In this episode of the International Gospel Hour, we delve into the profound concept of mercy as illustrated in the parable of the unforgiving servant from Matthew 18. Our host, Jeff Archie, guides us through a biblical analysis of mercy that not only emphasizes the importance of compassion and forgiveness but also reflects on our relationship with God and others. The episode provides insights into how mercy is characterized as ‘sympathy in action’ and the profound impact it plays in our spiritual lives.
It was Micah, the prophet of old, who said, Love mercy. Mercy is to be loved, and mercy is needed. Let’s talk mercy today from the International Gospel Hour, back in a moment.
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It’s time for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jay Webb, and welcome to our study today as we embrace God’s Word to help us meet the challenges of today. Let’s open our Bibles and open our heart for this time of Bible study with our speaker Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ.
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Here’s Jeff. Well, thank you always to our J-Web. Greetings to all of you. Great having you with us today as we continue our studies of the Word of God through International Gospel Hour Radio, online or on air, rather, since 1934. And we’re thankful that you help us to remain on the air with your dedication to listening to us and your encouragement. Hebrews 11.6 reminds us, Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. May we seek God through our study today. In Micah 6 and verse 8, He has shown you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Loving mercy, needing mercy, what a beautiful thought. You know, as I was researching the word mercy, I note this definition from the Vines New Testament Dictionary that defines the word from the original Greek language. And mercy is defined as sympathy in action. It assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it. Let me give you that again. Sympathy in action. It assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it. Oh, I love that definition. And today, from Matthew 18, 23-35, we’re going to look at that beautiful parable of mercy and forgiveness, mercy to love, and mercy to need. We’ll consider that parable in a moment as we read a little and teach a little. But first, a few words about our website from our J-Web.
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Our website is internationalgospelhour.com. That’s internationalgospelhour.com. Check out our website and see all that’s available. We have a number of biblical resources. You can also listen to our other broadcasts, view our TV program, request our newsletter, and ask for our Bible study by mail, and so much more. And get this, it’s all free at internationalgospelhour.com.
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And now from Matthew chapter 18, beginning with verse 23. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all. Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. Let’s look at verses 23 through 27 as we see the setting that this is a parable of the kingdom or a parable of salvation. You know, a kingdom has a king, that is, Christ and the servants or the faithful, the Christian. We note Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords in 1 Timothy 6 and verse 17. And servants have a charge made unto them as we note from Romans 6, 17 and 18. Romans 14 and verse 12 reminds us that we shall all give an account of ourselves before God. So the introduction of this parable reminds us of a simple fact and truth. Now, let’s look at the payment of debt in verses 24 and 25. This is a debt that would be in the billions. It’s absolutely stunning what this man owed. And the average taxation yearly of 10,000 talents was 1,000 talents. So again, it was an unreal debt and the mercy and the perseverance of this king during all that time. But you know, friends, it is like sin. Forgiveness is so impossible on our part. You know, I like to ask people, aren’t you glad you are not in charge of forgiving your sin? We need God to forgive us. And so Jesus, with this parable, is using the cruelty imposed upon debtors. Family could be sold. Isn’t that something? Relatives would have to pay the debt. Imprisonment could be upon them. So we move from the payment of the debt to now the pleading of the debtor in verse 26. And when you look at it, he could not pay what he owed. There’s just no way that he could do it. just like there is no way we could begin to even pay God for His mercy and forgiveness. And this also teaches how great God’s grace and mercy is. Have patience with me. He deferred the king’s anger, slow to punish all the patience and time in the world, could never pay that debt. He was pleading. That’s a good thought for us. Isaiah 55, 6 and 7, Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call you upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Wicked Israel during that time needed that. Therefore we see the pity of the king in verse 27 says, And the only way that man could have gotten out of debt was for the king to forgive him, to wipe the debt clean. You owe me nothing. Forgiveness, a dismissal, a release, to send forth sins, to send away sins, to remit to do something pleasant or agreeable, to do a favor to one. The pity of the king. I mean, he wiped that debt clean, folks. Psalm 103 and verse 12 reminds us as far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. So the application here is the payment of debt reminds us how great sin is. Weighs us down with guilt and leads us in direction we need not go and we best be pleading with the one. who the only one who can release us from that debt of sin, the only one to dismiss it. Now, friends, let me ask you at this point, would you like to learn more and study more about God’s mercy and forgiveness? Our J-Web has the details of how we can help you toward that end in your studies.
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We now pick up with verse 28 of Matthew 18. But that servant, the one that was forgiven, went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what you owe. So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay you all. And he would not. But he went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved and came and told their master all that had been done. Now let’s look at this servant who was one who was underserving or not deserving of what was before him. Now how unfortunate things go. I mean, you come to the point of this parable and you’re just puzzled. I mean, this man is dead free. A servant in good standing with the king. He could go home and say we are dead free and live life and be wiser. He is forgiven. He’s got it made. He can really do some good. But what an unfortunate decision. He goes out. and found this fellow servant who owed him 100 denarii silver coins, laid hands on him, and this is believed to have been a little under $12,000. Now, that’s still a steep debt, but nothing like the billions that he owed the king, and it could have been paid back. And now this forgiving servant now becomes… unforgiving and I look at verses 30 and 31 how could he I mean it was absolutely ridiculous to cast the man into prison and this servant who was forgiven his heart was not right how could he forget how merciful the king was to him and now how he treats his fellow servant and that servant also belonged to the king well other fellow servants saw what happened I mean, it was all firsthand, and the king would have known. They saw it. There’s no misunderstanding. They were all in unison. They were grieved as in pain or distress. It troubled them for what he had done to a fellow servant, one of them, which very well could have happened to one of them as well. And so they tell the master. And you know, folks, I have to pause here and ask myself a very tough question. Do I, if you will, do I take my fellow servants, do I take my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, if you will, by the throat? I mean, is it more complaint than compassion? Do I undercut what they’re trying to help me to understand? It’s a great lesson here on how do I treat people. And friends, there’s so much meat within this parable that I want us to return to our next broadcast. I’m going to place it in the next one. And we’re going to look a little more further at this as time will allow us. Because we see a servant that did not deserve what he received. He did not deserve mercy. He owed a debt he should be responsible for. But yet when the Lord the King forgave him, how unfortunate it was that he did not in turn give the same. What if he would have gone and wiped out that debt to that one that owed him less? You know, there’s a lot we need to consider further with this study. And we’ll do so as time will allow us for our next broadcast indeed to do so. And we’ll pick up with Matthew 18 and verse 32 as we study this together. But we’ll recap a little bit too for listeners that may join us. I do appreciate you joining me for this study today of mercy, loving it, and needing it. And we see how important mercy is. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
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Thank you for listening today. To God be the glory. And we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. Feel free to listen to our other programs at our website at internationalgospelhour.com and join us next time.
