The Parables of Jesus: Matthew 18: 23-35
Matthew 18:23-35
“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 talents 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.
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.
But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. 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 you 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 greatly distressed 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 your because you begged me too. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned 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 from your heart.”
When I read through this story something jumped out at me. I was reminded that Jesus died to cover my sins thousands of years before I was even born. That means that while Jesus was hanging on that cross He was shedding His blood for every sin I will ever commit in my entire life. He forgave me knowing how I would betray Him; before I ever even had the chance to ask for forgiveness.
And, yet, when someone wrongs us how often are we willing to forgive them before they ask? Isn't it more likely that we plan to make them grovel and beg and convince us of why we should give them grace? And even then, after we have said we forgive them, we often hold on to the offense for next time they mess up so we can rub their noses in it.
I am struck my the thought - “What if God had treated us like that? What if He waited till we died, then made us fall at His feet begging for forgiveness for all the sins we had committed? We would certainly deserve it. But He didn't. He gave us all encompassing grace. Shouldn't we do the same for others?
Dealing with Offense part 2
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Often when we read this passage, we focus on the people and their intent to trick Jesus (otherwise, why didn't they bring the man? It takes two...). And it's true. The only reason they brought this woman was because they wanted to see what Jesus would do. But I want to look at this passage from a slightly different angle.
Leviticus 20:10 says this:
10 " 'If a man commits adultery with another man's wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.These men had the law on their side. Forget the fact that they were probably waiting outside her house so they could capture her, they were in the right. The law clearly says she should die. And no one would have given Jesus a hard time for agreeing with the law. But instead Jesus says "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." And at that, the men dropped their stones and walked away.
We've all been in situations where someone has hurt us, and according to the law we have the right to get them back. We say things like: "It's okay for me to hate them, you don't know what they did to me." or we talk to our friends and say: "Just thought you'd like to know, so and so did this to me." And you take those rocks in your hands and begin to throw them at the person, because it's your right to do so.
But Jesus had a different take on this. Have you ever sinned? Have you ever cut someone off in the hallway at school? Have you ever gotten carried away and done something you regretted? If you have, and you've been offered forgiveness, it is your responsibility to do the same to others. When someone hurts you, you have a choice to make. I can take the stone in my hand and throw it at them, or I can drop it and walk away. But as you're thinking about your choice, remember that God took the rock that had your name on it, and instead he threw it at Jesus.
-Jeff-
Psalm 40:1-3
Psalm 40:1-3 (New International Version)
1. I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2. He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3. He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible.
There is an old saying "If you're in a hole, stop digging" Like me a lot
of people, fall into a pit or hole they have made for themselves. People
get into relationships, drugs, bad habits, etc. when they realize where
they are it's to late. For example, me...I just started hanging out with
some bad friends...then....started smoking, just to be cool... then a
beer or two.... then marijuana...them Cocaine....then dealing
drugs....then stealing to support my habit...then jail time...the list
goes on.... I was in so deep, I couldn't make it out on my own.
Then one day I cried out to God, because I had no where to look,
but up. Jesus turned to me reached down and lifted me out of the pit I
had created for myself, he forgave my sins, took away my shame, he set
my feet on the foundation of his word and put a new song in my mouth.
Jesus gave me a new life, a new attitude, a place that was safe and
secure.
If your in a place where you feel trapped or feel like your in a
pit and feel there is no way out...take it from me there is! JESUS! If
you hear a voice, or people say that there is no way out for you, Don't
believe it! It's a lie! You can make it out no matter how far down we
are, Jut cry out to God for help. His words are true. He will rescue
you!
Later,
DJ Jackson
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