S209 Seeing Intervention Clearly (Matthew 18.12-20)

 INTRODUCTION

A. How important are your Christian brethren?

1. You might say, “very important”

2. The way we treat one another is a revelation into how important we think they are

How we treat one another when we are together.

How we treat one another when we are apart (the way we speak about one another).

3. How far are you willing to go for the benefit of your brethren?

Will you help them? Maybe help them move? Help them through difficulties?

Will you do what is necessary in a spiritual manner? Confront them about sin…work with them to help them out of the sin

4. Jesus wants us to see our brethren as so important, we will intervene when they are caught in sin

B. Our series: “Seeing My Brethren Clearly”

1. Part of our annual series: “Seeing Clearly with 20/20 Spiritual Vision”

2. About how we view one another

Are we competitors? Are we trying to “get ahead”? How should we view the sin in my brother’s life?

C. The problem: Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? (Matthew 18.1)

1. An attitude of comparison

2. A wrong attitude about trying to get to the “top” in this kingdom of heaven

D. The answer: The humble (Matthew 18.2-4)

1. Humility like a child

2. Not thinking of one’s self as more important than others

E. The warning: Don’t be responsible for obstacles (Matthew 18.5-10)

1. Right way: receive your brethren (even with their flaws)

2. Wrong way: trying to trip them up for my own benefit

3. Point: Don’t ever think sin is okay, ESPECIALLY when introducing it into the life of another Christian

F. The instruction: Intervention (Matthew 18.12-20)

1. When you know how valuable your brother is, two things will happen:

First, you will never imagine putting sin in his pathway (thus, the warning of Matthew 18.5-10)

Second, you will instead try to help him get out of the trouble with sin (Matthew 18.12-20)

2. Jesus wants us to see our intervention with one another, correctly

It begins with understanding the need for intervention. (Matthew 18.12-14)

It continues with understanding the method for intervention (Matthew 18.15-20)

G. Why did we skip Matthew 18.11?

1. It is what is called a textual variant

The Bible is perfect. The truth within the Bible is perfect. The transmission of the Bible has been…imperfect.

As such, there are times mistakes get put into the Bible. (Just because the writing of scripture was inspired, does not mean the translation and transmission was inspired.)

Usually, we can get these figured out by using comparisons and many different examples. This leads scholars to give “grades” to the variants (“A” for strong, “B” for likely, “C” for unlikely, “D” for almost no one thinks this is original.

These ratings come from comparisons and some scholarship insight. Was this a skipped line? Did this get added because it sounded like a different, but similar passage? Was this added to help clarify?

2. As a textual variant, it was not original

This particular textual variant got a “C.” It is unlikely Mt 18.11 was in the original text. It was likely someone along the line adding it to try and draw connection between Mt 18.10 (Do not despise one of these little ones…) and Mt 18.12ff about the rescuing of sheep (God wants to rescue sheep). It is a statement Jesus said at one point in time (Luke 19.10 in Jesus’ explanation for why He would go to Zaccheus).

3. If we left it in, there is not error, but it does not follow the flow of thought

There is no doctrinal problems with this text. Honestly, there is not doctrinal complications with this text remaining.

However, it does not follow the perceived flow of thought as seems to be in the whole passage. Further, removing it, keeps clarity within the text and does not muddy the purpose of the following verses up (to encourage us to intervene).

The only implication is to leave this text suggests God is the one doing the saving, when the context (…who then is the greatest… and …woe to him through come stumbling blocks… and …do not despise… INTO …if your brother sins…) suggests WE have a responsibility toward one another.

H. Jesus’ point: Rather than hindering, we are to be helping our brethren…this is true greatness in the kingdom of heaven

BODY

I. Seeing the Need for Intervention (Matthew 18.12-14)

A. Remember the original problem: Who then is the greatest… (Mt 18.1)

1. They are comparing themselves to one another

2. What might be a problem? Ignoring my brother

3. Seeing the sin the right way

It is not right to introduce sin into my brother’s life (Mt 18.5-10)

However, it is also not right to just ignore a brother in need.

B. All about the value of just the one (Matthew 18.12-13)

1. Jesus uses a familiar illustration about sheep

A sheep wanders off. Your reaction: go get it.

The other sheep are not left unprotected or ignored. But they are doing well, and don’t need the extra attention at this point in time.

2. The point: one is worth going after

Even if the sheep is responsible for wandering off. It wasn’t the shepherd who sent it away. The shepherd will go after the sheep.

3. Even one returned is worthy of a celebration

The returned one is not worth more than the ones who never wandered away. The celebration and focus upon the lost and returned sheep does not invalidate the others. It brings attention to the joy of the one returned.

We have seen this in our own culture, today. Consider the Black Lives Matter movement. While I do not agree with the atrocities committed in the name of the BLM movement, it has some valid concerns. We often hear the immediate retort, “All Lives Matter.” This is also true. However, the BLM movement is based on this principle of the one lost sheep. The other sheep have not lost their value, just because they are not being sought out. Consider the BLM movement as a “search” for the lost sheep. Addressing a concern that is immediate, pressing, and temporary (presumably).

C. God thinks losing even one is too many (Matthew 18.14)

1. God thinks all of His people are valuable

He doesn’t want one of us to wander away.

The consequences are too severe: perish

2. Do we share the same value for one another?

Are we watching, to see who is and is not engaged and growing in the Lord?

I would make the argument that this responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders of an eldership. They are the shepherds, shepherding God’s flock. However, this doesn’t mean we don’t have the responsibility to help in this effort (notice, Jesus never delegates this responsibility specifically to the eldership).

This means we need to be involved in one another’s lives.

D. What are we seeing?

1. God’s willingness to go to such great lengths for just the one

2. Are we willing to go after just the one?

3. Are we aware when the one has wandered off?

4. Are we joyous at their return?

Do we feel...

…bitter for their leaving in the first place?

…jealous that they got to enjoy the life of sin, while I was “toiling away” and denying my desires

We should feel...

…joy at their restoration

…joy at our new member

…joy at God’s joy (after all, aren’t we aligned with Him and His will?)

E. Question: If I need to go after my brother who has wandered away, how? When? Under what circumstances?

II. Seeing the Time for Intervention (Matthew 18.15)

A. When to get involved (Matthew 18.15a)

1.

B. The purpose for intervention (Matthew 18.15b)

1.

C. How do we apply this in our own lives?

1.

III. Seeing the Method for Intervention (Matthew 18.16-20)

A. A gradual approach (Matthew 18.16-17a)

1.

B. The consequences (Matthew 18.17b)

1.

C. Authority for intervention (Matthew 18.18-20)

1.

D. What we learn for ourselves

1.

CONCLUSION

A. True greatness is seeing the need to rescue my brethren from sin

1. Recognizing their inherent worth…we don’t leave them be

2. Recognizing the right time and purpose…we don’t ignore them

3. Recognizing the right method and outcome…we don’t make it up

B. This is a challenging teaching

1. In application

Do I love my brother? Do I treat them as valuable?

Do I think they are worth saving?

2. In practice

Do I have the authority? Is this the right time? Are we being mean? Have we crossed any boundaries?

C. This teaching is rooted in understanding sin correctly

1. Of course, we don’t introduce sin into my brother’s life

2. But do we care enough for my brethren to do this hard thing?

3. The understanding of sin’s danger is what drives us to have difficult conversations and decisions

4. Sin is so serious, I am willing to help my brother out of it, no matter what

D. Next Week: Peter thinks he’s got it figured out

1. Peter asks a question, probably thinking he has it figured out

2. Jesus answers the question

3. Jesus teaches the underlying principle (which connects to the overall theme)