Song # 1425.1 from Our Gospel In Song Collection by Col Johnston. Peter came to Jesus and asked “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21). Jesus answered “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy seven times” (Matthew 18:22). “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants” (Matthew 18:23). “As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him” (Matthew 18:24). “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” (Matthew 18:25). “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me’ he begged ‘and I will pay back everything’” (Matthew 18:26). “The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go” (Matthew 18:27). “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow-servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded” (Matthew 18:28). “His fellow-servant fell to his knees and begged him ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back’” (Matthew 18:29). “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt” (Matthew 18:30). “When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened” (Matthew 18:31). “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant’ he said ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to’” (Matthew 18:32). “’Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow-servant just as I had on you?’” (Matthew 18:33). “In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed” (Matthew 18:34).
Thought for today: final justice is in the hands of a just God.
Thought for the future: if you can’t do a good deed for someone, don’t do a bad deed instead. Where will you spend your eternity?