Who Am I? The Gospel According to Matthew

The Gospel According to Matthew

INTRODUCTION:  We are continuing our study of Matthew and we are in chapter 18.  Last week the disciples were trying to figure out who would be the greatest in the Kingdom, and Jesus used a child to illustrate how we must be like little children.  This week he continues talking about the child he has chosen to use as an example.   Then he talks about conflict resolution within the church.  It is a hard concept to swallow.  

Lord, may our hearts be softened with your love, and may each of our interactions with your precious children be pleasing in your site!

One note of interest.  In some newer versions of the bible there is no verse 11.  That is because it has been noted that in the older versions like the King James Version, the translators included the words of Luke 19:10, which were never in the original manuscript of Matthew.  I have chosen to use a translation that does not include that verse.  However the verse just adds and does not in any way change what is being said. 

Question of the Day:  We all just celebrated Thanksgiving, what is your favorite part of the Thanksgiving feast and when you were growing up was there a children’s table at Thanksgiving? Will there be a children's table in heaven?

READ: Matthew 18: 10-14

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones.  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think?  IF a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.  In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”

How important are children?

How should we structure our Sabbath time in worship if we really believe they are this important? 

Maybe we should give up some of our Sabbath School study time to make sure we sing with them and worship with them…. Oh wait, we just started doing that. 

What about in our homes?  How important are our children? Are we doing all we can do for them?

Are we making our worship time for them, or for us and we expect them to just be there? 

What about those of us whose children are grown, what are we doing for the children around us?

Is Jesus just talking about children here?  Does this only apply to children? Who qualifies?

What or who can be included in this?

What about the person you don’t agree with on anything? 

What about the person who harms you and or your family?

What about you?

Would Jesus, or does Jesus keep going until he finds you and brings you home?

Would you qualify as a lost sheep?

Jesus is answering the original question of who is going to be the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.  

What is His answer? 

READ: Matthew 18: 15-20

“If your brother or sister sins (against you), go and point out their fault, just between the two of you.  If they listen to you, you have won them over.  But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses’.  If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church, and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

This passage has probably been one of the most used and abused passages.  It is often used to justify hurting others.  So I want to make a few things clear. 

      1. This is for Christians not for unbelievers.

2  2. This is about sins committed against you not others.

    3.  This is about conflict resolution in the church not in the community at large. 

4.    4. While we seek to correct the errors of a brother, the Spirit of Christ will lead us to shield him as far as possible, from the criticism of even his own brethren, and how much more from the censure of the unbelieving world. DA EGW

     5. We just remember that we ourselves are erring, and need Christ’s pity and forgiveness, and just as we wish Him to deal with us, He bids us deal with one another. DA, EGW

I want to mention how important number 2 is.  This is about those who have sinned against you.  That means if you see someone who is wearing a skirt that you think is too short, you have no business going up to them and telling them!  If you see someone who is overweight, it is NOT your duty to let them know that they are not eating the right foods and/or the right amounts. If you see someone doing something on Sabbath that you wouldn’t do they are not sinning against you!!! This passage is not a license to try to police those around you.  If you disagree then wait till you really see all that is required of you, if you are going to do this, and you may reconsider. 

So what are we to do first?

How many people does it say you should talk this over with first before going to the person?

How many?

Do you know when the last time was someone wronged you and you said NOTHING TO ANYONE?

REALLY IMPORTANT POINT #1!!!!!!! 

We MUST STOP talking to each other about what others have been doing or are doing to us! If we can’t do this then we have no business going to them!!!

In Desire of Ages Ellen White also writes, “Do not put him to shame by exposing his fault to others, nor bring dishonor upon Christ by making public the sin or error of one who bears His name.  Often the truth must be plainly spoken to the erring; he must be led to see his error that he may reform.  BUT you are NOT to judge or to condemn!!!!! Make no attempt at self-justification.  Let all your effort be for his recovery. In treating the wounds of the soul, there is need of the most delicate touch, the finest sensibility.  Only the love that flows from the Suffering One of Calvary can avail here.”

If this doesn’t work then the second step is to do what?

Is this so that you have a gang or a group with stronger persuasion powers?  No!!!  This is so that there are impartial parties who can perhaps also help you see where you have wronged each other.  Perhaps a different perspective so that a resolution can be made.  This is NOT so that you have more weight!

This next part is difficult to swallow.

What is the next step?

I don’t know about you but this one is hard to understand. 

In Desire of Ages Ellen White writes, “If he will not hear them, then, and not till then, the matter is to be brought before the whole body of believers.  Let the members of the church, as the representatives of Christ, unite in prayer and loving entreaty that the offender may be restored.  The Holy Spirit will speak through His servants, pleading with the wanderer to return to God.  Paul the apostle, speaking by inspiration, says, “As though God did beseech you by us; we pray for you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Cor. 5:20. He who rejects this united overture has broken the tie that binds him to Christ, and thus has severed himself from the fellowship of the church.  Henceforth, said Jesus, “let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.” BUT he is not to be regarded as cut off from the mercy of God. Let him not be despised or neglected by his former brethren, but be treated with tenderness and compassion, as one of the lost sheep that Christ is still seeking to bring to His fold.”

So what could this look like?  What are some elements that MUST be in place for this third step to work?

       1.       Step one and two have to have been tried, the right way!

       2.       We have to unite and pray for them as Paul demonstrated. Praying that they be reconciled to God!!!

       3.       If nothing works and we have to ask them to leave then we must go after them!!!!!!!!

I don’t know that I have ever heard of one situation where this was followed in this way. 

First we usually always talk with other people about what someone has done to us. We justify it by saying we need advice as to what we should do.

Second, how often do we really keep self-justification out of the equation?

Third, this is NOT about judging, or condemning but bringing people back to Christ. We on their behalf are asking that His love, His mercy, His grace bring their heart back to Him.

Forth, if none of this works, then we must be willing to go after them, follow them outside the “fold” and keep working, praying, and loving, them back!

There is no way to look at this except that it is hard!  It is very hard!

So what about us today? What can we take away from this today?

      1.       STOP TALKING ABOUT OTHERS, WHAT THEY DO OR WHAT WE THINK THEY DO!  If it becomes something that we need to talk to them about, we won’t be able to unless we have kept it to ourselves.  STOP TALKING ABOUT OTHERS!

      

      2.       KEEP GOING TO OUR KNEES, KEEP WORKING ON OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST! WITHOUT HIS LOVE FOR OTHERS WE HAVE NO BUSINESS DOING ANY OF THIS!

      3.       UNLESS WE ARE WILLING TO GO AFTER OUR BROTHER WE HAVE NO BUSINESS EVEN STARTING THIS PROCESS.  It is no accident that this comes after the story of the lost sheep.

Who am I? Because of who He is?

I am His humble servant who has so much to learn.  I am in desperate need of His mercy and grace!