Below are sermon discussion questions. These are great to use in your fellowship group or for your own personal reflection and growth.
1. When Jesus pictures our life together, he doesn’t see forgiveness as an unusual thing that we only have to do once in a while. He knows we will have to forgive over and over. What happens to the church that assumes sin and forgiveness is the exception rather than the norm?
2. Peter’s suggestion of forgiving 7 times is generous, but Jesus challenges Peter that even generous forgiveness is still limited. We tend to think about forgiveness more like Peter than Jesus. Where are some places where Jesus might be challenging you with his teaching of forgiving 70x7?
3. “Unlimited forgiveness” seems crazy or foolish. Distinguish the ways that Jesus’ teaching can be twisted into something dangerous from what he really wants us to know about reflecting God’s forgiveness to others.
4. In the moment, it’s easy to focus on the size of the sin committed against us rather than the size of the debt we’ve been forgiven. What are some ways that we can keep and cultivate the perspective that whatever we have to forgive pales in comparison to the unfathomable debt we have been forgiven?
5. Because receiving and extending forgiveness are connected, Jesus offers a serious warning to those who won’t forgive from the heart. How would you help someone who is unwilling to forgive a brother? How can you “preach to yourself” when you are struggling to forgive? Meditate on how God has nailed your sins to the cross of Christ and pray that you can reflect his forgiveness to others.