This week, we are excited to hear from Ben Woolbright!

What is the hardest thing you've ever had to do? For some people, it may be a physical accomplishment like completing a marathon. For others, it could be enduring a difficult season where the brokenness of this fallen world is visible at every turn. However, if we're honest, one of the more difficult things that all of us will ever have to do in this life is to extend forgiveness.

We live in a society that has a distorted understanding of what true forgiveness entails. Should our forgiveness be conditional? Should our forgiveness be limited? To what degree are we to pursue justice?

In Matthew 18:21-35, we find a parable in which Jesus addresses questions about forgiveness. The moral of the story is very clear: Those who have been forgiven much are expected to forgive in return. By examining our broken relationships and hurtful encounters through the lens of the gospel, we can discover our true motive and the power to extend forgiveness.

Here is our outline:

V23-27: The King Forgives a Large Debt

The Creditor: A King

V28-30: The Forgiven Servant Demands Justice

The Creditor: The Forgiven Servant

(Let them name examples — this helps introduce the idea that forgiving someone is often one of those hard things.)

What did the king do when the servant begged for more time to pay back a HUGE amount of money?

Why do you think he did that?

How did that same servant treat someone who owed him just a little bit of money?

Was that fair? Why or why not?

How do you feel when someone forgives you?

(Let them connect emotionally to being shown mercy.)

Why do you think Jesus wants us to forgive others—even when it’s really hard?

Hint: What has Jesus done for us first?

Can you think of someone you might need to forgive? What would it look like to forgive them like the king forgave the servant?

🪧 Memory Verse (Optional)

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”