Explore Jesus' powerful Parable of the Unmerciful Servant that teaches children about forgiveness, mercy and why we should forgive others as God forgives us. Includes activities and key lessons for kids.

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Have you ever been hurt by someone and found it hard to forgive them? I know I have! Jesus told The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant to help us understand why forgiveness is so important in God's kingdom.

This story appears in Matthew 18:21-35 when Peter asked Jesus how many times we should forgive others. The answer Jesus gave through this parable might surprise you - and it just might change how you think about forgiveness forever!

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Chapter 1: Peter's Big Question

It all started with a question. Peter came to Jesus thinking he had a generous idea about forgiveness. "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" (Matthew 18:21)

Peter probably thought he was being extremely kind by suggesting seven times. In Jewish tradition, forgiving someone three times was considered sufficient. But Jesus had a much bigger understanding of forgiveness. He answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:22).

Some translations say "seventy times seven" (490 times)! Jesus wasn't giving us a math problem - He was saying our forgiveness should be limitless, just like God's forgiveness toward us. To help everyone understand, Jesus began telling a parable.

Chapter 2: The King and the Enormous Debt

"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants." (Matthew 18:23)

Jesus described a king who decided it was time for his servants to pay what they owed. One servant was brought before him who owed an astronomical sum - ten thousand talents. In today's money, this would be millions of dollars, perhaps even billions! It was an impossible debt to repay.

"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." (Matthew 18:25)

This was the king's right under the law. But what happened next shows the king's incredible mercy.

Chapter 3: An Act of Amazing Mercy

When the servant heard his terrible fate, he fell to his knees. "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.'" (Matthew 18:26)

This was actually an impossible promise! The servant could never earn enough in his lifetime to repay such a huge amount. The king knew this too. But something remarkable happened.

"The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go." (Matthew 18:27)

Just imagine that moment! The servant expected punishment but instead received complete forgiveness. His entire debt - wiped away! Not reduced or postponed, but completely cancelled. He was free! This king showed extraordinary mercy and compassion.

Chapter 4: The Servant's Shocking Response

You might think this servant would be overwhelmed with gratitude. But watch what happened next:

"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii." (Matthew 18:28)

A hundred denarii was about three months' wages - not a tiny amount, but nothing compared to what he had been forgiven. Yet his response was shocking:

"He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded." (Matthew 18:28)

The fellow servant begged for patience using almost the exact same words the first servant had used: "'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.'" (Matthew 18:29)

But unlike the merciful king, this servant showed no mercy: "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt." (Matthew 18:30)

Chapter 5: The King's Justice

The other servants saw what happened and were deeply disturbed. They reported everything to the king.

"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'" (Matthew 18:32-33)

The king was rightfully angry. The servant who had received such amazing forgiveness refused to show even a little mercy to someone else. The king's response was swift:

"In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed." (Matthew 18:34)

Jesus concluded with these sobering words: "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart." (Matthew 18:35)

Kid-Friendly Activities

1. Debt Erasure Demonstration: Give children pieces of paper with "debt" written on them. Have them write down mistakes others have made against them. Then provide erasers and have them erase the "debts" while discussing how God erases our sins when He forgives us.
2. Forgiveness Chain: Have children cut strips of colorful paper. On each strip, write "I forgive" and add a situation that needs forgiveness. Link the strips together into a chain to visualize how forgiveness connects us to God and each other.
3. "Seventy Times Seven" Counting Game: Have kids count out 7 beans, then 77 beans, and finally (if time allows) see how high they can count toward 490 (70×7). Discuss how Jesus wasn't giving us an exact number but teaching that forgiveness should be unlimited.
4. Role Play the Parable: Assign roles (king, unmerciful servant, fellow servant) and have children act out the story with simple costumes. Afterward, discuss how each character might have felt at different points in the story.
5. Heart Forgiveness Craft: Cut out heart shapes and write "Forgive from your heart" on them. Have children decorate them and take them home as a reminder of Jesus's teaching.

What Can We Learn from This Story?

1. God's forgiveness toward us is immeasurably greater than any debt others owe us. As ministry-to-children.com explains, forgiveness is critical because it affects our relationship with God and with others.
2. When we refuse to forgive others, we forget how much we've been forgiven. The Bible reminds us in Colossians 2:13-14: "You were dead because of your sins… Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins." ministry-to-children.com
3. True forgiveness comes from the heart, not just words. Jesus emphasized we must forgive "from your heart" - meaning sincerely and completely, not grudgingly or partially.
4. Forgiveness isn't optional for Christians - it's expected because we've received such amazing forgiveness ourselves. As cefonline.com points out, this parable powerfully teaches about the importance of God's forgiveness and our responsibility to forgive others.
5. Unforgiveness hurts us more than the person who wronged us. Just as the unmerciful servant ended up in a worse situation than when he started, holding onto bitterness traps us in pain.

Would you like to explore more about forgiveness? Check out "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" - another powerful story Jesus told about God's amazing forgiveness and a father's love that welcomes us back no matter what we've done!