Grace (part 3)

It is convenient for us to forget that in the story there is another son.  In fact, Jesus is telling this story to the religious leaders called Pharisees, who had no real concept of grace.  They could not understand why Jesus spent so much time with the outcasts of society.  So, Jesus tells them three stories about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son, driving home the point that his mission was to seek and save the lost.  The Pharisees, with their legalistic, uncompassionate ways, are the other son. 

The other son is hard working, diligent, and loyal; in most measurable ways a good person.  However, when it comes time to rejoice over the safe return of his brother he stiffens and bristles.  In fact, culturally it is he that should have been organizing and giving the party.  Instead, he refuses to even be happy that his brother is alive! 

Doesn't this story hit home just a little?  Sure, Jesus is giving the Pharisees what they had coming.  But don’t you struggle just a bit with allowing the grace that God poured into you to spill over onto other people?  I know I struggle with being a grace centered person.  I am not always the best example to follow, I am afraid.  But we need to be clear about this.  God expects the grace he has extravagantly poured into us, to be poured out in the same way. 

This is anti-cultural to say the least.  It doesn't fit in our system of living to be merciful, gracious, and forgiving.  That’s why the words of Jesus can sometimes seem scandalous.  He said, “Forgive, even as I have forgiven you.”  God’s forgiveness of mankind is complete and authentic.  There is no other way to read his words than as straightforward as they are delivered.  We are called to forgive in the same way.  It sounds very good in church on Sunday morning, but can seem positively scandalous in the real world. 

You can understand why Peter would ask Jesus the question. 

"Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.               Matthew 18:21-22

This surely must have been a Kodak moment.  According to the Scribes and Pharisees you are only required to forgive someone up to three times.  By now Peter knows that Jesus’ ways go beyond those of the Pharisees, so he asks “up to seven times?”  I would loved to have seen his face when Jesus said, “No, seventy-seven times.”  And Jesus must have noticed Peter’s jaw on the floor because he tells a story to explain what he means. 

The main character of this story is a servant that owes an enormous debt to the king.  When he comes before the king he begs for mercy hoping that he and his family will not be cast into prison, which is the custom.  And just like the father in the story of the prodigal son, the king in this story shows grace and mercy and forgives the man’s debt in its entirety.  He does not postpone the debt, nor does he set the man up on a system of payments.  He completely cancels the debt. 

Well, after the man left the presence of the benevolent king, obviously with a new lease on life, he happens upon someone that is indebted to him.  The scenario is flipped so that he is suddenly the one with the upper hand and the ability to show mercy.  However, instead of allowing the extravagant grace to spill out onto his debtor, he decides to demand payment.  The king hears about it and is outraged.  Wouldn't you be?  If we are not people of grace, do we really understand the grace that God showed to us?  

More to come... (and by the way... I realize the font is changing size in the middle of my posts.  I have not been able to fix this as of yet.  Sorry if it is distracting.)