SHEPHERDS

AUGUST 14, 2009 FRIDAY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 18

TEXT http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Mat&chapter=18#n34

MESSAGE

“Greatest”

Asked who the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is, Jesus calls a child to stand among the disciples as an example of a humble and trusting believer of His and tells them not only does it require humility and faith to enter the Kingdom of Heaven but that this is the basis of greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus goes on to tell his disciples that being kind to one of his humble trusting believers is the same as being kind to Him. He also tells them that if anyone causes one of his humble trusting believers to sin, that person would have been better off having died a horrible death before doing this given what’s at stake for them after they’ve done it. Given the eternal risk to their soul, Jesus tells his disciples a person like this would be better off cutting off one of their hands or feet or tearing out one of their eyes if it would have prevented them from causing a humble trusting believer of His to sin.

“The Lost Sheep”

Furthermore, Jesus tells his disciples that in addition to not being led into sin, his humble trusting believers are not to be looked down on or shown disrespect by others because they are being protected by angels who have such a close relationship with His Father in Heaven they see His face and therefore are under the personal protection of His Father. Jesus goes on to tell his disciples that because of this, if even one of His humble trusting believers is led astray, He will leave all of His other believers until the one who was led astray and became lost has been found at which point both He and His Father will rejoice more over the one who has been found than all of those who never became lost.

“Restoring Christian Relationships”

Jesus then outlines for His disciples steps in the community of believers for one to take if someone has sinned against them. He told them to begin with go privately to the person and tell them what they have done wrong and if they acknowledge the wrong and accept responsibility for it the relationship has been restored. However, if this does not happen, he tells them they are to make a second attempt at doing this but this time by bringing one or two people with to provide accountability and serve as witnesses. If the person continues to deny wrong doing, he tells them to bring the matter in front of the church and if the person refuses to listen to the church he is to be treated like an outsider until he acknowledges what he has done wrong and accepts responsibility for it so that the relationship in the community can be restored.

Jesus tells the disciples that in the same way that their confession of Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God determines who enters the Kingdom of Heaven or not, their following this process of reconciliation to the point a person acknowledges their wrong doing and takes responsibility for it determines whether they remain in the community of fellowship or not.

When asked by Peter how many times he must forgive someone who sins against him Jesus told him there is no numerical limit, that he should forgive someone as many times as it is necessary to maintain relationship with them in the community.

“Unmerciful, Unforgiving”

Jesus then tells the disciples a story about the Kingdom of Heaven to further respond to Peter’s question about forgiveness. In the story, there was a man who owed a king, who was calling due his accounts, a huge sum of money. Since he was unable to repay it he, along with his wife, children and his possessions were being ordered to be sold to collect at least partial payment against the debt. But when the man cried out for mercy, the king had compassion on him and forgave him the entire debt. However, despite this, he found a man who owed him a relatively small amount of money and demanded that he immediately pay him. When he was unable to he began beating on him at which point the man begged for mercy, telling him if he was patient he would eventually pay him back. But he would have nothing of this and had the man placed in jail until he could repay him. Word of what he did got back to the king who was very upset, called him back, and because he hadn’t shown the mercy he had been given was thrown in prison to be tortured until his unpayable debt was repaid. Jesus concluded by telling his disciples that this is what his Father will do to them if they do not forgive from their heart.

TEACHING

“Greatest”

Concerned about who the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is, the disciples were likely surprised when Jesus called a child over as the prime example of greatness because they were modest, trusting believers of His. He told them this was not only the basis of greatness but that it was required to even enter the Kingdom.

The disciples may have been even more surprised when Jesus went on to describe the importance of treating children and modest, trusting believers properly. He told them that by being kind to them they were being kind to Him. He also told them that if someone caused a child or a modest, trusting believer to sin, that person would have been better off dying a horrible death prior to this situation developing because of the consequences they’ll face. He said their eternal soul is at such risk that they would have been better off disabling them self in a way that would have prevented this from ever happening.

“The Lost Sheep”

Jesus also tells his disciples that proper treatment of children and modest, trusting believers includes their not being looked down on or being disrespected by others, unless they want to deal with God about this as well, because of the protection he provides them through angels who are remain in close contact with Him in Heaven.

