“Hark The Herald Angels Sing”
Classics of Christmas—Part 4
Matthew 18:21-35
December 14, 2014
If This Christmas Is Going To Be FORgiving, I Must:
1. RELEASE THE LIMIT ON FORGIVING.
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall
I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven
times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-
seven times.’” v 21-22
2. RECALL THE LOAD FOR FORGIVING.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to
settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man
who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since
he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and
his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.” v 23-25
3. REALIZE THE LOSS IN FORGIVING.
“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with
me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s
master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.” v 26-27
4. REMEMBER THE LESSON OF FORGIVING.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began
to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. ‘His
fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with
me, and I will pay it back.’ ‘But he refused. Instead, he went off and
had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.’ When
the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and
went and told their master everything that had happened. ‘Then the
master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I
canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t
you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In
anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until
he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father
will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from
your heart.” v 28-35