The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant


Welcome to Term 4! This term we’re learning about prayer.

Listening to the Bible

Read: Matthew 18:21-35

The CEV version is probably the best for this week’s passage, if they are able to read for themselves. You can find it online here.

Watch

Talk

Make sure you discuss these questions with a family member!

  1. Who is the king like?
  2. Who is the servant like?
  3. Who is the fellow servant like?
  4. What did the servant owe the king?
  5. Could he pay it back?
  6. What do we owe God?
  7. What did it cost God to forgive us?
  8. What is the warning at the end of Jesus’ story?
  9. Read Colossians 3:13.  Who are we to be like when it comes to forgiveness?

Application

  1. Think about a time you were hurt – hurt feelings can make us feel worse than physical hurt!
  2. Who hurt you and how did they hurt you?
  3. What did you do?
  4. Do you have to forgive them?  Why?
  5. How do you know if you have forgiven them?

Helping it Stick

Pray

Dear Father in heaven.  Thank you for forgiving us the many, many times we hurt you.  Thank you for sending Jesus so we can be forgiven.  Help us to forgive others when they hurt us.  Please help me to forgive… for…  [think of a person and name them if you are finding it hard to forgive them]
In Jesus name,
Amen

Memory Verse

Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.

Colossians 3:13

Craft

  • Print out here.
  • Colour in the pictures on Page 1 and cut out.
  • Sort out which picture goes with which words and glue pictures in the appropriate spaces. 
  • There is no picture for the forgiven servant – draw a happy mouth on the face.
  • After you have glued the pictures of the servant in gaol, draw prison bars over them.

Sing

“Lord, Help Us Forgive”