Cost of Living - Day 05
Day 05 - Friday, January 12
Read Matthew 18:21-35
Highlight
The extent of God’s forgiveness cannot be understood without a sense of how extreme Jesus’ example is in this extraordinary parable. The number Jesus uses is ten thousand talents. All scholars point out the deliberately unrealistic nature of this sum. A ‘talent’ represents an annual income, so in today’s terms ten thousand talents comes out to be roughly $400 billion - more than the gross national products of 80 percent of the world today. This is not a personal loan, it’s something much more extreme.
Some think Jesus wanted hearers to imagine a servant who was actually a governor or some other kind of regional ruler in the kingdom who, through epic mismanagement or wickedness, had put the entire economy of the kingdom in jeopardy. This is an extraordinary, almost unimaginable debt. That means that the servant’s offer to pay the king back is absurd. The only possible solution would be for the king to absorb the burden of the debt himself. With our own sin, any goal to earn our way to heaven through good works is equally absurd. We needed our King, Jesus, to absorb the burden of our sin on himself. His gracious forgiveness is the only solution to our weight of sin.
Reflection & Prayer
For this reading plan we will be using a tool to guide our study of Scripture that’s called the S.O.A.P. Method. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. We recommend you use a journal with this method and write out your thoughts on each of these areas for each day of reading. It doesn’t have to be long-winded and you don’t need a fancy journal. But for anyone that has not journaled before, the benefit is that it often helps us focus and avoid distractions during prayer and Bible study.
S.O.A.P. Method
Scripture - Pick a verse or two that stood out to you and write it in your journal. Be looking for a “Holy Spirit Highlight.” What did you read and think “I needed to hear that” or felt like it was written just for you?
Observation - Now write some observations about the verse(s) or passage. What is this passage or verse saying? About God? About people? How is Jesus revealed in these verses?
Application - Now write a few sentences on how this passage applies to your life. Is there truth about God that you are to believe? A promise to receive? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something you need to do or stop doing in light of God’s truth?
Prayer - Now write out a prayer to God in response to this Scripture. This is a way to turn God’s Word to you back to Him. Be honest and express your heart to Him. God always listens and He delights in your prayers. (Psalm 34:15; Proverbs 15:8)
Read Matthew 18:21-35
Highlight
The extent of God’s forgiveness cannot be understood without a sense of how extreme Jesus’ example is in this extraordinary parable. The number Jesus uses is ten thousand talents. All scholars point out the deliberately unrealistic nature of this sum. A ‘talent’ represents an annual income, so in today’s terms ten thousand talents comes out to be roughly $400 billion - more than the gross national products of 80 percent of the world today. This is not a personal loan, it’s something much more extreme.
Some think Jesus wanted hearers to imagine a servant who was actually a governor or some other kind of regional ruler in the kingdom who, through epic mismanagement or wickedness, had put the entire economy of the kingdom in jeopardy. This is an extraordinary, almost unimaginable debt. That means that the servant’s offer to pay the king back is absurd. The only possible solution would be for the king to absorb the burden of the debt himself. With our own sin, any goal to earn our way to heaven through good works is equally absurd. We needed our King, Jesus, to absorb the burden of our sin on himself. His gracious forgiveness is the only solution to our weight of sin.
Reflection & Prayer
For this reading plan we will be using a tool to guide our study of Scripture that’s called the S.O.A.P. Method. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. We recommend you use a journal with this method and write out your thoughts on each of these areas for each day of reading. It doesn’t have to be long-winded and you don’t need a fancy journal. But for anyone that has not journaled before, the benefit is that it often helps us focus and avoid distractions during prayer and Bible study.
S.O.A.P. Method
Scripture - Pick a verse or two that stood out to you and write it in your journal. Be looking for a “Holy Spirit Highlight.” What did you read and think “I needed to hear that” or felt like it was written just for you?
Observation - Now write some observations about the verse(s) or passage. What is this passage or verse saying? About God? About people? How is Jesus revealed in these verses?
Application - Now write a few sentences on how this passage applies to your life. Is there truth about God that you are to believe? A promise to receive? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something you need to do or stop doing in light of God’s truth?
Prayer - Now write out a prayer to God in response to this Scripture. This is a way to turn God’s Word to you back to Him. Be honest and express your heart to Him. God always listens and He delights in your prayers. (Psalm 34:15; Proverbs 15:8)
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