Pentecost 17

Pentecost 17 THANKS, BUT NO THANKS! 9/8 & 11/05

This parable of gratitude and forgiveness is a difficult one on this 4^th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Dear Simon Peter finally reached what he must have thought was an absolutely marvelous conclusion on that day when he said, “I understand what you’re talking about, Jesus. Disciples should demonstrate a higher level of forgiveness, more than double what is taught by the Pharisees. So, instead of forgiving someone 3 times as we had been earlier instructed, we should forgive them 7 times.” Peter, expecting an A+ for his good work, could never have anticipated Jesus’ response regarding forgiveness: “Not seven times, but I tell you seventy times seven.”(Mt. 18:22) Jesus follows this declaration with a story.

There is a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants, balance the books, and set things right. One servant owes 10,000 talents. Now, don’t get out your calculators or Bible Dictionaries! One talent is the equivalent of 15 year’s labor. This servant owed the equivalent of 150,000 years of paychecks! What kind of life would you have to live to blow so much money? You would have to work full time to create that level of debt! When the little wretch couldn’t pay, the king ordered him, his wife, and children to be sold…not all that much when compared with his indebtedness. But, the servant falls “on his knees before” the master and begs: “Be patient with me and I will pay back everything.” My first reaction to this pleading is “Fat chance! How in the world can this man ever think he can repay this magnitude of debt? It is humanly impossible!” It is a good thing that I’m not “king,” because my reaction is the direct opposite of what is described in our Gospel. Short and sweet, we read: “The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.” (Mt. 18:27) What? Are you kidding me? In a burst of outlandish mercy, the master sets him free and cancels the whole debt! Curtain closed…Scene One.

The king’s generosity, though, is short-lived. Once this forgiven servant finds his way out of jail, he runs into a fellow servant who owed him “a hundred denarii,” about three years of wages. We would certainly expect that this first servant, overwhelmed by what the king has just forgiven him, would offer an inconspicuous “wink” to his fellow servant and remark: “Let’s just call it even. What do you say?” Anyone forgiven so much would surely forgive others! Wrong then and, sadly, wrong now! The forgiven servant grabs his buddy by the neck and nearly chokes him, shouting: “Pay back what you owe me!” (Mt. 18:28) Interestingly enough, this second servant offers the exact some request as the first one, namely “Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.”(Mt. 18:29) This should have sounded familiar and “jog” this first servant’s memory regarding the total forgiveness of his incredible debt. Wrong then and, sadly, wrong now! The first servant has the second servant “thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.” (Mt. 18:30)

Then, as now, bad news travels fast and the king hears about what has occurred. “You evil servant! I forgave you that gigantic debt, and you jailed your fellow servant for a mere one thousand bucks?” The king further asks: “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (Mt. 18:33) In the very next verse we read: “In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.” (18:34) Curtain closed…End of scene 2!

Where, or who, are you in this Gospel story? Forgiven much? Unforgiven even a little? Attempting to repay an unpayable debt? Jesus turns things upside down and the world, even to this generation, has not quite achieved our “balance” regarding forgiveness. Jesus focuses upon grace, rather than obligation. Peter’s question is changed from “How many times do I have to forgive?” to “Now that I am forgiven, how many times am I free to forgive?” The point is clear, although not popular: Forgiven followers of Jesus are invited, commanded, expected, and empowered to be forgiving people! Curtain closed, case closed!

If we fail to “forgive as we have been forgiven”--- but gladly welcome God’s forgiving grace upon us---the conclusion of this week’s Gospel is all about us, and it’s not a pretty picture! Curtain opened…Begin final scene! Remember the imprisoned, unmerciful servant who will be tortured “until he should pay back all he owes”? Jesus makes this application: “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”( Mt. 18:35) If, by the freedom of heaven, we are not sufficiently motivated to forgive, perhaps we will be motivated by the fires of hell. God will do what it takes to make the forgiven the forgiving! If you are carrying around, if your life is burdened with, hatred and resentment, you’ve over-packed and your “baggage” will prevent you from following Jesus. THE END. AMEN.