Most of us would say we believe in forgiveness. We know the general idea — Christians forgive. But there is a gap between thinking forgiveness is a nice thing to do and understanding that God treats it as a requirement. This Sunday at Valley Church of Christ, Tom Boelens is walking us through one of Jesus’ most sobering parables in Matthew 18:21-35 to show that forgiving others is not optional — it is an imperative.
What to Expect
The lesson opens with Peter’s question to Jesus: how many times do I have to forgive — seven? Jesus’ answer — seventy times seven — sets the stage for the parable of the unforgiving servant, a story about a man forgiven an enormous debt who then refuses to forgive a small one. From there, we will look at what Jesus means when He says we must forgive “from the heart” and how to know whether we have actually reached that point with someone. The lesson also takes on two practical questions that come up every time forgiveness is taught: do we only forgive fellow Christians, or does everyone get forgiveness? And do we wait for an apology, or forgive even when one never comes?
Service Details
Valley Church of Christ — Sunday, May 17 at 10:30 AM. We’re at 121 East College St in Gunter, TX. If you’ve never been, visit valleycoc.com/new-visitors for everything you need to know about your first time.