Cancel The Debt
Sermon Title – Disciples Forgive
One of the clearest marks of a heart that’s been formed by Jesus - is forgiveness!
Forgiveness is not optional.
It’s not advanced Christianity.
It’s not for the spiritually elite.
It is baseline – Disciples Forgive.
Matthew 18:21 ESV
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
Matthew 18:22 ESV
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
Matthew 18:23-24 ESV
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.[b] 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[c]
10,000 talents = 160,000 years worth of wages.
Sin is a debt - and that debt must be paid.
Matthew 18:25-26 ESV
25 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. 26 So the servant[a] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
Matthew 18:27 ESV
27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
Romans 5:8 ESV
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
You can be forgiven…and still not be softened.
You can receive mercy…and still hold onto pride.
You can walk away free…and still feel entitled.
If I still believe deep down that I’m mostly right, mostly justified, mostly the victim -- then what you owe me will always feel bigger than what I owed God.
And - If we’re honest - sometimes we don’t want to forgive. Not because we forgot grace. But because we want them to feel what we felt. We want them to understand the weight of it.
The only way you choke someone over pennies - is if you’ve lost sight of the billions you were forgiven.
Matthew 18:34-35 ESV
34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[a] until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
If you refuse to forgive - if you hold onto the debt - if you keep demanding payment - then He can't release you of the debt you owe Him until you've released others.
Mark 11:25 MSG
When you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.
Unforgiveness and intimacy with God cannot live in the same place.
Who are you holding by the throat?
Who are you still demanding payment from?
Who are you violently holding onto in your heart?
What moment are you still replaying in high definition in your mind?
What conversation still stirs something in you every time you think about it?
What feelings are you quietly justifying?
Who are you still holding onto?
Today is the day to let this go…lay it down…it’s not yours to carry any more!
Talk It Over Questions
1. Read/Recap Matthew 18:21-35. Jesus tells a story about a servant who was forgiven an impossible debt but then immediately demanded payment from someone else. Why do you think it’s possible for us to receive God’s mercy but still struggle to extend mercy to others?
2. In the message we talked about how we often minimize our own sin but magnify the sins committed against us. Why do you think that comes so naturally to us?
3. Jesus says in Matthew 18 that forgiveness must come “from the heart.”
What do you think real heart-level forgiveness looks like, and why is it often so difficult?
4. The sermon asked the question: “Who are you holding by the throat?”
Without naming names publicly if you’re not comfortable, what makes it so hard to release someone who has hurt you?
5. Jesus warns that holding onto unforgiveness affects our relationship with God (Matthew 18:35; Mark 11:25). Why do you think unforgiveness is so spiritually dangerous, and what does it slowly do to a person’s heart?
6. What would change in your life, relationships, or spiritual walk if you truly released the debt you’re holding against someone?
Ask Your Kids
1. What does obedience mean?
2. Why do you think God wants us to obey Him?
3. When is it hard to obey?
4. How can God help you obey this week?
