Matthew 18: Others First (6)
Pray Psalm 51.10-13.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
Sing Psalm 51.10-13.
Passion Chorale: O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Create in me a clean heart, renew me from within!
Take not Your Spirit from me because of all my sin.
Salvation’s joy restore, LORD, and keep me in Your hand;
Thus shall I tell Your strong Word to sinners in the land.
Read Matthew 18.1-35; meditate on verses 21-35.
What does it mean to forgive? To be forgiven?
Prepare.
1. What are the preconditions for forgiveness?
2. How does compassion relate to forgiveness?
Meditate.
In today’s lengthy passage, Jesus teaches about the importance of forgiveness. He was responding to a question from Peter, who was puzzling over how often he needed to forgive someone. Jesus’ initial answer was, in effect, as often as he comes asking forgiveness (vv. 21, 22).
The parable of the ungrateful servant teaches us about the nature of forgiveness. The servant who owed the great debt to his master pled with him for time to pay his debt. He could not pay it when it was called for; and the likelihood of his ever being able to pay it seemed remote. In response to his falling down and seeking an extension, the master, “moved with compassion”, forgave him the debt (vv. 23-27). This is the way things work in the Kingdom of heaven (v. 23).
But the forgiven servant was not sufficiently grateful for the grace received. He went right out and demanded payment of a much smaller debt from “one of his fellow servants”, taking him by the throat, and demanding that he pay all. He had no compassion on the man, and refused even to give him an extension on his debt. Instead, he had the man imprisoned until he could pay all. Which would probably never happen, since he was in prison (vv. 28-30).
When this became known to the master, he realized that the grace he had shown his servant had been wasted, and that he was not truly grateful for having been forgiven. Consequently, the master determined that he must be punished and pay his debt (vv. 31-34). The lesson Jesus wanted His disciples to gain was that we must forgive from the heart—sincerely, compassionately, holding nothing back or in reserve (v. 35). This is how God forgives those who seek mercy and grace from Him; it is how we must forgive one another as well.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The aside that Jesus put in here is important as well:
“So when his fellow servants saw what had been done,
they were very grieved, and
came and told their master all that had been done” (Matt. 18.31).
His fellow friends and acquaintances “were very grieved” over the treatment being handed out to him.
Where are those folks in the church, who care that much about their fellow workers?
We are called to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12.15).
Being kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love (Rom. 12.10).
We all stand unworthy before our perfect God—
all in need of the forgiveness offered through Jesus’ great act of love on our behalf.
Dying for us when we were His enemies (Rom. 5.8).
We don’t deserve His forgiveness; but we are graciously forgiven because we have asked for it.
Thus we offer it to those who request it of us. It is the way this forgiveness business works.
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” Matt. 6.12).
This is a running theme through Scripture, and we would do well to take heed.
Doesn’t this story feel to you like nails screeching on a chalkboard?
We are so disgusted with the actions of this man; and duly shocked at his brazen behavior.
How could he do that? Didn’t he remember the grace that had been shown him?
What was he thinking? He is just bizarre and outlandish!
And then…
Jesus’ words creep into our thinking, into the recesses of our brains, and we wonder—
Have I ever done this to someone else? Have I refused to forgive?
Or, has this been done to someone I know, and I didn’t feel grieved for them?
Have I ever been remiss in caring about a schism in my church caused by two unforgiving parties?
Forgiveness is a big deal. It is a key aspect to our own forgiveness from God.
It is often not easy to give to another; but if requested, it must be done.
It is the way of God.
“But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath; for He remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that passes away and does not come again” (Ps. 78.38, 39).
Life on earth is short, a mere flicker of time, and then it is gone.
Surely, it is not worth spending our precious days here, as unforgiving, wicked servants of God.
“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?” (Matt. 18.32, 33).
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Col. 3.12, 13).
“Seventy times seven” (Matt. 18.22).
Reflect.
1. Why is forgiveness so important in our walk with the Lord?
2. Why is it so important in the life of the church?
3. What happens when we fail to practice forgiveness?
Therefore, since in no way—that is, with no satisfaction and no worthy penitence—could we pay off this debt of sin and eternal death, [the] eternal King came down from heaven and by remitting the human race its sins forgave all the debt of every one who believes in Him. Chromatius (fl. 400), Tractate on Matthew 59.5
Pray Psalm 51.1-9.
Wait in silence on the Lord to bring to mind any sins; then confess and repent, and commit your day to the Lord.
Sing Psalm 51.1-9.
Passion Chorale: O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Be gracious to me, Savior, according to Your love!
According to Your mercy, my sins, my sins remove!
O wash me, precious Savior, and cleanse me from all sin;
look on me with Your favor, and cause my grief to end.
Against You only, Savior, have I become unclean;
thus just the condemnation which You pronounce on me.
LORD, I was born to sinning, while You seek truth within;
to wisdom my heart winning, release me from my sin!
In Jesus’ blood and mercy, LORD, cleanse my evil heart!
Let me washed, cleansed, renewed be and pure in whole and part.
Bring joy again and gladness; look not upon my sin.
Deliver me from sadness; renew me yet again!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: Our Read Moore podcast continues our readings from the book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing a series on the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column is working through a study of the role of reason in the life of faith. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
