Our paragraph topic is: (Parable of the unmerciful servant)
Peter asked the question and Christ responded. He asked: " But how often shall we forgive?" How often shall we endure the hurt and the pain of our brother's and sister's sin and still forgive them of their transgressions? How often shall we stand by and watch them play the game of seeking repentance only to turn around and sin again? How often can we put up with their problems and not get angry? Is seven times enough, he asked? Christ wanted his disciples to know that seven times was not enough. Even if their brothers and sisters continue to sin, to forgive them should not be limited by the disciples inability to forgive.
He told them that they should forgive not seven times but seventy times seven. Forgive as often as it is necessary and then some. Forgive more than they can sin and then some. Forgive that they will know that you are different and that there is something in you that will not allow you to judge, to be angry, to not love, or to not forgive. Forgive that they will see that there is something inside that allows you to see them in a different light. Forgive that they will see that there is something inside you that allows you to be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful with you. Forgive that they will see that there is no limit to your mercy as there is no limit to his mercy and there is no lack to his justice.
And then Christ told his disciples this parable to help them understand why they should not limit their forgiveness. "This is why the kingdom of heaven is likened to a-king who desired to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun the settlement, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And as he had no means of paying, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. But the servant fell down and besought him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will pay thee all!' And moved with compassion, the master of that servant released him, and forgave him the debt."
When the time comes for the settlement of accounts will we meet our debts? At the judgment day when we are called upon to review our lives on the scale of justice will the scales tilt to good or will the scales tilt to evil? When we are faced with eternal happiness in heaven or eternal damnation in hell, how will we plead, guilty or not? Will we beseech justice to have mercy? Will we ask for clemency? Will we be sorrowful for our sins? Will we seek compassion? How will we plead?
It is the honesty in our hearts that will weigh upon justice. It is the realization that flashes before our minds that will awaken us to the judgment before us. And it is the absence of the worldly and the presence of the spiritual reality of who we are that will press upon us the justice that we face. We had the words. We had the teachings. We had the built in presence of right and wrong. And then we had the world that transformed us into physical beings that allowed us to hide behind the veil of untruth. Yet the end comes when we are faced with the truth of justice.
Christ gave us all that we should know. He came to us. He walked among us. He spoke to us. He left us to return to God his Father. And he sent us his presence in the Holy Spirit. He established for us the written word and built for us his church. The time for settlement comes. And it will come for all without delay or postponement. It cannot be stopped. It cannot be changed. It is the justice of God. Will you be ready? Will you be prepared? Our Father is merciful. Our Father is Loving. Our Father is forgiving. Have patience with us Father that we may come to know the truth of who we are in Christ! For we are lost. We are blind. We are influenced by evil. We pray that the day of settlement will not find us without your mercy, without your grace, without your love. In Jesus Christ name we pray. Amen.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
Peter asked the question and Christ responded. He asked: " But how often shall we forgive?" How often shall we endure the hurt and the pain of our brother's and sister's sin and still forgive them of their transgressions? How often shall we stand by and watch them play the game of seeking repentance only to turn around and sin again? How often can we put up with their problems and not get angry? Is seven times enough, he asked? Christ wanted his disciples to know that seven times was not enough. Even if their brothers and sisters continue to sin, to forgive them should not be limited by the disciples inability to forgive.
He told them that they should forgive not seven times but seventy times seven. Forgive as often as it is necessary and then some. Forgive more than they can sin and then some. Forgive that they will know that you are different and that there is something in you that will not allow you to judge, to be angry, to not love, or to not forgive. Forgive that they will see that there is something inside that allows you to see them in a different light. Forgive that they will see that there is something inside you that allows you to be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful with you. Forgive that they will see that there is no limit to your mercy as there is no limit to his mercy and there is no lack to his justice.
And then Christ told his disciples this parable to help them understand why they should not limit their forgiveness. "This is why the kingdom of heaven is likened to a-king who desired to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun the settlement, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And as he had no means of paying, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. But the servant fell down and besought him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will pay thee all!' And moved with compassion, the master of that servant released him, and forgave him the debt."
When the time comes for the settlement of accounts will we meet our debts? At the judgment day when we are called upon to review our lives on the scale of justice will the scales tilt to good or will the scales tilt to evil? When we are faced with eternal happiness in heaven or eternal damnation in hell, how will we plead, guilty or not? Will we beseech justice to have mercy? Will we ask for clemency? Will we be sorrowful for our sins? Will we seek compassion? How will we plead?
It is the honesty in our hearts that will weigh upon justice. It is the realization that flashes before our minds that will awaken us to the judgment before us. And it is the absence of the worldly and the presence of the spiritual reality of who we are that will press upon us the justice that we face. We had the words. We had the teachings. We had the built in presence of right and wrong. And then we had the world that transformed us into physical beings that allowed us to hide behind the veil of untruth. Yet the end comes when we are faced with the truth of justice.
Christ gave us all that we should know. He came to us. He walked among us. He spoke to us. He left us to return to God his Father. And he sent us his presence in the Holy Spirit. He established for us the written word and built for us his church. The time for settlement comes. And it will come for all without delay or postponement. It cannot be stopped. It cannot be changed. It is the justice of God. Will you be ready? Will you be prepared? Our Father is merciful. Our Father is Loving. Our Father is forgiving. Have patience with us Father that we may come to know the truth of who we are in Christ! For we are lost. We are blind. We are influenced by evil. We pray that the day of settlement will not find us without your mercy, without your grace, without your love. In Jesus Christ name we pray. Amen.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
