July 1: Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)

To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:

Download the “Making CENTS of the Story” worksheet here. Have a volunteer read the Bible text aloud. Divide the class into groups of 3–5 class members each, giving each a copy of the worksheet and making sure each group has access to a Bible and a calculator (such as one on a smartphone). Give the groups ten minutes or so to work. Move among them, offering help as needed. (Remember, math can be intimidating to many!)

Have groups reveal their results. They should discover that the first servant owed 200,000 years of salary, or about $10 billion today! The second servant owed 100 days of wages or about $19,000 (about 38% of a year’s salary) today!

Help the group understand that the first debt (our debt to God) is not just large—it would take thousands of lifetimes to pay back! The second debt (the hurt others cause us) was not insignificant. Writing off over a third of a year’s salary would not be easy, but that type of forgiveness makes sense considering how much God has forgiven us.

To encourage personal application:

To apply the Bible study, tell this true story:

In 2003, Gary Leon Ridgway confessed to the murders of nearly 50 women. At his sentencing, the families of the victims had the opportunity to address Ridgway directly. As expected, their words were filled with vengeance and anger. What was not expected was the response of Robert Rule, a father of one of Ridgway’s victims. Rule’s words to Ridgway were: “There are people here that hate you. I’m not one of them. But you have made it difficult for me to live up to what I believe. But I must do what God says to do. You are forgiven, sir.” This unexpected response brought the hardened killer to tears.

Discuss the story with these questions:

1. How does this true story illustrate Jesus’s parable?
2. How hard would it be for you to do what Rule did?
3. How does the killer’s reaction show us why God makes such a demand of us?
4. This week, think of someone who has hurt you in a way that you have considered to be unforgiveable. Take steps to forgiving that person.