Matthew 18:21-35
English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio
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?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.[bondservant] 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[talent was monetary unit worth about 20 years wages] 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[bondservant] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,[day's wages] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.
31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[torturers] 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.”
Perhaps we should begin with another Scripture:
Matthew 10:16
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
This Scripture is a wicked servant, who is as wise as serpent. We all trade places, but it is good to hear a story of the Wise, Mature one being wise and innocent.
I went off at age 16 to part of a Christian renewal weekend movement for teenagers. It was filled with the Holy Spirit and I really was looking forward to being the camp counselor instead of the participant. And we arrived early and the Wise, Mature Priest asked us to gather, the 4 early birds, to read the Word. Now, I knew I was pretty biblically illiterate.So when we got to the word Yahweh, I had No idea what word it was. As a first time participant, I had cringed because every time they said, "Jesus Christ," it was a curse word from my dad. I'd been to parochial school and had a priest step-grandfather, so I knew that was terrible every single time my dad said it. But parochial school had been over for 5 years and I still was cringing every time. So, I looked at the Wise, Mature Priest when we got to my reading for "Yahweh" and he looked expectantly at me. And I thought, wing it, 4 people. And I said, "Yahoo." And everyone fell about the place. And I thought OMG, great beginning.
And the Priest came up afterwards and started asking me about me background. I was embarrassed and explained. Still he was semi-laughing at me and semi-thinking I was a disaster. Until we prayed. My hands grew red hot. And the Priest quit laughing and asked me how often this happened. I said, "Oh from time to time, but mostly when we have quiet time in the meetings and sing." He didn't say much. And I looked expectantly at him. His only reply was, "And in one so young."
So after the kids went to bed, the staff, including 'Yahoo', sat up talking. Trouble began to brew. I was part of the group trouble. But the story broke when I wasn't there. I was more innocent than not. The end result was one of the male teenage staff was driving away in the next 15 minutes. He'd told lies to the Priest. You know, no one ever asked me my part of the story. The Priest merely told me, he'd taken care of it. A young man in our group found JESUS CHRIST the LORD and his heart was called to the Holy Spirit by the Holy Spirit. The Angels sang.
It is my belief that Priest knew what was what. He acted as a dove who understood the serpent. He had very little to say.
When events swirl around us and we cannot understand all that others think and say and do.
We trust the LORD to sort it out. In prayer. In faith.
Psalm 131
O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
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Perhaps we should begin with another Scripture:
Matthew 10:16
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
This Scripture is a wicked servant, who is as wise as serpent. We all trade places, but it is good to hear a story of the Wise, Mature one being wise and innocent.
I went off at age 16 to part of a Christian renewal weekend movement for teenagers. It was filled with the Holy Spirit and I really was looking forward to being the camp counselor instead of the participant. And we arrived early and the Wise, Mature Priest asked us to gather, the 4 early birds, to read the Word. Now, I knew I was pretty biblically illiterate.So when we got to the word Yahweh, I had No idea what word it was. As a first time participant, I had cringed because every time they said, "Jesus Christ," it was a curse word from my dad. I'd been to parochial school and had a priest step-grandfather, so I knew that was terrible every single time my dad said it. But parochial school had been over for 5 years and I still was cringing every time. So, I looked at the Wise, Mature Priest when we got to my reading for "Yahweh" and he looked expectantly at me. And I thought, wing it, 4 people. And I said, "Yahoo." And everyone fell about the place. And I thought OMG, great beginning.
And the Priest came up afterwards and started asking me about me background. I was embarrassed and explained. Still he was semi-laughing at me and semi-thinking I was a disaster. Until we prayed. My hands grew red hot. And the Priest quit laughing and asked me how often this happened. I said, "Oh from time to time, but mostly when we have quiet time in the meetings and sing." He didn't say much. And I looked expectantly at him. His only reply was, "And in one so young."
So after the kids went to bed, the staff, including 'Yahoo', sat up talking. Trouble began to brew. I was part of the group trouble. But the story broke when I wasn't there. I was more innocent than not. The end result was one of the male teenage staff was driving away in the next 15 minutes. He'd told lies to the Priest. You know, no one ever asked me my part of the story. The Priest merely told me, he'd taken care of it. A young man in our group found JESUS CHRIST the LORD and his heart was called to the Holy Spirit by the Holy Spirit. The Angels sang.
It is my belief that Priest knew what was what. He acted as a dove who understood the serpent. He had very little to say.
When events swirl around us and we cannot understand all that others think and say and do.
We trust the LORD to sort it out. In prayer. In faith.
Psalm 131
O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
from this time forth and forevermore.
<><
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