Embodying God's Mercy Through Forgiveness

Devotional

Day 1: Forgiveness in the Kingdom of Heaven Is Limitless

Jesus teaches that forgiveness is not about keeping count, but about embodying the spirit of continual, boundless mercy. In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the king’s willingness to forgive an unpayable debt illustrates the radical nature of God’s grace, while the servant’s refusal to forgive a much smaller debt reveals the disconnect that can exist between receiving and extending forgiveness. True forgiveness in God’s kingdom is not a matter of numbers or limits, but a reflection of the mercy we ourselves have received. [36:43]

Matthew 18:21-35 (NIV)
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.
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.
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.
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.”

Reflection: Is there someone you have been keeping a mental tally against, and what would it look like to let go of that count and offer them true, unmeasured forgiveness today?

Day 2: Forgiveness Is a Choice, Not a Feeling

Forgiveness does not mean pretending that wrongs are acceptable or forgetting as if nothing happened; rather, it is a deliberate decision to release the right to retaliate and to not use the offense against the person again. Just as God chooses not to remember our sins or use them against us, we are called to make the ongoing, sometimes daily, choice to forgive, even when memories or emotions resurface. This kind of forgiveness is not about erasing the past, but about refusing to let it control our present or future interactions. [47:45]

Hebrews 8:12 (NIV)
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

Reflection: When you are reminded of a past hurt, how can you actively choose today to not bring it up or use it against the person who wronged you?

Day 3: Acknowledging Our Own Need for Forgiveness

We can only truly forgive others when we recognize the depth of our own need for God’s mercy and grace. The awareness that we all have sinned and fall short, and that our debt before God is unpayable except by His grace, humbles us and equips us to extend forgiveness to others. This humility breaks down self-righteousness and opens our hearts to the same compassion God has shown us. [54:30]

Psalm 103:8-12 (NIV)
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Reflection: In what ways have you minimized your own need for forgiveness, and how might acknowledging your own shortcomings help you extend grace to someone else today?

Day 4: God’s Forgiveness Is a Costly, Freely Given Gift

God’s forgiveness is not something we can earn; it is a gift given at great cost—through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. While it is free to us, it cost God everything, and we honor that gift not by abusing it or taking it for granted, but by extending the same grace to others. When we withhold forgiveness, we fail to appreciate the magnitude of what God has done for us. [59:54]

Romans 5:8 (NIV)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Reflection: How can you show gratitude for God’s costly gift of forgiveness by offering grace to someone who has not “earned” it from you?

Day 5: Forgiveness Is an Ongoing, Lifelong Practice

Forgiveness is not a one-time event but a continual process, requiring repeated choices to let go, especially when old wounds are stirred up again. The enemy may try to remind us of past hurts, but with God’s help, we can keep choosing to forgive, experiencing the freedom and peace that comes from living in God’s grace. This ongoing practice shapes us into witnesses of God’s love and mercy in a broken world. [01:05:00]

Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: When old hurts resurface, what practical step can you take today to reaffirm your choice to forgive and move forward in freedom?

Sermon Summary

Forgiveness is at the very heart of the kingdom of God. Jesus, through the parable in Matthew 18, reveals that forgiveness is not about keeping count or setting limits, but about embodying the very nature of God’s mercy. The story of the servant forgiven an unpayable debt, who then refuses to forgive a much smaller debt owed to him, exposes the disconnect that can exist between receiving grace and extending it to others. In God’s kingdom, forgiveness is not a transaction or a mere formality—it is a sacrificial act that flows from the heart, mirroring the way God forgives us.

Forgiveness is often misunderstood. It is not pretending that wrongs are insignificant or excusing evil. God never calls sin “okay”—if it were, there would be nothing to forgive. Instead, forgiveness is a conscious decision to relinquish the right to retaliate, to choose not to weaponize the past against others, even when the memory remains. This is the way God “remembers our sins no more”—not by erasing His memory, but by choosing never to use our failures against us again.

To forgive as God forgives, we must first acknowledge our own need for mercy. The parable’s unpayable debt is a picture of our own sin before God—something we could never repay by our own efforts. Only when we grasp the depth of our own forgiveness can we begin to extend true forgiveness to others. This humility is essential; without it, we will always find reasons to withhold grace, believing others are less deserving than ourselves.

God’s forgiveness is a gift, freely given but costly to the Giver. It is not earned by our efforts or good deeds, but purchased at the highest price—the sacrifice of Jesus. To receive this gift and then refuse to forgive others is to misunderstand and even abuse the grace we have received. Forgiveness is not a one-time event, but an ongoing choice, especially when old wounds are stirred up again. Each time, we are called to choose forgiveness anew, trusting God to supply the strength and wisdom we need.

Ultimately, forgiveness is a witness to the world of God’s love and mercy. It is a gift we give, not because others have earned it, but because we ourselves have been forgiven so much. In choosing to forgive, we participate in the very heart of the gospel and reflect the character of our Savior.

