This is part of a series of communion meditations covering the Lord’s prayer.
Last time we considered the simple and central request of the Lord’s prayer: forgive us our trespasses. But, of course, there is a second half to the verse as well. We pray, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Or, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. That hits a little close to home. Do I really want to pray that God will forgive me the same way I’ve forgiven others?
Jesus really leans into this point in the verses which follow the Lord’s Prayer—almost as if he is anticipating the objections or concerns: “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).
Is God’s forgiveness conditional? In some clear sense, the answer is yes. And the condition is really quite simple: do you see yourself as someone who needs but does not deserve the forgiveness of God? If so, you will recognize what I said earlier—that the debt you owe to God really is beyond your ability to pay.
Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 18 about a man who owed 10,000 talents—something roughly in the neighborhood of 10 billion dollars by today’s reckoning. Jesus is picking an absurdly large number to make a point. And when that debt is called due, he begs and begs for just a little more time, I’ll pay it off if you give me a few more days. The king, to whom the debt is owed, knows he can’t pay. So he wipes the slate clean.
Then this same man, who had been forgiven a 10 billion dollar debt, comes across a guy who owes him $15,000—a substantial sum, but something less than 10 billion—and he takes the $15,000 dollar debtor, grabs him by the throat, demands payment, and then had him thrown in debtors prison. Someone else saw what happened and let the king know. How do you think the king responded? He wasn’t thrilled. His forgiveness and generosity had, effectively, been squandered by this petty servant. Instead of passing on the free forgiveness of the king, he acted like he was greater and more worthy than the king. And so the king was angry, and delivered him over to permanent prison. He did not forgive, and was not forgiven.
Friends, we have the same choice before us today: do you see yourself as needing Jesus’ forgiveness? Then it is incumbent upon you to give what you have so graciously received. A heart that won’t let go of bitterness doesn’t know the freedom that Christ gives. Jesus demands that you forgive others from the heart. Not because their sins against you are small or meaningless—quite the contrary! Again, in the parable it’s a large debt. But it is less than you owe to God. Forgiven sinners forgive other sinners, not because they deserve it, but because our Father in heaven is making our hearts like his. Trust his judgement, trust his justice, trust his direction. Forgive.
