PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 18:28-35
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (Matthew 18:33)
Jesus reminds us of the connection between forgiving, and being forgiven (Matthew 6:12).
We are on the bridge of forgiveness with God.
If we hack it down to keep others from crossing, we go down too.
If mercy is how we get to cross, shouldn’t others be allowed to cross that way too.
Our problem is that we tend to maximize others’ sins, and minimize our own.
We admit our sins, but they’re not as bad as THAT person’s sins.
‘Look what they did to me, look how they have hurt people.’
While we were yet sinners, God forgave us in Christ… before we repented.
Repentance is the key to enjoying God’s forgiveness.
Like God, we forgive others in the hope that they would repent (admit their offense).
No they do not deserve it, but neither did we.
Repentance is still essential for experiencing God’s forgiveness.
But grace is the way of bringing sinners to repentance, helping them see the bridge.
Will I join Jesus in sharing the bridge of forgiveness to those who need it, like me?
PRAYER
Lord, whenever I am tempted to hold a grudge, or refuse to forgive, remind me of the gently swaying bridge of mercy upon which I myself and standing.
Lord I need your help to forgive my brothers and sisters as you have forgiven me. Help me also to ask forgiveness when I have wronged others.
When I am unable to be gracious and forgiving while my Lord forgives me out of sheer grace – total mercy – I do not get what I rightly deserve, death, but instead in grace receive the gift of life – then am I not basically trampling on, maybe spitting on, my Lord’s mercy and grace to me. I was once told in Asia, that foreigners are weaklings because they are overly compassionate – not able to mete out what people deserved – comments usually made when I gave a beggar a hand out. I felt that I was being criticized for my act of kindness to someone who was in need. That’s what I see in the response of the Master who could be thought to have ‘retracted’ his forgiveness – not rather the Master is offended that his grace to give what the servant did not deserve – complete forgiveness – was not practiced by the forgiven servant – the servant’s gratitude for their forgiveness stayed selfish. So my heart’s desire is also to forgive because I have experienced both mercy and grace! Thank you Lord Jesus!
Lord Jesus, help me to forgive my brother or sister from the heart. Help me to always share the grace of forgiveness that I have received with those who wrong me.
Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who sins against us. Forgiver because I am Forgiven! Lord Jesus help me to always remember this seventy x seven times.