Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

July 1, 2018 Background Scripture: Matthew 18:21 – 35 Lesson Passage: Matthew 18:21 – 35 In our next series of lessons, Jesus teaches about justice from God’s perspective. This is important at a time when many consider most moral and ethical decisions to be relative, or situational. God communicates in absolutes in the areas of morality and ethics. Some principles should be applied unaltered in spite of the situation or the person(s) involved. Today’s lesson examines Jesus’ parable about an unjust servant. Like all of Jesus’ parables, the set-up is simple yet powerful. It is not very difficult for an honest listener to find himself in the parable—even if it were at a different point in the person’s life or spiritual journey. The parable was prompted by a question that was raised by Peter concerning the frequency of forgiving a person who offends him. Jesus had just talked about the steps to be taken that could involve a local church in settling a disagreement or trespass among brethren. When it comes to being offended and having to forgive, the burden is on the one who has been offended. It really seems unfair and so it is difficult to wholeheartedly forgive someone who has offended you. But Jesus provided a method to use and it prompted Peter’s question about how many times should one put himself through this. In my estimation, Peter was being very liberal when he suggested that he forgive the person seven times for offending him. That is a lot when you consider that we are talking about the same person repeatedly behaving in a manner that harms us in some fashion. Our adage is: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” We even legalized it as the “Three Strikes and You’re Out” law. From a human perspective, two or three times should be sufficient. I thought those examples might be necessary for those who saw my comments about forgiving seven times as being liberal. We sometimes have a tendency to write people off fairly quickly. Forgiveness is not a virtue that develops naturally within us. Jesus’ parable reminds us of this. The parable also teaches that forgiveness should not be just a response to having been hurt—which feels impossible. But forgiveness should be a reaction because one has been forgiven by God. In that context, there is no limit to forgiveness if it is based on the forgiveness that I have received from God. At the time that I accepted Jesus’ death on Calvary’s cross as the just penalty for my sins, God forgave me for all my sins—even the ones I did not know I would commit. At that time, I received justification from God. This removed the penalty of eternal damnation. We still suffer consequences for sins we commit, but the eternal penalty has been erased which results in the assurance of eternal life. There is absolutely nothing I could ever do throughout eternity to repay God for such a gesture. However, the parable reminds me that I am expected to do something in this finite physical life as a token of appreciation and to acknowledge that I have received some of the vastness of God’s forgiveness. I am admonished to show compassion to others without exception and without limit. My finite actions are offered as an appreciation for God’s infinite forgiveness. I don’t want to be an unforgiving servant. Robert C. Hudson May 30, 2018

Reaping God’s Justice

June 24, 2018 Background Scripture: Luke 16:19 – 31; John 5:24 – 30 Lesson Passage: Luke 16:19 – 31 In last week’s lesson, Jesus pointed out the unjust religious traditions of the Jews that were nullifying the word of God. Those religious traditions were also referred to as the traditions of the elders. Those religious rituals did not grow out of the holy rituals delivered to Israel through Moses. Rather, they were substituted in place of some of the holy rituals delivered to them. In today’s lesson, Jesus teaches about the end result of embracing religious traditions rather than the word of God. Jesus’ message was, without doubt, clear and succinct. God was graciously offering eternal life to anyone who put their trust in Him, and Him alone, through Jesus Christ and forsake attempting to please Him through personal acts of piety. Trusting God would lead the person to live a life of fulfillment of the Law of God not out of piety but out of a generous and loving heart. Such persons would care for their fellowman and execute justice and righteousness in their dealings with others. On the other hand, pious acts of unrighteousness would end in the eternal destruction of the person. Heaven and Hell are realities of the eternal destination of human souls. Jesus offered no other alternatives besides these two. All people are born in sin and destined for everlasting damnation because of the fallen nature of sin inherited from Adam. God’s offer of grace includes eternal life in His presence after the person’s physical death, or the disrobing of their flesh prior to the rapture of the church. Either God will save us because we accept His offer of grace, or we will be destined for eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire. In the gospel narrative in Luke, Jesus relates a story of two individuals whose paths crossed although they were destined for two different eternal states. It appears to be a parable, but if it is, it is unique among the parables of Jesus. Jesus reveals the name of one of the persons in the story. It is instructive that he only gives the name of the person who went to eternal rest and bliss in the bosom of Abraham. The person who was condemned to eternal torment and punishment in the Lake of Fire remains anonymous. Although the message of the story is not about wealth and poverty, it serves as a reminder that too often we allow our financial status to determine our actions and thoughts towards others. The rich man was described as living a life of luxury with the finest of accommodations. Lazarus was a poor beggar who lay at the gate of the rich man’s estate desiring crumbs falling from the rich man’s table. Both men died and ended up in their eternal abode. They were separated forever; the one from the other. In torment, the rich man begged Abraham to allow Lazarus to come and comfort him. It is worth noting that the rich man knew Lazarus by sight and by name. With all of his worldly goods, it appears that the rich man never bothered to assist Lazarus with even the bare necessities of life. Jesus’ message is clear, Judgment Day is coming. And when it comes, we shall reap God’s justice. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatever a person sows, that shall they also reap. Robert C. Hudson May 18, 2018