Please open up your Bibles to Matthew chapter 18.
If you don't have a Bible, please raise your hand.
We'd love to give you a copy of it that you can use while you're here and take home with you.
For those of you who don't know me, my name is Sean,
and I'm one of the pastors of Trinity Cambridge Church,
and it's my great joy and privilege to preach God's Word to you.
This morning, we've been going through the Gospel of Matthew
for over a year.
Now, in chapter 18, verses 10 to 20,
let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.
Heavenly Father, Your Word is living and active.
So, Lord, I ask that Your Word would pierce through the division of bone and marrow,
that we would be cut to the heart by Your Word,
Your message would be convicted and comforted,
that we would be reminded
that as we remember Your love shown to us in Christ,
that You would dwell more and more richly and fully by Your Holy Spirit in us,
that we too might become Christ-like
in seeking out lost sheep,
pursuing one another in the body of Christ.
Lord, expand our vision for the church,
grow and deepen our love for the church,
all for Your glory, God.
Lord, in Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Please stand, if you are able,
so that we can honor God together as we read from His Word.
Matthew 18, 10 to 20.
See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I tell you that in heaven
their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
What do you think?
If a man has a hundred sheep
and one of them has gone astray,
does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains
and go in search of the one that went astray?
And if he finds it,
truly, I say to you,
he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine
that never went astray.
So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven
that one of these little ones should perish.
If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you,
you have gained your brother.
But if he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you
that every charge may be established
by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them,
tell it to the church.
And if he refuses to listen even to the church,
let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Truly, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, I say to you,
if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask,
it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered in my name,
there am I among them.
This is God's holy and authoritative word.
Please be seated.
I don't mean any offense to people from the south here,
but a popular stereotype about the deep south
is that down there,
everyone knows everyone's business.
In the worst case,
this is because of gossips and busybodies
who meddle in other people's affairs,
but in the best case,
it's because of a strong sense of communal responsibility
and neighborliness.
In contrast,
a popular stereotype about New England
is that up here,
the prevailing attitude is,
it's none of my business.
There's a strong sense of individual autonomy
and expression of personalities
and personal boundaries,
and people are encouraged to mind their own business.
There's a biblical precedent for this idea
of, oh, it's none of my business.
Proverbs 25, 16, 17 says this,
if you have found honey,
eat only enough for you,
lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.
Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house,
lest he have his fill of you and hate you.
Note the parallel between fill of honey
and fill of you, right?
The idea is be considerate of your neighbor.
Don't presume upon your neighbor's hospitality.
Allow for some space.
Even if your neighbor really likes you,
there's such a thing as having too much
of something that is good,
like eating too much honey and vomiting.
Just as you can have a fill of honey,
you can have a fill of yourself.
They can have a fill of you.
And this is what the English proverb,
good fences make good neighbors, means.
It doesn't mean that you shouldn't be a friendly neighbor,
but it means that you should respect
your neighbor's personal space.
There's also Proverbs 26, 17,
whoever meddles in a quarrel, not his own,
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
If it's not your fight, don't meddle in it.
Don't insert yourself into it,
because like a passing dog,
just passing by casually,
and if you grab it by the ear,
it will surely turn on you and try to bite you.
So there is some biblical precedence.
I don't want to just dismiss it altogether,
that kind of attitude, mind your own business.
There's some truth to the idea of working hard
and keeping your head down
and minding your own affairs
that is good and godly.
With that said,
that attitude, none of my business,
is not always a commendable attitude.
Sometimes it's none of my business
is not an expression of humility
toward your neighbor.
It's not an expression of consideration
of your neighbors.
Rather, sometimes it's an expression
of selfish individualism, apathy,
and lack of concern for our neighbors
that must be overcome.
That's the point of our passage this morning.
When it comes to relationships within the church,
the family of God,
we ought to care for one another
and be accountable to one another.
When a brother or sister in Christ
is sinning and not repenting,
when they are straying from the path of God
and from the truth of God,
it is our responsibility
to pursue our straying brother or sister.
That's the main point of this passage.
