Forgiveness and Mercy – For Discussion on October 23rd, 2013

Here is a link to the podcast from the Bible Lesson

Verses for Lesson 5
Pages 30, questions on page 39

Forgiveness – Releasing Others from Wrongs Suffered

Colossians 1:13-14
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the
Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Psalms 103:2-5
2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

1 John 1 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Psalms 103:12
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister
who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
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 bags of gold[b] 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 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay
back everything.’ 27 The 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
silver coins.[c] 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 it 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 outraged 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 handed 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 or sister
from your heart.”

Matthew 6:9-15
9 “This, then, is how you should pray “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive
you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Ephesians 4:32
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave
you.

Colossians 3:13
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister
who sins against me? Up to seven times?”22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but
seventy-seven times.

Luke 23:32-43
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came
to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the
other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[a]
And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others;
let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you
are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save
yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the
same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this
man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[b]”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”