Easter: Celebrating Forgiveness

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 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. The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,” he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.  His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused.  Matthew 18: 23-30

This may seem like a strange passage to read on Easter Sunday.  But here is why this passage is significant.  We celebrate the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.  But let’s take a moment to reflect on why He died in the first place.

Jesus was and is our sacrificial lamb.  He died in our place.  And with His death, we receive (daily) the greatest gift we will ever receive.  Forgiveness.  The burden of our sinfulness is continually being washed away.  We have become cleansed – sanctified – holy.  If we don’t pass on that same gift of forgiveness to others then His death and sacrifice was in vain. 

The servant in the above passage didn’t understand the gift that was given to him by the king.  It was wasted on him and the king became angry.

This Easter, let’s do more than celebrate Christ’s resurrection, let’s celebrate the gift of a forgiven life by forgiving those around us so that His death will not have been in vain.