Luke 7:36–40 (ESV) - One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

Luke 7:41–50 (ESV) - “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

The more aware you become of the depth of your own sinfulness, the deeper your gratitude grows for the grace and mercy of God.

1 John 4:19 (ESV) - We love because he first loved us.

Matthew 18:21–22 (ESV) - Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

The disposition of a Jesus follower is to stand ready to forgive whenever someone sins against them.

Luke 17:1, 3–4 (ESV) - And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!... 3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

A mark of a healthy church is not absence of sin against one another, rather, it is the pervasive presence of forgiveness.

Matthew 18:23–24 (ESV) - “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

Matthew 18:25–28 (ESV) - And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.'

Matthew 18:29–35 (ESV) - So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Matthew 7:1–5 (ESV) - “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

No one’s sin toward you is greater than your sin toward God.

Trust God with the justice.

The more aware you become of the depth of God’s forgiveness toward you, the more freely you extend that forgiveness to others.

How do you see Jesus?

How do you see yourself?

How do you see the people around you?

Discussion Questions

Read both Luke 7:36-50 and Matthew 18:21-35 to begin discussion time.

1. Pass out a small piece of paper to everyone in the group and give them a minute or two to write a one sentence definition of forgiveness. When complete, ask everyone to share what they wrote and why they wrote it.

2. Read Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:12-13. How do these verses align with the parables in today’s study? Take a few minutes and discuss how God has forgiven us since that is our guide in how we are to forgive one another.

3. Forgiveness is a truly powerful matter in life. From our study of these two passages, why is forgiveness so important in the eyes of God?

4. How have experienced the truth that “the more aware you become of the depth of God’s forgiveness toward you, the more freely you extend that forgiveness to others”?

5. Learning to “trust God with the justice” does not mean there are not, at times, consequences that continue on even after forgiveness has been granted. What examples can you share along this line and why is this important to acknowledge?

6. Forgiveness involves emotions but forgiveness is not an emotion. Forgiveness is a choice. Discuss how one may continue in and out of emotional struggles even after forgiveness has been granted.