, there are seven days in this week, and there just happen to be seven letters in the word, “forgive.” Maybe in your daily time with God you can just use one of those letters and ask God to reveal how you can use that to help you forgive the people in your life. Life is absolutely better when we have no financial debt in our life, relational debt in our life, and no spiritual debt in our life. I hope...and we’re going to pray in just a second. I hope and pray that you would get the opportunity to experience true debt forgiveness.
Let’s pray. Father, I thank You for the debt forgiveness plan that you established through Your Son, Jesus. I owed a debt that I could not possibly pay, and yet You stepped in and paid a debt that You did not owe. Though the brains you gave us cannot comprehend the magnitude of what You accomplished for us on the cross. I thank You for Your amazing forgiveness. I pray for those of us who need to forgive someone of a wrong. Please give us the willingness, the opportunity, and the strength to forgive that person or those people and if possible, work for reconciliation. I pray also for those who don’t yet know You but want to experience Your forgiveness. Help them take their next step and enter into Your kingdom—a kingdom of reconciliation and mercy and peace. As we go into this next week, please help us to represent You well in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. It’s in the great and mighty name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.
