The parable of the unforgiving servant comes in response to Peter’s question about how many times he needs to forgive a person who sins against him. That question doesn’t come out of the blue but Peter, most likely thinking about Jesus’ teaching on church discipline and removing the unrepentant believer from the membership of the local church body is curious about the extent of forgiveness. Like how far does it stretch? How many times do we give it out to someone? Is there a cap here? So, Jesus not wanting confrontation to be the last word here in his block of teaching moves to forgiveness. Through the parable Jeus sis teaching us the forgiveness experienced by God the Father leads to forgiveness expressed by followers of Jesus. So imperfect sinner as we are, do we have that God-given heart of expressing forgiveness toward others - a heart that takes in and gives out forgiveness seventy-seven times? And what might that forgiveness look like? 

Preacher: Jim de Witte 

Passage: Matthew 18:15-35 

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