The parable of the lost sheep
in verses 10 to 14
tell us about the preciousness
of the one little one.
And verses 15 to 20
then tell us about the pursuit
of that one little one.
Jesus says in verse 10,
See that you do not despise
one of these little ones.
For I tell you that in heaven
their angels always see the face
of my Father who is in heaven.
Jesus mentions the little ones
twice in our passage.
He's continuing the theme
of the previous passage
at the beginning of this chapter.
Jesus said in verses 5 to 6,
Whoever receives one such child
in my name receives me.
But whoever causes one of these little ones
who believe in me to sin,
it will be better for him
to have a great millstone
fastened around his neck
and to be drowned
in the depth of the sea.
Despising the little ones
is the opposite
of receiving those little ones.
Those who despise the little ones
are likely to cause
those little ones to sin
because they don't really care
about what happens to them.
They're little ones.
They're not important.
So who cares?
To despise the little ones
is to disdain and scorn them,
to treat them with contempt.
Paul exhorts Timothy
in 1 Timothy 4.12,
Let no one despise you
for your youth.
That's the same word.
But set the believers
an example in speech,
in conduct,
in love,
in faith,
in purity.
Paul is telling Timothy,
Timothy,
because you're a young buck,
people might disrespect
and disdain you.
But instead of confirming
their suspicions
of immaturity
and youthful ignorance
and inexperience,
set an example for them
in godly speech
and godly conduct.
These little ones
that Jesus mentions
do not refer to literal children,
but to all those
who have become like children.
Jesus said that in verse 3,
those who have humbled themselves
like a child
in order to enter
the kingdom of heaven.
What that means
is those who have
benounced their self-sufficiency
and have acknowledged
their dependence
on the provision
of God the Father.
It's those who have
despaired
of their self-righteousness
and cling
to Jesus Christ alone
and His salvation,
His atonement,
His righteousness
alone for salvation.
Those who have
forsaken
worldly status
and glory
and now seek
heavenly status
and the glory
that comes from God.
In other words,
the little ones
are the Christians
and this is confirmed
by what Jesus said
earlier in chapter 10,
verse 42,
and whoever gives
one of these little ones
even a cup of cold water
because he is a disciple,
truly I say to you,
he will by no means
lose his reward.
The little ones
are the disciples
of Jesus Christ,
those who believe in Him
and follow Him
and Jesus warns,
see that you do not despise
one of these little ones.
This warning is necessary
because little ones
are easy to despise.
They don't have status,
power.
They don't have a seat
at the table.
They're easy to bully around
and push around.
They are unintimidating
and unthreatening.
People pay attention to
and fawn after
the great ones of society.
They ignore the little ones.
Little ones are the ones
whom God claims
as His dependents.
Those who are poor
but depend on God's wealth.
Those who are weak
but depend on God's power.
Those who are sinful
but depend on God's mercy.
But this world
is not impressed
by such people.
This world doesn't take
such people seriously.
But Jesus commands us
to take them
very, very seriously.
So much so,
He says that
if you cause
one of these little ones
who believe in me
to sin,
Jesus says,
it'll be better
for you to have
a massive millstone
tied around your neck
and drowned
in the depths of the sea.
Why so serious?
Jesus says in verse 10,
for I tell you
that in heaven
their angels
always see
the face of my Father
who is in heaven.
Seeing the face
of God the Father
in heaven
is the language
of the royal court.
Not anyone
gets admitted
into the king's presence.
Queen Esther,
if you remember
from the book of Esther,
tremble
to enter into
King Ahasuerus'
royal court
even though she's
the queen.
She said anyone
who enters his court
unsummoned
is executed
unless he
extends a special
pardon
and mercy.
So it's not a small thing
to have access
to the king
and yet Jesus says
the angels
of these little ones
not once in a while
but always
sees the face
of God
the Father
in heaven.
We see the hints
of this idea
of angels
representing
and guarding
the people of God
throughout the Bible.
Hebrews 1.14
describes the angels
as ministering spirits
sent out to serve
for the sake
of those
who are to
inherit salvation.
In other words,
the little ones
are the ones
that are served
by these angels.