Jesus ends his answer to the disciples about who the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is by telling them a story about a lost sheep (a child or one of His modest, trusting believers who has been led astray) and how the shepherd (Jesus) leaves all the other sheep (all the believers who have not been led astray) to search for the lost sheep until it is found at which point the shepherd (Jesus) and God rejoice more over finding the lost sheep (child or modest, trusting believer led astray) than over all the other believers who hadn’t been.

“Restoring Christian Relationships”

Sin occurs everywhere including within the community of believers and Jesus goes on to outline a process for his disciples and believers to take if someone in the community (church) has sinned against them. He tells them the first thing is to go directly to the person who has wronged you, keeping the issue just between the two of you and address it with them, but if they deny any wrong doing, the next step is to approach them again with one or two people who can provide accountability and witnesses the encounter so that there won't be two versions of what happens during the second meeting. If the person continues to deny any wrong doing, He tells them the third and final step is to address the issues in front of the entire community, such that the issue has now moved from being an entirely private matter to a totally public matter, and if the person continues to deny any wrong doing, the person is to then be treated as an outsider to the community (excommunicated) until they stop denying their wrong doing and accept responsibility for what they have done so that relationship in the community can be restored.

Jesus tells the disciples that their following this process determines whether someone remains in fellowship in the community (church) with others or not, is a special case of what he earlier told them about their confession of Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God determining who has fellowship in the Kingdom of Heaven and who doesn’t. However, one has eternal fellowship consequences while one doesn’t.

When Peter tries to quantify or put a number on how many times he is required to forgive someone, Jesus informs him forgiveness is without limit, that he is to forgive as many times as it takes to maintain relationship in the community (church) and by implication the community at large as well.

“Unmerciful, Unforgiving”

The Kingdom of Heaven story Jesus tells in further response to Peter’s forgiveness question gets at the heart of the matter. God as the King in the story forgives the debt of sin that we would never be able to repay no matter how hard we tried. When we cry out to Him like the man with the impossible financial situation, because of our impossible sin situation, He is merciful and forgives us without condition.

However, after having been forgiven an unimaginable debt of sin, and then to be unmerciful and unforgiving of someone who has wronged us, when whatever wrong we have suffered is imperceptible in comparison to the wrong we have been shown mercy and forgiveness for, reveals a heart that has not been transformed by the mercy and forgiveness God has freely given. And a heart that has not been transformed by this Great Gift hasn’t really accepted the Gift and continues to owe the huge debt of sin it has been collecting and will suffer accordingly-what Jesus told the disciples will happen if their hearts are not transformed so that their forgiveness of others is based on Love like His Father’s forgiveness is.

HEALING

Our Father in Heaven, Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. Forgive us today for our pride which we hide behind, which we use to make ourselves feel great and look great in this world. Give us today the humility of those who are the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, the modesty and trusting nature of children who believe in Your Son. We ask for healing of the wounds we carry that have led to the building of our pride and thinking that we need to protect who we are by building ourselves up in a false and unhealthy way instead of trusting that our value and worth come from You and You alone; that our circumstances, what has happened to us, what we have, how we are treated by others, or what we have or do does not determine our value in any way.

Our Father, we ask that we would be welcoming and show kindness to the humble and we ask that You protect us so that we do not lead anyone astray, into sin, making them a lost sheep, by anything we say or do. We pray that you would help us to consider what we say and do ahead of time because of the effects it may have on others and in this way help us to disable ourselves and prevent us from leading children, believers and nonbelievers down a destructive path.

Our Father, we ask that You Holy Spirit will empower and give us the courage necessary to address with love the conflicts that develop in our relationships that need to be resolved whether in the community of the church or other communities. Give us the wisdom and strength to approach these conflicts in the manner in which Your Son prescribed, keeping in mind they have to do with maintaining relationships in a community, not maintaining relationship with all who have wronged us such as those who have committed acts of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse where continued community is no longer safe or community never existed. Give us comfort that when we follow this process that not only are You with us but there are the protections of witnesses built in as well. When restoration of relationship is not possible, give us the Love in our heart to forgive those who have hurt us in spite of our pain - releasing this pain in the process.

Our Father, heal and transform our hearts by the forgiveness we have received because of the sacrifice Your Son made on the Cross so that we will live lives reflecting Your mercy, forgiveness and love to others and by doing so not only be agents of healing in this world, but shepherds as well.

In Jesus Name, Amen

SONG 'The Good Shepherd' by Dennis Sphatt @imeem http://x.imeem.com/4NPHiRGiMq