Matthew 18
COMMENTARY:
: 3 And said, Verily I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (4762 “converted” [strepho] means turn, turn one’s self from one’s course of conduct, to change one’s mind, to undergo a transformation or a change of position or action, change one’s ways, change inwardly, or to repent.)
DEVOTION: Jesus is explaining to HIS disciples what it means to be a follower of HIM. It means a turnaround from the present way a person is going to another way. In this case, it is turning to a life that is pleasing to the LORD compared to one that is based on selfish motives. Thinking only of ourselves rather than thinking what would please the LORD according to the Bible.
Every person that is born is heading toward hell for eternity. They might not be as bad as some but it only takes one sin to show the direction life is headed for the individual. One sin and each individual is headed to hell.
The Bible says that we are born with a sin nature. We sin because it is part of our human nature since Adam sinned all are born in sin. Only the gift of salvation provided by Jesus Christ on the cross.
Each of us must change direction at one point in our life with a turnaround from sin to salvation. This can only be done with confession of sins. Once we realize our sins are wrong we can realize that only Jesus can turn our life to the point of entering heaven.
Saying a prayer without a change of heart and direction doesn’t mean that a person is born again. It takes more than a prayer. It takes a change of heart toward sin and God. Have you made that genuine change in your life?
Don’t depend on religion or church or a prayer to show that you are a believer. It is a change of heart toward sin and a turn toward pleasing the LORD every moment of every day. When we sin we confess daily our sins and then depend on the blood of Christ to cleanse from sin.
CHALLENGE: Do you have a genuine relationship with the LORD Jesus or just a form of religion?
: 7 Woe to the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence comes! (4625 “offences” [skandalon] means any cause that results in a person sinning, trap, that which causes sin, temptation to sin, stumbling block, or snare.)
DEVOTION: There are many people in our world who don’t want to have anything to do with Jesus Christ. The problem is that some of these people also don’t want anyone else to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
These individuals will do or say anything to cause someone to reject the salvation that Jesus offers to anyone who will turn from their sins and follow HIM. This simple step needs to follow.
If someone hinders an individual from becoming a follower of Jesus has to answer to the LORD for their actions. They will be given a sentence worse than those who are just individuals who have rejected Christ.
It is a greater sin to hinder others from following Christ. Many of those in places of authority over children will face this greater punishment. Many false teachers will face these consequences for their actions.
CHALLENGE: This is a warning to everyone who has an influence over others to turn them away from Christ.
: 33 Should not you also have had compassion on your fellow servant, Even as I had pity on you? (1653 “pity” [eleeo] means compassionate, have mercy, show mercy.)
DEVOTION: Our responsibility as believers is to be able to help those who are around up who don’t know Jesus Christ as the personal Savior. That means that we have to be a witness in word and deed.
Once someone comes to us and asks us about Jesus we need to present the Gospel to them and give them a chance to respond to the message of salvations.
Here we have the LORD instructing HIS disciples in the area of showing compassion. Too often we find that those who claim to know the LORD today don’t seem to be interested in witnessing and leading someone to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
One reason as that not all those who say are believers are not genuine in their faith. They have attended church most of their life and think that they are a believer but have no desire to help others to become believers.
This is not right. If we are genuine believers we should have a burden for those who don’t know HIM.
Here in this book of Mathew we find that Jesus is telling HIS disciples to witness to other. It states with compassion but must go further if the individual is to become a genuine believer.
Every genuine believer needs to be a witness to those we know that don’t know Jesus. It takes time and effort.
CHALLENGE: Do you make the time and effort to reach those you love or know to come to know Jesus as their personal Savior? If not, you are not obeying the command of Jesus to reach others.
: 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (863 “forgive” [aphiemi] means to send away, to bid go away or depart, to let go, give up a debt, keep no longer, or to abandon.)