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Key Takeaways

1. Forgiveness Is a Sacrificial Choice, Not a Feeling True forgiveness is not about excusing or minimizing the wrongs done to us. It is a deliberate, often costly decision to relinquish our right to retaliate or hold a grudge. This mirrors the sacrificial nature of God’s forgiveness, which required the ultimate price—the cross of Christ. [46:21]
2. Forgiveness Means Choosing Not to Use the Past as a Weapon God’s way of “forgetting” our sins is not a loss of memory, but a choice never to use our failures against us again. In the same way, forgiving others means refusing to bring up past offenses as ammunition, even when we remember them. Each time the hurt resurfaces, we choose again to let it go, just as God does with us. [47:45]
3. We Can Only Forgive Deeply When We Acknowledge Our Own Need for Grace The parable’s unpayable debt is a mirror for our own spiritual condition. Until we recognize the enormity of what God has forgiven us, we will struggle to extend genuine forgiveness to others. Humility before God’s mercy is the soil in which true forgiveness grows. [53:49]
4. God’s Forgiveness Is Free to Us, But Costly to Him Grace is not earned by our good works or religious efforts; it is a gift purchased at great cost. To receive such a gift and then withhold forgiveness from others is to dishonor the sacrifice that made our own forgiveness possible. We are called to honor God’s grace by extending it to others, even when it is hard. [58:29]
5. Forgiveness Is an Ongoing, Repeated Act of the Will Old wounds and resentments may resurface, sometimes unexpectedly. This does not mean we have failed, but that forgiveness is a continual process. Each time the pain returns, we are invited to choose forgiveness again, relying on God’s strength to help us persevere in grace. [65:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Introduction to the Parable of Forgiveness
[03:30] - Peter’s Question and Jesus’ Radical Response
[07:10] - The Unpayable Debt: The King and His Servant
[12:00] - The Servant’s Plea and the King’s Mercy
[15:30] - The Unforgiving Servant’s Actions
[19:00] - The Master’s Judgment and Jesus’ Warning
[22:30] - What Forgiveness Is—and Isn’t
[27:00] - God’s Way of “Forgetting”
[31:00] - The Necessity of Acknowledging Our Own Sin
[36:43] - The Gift and Cost of God’s Forgiveness
[41:00] - The Danger of Abusing Grace
[46:00] - Forgiveness as an Ongoing Choice
[49:00] - Prayer for Strength to Forgive
[53:00] - Testimony and Prayer for Kelly
[73:07] - Communion and Giving
[78:43] - Closing Prayer and Dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 18:21–35 (ESV) — > 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. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 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 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, 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, 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.”

Observation Questions

In the parable, what is the difference between the debt owed by the first servant to the king and the debt owed by the second servant to the first servant? What does this difference represent? ([07:10])
According to Jesus, how many times are we supposed to forgive someone who sins against us? What is the point Jesus is making with his answer? ([03:30])
What does the king do when the servant begs for mercy, and how does the servant respond when he is in a similar situation with his fellow servant? ([15:30])
What does Jesus say will happen to us if we do not forgive others from our hearts? ([19:00])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus uses such an extreme example of an “unpayable debt” in the parable? What is he trying to communicate about our own spiritual condition before God? ([12:00])
The sermon says forgiveness is not pretending that wrongs are insignificant or excusing evil. Why is it important to make this distinction? How does this affect the way we approach forgiveness? ([27:00])
The king’s forgiveness is described as a “sacrificial act.” What does it mean for forgiveness to be sacrificial in our own lives? ([46:21])
The sermon mentions that forgiveness is an ongoing, repeated act of the will, not a one-time event. Why might old wounds resurface, and how should we respond when they do? ([01:05:00])

Application Questions

The parable shows a servant who is forgiven much but refuses to forgive a small debt. Can you think of a time when you struggled to forgive someone, even though you know God has forgiven you so much more? What made it difficult? ([15:30])
The sermon says forgiveness is not about forgetting in the sense of erasing our memory, but choosing not to use the past as a weapon. Is there someone in your life whose past mistakes you keep bringing up? What would it look like to “choose not to remember” in that relationship? ([47:45])
The sermon teaches that we can only forgive deeply when we acknowledge our own need for grace. How does remembering your own need for God’s mercy help you extend forgiveness to others? ([53:49])
Forgiveness is described as a costly, sacrificial choice, not a feeling. Is there a situation right now where you need to make the choice to forgive, even though you don’t feel like it? What would it take for you to take that step? ([46:21])
The sermon warns against abusing God’s grace by refusing to forgive others. Are there ways you might be taking God’s forgiveness for granted in your life? How can you honor God’s grace by extending it to others? ([58:29])
When old hurts or resentments come back up, the sermon says this is not a failure, but an opportunity to choose forgiveness again. What practical steps can you take when painful memories resurface, so you don’t fall back into bitterness? ([01:05:00])
Forgiveness is a witness to the world of God’s love and mercy. Is there someone in your life who needs to see God’s forgiveness through you? How can you be intentional about showing that kind of grace this week? ([01:18:43])

