“The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant”

THE STORIES OF JESUS: Come and Listen

Matthew 18:21-35 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?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not

seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who

wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him

ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 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. 26 “At

this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay

back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28

“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. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I

will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison

until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were

outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master

called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you

begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34

In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he

owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother

or sister from your heart.” (NIV)

“Forgiveness is a beautiful word until, you have some thing to forgive.” C.S. Lewis

Man’s First Great Need is Receiving Forgiveness. (vv. 23-27)

Man’s Second Great Need is to Extend Forgiveness. (vv. 28-35)

Message Notes