DEVOTION: All of us have someone who has done us wrong. Some ask for forgiveness. Many do not ask for forgiveness. We have the responsibility to forgive either way. If we keep a bitter spirit it will not help us and it will not hurt the one who has hurt us. The LORD tells us to forgive someone seventy times seven times a day. There might be someone that can hurt us that much in a day but the LORD is making the point that we are to be a forgiving people.
The illustration of the servant who owned so much money it was impossible for him to pay it back – was forgiven. He in turn goes to a servant who only owns a little money and doesn’t forgive him. The Lord hears what happened and judges the unforgiving servant.
The disciple’s prayer tells us to forgive so that the Father can forgive us. This word has been emphasized in many chapters of this gospel. Why? Because it is a problem among those who claim to follow the LORD. We are not a forgiving people. We like to become enemies with fellow Christians. Or that is what it seems like.
How much has the LORD forgiven each of us, so that, we can go to heaven? We haven’t stopped sinning yet and HE still has forgiven us. What is that worth? One thousand?. Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? Does a fellow believer owe you something? Are we willing to let go? Are willing to give up the debt? Are we willing to reestablish the relationship? Do we want to keep our distance from a fellow believer that has hurt us? Should we? NO!!! Christ said we are to abandon our hurt. We are supposed to be in the ministry of reconciliation. Are we being reconciled with those who have hurt us? Pray for wisdom on how to reestablish a relationship with those who have hurt us. Remember that if we don’t forgive, the LORD will not forgive us. Be a forgiving person!!!
CHALLENGE: Go to the LORD and ask if there is someone that we are bitter toward. If so, ask the LORD to help you to forgive them.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Churchverse 17
Gathered togetherverse 20
Worshippedverse 26
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Father in heavenverses 10, 14, 19
Will of the Father in heaven not will that one little one perishverses 14, 23
Kingdom of heaven likened to a
Certain king – take account of
his servants
Owed 10,000 talents
Heavenly Fatherverse 35
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
Jesusverses 1, 2, 22
MY Father in heavenverses 10, 19
Son of man has come to save the lostverse 11
Gathered MY name – HE is in midstverse 20
Lord verse 21
Forgive brother seventy times sevenverse 22
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Little ones have guardian angel (GOOD)verse 10
Behold the face of MY Fatherverse 10
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Little childverses 2, 5
Worldverse 7
Lostverse 11
Fellow servants who owedcast into prison till debt is paid showed not forgivenessverses 28-30
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Offend little ones who believe in Jesusverses 6-9
Better if he was drowned in the depth of the sea
Woe unto the world because of offences!
If hand or foot offend – cut it off
If eye offend – pluck it out
Despise not one of these little onesverse 10
Lostverse 11
Gone astrayverse 12
Trespass (brother)verse 15
Faultverse 15
Not hearverses 16, 17
Not hear churchverse 17
Heathen manverse 17
Publicanverse 17
Loose on earth shall be loose in heavenverse 18
Sinverse 21
Impatienceverse 29
Wickedverse 32
Trespassesverse 35
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Convertedverse 3
Become as little childrenverse 3
Humbleverse 4
Believeverse 6
Saveverse 11
Story of lost sheepverses 12, 13
Brotherverse 15
Hearverse 15
Take witnessesverse 16
Bind on earth = bound in heavenverse 18
Two agree together on earth on something it shall be doneverse 19
Gather in Jesus nameverse 20
HE is in midst of them
Forgiveverses 21, 22, 27, 32
Patience – fell down and askedverse 26
Compassionverses 27, 33
Forgive every one his brother their trespassesverse 35
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Disciples of Jesusverse 1
Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Peterverse 21
Question: How often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?
Seven times?
Church (New Testament people of God)
Humans who become as little children
who are convertedverse 4
Receive one such little child in JESUS
name received HIMverse 5
Churchverse 17
Fellow servantverse 33
Last Things (Future Events)
Kingdom of heavenverses 1, 3, 4, 23
Everlasting fireverse 8
Hell fireverse 9
Perishverse 14
Heavenverse 18
Delivered to the tormentorsverse 34
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