They exist.
They're serving spirits
that exist to serve
the little ones of God,
the children of God.
Psalm 91,
9-12
promises divine protection
for those who
make the Lord God
their refuge.
And it says
that the Lord
will command
his angels
concerning you
to guard you
in all your ways.
On their hands
they will bear you up
lest you strike
your foot
against the stone.
This is where
the idea
of a guardian angel
comes from.
At the end of his life,
Jacob speaks
of the angel
who has delivered him
from all of the evils
in his life.
In Genesis 48,
verse 16.
In Daniel chapter 3
when Daniel's
three friends,
Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego
are thrown
into a fiery furnace
because of their
refusal to worship
this idolatrous
golden statue
of Nebuchadnezzar,
the emperor
sees that
there's a fourth person
in the fiery furnace
and it's an angel
who's protecting them
so that not a hair
on their head
is singed.
In Revelation 2-3
we see that
every local church
has an angelic
representative
in heaven
in the very throne room
of God.
So,
it says in
Revelation 2-3
that every angel,
even the churches
like Sardis
and Laodicea
that have nothing
to commend them
that according
to Jesus himself,
the church in Sardis
is about to die.
It's a dying church.
Churches that,
local churches
that have nothing
to commend them
yet they still
have a lampstand
that's burning
before the presence
of God
and have an angelic
representative
that is before
the very face
of God.
These precious children,
these churches
of Christ,
though flawed
and plagued
by sins they may be,
have 24-7 access
to God the Father.
They're literally
before the Father's face
always.
Do you know that
that is how
you are loved,
beloved children
of God?
That's,
you are the,
you are the apple
of God's eye.
He keeps you
as the apple
of his eye.
He hides you
in the shadow
of his wings,
it says in Psalm 17,
verse 8.
And this is why
Jesus says
we should not despise
one of these little ones.
they are the very heirs
of the kingdom
of heaven.
And to drive home
this point further,
he uses this parable
of the lost sheep
in verses 12 to 13.
What do you think?
If a man has
a hundred sheep
and one of them
has gone astray,
does he not leave
the ninety-nine
on the mountains
and go in search
of the one
that went astray?
And if he finds it,
truly I say to you,
he rejoices over it
more than over
the ninety-nine
that never went astray.
A shepherd
will take his flock
around and feed them
on the pastures
and lead them
to the waters
and usually at night
when it's time
to turn in,
he will count his sheep
to make sure
that they are all present.
And he's counting
his sheep
as he's in the habit
of doing
and he's got
ninety-seven,
ninety-eight,
ninety-nine.
Okay, I must have
missed one.
Okay, you start over.
That's a lot
of sheep to count.
Ninety-seven,
ninety-eight,
ninety-nine.
It's not a mistake.
Something's not right.
And then his mind
and his heart
begin to race
and then his feet
follow soon thereafter
and now he is
running across the pastures
trying to find
the lost sheep.
And as I mentioned
to you when I preached
on Matthew chapter nine
some months ago
that sheep
are famously
helpless
without shepherds.
Right?
They don't have
a good sense of direction.
They're not like
cats and dogs
that can find
their way back home.
When they get lost
they're actually lost.
They're defenseless.
They don't have claws.
They don't have sharp teeth.
They can't fight back
if wolves attack them.
They're not very fast.
They get easily spooked
and they run
headlong into danger
or even off a cliff
sometimes
because they just
don't have much sense.
And so the shepherd
as he's thinking
about this missing sheep
all of these things
are on his mind.
As the image
of this helplessly
bleeding sheep
lost somewhere
scared and vulnerable
fills his mind
he quickens his pace
and he continues
to search
and he says
in verse 12
that he leaves
the 99
on the mountains
and then he goes
and searches
for the one
that went astray.
Think about that
for one moment.
It doesn't say
that the shepherd
puts the 99 sheep
safely inside
the sheepfold
and then he goes out
to search
for that one sheep.
It says that he leaves
the 99
on the mountains
and goes in search
of the one
that went astray.
The math
doesn't make sense.
