Our paragraph topic is: (The servant's fate) Part 2.
How hard it must have seemed for the disciples who were told that they must forgive seventy times seven. How hard it must have been to understand what Christ was telling them. They, who had lived by the law, an eye for an eye, had to make a 360 degree turn around in their thinking. They had to bury their anger. They had to forget about vengeance. They had to turn to forgiveness. They had to love their enemies. This is like telling a wealthy person that they have to give up all their wealth and privilege. But this was the concept that Christ was preaching. This was the belief that Christ wanted his disciples to grasp, to understand, to know.
So he told them the parable to help them understand. He told them about the "Wicked Servant" who would not forgive even after he was forgiven by his master. And this was the principle that he wanted them to understand, they are forgiven by their Father as they should forgive each other. Here is the question he posed to them: "Shouldst not thou also have had pity on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?"
I had pity on thee. God the Father has pity on us as we struggle to live, to survive in this world. We know not the things that we do. We understand not the life that we live. We see not the influence upon us. We hear not the words that come to us. Yet we struggle to survive, to live. Some would say: "I struggle not." Some would say: "I enjoy my life." Some would say: "I have more than enough to enjoy this life." Yet, what has it cost us? What have we sacrificed? What transgressions have we made to get to the point in life that we are?
Some are in the world. Some are from the world. Some are outside of the world. And some do not belong to the world. For the world would have us sleep. The world would have us become unaware of who we are. The world would have us not know. And our Father forgave us all our sins. Should we not forgive others? Should we still seek vengeance? Should we still express our anger, our frustration, our dislike when others wrong us? Or should we consider our Father who forgave us when we wronged him, when we hurt him, when we transgressed against him? We are quick to exact an eye for an eye because that is how we were raised. This is the nature our the world we live in. This is how we were given to feel what is inside of us.
Christ asked his disciples to make a 360 degree turn around in their thinking, in their feelings. He asks us today to do the same. Forgiveness closes the door to hatred, to anger, to vengeance. Forgiveness allows the spirit to be free. Forgiveness allows us to love others as we love ourselves. For if, we know the truth of who we are in Christ, we would love who we are, love who we are like, and love the savior who gave us new life. And in that love we would find the love for each other, the love for our brothers and sisters, and the strength to forgive. Our Father, our God is love. He provides life for all, including the good and the evil. He forgave all that we might have the opportunity to choose.
Come! Choose life! Choose love! Choose forgiveness! Choose the one who was the sacrifice for your sins. Choose the one who loves you most! Choose to know the life that is within you and see the truth of who you are. For with this knowledge no one or nothing can turn you away from the truth. And what the world has to offer becomes meaningless to what your father wants to give you. Seek the truth! Seek the knowledge! Seek the love of Christ and open the door to the Spirit of Christ. Then your eyes will be opened and you will see the truth of who you are in him. May the love of God our Father, the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you!
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.
How hard it must have seemed for the disciples who were told that they must forgive seventy times seven. How hard it must have been to understand what Christ was telling them. They, who had lived by the law, an eye for an eye, had to make a 360 degree turn around in their thinking. They had to bury their anger. They had to forget about vengeance. They had to turn to forgiveness. They had to love their enemies. This is like telling a wealthy person that they have to give up all their wealth and privilege. But this was the concept that Christ was preaching. This was the belief that Christ wanted his disciples to grasp, to understand, to know.
So he told them the parable to help them understand. He told them about the "Wicked Servant" who would not forgive even after he was forgiven by his master. And this was the principle that he wanted them to understand, they are forgiven by their Father as they should forgive each other. Here is the question he posed to them: "Shouldst not thou also have had pity on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?"
I had pity on thee. God the Father has pity on us as we struggle to live, to survive in this world. We know not the things that we do. We understand not the life that we live. We see not the influence upon us. We hear not the words that come to us. Yet we struggle to survive, to live. Some would say: "I struggle not." Some would say: "I enjoy my life." Some would say: "I have more than enough to enjoy this life." Yet, what has it cost us? What have we sacrificed? What transgressions have we made to get to the point in life that we are?
Some are in the world. Some are from the world. Some are outside of the world. And some do not belong to the world. For the world would have us sleep. The world would have us become unaware of who we are. The world would have us not know. And our Father forgave us all our sins. Should we not forgive others? Should we still seek vengeance? Should we still express our anger, our frustration, our dislike when others wrong us? Or should we consider our Father who forgave us when we wronged him, when we hurt him, when we transgressed against him? We are quick to exact an eye for an eye because that is how we were raised. This is the nature our the world we live in. This is how we were given to feel what is inside of us.
Christ asked his disciples to make a 360 degree turn around in their thinking, in their feelings. He asks us today to do the same. Forgiveness closes the door to hatred, to anger, to vengeance. Forgiveness allows the spirit to be free. Forgiveness allows us to love others as we love ourselves. For if, we know the truth of who we are in Christ, we would love who we are, love who we are like, and love the savior who gave us new life. And in that love we would find the love for each other, the love for our brothers and sisters, and the strength to forgive. Our Father, our God is love. He provides life for all, including the good and the evil. He forgave all that we might have the opportunity to choose.
Come! Choose life! Choose love! Choose forgiveness! Choose the one who was the sacrifice for your sins. Choose the one who loves you most! Choose to know the life that is within you and see the truth of who you are. For with this knowledge no one or nothing can turn you away from the truth. And what the world has to offer becomes meaningless to what your father wants to give you. Seek the truth! Seek the knowledge! Seek the love of Christ and open the door to the Spirit of Christ. Then your eyes will be opened and you will see the truth of who you are in him. May the love of God our Father, the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you!
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.
