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These pages are designed to aid study or investigation for Christian discipleship through individual Bible study, Cell groups, Home groups, or meeting one to one. The questions could be used alone allowing each person to use their own Bible.
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As we forgive
Introduction
Jesus’ teaching on the the kingdom is scattered throughout the first three gospels. It is not a structured set of teaching but a scattering of profound challenges to the way we see and live life. I have organised them along the structure of the Lord’s prayer which brings together most of the elements.
On this page is a short summary of Jesus teaching for each of the main elements. At that point there is a pointer to a page which will give a more exhaustive view.
Bible Zone
- Our Father - King Jesus directs attention and prayer to our Father.
- Hallowed be your name - The values of the king, summarised by holiness.
- Your kingdom come - We work to extend the reach of the kingdom.
- Your will be done - The kingdom is worked out in obedience that comes from within.
- Give us this day - We look to the king to provide for us each day.
- Our daily bread - Jesus himself, broken for us is our bread.
- Forgive us - We need to be reconciled to the king.
- As we forgive - The king looks for us to forgive as we are forgiven.
- Lead us not into temptation - Testing abounds in life. We look for protection
- Deliver us from evil - The king has an enemy. We need protection from him.
Our Father
Hallowed by your name
Your Kingdom come
Forgiveness is key to entry into the Kingdom. No one is righteous enough to enter the kingdom.
- How did the criminal acknowledge his own wrongdoing?
- What did the criminal recognise concerning Jesus?
- What outcome was promised to him?
- In what sense is this an indication that there was forgiveness?
Luke 23: 40 But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong."42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."
43 And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
Your Will be done
Give us this day
Our Daily Bread
Forgive us
Forgiveness is one of the more challenging elements of the kingdom. This parable of Jesus shows the way God forgives us.
- What is the Kingdom of heaven equated to?
- What was the king doing that brought to the surface the debt he was owed?
- Note - We have a duty of honourable behaviour to others. When this is not given, we are effectively in their debt. This debt is as much emotional as physical.
- What will the king see in our lives as he does his accounts?
- What did the king do to those who could not pay their debts?
- What would it mean for the king to put us in prison?
- Note - This is both relevant for this life and the life to come.
- The king forgave the debt. What conditions were put on that forgiveness?
- What attitude led the king to forgive?
- What was the attitude of the servant that led to his being forgiven?
- What attitudes and potential consequences keep us from asking for forgiveness?
Matthew 18:23-27 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.
26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
As we forgive
The parable now continues with how we are to forgive others.
- What similarities and differences exist between the two halves of the parable?
- In what way can we look back at our lives to see what ‘debts’ we owe or are owed?
- How do we behave to those who have large ‘debts’ against us- how can this be equated to putting people in prison?
- What right did the forgiven servant have to put the second servant in prison?
- On what basis does the king state that the forgiven servant should have forgiven the second servant?
- Note the orientation here. The forgiveness has nothing to do with the worthiness of the second servant.
- What was the attitude of the fellow servants?
- What would it mean for us to bring such a situation to the attention of the king?
- What was the outcome for the forgiven servant?
- What would that outcome mean for us in terms of our relationship with the king?
Matthew 18:28-35 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
Lead us not into temptation
Deliver us from evil