That's because
this is not
a picture
of a calm
calculated
methodical rescue.
it's a picture
of an urgent
desperate search.
It's a picture
of a consuming
love
and the desperate
predicament
of that one
wandering sheep
takes precedence
because that one
has gone astray
while the 99
have not.
And Jesus says
God the Father's
heart
is like
that shepherd's
who leaves
the 99
in search
of the one.
Notice how many
times the word
one is repeated
in chapter 18.
Verse 5
Whoever receives
one such child
in my name
receives me.
But whoever
causes one
of these little ones
who believe
in me to sin
it will be better
for him to have
a great millstone
fastened around
his neck
and to be drowned
in the depths
of the sea.
Verse 10
See that you
do not despise
one of these
little ones.
Verse 12
If a man
has a hundred sheep
and one of them
has gone astray
does he not
leave the 99
on the mountains
and go in search
of the one
that went astray.
Verse 14
So it is not
the will of my
Father who is in
heaven
that one
of these little
ones should perish.
This is Jesus'
point.
God's love
God loves
his one
wandering sheep
as if it were
the only sheep
there to love.
And his love
compels him
to pursue.
Beloved
that's how
God loves
you.
Verse 13
says
And if he
finds it
truly I say
to you
he rejoices
over it
more than
over the
99
that never
went astray.
Don't feel
bad if you
feel like
you're the
99.
It's
not because
the one
sheep
is more
valuable
than the
99.
Can you
imagine
what the
99
sheep
would have
felt
if the
shepherd
after
realizing
that he's
the one
sheep
had gone
wandering
he says
oh
just
one
sheep
got
99
more
cut
my
losses
what do you
think the
sheep would
think
ouch
well I
better never
wander
off
he sure
will never
come after
me
no
they
realized
they
realized
that
they
are
not
actually
that
valuable
to the
shepherd
the
shepherd's
consuming
passion
to recover
that one
lost
sheep
elevates
the value
of every
sheep
it shows
his value
for every
sheep
in that
sheep
fold
that's
how
you
would
search
for
me
if I
ever
got
lost
and
that's
what
you
should
feel
when you
read
this
passage
if
you
are
familiar
with
the
longer
more
famous
version
of
this
parable
in
Luke
chapter
15
verses
1
to
7
you
may
have
automatically
assumed
that
the
wandering
sheep
represents
unbelievers
those who
are not
yet
Christians
in
Luke
15
this
is
the
case
there
Jesus
tells
the
parable
to
the
Pharisees
and
the
scribes
who
are
grumbling
and
complaining
at
the
fact
that
Jesus
befriends
sinners
and tax
collectors
and eats
with
them
and
through
the
parable
Jesus
teaches
these
legalistic
Pharisees
that
it's
not
the
healthy
who
need
the
doctor
it's
the
sick
that
he
has
come
to
seek
and
save
the
lost
however
in
Matthew
18
the
audience
is not
the
Pharisees
and
the
scribes
the
audience
is
the
disciples
of
Jesus
and
Jesus
tells
this
parable
in
the
context
of
how
we
ought
to
relate
to
one
another
as
people
of
God
as
members
of
the
body
of
Christ
should
we
be
measuring
ourselves
against
one
another
and
wondering
who
is
the
greatest
among
us
that's
what
sparked
all
of
this
teaching
no
Jesus
says
that's
not
the
way
we
should
be
instead
we
should
become
like
little
children
so
notice
the
flow
of
this
passage
before
the
parable
of
the
lost
sheep
Jesus
says
you
should
cut
off
the
things
that
cause
you
to
sin
if
your
right
crippled
and
for
you
to
be
excluded
shut
out
from
the
kingdom
of
God
whole
bodied
and
able
bodied
and
then
he
tells
the
parable
of
the
lost
sheep
and
then
after
that
he
goes
into
talking
about
how
we
ought
to
address
erring
believers
Christians
professing
believers
who
sin
how
should
you
address
them
so
this
parable
is
not
about
unbelievers
in the
context
of
Matthew
it's
about
how
we
ought
to
pursue
our
brothers
and
sisters
who
sin
and
when
you
sin
brothers
and
sisters
God's
posture
toward
you
is
not
that
defective
wandering
sheep
has
always
made
my
day
long
and
difficult
good
riddance
that
is
not
God's
heart
verse
14
so
it
is
not
the
will
of
my
father
who
is
in
heaven
that
one
of
these
little
!
