Lost Sheep and an Ungrateful Servant
One day some Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers came to listen to Jesus. They were shocked to see thieves, liars, crooks, and immoral people with Him. “Jesus should not let these sinners mix with the ‘respectable’ Jews,” they complained. “Neither should He eat with them.”
Jesus heard their grumbling. He told them, “Imagine that you owned one hundred sheep. One night you notice that one lamb is missing. Would you go to bed thinking that one lost lamb doesn’t matter? Of course not! No matter how tired you would be, you would search diligently until you found it. Then you would gladly bring it back to the sheepfold. You would invite your neighbors to rejoice with you, because your lost lamb has been found.”
Jesus continued, “That is the way God feels about people. There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who humbly comes to God than over ninety-nine people who already obey Him.”
Peter also needed to learn about how God deals with people. One day he asked, “Master, how many times should I forgive someone who keeps mistreating me? Is seven times enough?”
“No, Peter,” answered Jesus. “Keep on forgiving until seventy times seven. Listen to this parable.”
A certain king found out that one of his servants owed him millions of dollars. He commanded that this man, his wife, and his children, should all be sold as slaves. But the servant fell on his knees and begged the king for mercy. The king pitied the man and erased the debt from his records.
The servant went outside and found another servant who owed him a few dollars. Grabbing him by the neck, he demanded, “Pay me at once!”
“Please be patient and I’ll pay you,” the servant begged. But the first servant would not listen. He had the poor man cast into prison.
When the king heard this, he was furious. He told the wicked servant, “I forgave you millions of dollars, yet you refuse to forgive only a few dollars. Because of this, you must go to prison until you pay me everything.”
“Remember,” said Jesus, “God will not forgive you unless you forgive one another with your whole heart.”
Matthew 18:7-14, 21-35
Luke 15:3-7
The shepherd joyfully brings back his lost lamb.
Parents:
The Son of man is come to save that which was lost.(Matthew 18:11)
Children:
1. Why would the shepherd leave his 99 sheep?
2. How often does God want us to forgive someone?
3. Will God forgive us if we don’t forgive others?