Sermons

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16th Sunday after Pentecost

1. God forgives us by grace
2. We forgive by grace
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Matthew 18:21-35 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother
when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22
Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventyseven times.
23
"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his
servants.
24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.
25
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.
26
"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and
I will pay back everything.'
27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28
"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.
29
"His fellow servant fell
to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30
"But he refused. Instead, he
went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
31 When the other servants saw
what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had
happened.
32
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt
of yours because you begged me to.
33
Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had
on you?'
34
In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he
owed.
35
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your
heart."