ones
should
perish
it
is
not
his
will
that's
not
his
heart
he
runs
after
each
lost
sheep
so
let
his
unrelenting
love
draw
you
back
if
that's
what
you
are
doing
right
now
if
you're
in
sin
and
you
are
not
a
nameless
sheep
among
a multitude
of
sheep
God
says
in
Isaiah
45
3
to
4
I
the
Lord
God
of
Israel
call
you
by
name
for
the
sake
of
my
servant
Jacob
and
Israel
my
chosen
I
call
you
by
your
name
I
name
you
God
doesn't
merely
save
you
all
in
the
plural
as
a
collective
whole
he
saves
each
wandering
!
sheep
individually
God's
love
is not
love
that is
offered
generally
for
everyone
only
and
not
especially
for
but
especially
for
no
one
his
love
is not
something
that is
offered
generally
for
everyone
but
especially
for
no
one
no
his
love
is
offered
it's
a
shepherd's
love
it's
the
father's
love
his
love
for
each
and
every
child
of
his
he
loves
as if
there's
only
one
there's
if
there
were
only
one
to
love
he
knows
you
and
loves
you
and
calls
you
by
name
and
your
angel
is
always
before
his
face
in
the
heavenly
court
he's
always
watching
over
you
when
it
comes
to
things
like
money
and
you
earn
some
and
you
spend
some
and
you
lose
some
and
if
your
investment
portfolio
doesn't
perform
one
year
you
cut
your
losses
and
you
move
on
but
we
don't
think
you
can't
!
think
!
about
!
people
you
can't
think
like
that
when
it
comes
to
God's
precious
children
a
little
over
a
year
ago
I
read
an
article
in
the
New
York
Times
about
a
father
in
South
Korea
who
had
become
a
tragic
national
symbol
of
unwavering
parental
devotion
his
17
year
old
daughter
had
gone
missing
in
1999
and
for
the
next
25
years
he
never
stopped
looking
for
her
by
2017
he
had
driven
about
half
a
million
miles
distributed
3
million
leaflets
!
and
hung
2,500
banners
throughout
the country
that
say
please
help
me
find
my
daughter
he
said
his
one
wish
was
to
hold
her
hand
one
day
and
in
an
interview
in
2013
he
said
I've
never
spent
a
day
without
thinking
about
my
daughter
I
don't
think
anybody
can
live
comfortably
after
losing
a
child
while
hanging
his
banners
up
he
fell
several
times
suffering
a
herniated
disc
and
a
severe
brain
injury
and
he
continued
to
search
for
his
daughter
and
during
while
he
was
continuing
to
do
this
his
wife
passed
away
and
he
continued
to
search
for
his
daughter
and
he
did
this
until
he
died
in
2024
for
25
years
why
would
a
man
do
that
no
other
man
would
do
that
it's
because
he's
the
father
it's
because
it's
his
daughter
you
have
to
take
someone
else's
children
seriously
that's
what
he's
saying
this
is
the
father's
son
or
daughter
that
you're
going
after
I
don't
know
what
your
politics
are
your
opinions
of
what
President
George
W.
Bush's
decision
to
invade
Iraq
in
2003
might
have
been
sorry
I'm
not
going
to
talk
about
that
but
I
appreciated
how
after
that
he
honored
George
W.
