Matthew part 32

Humbling Ourselves Like a Child part 2

Last week, we began a section of Matthew that centers on the theme of children. The main point from last week was:

Growing in the kingdom of heaven requires the type of humility we expect of children.

As we continue reading the rest of chapter 18, we must keep this point in mind. Jesus continues to teach regarding the kingdom of heaven, and he does so with children in the midst of the house. In the first part that we covered last week, Jesus tells us to remove anything in our life that causes us to sin or that causes us to teach the younger ones to sin. These are certainly tall orders, but hold on tight, because the next teaching is just as difficult to hear.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep | Matthew 18:10-14

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew 18:10-14

Verse 10 ties the previous teaching with the next. Jesus reminds us to not despise one of the children. And just so we remember who tells us this, he reminds us there is a heavenly realm that keeps tabs on those who treat children harshly. This verse is also where the tradition of “guardian angels” comes from. Now, much more has been made about angels than what is actually in the Bible. The point Jesus is making is not that we should concern ourselves with the individual angels, but rather there is a God who will not let injustice or the maligning of children go unpunished.

Before, in verse 6, Jesus warns against leading children to sin. If, however, one of these children is led astray and wanders from the flock of Christ, notice Jesus says the Father will go after them. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and should one of his children go astray, he will seek after that one.

It is not the will of the Father that anyone should perish.

The Father sent the Son so that no one should perish. One of the first memory verses we learn as children sums up the Gospel.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Sometimes I hear the question, “If God loves us so much, why does He send people to hell?”

God loves us so much that He sent us His Son so we don’t have to go to hell. Our own sin, our own rebellion, is what drives us to hell. That sin may be driven by other people’s sin, our family patterns of sin, or just our corrupted nature, but the fact is (and it is a beautiful fact) we do not have to remain in our sin, because Jesus has already come to save us!

For those of us who have already surrendered to Christ, the question is not whether God is willing to save others or the children. The question is, “Are we helping draw people toward Jesus, or are we helping drive them away?”

For the Christian, we are called to help draw in others to Christ.

But we cannot read this parable without considering the context of Jesus’ statement. As we continue reading, ask yourself, “How does the story of the lost sheep connect with forgiveness?”

Seeking Reconciliation | Matthew 18:15-22

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Matthew 18:15-20

Verses 15-17 give us the pattern we should follow when someone has sinned against us or caused us some offense. The first step is the most important, but unfortunately it is often the one we skip. If someone offends us in some way, we must go to them first. The truth is, if we go to them first, we will probably work it out, and no other calamity will happen. But, if we go to someone else first, then we have not only have a harmed relationship with the offender, but we harm the relationship between the offender and that third person. The biggest problem is when the offender has no clue he has even offended someone.

The first step towards reconciliation is to talk to the offender directly.

If the offender listens, then all is well. “You have gained your brother.” But, if he does not listen, that is when it is time to take one or two along with you. These are not your ‘posse’ to round up the outlaw, though. These are to be mediators. Perhaps the reason the offender doesn’t want to listen to you is because you have done something offensive, too. I know it may be hard to believe, but problems between people are rarely a “good guy vs. bad guy” situation. Usually, it’s one person’s sin against another person’s sin.

The second step towards reconciliation is to enlist the help of mediators to discern the true problem.

But even still, if the mediators establish the guilty party, and that person still refuses to listen, then Jesus tells us to go to the church with it. And, here, we must pause and go back to Matthew 16:18.

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:16-19

When Jesus told Peter he would establish his church on the proclamation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, he uses the word ekklesia. We spent a bit on this word, and it is worth reminding what this word entailed, because it is the same word Jesus uses in Matthew 18:17. Ekklesia literally translates to “gathering,” and it is also the word used in Roman circles to denote places where the authority of the empire was exercised. It is also similar to the Jewish synagogue in purpose. It is an extension of the capital which means it is the place where justice can be executed and the will of the King is pursued.

The church, then, is the place where the King of Kings reigns and where justice in the kingdom of heaven is executed. If a problem reaches the level where the church must get involved, then the offender has demonstrated unrepentant sin. Now, it is no longer about just one relationship, but it is about how the church will respond to this unrepentant sinner.

The last step towards reconciliation is to bring the offender before the church so he can recognize his sin.

This last step is where things can certainly turn messy quickly. In fact, many churches fail to exercise this step because they are uneasy about bringing someone before the church like a court of law. But, if we are to be the church God calls us to be, that includes having procedures in place to exercise church discipline.

Church discipline must certainly demonstrate the loving, restorative discipline of Christ, but it also must not be relaxed. Allowing sin to run unchecked in a church is a sure way to destroy her witness and her effectiveness in reaching others.

Now, most people are fine when it comes to bringing others to justice. But Jesus gives one more story that reminds reconciliation requires two people to be willing to admit their sin and offer forgiveness.

After all, if we go through the whole process of reconciliation with someone who has offended us, then what is next? When the sinner finally repents, the ball shifts to our hands. What will our response be to this person who says, “I am so sorry—please forgive me”?

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant | Matthew 18:23-35

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘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?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Matthew 18:23-35

If we are to be a forgiving people, the first thing we must do is remember how much God has forgiven us. It becomes easier to forgive others when we remember our own sin.

If we have trouble forgiving others, we must remember how much God has forgiven us.

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”

― C.S. Lewis

Forgiveness of others is absolutely one of the most difficult things Jesus asks from us, and yet, it is also one of the most important. We cannot expect God’s blessings if we continue in the sin of un-forgiveness. We cannot demonstrate the reconciling power of the Gospel if we refuse to reconcile with those seek reconciliation.

Paul says it this way in Romans 12:18.

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Romans 12:18

Yes, there are those who do not want peace. Yes, there are some who will continue in their sin despite your best effort to warn and persuade them.

But for those who are willing to repent and willing to reconcile with you, Jesus says we must be willing to forgive. We are called to live as God designed us to live, and that includes living in harmony and peace with one another.

As much as it depends on us, let’s try and do that.