Matthew 18 (The Message Translation)1 At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, "Who gets the highest rank in God's kingdom?"
2 -5For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom. What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me. 6 -7"But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you'll soon wish you hadn't. You'd be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don't have to make it worse—and it's doomsday to you if you do.
Two things jump out of the first passage. First, no matter what things, what actions, what human definitions we come up with - faith is simple. Jesus himself said so - "unless you return to square one and start over like children." How much more plain could it be? I've heard that even though we might have our "fire insurance" by way of salvation, we must work work work to "earn greater rewards" and to "store up our treasure" in Heaven. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying punch the salvation ticket and then run do whatever feels good. Certainly we must live in a manner that doesn't cause our brother to stumble. Yes, there are later New Testament teachings from the apostles to strive on, continue to reach higher for the cause of Christ. But again, He said it "unless you return to square one and start over like children"... Are we missing something in this teaching? Is He saying that when we get to a point we just can't seem to figure "it" out, to step back, regroup, and start over? To go back to where we were as we began our walk of faith?
8 -9"If your hand or your foot gets in the way of God, chop it off and throw it away. You're better off maimed or lame and alive than the proud owners of two hands and two feet, godless in a furnace of eternal fire. And if your eye distracts you from God, pull it out and throw it away. You're better off one-eyed and alive than exercising your twenty-twenty vision from inside the fire of hell.
I'm not sure about this...scratching my head as I type....I might come back to it in a later blog.
10"Watch that you don't treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don't you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?
12 -14"Look at it this way. If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn't he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn't want to lose even one of these simple believers.
Oh wow, this might get long. I've vented and ranted on here just a little, and in private to some of my readers about feeling on the "outside" a lot lately. Yeah, there's a cursory phone call on a rare occasion. But I'm guilty too...I've been one of the 99 that knew a church member was missing in action. And I didn't step out. I'm not sitting here crying that I'm the 1 sheep, but I can say I've been on both sides. Why don't we as a church do a better job at bringing our own back into the family? What point have we reached in our "faith" to be able to sit back and either do nothing, talk about doing something but yet still sit idle, or to "feel" for the missing member...but we never DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?!?!?! We do it, and we justify our inaction through our self-serving "empathy" for the fallen member. I'm not talking about the truly LOST; I mean those of the family of the redeemed who've fallen by the wayside. Empathy feels good, but it gains nothing. Did the shepherd just feel bad for the missing sheep? Did he call the other 99 together and discuss how pitiful a situation the 1 sheep must be in, and pray for his safe return? Did he call, text, or email the sheep with well-wishes? Did he find the sheep and offer to feed him while he explained to the sheep how to find his way back to the fold? Go back and re-read the passage and see what the shepherd did.
15 -17"If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you've made a friend. If he won't listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won't listen, tell the church. If he won't listen to the church, you'll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God's forgiving love.
18 -20"Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there."
I've hit on this before too, either on here or privately. It's a tough-love that lets you do what Jesus says. But thankfully I've been on the receiving end from a loving and caring brother. And once, I've been the one going to a brother. Is it easy? NO! But having been on both sides, I can assure you it's far more of a blessing than any degree of "empathy" you can muster for anyone. The family of faith is just like any other family. We'll have our times where we disagree. But lets disagree and come back into agreement privately. We gain nothing in going to others to "discuss the situation" until it's forgotten about, but left unresolved. We're given here a step-by-step way to work things out with each other. And if all else fails, look what Jesus says - just like with the children earlier - go back and start from scratch. Don't throw someone under the bus. Back up, take a deep breath, and start over with love.
Wow. Re-read that again. Ok do it just one more time. Now....let's talk. Which is worse? Is it worse for me to forgive the contraventions of my brothers against me, yet be "talked about" around town...."I can't believe he said he forgave him for that!!" Or what about "I'm not sure I can forgive you for...."? The servant has his gift of forgiveness taken away because he refused to forgive another brother. We're human, yes. Emotions are very real and very difficult to sometimes see through. But if I refuse to forgive someone, am I not putting my very own forgiveness in peril? Re-read that last sentence in the passage. Powerful stuff.21At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, "Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?"
22Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.
23 -25"The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn't pay up, so the king ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be auctioned off at the slave market.
26 -27"The poor wretch threw himself at the king's feet and begged, 'Give me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' Touched by his plea, the king let him off, erasing the debt.
28"The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, 'Pay up. Now!'
29 -31"The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, 'Give me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' But he wouldn't do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the king.
32 -35"The king summoned the man and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn't you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?' The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that's exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn't forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy."
I never intended to sound "preachy", because I have PLENTY of my own faults. I struggle with forgiveness, and pray for the ability to forgive, because I know my forgiveness wasn't earned. Absolutely nothing I have done warranted the Master and Creator to send his Son to be unrelentingly tortured and humiliated with common thieves. But He did.
I'm forgiven, because you were foresaken....
I'm accepted, You were condemned.....
I'm alive and well, Your spirit is within me.....
Because you died and rose again.....
Amazing Love, how can it be,
That you MY KING would die for me?
Amazing Love, I know it's true,
And it's my joy to honor You....
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