Bush
honored
the lives
of the
fallen
soldiers
in the
aftermath
those
soldiers
weren't
just
numbers
to
him
we
got
plenty
of
young
men
he
knew
that
they
were
real
people
with
real
families
he
met
with
over
1,100
relatives
of more
than
300
dead
service
members
generally
in
private
often
without
media
presence
he
wasn't
doing
it
for
show
and
then
his
press
secretary
Dana
Perino
once
recalled
a
time
when
he
was
meeting
with
the
mother
of
a
dying
soldier
who
berated
Bush
and
yelled
at
him
saying
why
is
my
son
the
one
that's
lying
down
on
that
hospital
bed
and
not
yours
and
apparently
Bush
just
listened
to it
all
took
it
all
in
shared
in
her
suffering
and
grief
and
then
as
they
were
leaving
after
that
visit
Bush
turned
to
his
press
secretary
with
tears
in his
eyes
and said
that
mama
sure
was
mad
at
me
and
I
don't
blame
her
a
bit
and
then
after
his
time
in
office
he
painted
a
collection
of
60
full
color
oil
portraits
and
a
four
panel
mural
honoring
the
veterans
post
9-11
veterans
entitled
Portraits
of Courage
a
commander
in chief's
tribute
to
America's
warriors
why
is it
my
son
that's
on
that
hospital
bed
and not
yours
it's
someone's
child
someone's
son
and when
it comes
to our
relationship
with God
our
situation
is exactly
the
reverse
we're
the
ones
who
sinned
we're
the
ones
who
deserve
to
perish
we're
the
ones
who
deserve
eternal
damnation
and
hell
and
why
is it
God's
son
that's
on
the
cross
why
is it
his
son
that's
on
the
cross
to
die
for
us
that's
what
he
did
to
save
each
and
every
one
of
his
precious
sons
and
daughters
that's
what
you
mean
to
him
and
so
when
one
strays
in
sin
and
one
goes
astray
how
are
we
to
say
well
shrug
our
shoulders
and
well
no
that's
not
the
heart
of
God
Jesus
said
in
John
10
we
read
in
our
assurance
of
pardon
I
am
the
good
shepherd
I
know
my
sheep
and
they
know
me
I
lay
down
my
life
for
the
sheep
Jesus
did
that
for
you
that's
why
you're
precious
to
me
the
preciousness
of the
one
little
one
to
God
our
father
leads
naturally
to
the
pursuit
of
that
one
little
one
in
verses
15
to
20
if
your
brother
sins
against
you
go
and
tell
him
his
fault
between
you
and
him
alone
if
he
listens
to
you
have
gained
!
your
brother
or
sister
you
could
include
that
is
a
reminder
of
the
truth
that
Jesus
just
illustrated
these
are
not
just
anyone
these
are
the
precious
children
of
God
and
that's
why
they're
your
brother
and
your
sister
because
they
belong
to
the
same
heavenly
father
the
ESV
the
English
standard
version
says
if
your
brother
sins
against
you
but
if
you
might
if
you're
using
the
new
international
version
the
NIV
he
says
if
your
brother
or
sister
sins
go
and
point
out
their
fault
just
between
the
two
of
you
this
is
because
there's
some
variation
among
the
ancient
manuscripts
!
that
they're
relying
on
for
translation
and
some
of
the
best
ancient
manuscripts
!
don't
include
that
phrase
against
you
the
question
of
what
to
do
when
you
are
personally
sinned
against
is
addressed
!
