Forgive Because You Are Forgiven

Leader Guide: Forgive Because You Are Forgiven

Ages: 7–8 | Time: 10–12 minutes

Goal: Help kids see that because God forgives us for a huge debt we could never pay, we can forgive others when they hurt us.

Matthew 18:23-35 tells us about a servant who owed the king more than he could ever pay. The king forgave the whole debt. But when that servant found a friend who owed him only a little, he would not forgive him. Then the master called him in and said, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'

Question 1: How Big Was the Debt?

Ask: In the story, the servant owed the king ten thousand talents. That was more money than he could ever pay back. How do you think he felt when the king said, 'You do not have to pay me'?

Expected answers: Super happy, relieved, thankful, like crying because he was so glad he would not be punished.

Time: 2–3 minutes

Redirect: If a child talks about something unrelated (like their own allowance or a video game), say: That is interesting. Let's get back to the story. Do you think the servant was happy or scared when the king forgave him?

Question 2: What Did the Servant Do Next?

Ask: Right after the king forgave the huge debt, the servant found a friend who owed him only a tiny amount. What did he do?

Expected answers: He grabbed his friend by the throat, he was mean, he put him in jail, he would not forgive the small debt.

Time: 2–3 minutes

Redirect: If a child forgets the story or guesses wrong, say: Let's think it through together. The friend owed a tiny amount. Did the servant say, 'I forgive you,' or did he say, 'Pay me right now or else'?

Question 3: Why Was the King So Upset?

Ask: When the king heard what happened, he was very upset. Why did the king say the servant should have forgiven his friend?

Expected answers: Because the king forgave him so much, he should forgive the little debt too. Because God wants us to pass on forgiveness. Because it is not fair to be forgiven a huge amount and then be mean about a small thing.

Time: 2–3 minutes

Redirect: If a child simply says, 'Because he was mean,' affirm it and then ask: Yes, but remember how much the king had just forgiven him. If someone forgives you for a gigantic thing, should you forgive someone else for a tiny thing?

Activity: Act Out the Story

Have the kids stand up and act out the three main scenes: 1. The servant falls down before the king and begs for mercy. 2. The servant walks out and shakes his friend who owes a small debt. 3. The king says, 'You should have forgiven him, just like I forgave you!'

Let the kids switch roles so more than one gets to be the king and the servant.

Leader tip: Keep the tone light but clear. Emphasize the good news: because Jesus forgives us for so much, we get to forgive others too.

Time: 4–5 minutes

Redirect: If the acting gets silly or off-topic (chasing, unrelated games), pause and say: Let's freeze! Remember, in this story the king is showing great love. Show me your best king face or sad servant face, and let's finish the scene.

Wrap-Up

Close by saying: Jesus tells us this story so we will remember that God forgives us for more than we could ever count. Because of that, when someone hurts us, we can forgive them too. That shows we really understand how good God's forgiveness is.