EARLY FIRE 🔥 WINE September 24, 2025 Topic: PARABLES (13) – By B.B. John In response to Peter's question about how many times we should forgive an offender, Jesus told the parable of the unforgiving servant. While the king forgave his servant a huge debt, that same servant refused to forgive the much smaller debt owed to him by his fellow servant. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’” (Matthew 18:23–26) The king responded to his plea with compassion and canceled his entire debt. But this same servant, who had just been forgiven millions of dollars, went out, found a fellow servant who owed him a hundred denarii—about a thousand dollars—and treated him harshly. To recover his money, he became angry, grabbed him roughly, and threw him into prison. When the king heard about this, he was furious and said to the unforgiving servant: “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” (vv. 32–33) As a result, the king handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back all that he owed. Then Jesus gave this warning: “So My heavenly Father also will do to you, if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” (v. 35) BIG LESSONS Here are the lessons from the parable: 1. We are all like the servant who owed a massive debt. Our debt of sin before God is far greater than we could ever repay. Yet God, in His mercy through Christ, has canceled it. Just as the king forgave the servant, believers in Christ have received God’s unmerited grace and forgiveness. 2. In response to God’s forgiveness, we must forgive others. We are called to extend the same compassion and mercy to others that God has shown us. 3. Refusing to forgive is rejecting God’s mercy. When we withhold forgiveness, we block the flow of God’s grace into our lives and risk forfeiting the forgiveness we have already received. 4. God will not forgive the unforgiving. If we refuse to forgive others from the heart, we exclude ourselves from God’s mercy. 5. Forgiveness in Christ’s kingdom is not optional—it is required. Jesus commands us to forgive wholeheartedly, releasing those we are still holding captive in the “prison” of our hearts. Main Text: Matthew 18:23 - 35 Memory Verse: Matthew 18:35 Remain blessed as you read. May your midweek be marvelled with untold wonders in Jesus’ name. EARLY FIRE 🔥 WINE is a publication of Jesus Flaminglamps Ministries.