Journey Through Matthew: Sheep and Sinners
Journey Through Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsGod's love for us is so deep he would go to any length to save us and find us. In like terms, God also expects use to show the same love and willingness to forgive and help others.
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Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome back!
This morning, if you will start turning in your Bibles back to Matthew chapter 18.
This morning we are going to be looking at verses 10-20 and tonight we are going to dive into verses 21-35.
This morning’s message is titled Sheep and Sinners and if you make it back tonight, we are going to look at the subject of Have Mercy!
And when you are looking at the Scripture itself, it may seem like the two subjects are not tied together at all, but really they are very connected to one another.
And if you recall where we were last Sunday night, we began looking at chapter 18 and the disciples apparent inability to see past their own ambitions to actually see who God was calling them to be.
We looked at their argument among themselves about which one of them was going to be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.
And we know that Jesus was very quick to rebuke them and to teach them something about God’s Kingdom and what it actually means to be “great” in God’s kingdom.
The worst part of it all though was that Jesus had to keep teaching them this lesson over and over again and they never really got it until after Jesus was gone.
And many times we tend to do the same thing.
God teaches us things over and over and over again.
And we never fully grasp what God is telling us until something bad happens and that tends to be the only thing that really gets our full attention.
And the entire crux of what Jesus is trying to teach his disciples (and us) is that God’s kingdom is vastly different than the kingdoms that we build up here on earth.
In God’s kingdom, love, kindness, mercy, grace, and forgiveness are the things that determine greatness.
Whereas here we think things like money, power, fame, and fortune determine greatness.
Jesus tells us that none of those things matter and really we need to stop doing whatever it takes to get those things.
Our priorities are skewed and if we really want to achieve greatness, then we need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and actions.
Because the way we are going leads us down a road to sin, which leads to death, which leads to hell.
And we may even cause others to go down that same path, to which Jesus tells us it is better to have a millstone tied to us and drown in the sea than to do that.
And that whole conversation leads up to what Jesus is going to continue to teach his disciples in our Scripture for today.
So, if you have found in your Bibles I’d invite you to stand with me if you are able.
Starting in verse 10, Matthew writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
10 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 12 “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? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. 15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
The Lost Sheep (vs 10-14)
The Lost Sheep (vs 10-14)
So, just by looking at this passage, we can tell that Jesus is going to be talking about two different but related subjects here.
First, though he finishes up this discussion about the little ones, which is referring to His Children, His followers, His disciples.
And to that he say . . .
10 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
Matthew 18:10
Now, at first glance you may be thinking that these verses do not really make much sense.
After all, what do children/God’s children have to do with angels?
Well, it’s not nearly as complicated as we try to make it.
Ever heard of guardian angels?
This is what Jesus is really talking about here.
In thinking about the passage from last Sunday night, what he is saying here in a nutshell is that we had better watch out in how these little ones are being treated.
Whether those little ones are actual children or God’s children.
And I have to say, not all people are God’s children, as some would like to teach.
In order to be God’s child, you have to first accept Jesus Christ.
Now, all people are God’s creation, but not all people are God’s children.
And God loves all people, not willing that any should perish, but God commands that all must come to repentance.
And that repentance can only come through Christ.
And only THEN do we become God’s child.
And people don’t like to hear that because it’s not as warm and fuzzy as the false teaching that “we’re all God’s children.”
To those that are teaching that, I say read your Bible, because it says otherwise.
But for God’s children (and children in general), Jesus is alluding to the fact that they have angels watching out for them.
And Jesus says that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
In other words their angels have full access to God and since there is nothing that gets past God, there is nothing that is going to get past these angels either.
And, in thinking about God’s love and God’s care, and even God’s assignment of angels to His children, Jesus is now going to talk to them about a scenario when one of the children wander away.
And he is going to do so in the form of a parable . . .
12 “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? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.
Matthew 18:12
Not very flattering, but Jesus once again compares people to sheep, but notice he calls his children sheep, and not goats.
And he says, lets just imagine for a minute that God is like a farmer who owns 100 sheep and one of them wanders off and gets lost.
