January 28
Matthew 18:21-19:12
How easy is it for you to forgive someone? Jesus spends a lot of time communicating about the kingdom of God and in Matthew 18 he stresses one of the highest values of his kingdom is forgiveness. As you think about the various kingdoms of this world, I do not think that forgiveness would be a high value in any of them. Yet as citizens of God’s kingdom, we are to learn to be people who are quick to forgive. Jesus highlights how forgiveness works by telling a story about a forgiving master and an unforgiving servant. This parable is meant to teach us the centrality of forgiveness for God’s kingdom. In this parable, the master who forgives an extravagant debt is God forgiving our sins, and we, when we fail to display God’s forgiving nature, are the servant who fails to forgive a very small debt.
We need to be people who learn to both receive and extend forgiveness, as chapter 19 points out, especially in our marriages. If we have experienced God’s forgiveness over our lives, then we must let it extend to forgiving others. Forgiveness may seem costly since we are giving up vengeance and bitterness, but forgiveness is the godly way of life. If we want to reflect God’s kingdom, we need to forgive in a way that points people to the greater forgiveness that is available in Jesus.
Father God, thank you for the forgiveness you have given to me. Help me to extend that forgiveness to others and to do so quickly and with joy. Amen.
Is there anyone in your life you need to forgive? What can you do today to make that happen?
How easy is it for you to forgive someone? Jesus spends a lot of time communicating about the kingdom of God and in Matthew 18 he stresses one of the highest values of his kingdom is forgiveness. As you think about the various kingdoms of this world, I do not think that forgiveness would be a high value in any of them. Yet as citizens of God’s kingdom, we are to learn to be people who are quick to forgive. Jesus highlights how forgiveness works by telling a story about a forgiving master and an unforgiving servant. This parable is meant to teach us the centrality of forgiveness for God’s kingdom. In this parable, the master who forgives an extravagant debt is God forgiving our sins, and we, when we fail to display God’s forgiving nature, are the servant who fails to forgive a very small debt.
We need to be people who learn to both receive and extend forgiveness, as chapter 19 points out, especially in our marriages. If we have experienced God’s forgiveness over our lives, then we must let it extend to forgiving others. Forgiveness may seem costly since we are giving up vengeance and bitterness, but forgiveness is the godly way of life. If we want to reflect God’s kingdom, we need to forgive in a way that points people to the greater forgiveness that is available in Jesus.
Father God, thank you for the forgiveness you have given to me. Help me to extend that forgiveness to others and to do so quickly and with joy. Amen.
Is there anyone in your life you need to forgive? What can you do today to make that happen?
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