*Matthew 18:10-22
Jesus teaches that God cares for all people, just like a shepherd cares for a lost sheep.
- Parable of the Lost Sheep:
- Jesus instructs His followers not to despise any of the little ones:
- He emphasizes that their angels in heaven always see the face of the Father.
- Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep to illustrate God’s concern for the lost:
- A shepherd with a hundred sheep, if one goes astray, leaves the ninety-nine to find the one.
- Upon finding it, the shepherd rejoices more over the one found than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
- Jesus underscores that it is not the will of the Father that any of these little ones should perish.
- Jesus instructs His followers not to despise any of the little ones:
- Dealing with Sin in the Church:
- Jesus provides a process for addressing sin among believers:
- If a brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault just between the two of you. If they listen, you have won them over.
- If they do 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. If they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
- Jesus provides a process for addressing sin among believers:
- Authority of Binding and Loosing:
- Jesus grants authority to His followers concerning binding and loosing:
- Whatever they bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever they loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
- He emphasizes the power of agreement in prayer:
- If two of them agree on earth about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by the Father in heaven.
- Jesus assures them that where two or three gather in His name, He is there with them.
- Jesus grants authority to His followers concerning binding and loosing:
- Parable of the Unmerciful Servant:
- Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive a brother or sister who sins against him, suggesting up to seven times.
- Jesus answers not seven times, but seventy-seven times (or seventy times seven), indicating the boundless nature of forgiveness.
18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 18:13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.