What’s the farmer going to do, just leave it be and not worry about it?
After all, it’s just one sheep, no big deal, I’ve got 99 more.
No, the farmer will go and hunt for that sheep and do all he can to find it and bring it back home.
And when He finds the sheep and brings the sheep back home, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.
And then Jesus draws the comparison . . .
14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.
And just to drive the point home, records the same parable.
And not to repeat the whole parable, picking up in . . .
5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Luke 15:5-
Which goes right back to the very point that . . .
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
However . . .
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
And it is because of that, that God is so diligent in doing all he can to convince us to come to Him.
To put our faith in Him.
We have free will and God is not going to force us, but He will do everything He can to show us the truth.
And when we do come home, there is rejoicing in heaven.
Whether we have never accepted Jesus, or whether we wandered away and returned, the same rejoicing takes place.
But there is also another part to this as well.
We should also be like the farmer.
We shouldn’t just be satisfied with the 99 that are safe.
We should also be doing everything in our power, everything we can to bring that lost sheep home.
Sometimes all we can do is pray, but many times we can do more.
We should never quit and we should never give up.
And sometimes we want to give up because we get frustrated and angry.
And sometimes when we try we get shut down, insulted, done wrong, and angry.
Which is what Jesus addresses next.
Again, Matthew writes . . .
Forgiving Others (vs 15-20)
Forgiving Others (vs 15-20)
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
And remember these verses because they will become relevant again tonight.
But in essence Jesus is telling his disciples how to handle disputes in the church, between Christians.
And really he is telling us all how we AS CHRISTIANS should handle disputes.
Instead of gossiping to the neighbors or other church people.
Instead of posting on Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat . . .
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
Matthew 18:
Notice, Jesus says to go and show him his fault, and the most important part just between the two of you.
Don’t make a big scene and go squawking about.
Just go and try and talk it out between the two of you, and if he listens to you, you have won your brother over!
And then, the matter is over. Drop it and let it go.
Don’t go away saying, “I’ll forgive but I will never forget.”
Let it go, it is done.
You can’t change the past of what has happened.
You have been reconciled, just move on and let it go.
But, what happens if your brother is, shall we say, a little on the stubborn side.
16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
Matthew 18:
So, basically have someone to mediate.
And this is for both inside and outside the church.
And again, leave the Facebook and Snapchat alone.
It don’t belong there.
But now, if that doesn’t work, if the person is a Christian or claims to be a Christian and you have exhausted all other avenues . . .
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Which basically means, disassociate yourself with that person.
Not to be cruel but to prevent further damage to you.
Because that person is one that is going to have to get some things right with God before they will ever be able to get things right with you.
And there is just a little bit more with this, but I believe we will pick that up tonight.
Altar Call
Altar Call
But this morning, I’d like for you to think about first, this whole business of dealing with conflict.
Maybe you have been on the receiving end of someone’s wrath.
They have done you wrong.
How have you handled it?
Have you forgiven them but are still holding on to some of that hurt?
If so, you need to let that go.
I will say that sometimes people do intentional things to hurt others, but most of of the time it is not intentional but more of a miscommunication.
Did you go to that person and try and work it out?
Did you go the extra step and take a mediator with you on a follow up?
Or did you just disassociate with them without even trying?
Are you saying you forgive, but really haven’t?
If so, this is hindering your relationship with God.
It is a weight that you can get rid of today. If you will?
Maybe you’ve been the one who did someone else wrong and are refusing to admit your mistake.
If so, you need to get right with God, lay aside your pride, and then get right with the person you did wrong.
It is a must.
Maybe you are here and none of that applies but you are like one of those lost sheep, trying to find your way home.
Jesus will lead you home.
All you have to do is come and give your life to Him.
Whether you have never accepted Christ or whether you have once been part of the flock and wandered away.
God wants you to come home.
And God has given you Jesus to lead you home.
All you have to do is come.
Will you do that today?
Whatever the need is, Jesus can meet that need, if you will come.
Our altars are open, will you use them today?