Sermon Clips

Some of you have been nursing unforgiveness from something in your past for a long long time now and you're still holding on to unforgiveness from something even a while back. There are others of us here today where there's been a very recent hurt an offense an injustice that you've just recently suffered and right now you're trying to work through how to respond to that how to process that what do you do with that now that you're feeling what you're feeling as a Christ follower how do you still honor Christ how do you still become the witness he wants you to be and deal with this the way he wants you to deal with it. [00:29:15] (53 seconds) #ReleaseUnforgivenessEmbraceHealing

If you forgive are you keeping a record of how many times you forgave no you see forgiving means you're not keeping a record anymore so he's saying don't even worry about the count Peter just forgive. [00:33:01] (17 seconds) #ForgiveWithoutCounting

Can you imagine how he felt when he left the presence of the master that day he's been walking around with that burden on his shoulders for a long time now he you know how you may have experienced this how you know you owe something and you don't have what you need right now to pay it and if you owe it to a person and you run into that person you know how that's so awkward when you feel that or you know you've got this way past due bill and you know you just know the letter's coming where they're going to foreclose or they're going to repossess so they're going to you know take you to court that letter's coming and you know you don't even want to go to the mailbox right you don't want to check the mail that day because you know it's coming you know living with that pressure it is so hard to live like that and here he's had to face the king he couldn't avoid him anymore the king's called him in his master has called him in to settle accounts he can't avoid it and now he's told it's gone no debt remains it's been canceled you don't have to pay anything from this point on you would think I would think man I would be so grateful wouldn't you I would just be so grateful that I left that room that day with all of that debt taken off of my shoulders. [00:36:51] (86 seconds) #FreedomInDebtCancellation

This is what the kingdom of heaven is like Jesus said if we're going to be part of the kingdom of heaven this is how things work in the kingdom of heaven he's teaching us that God is going to hold us accountable for our willingness to forgive others even ourselves but especially others with a debt that is owed to us with the unfair thing that has happened to us with the injustice that's been carried out against us we have to be willing to forgive like the king the master in this story forgave this servant. [00:40:31] (43 seconds) #KingdomForgivenessAccountability

Notice he adds to forgive your brother or sister from your what heart not just on paper cancel the debt kind of thing but really in your heart you let go of this feeling of anger and resentment that you've been holding on to from your heart you truly forgive the person who has hurt you who has offended you who has taken advantage of you treated you unfairly. [00:41:14] (30 seconds) #ForgiveFromTheHeart

Forgiveness is not just pretending that what the other person did is okay or if you're trying to forgive yourself what you did was okay just saying oh well it's okay no big deal that's not forgiveness it's not okay for people to do evil God hates evil it's not okay that injustice has been done God hates injustice we should never make light of what God says is sin and evil so we don't it's no big deal it's okay your actions are fine that's not what forgiveness is you never give credibility to evil as if it's okay so he's not asking us to say to anybody that's done something really bad to us that what they did was okay that's not in fact it wouldn't even have to be forgiveness if what they did was okay right if what they did was okay there's nothing to forgive them for it was not okay that's why you need to forgive it was evil it was bad it did hurt it did cause problems that's why it requires sacrifice on our part to forgive them. [00:42:44] (74 seconds) #RejectingEvilDoesNotNegateForgiveness

When God forgives us he's never telling us our sins are okay that those bad things we've done or those good things we didn't do that we should have done that that's okay that's not okay that's why Jesus had to go to the cross for those things they're not okay they're bad they're evil that's why it requires sacrifice for God to forgive us just like it requires us to make sacrifices to forgive others we have to be the ones to make the sacrifice to forgive the way God forgives because he had to make sacrifice to forgive us you see the connection he wants us to be like him he never tells us sin is okay but he tells us he will make the sacrifice needed for us to be forgiven for the sin. [00:44:13] (48 seconds) #SacrificeEnablesDivineForgiveness

And one of the ways we abuse the grace of the gift of forgiveness from God is when we choose not to forgive others that have hurt us.When we hold on to unforgiveness toward other people in our lives.Or we hold on to it for ourselves when God's already done everything to forgive us.He's already paid that great price for us.And we just don't let go of that hard thing, that bad thing that others have done or that we have done. [01:00:23] (31 seconds) #UnforgivenessAbusesGodsGrace

It's just a choice you make When that happens How do you handle that? You choose to forgive again You choose to forget again You choose not to use it Against that person again It's an ongoing choice To forgive Not a one and done Kind of deal Okay So we know We have to keep working on it All of our lives It doesn't just go away But God's there To help us with that He's there to provide That strength we need To get this done [01:09:46] (27 seconds) #ForgivenessIsAnOngoingChoice

We thank you again for the amazing miracle of your forgiveness that cost you so much in sending your son Jesus. We thank you for the weight of the guilt of our sins being taken off of our shoulders. But we are remembering today it was put on his.He bore that for us.So we should never take it lightly. We should never abuse that grace by going on willfully in sin. Help us to live a life worthy of that calling and that sacrifice that's been made. Help us to be that witness to your grace to others. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. [01:19:48] (38 seconds) #GratefulForChristsSacrifice

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