in
the
later
parable
of
the
unforgiving
servant
in
verses
21
to
25
I
don't
think
that
is
yet
the
concern
in
verse
15
so
I'm
siding
with
the
NIV
here
the
concern
is
not
your
own
grievance
or
hurt
as
someone
sinning
against
you
here
the
concern
is
your
brother
or
sister's
welfare
you
might
say
well
if
the
sin
doesn't
concern
me
then
it's
not
against
me
well
then
it's
none
of
my
business
but
the
Bible
says
otherwise
James
5
19
to
20
says
my
brothers
if
anyone
among
you
wanders
from
the
truth
and
someone
brings
him
back
let
him
know
that
whoever
brings
back
a
sinner
from
his
wandering
will
save
his
soul
from
death
and
will
cover
a
multitude
of
sins
that
word
wonder
is
the
same
word
used
in
the
parable
of
the
lost
sheep
in
our
passage
go
astray
from
the
narrow
way
of
life
and
into
the
broad
way
of
destruction
not
only
the
sins
committed
against
you
any
sin
and
it
is
callous
and
heartless
to
stand
idly
by
and
to
shrug
our
shoulders
and
say
it's
none
of
my
business
when
your
brother
or
sister
is
sinning
and
going
astray
in
that
way
that's
what
Cain
said
right
in
Genesis
4
verse
9
Cain
was
envious
of
his
brother
and
he
killed
him
and
then
when
God
comes
to
him
to
test
him
he
asks
him
where
is
Abel
your
brother
and
then
Cain
replies
I
don't
know
am
I
my
brother's
keeper
and
God's
answer
here
is
yes
you
are
you
are
your
brother's
keeper
you
are
your
sister's
keeper
it's
none
of my
business
I love
this
quote
from
another
pastor
Matthew
Smith
he says
the
church
membership
is where
it's
none of
your
business
goes
to
die
pursue
your
straying
brother
or sister
the
second
person
pronoun
you
in
verses
15
to
17
are
singular
in
verses
18
to
20
they
become
plural
because
it's
starting
to
speak
of
our
corporate
responsibility
as a
church
but
here
it's
addressing
our
individual
responsibility
you
ought
to
pursue
your
brother
or
sister
in
Christ
who
is
straying
if
your
brother
sins
go
and
tell
him
his
fault
between
you
and
him
alone
!
when
it
comes
to
other
people
sins
and
then
we
are
as
blind
as
a
bat
when
it
comes
to
our
own
sins
right
Hannah's
nodding
her head
she knows
that
well
yeah
and
for that
reason
we need
to
do
this
first
remove
the
log
out
of
our
own
eye
before
we
try
to
remove
the
speck
out
of
our
brother
or
sister's
eyes
so
the
first
step
then
before
you
try
to
bring
correction
to
others
is
to
examine
ourselves
self
reflection
and
confession
of
our
own
sins
confessing
our
sins
to
our
fellow
brothers
and
sisters
we
humble
ourselves
in
that
way
and
that
humiliation
is
destructive
to
our
own
pride
and
self
sufficiency
and
therefore
it's
helpful
and
healthful
for
us
a
habit
of
self
reflection
and
confession
prepares
us
to
bring
correction
!
Well
if
you
are
regularly
receiving
the
mercy
of
God
at
the
foot
of
the
cross
then
you're
going
to
have
a
merciful
and
compassionate
disposition
when you
bring
correction
to
others
and
it
won't
be
out
of
self
righteousness
or
pride
secondly
we need
to
make
sure
that
we're
bringing
correction
in
love
and
gentleness
and
that
means
we
give
each
other
the
best
possible
construction
we
give
each
other
the
benefit
of
the
doubt
we
lead
with
questions
and
not
gently
yet
with
gentleness
and
humility
if
your
brother
sins
go
and
tell
him
his
fault
it
says
this
assumes
that
you
have
witnessed
your
brother's
sin
a
telltale
sign
that
we
might
be
a
little
over
eager
maybe
we
have
a
log
in
our
own
eye
it
could
be
that
even
when
we
don't
have
first
hand
knowledge
of
someone
sins
if
other
might
happen
to
my
reputation
but
love
that
consuming
love
for
that
one
wandering
strange
sheep
leaving
our
brother
sister
to
unrepentant
sin
is
like
abandoning
that
sheep
that
has
gone
astray
Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
I've
often
used
this
quote
nothing
can
be
more
cruel
than
that
leniency
which
abandons
others
to
sin
nothing
can
be
more
compassionate
than
that
severe
reprimand
which
calls
another
Christian
in
one's
community
back
from
the
path
of
sin
we
are
accountable
to
one
another
because
we
are
members
of
the
one
body
of
Christ
members
of
the
same
family
of
God
and
I
think
we
have
to
do
this
you know
and
of course
it's
better
if you
you're
closer
to
that
person
you're
a
close
friend
of
that
person
in
the
church
it's
easier
!
for
you
and
you
should
take
it
upon
yourself
to
do
that
but
sometimes
it's
going to
have
to
be
with
people
that
you
don't
necessarily
know
that
well
because
what
are
you
going to
do
for
the
newer
people
in
the
church
that
don't
have
close
friends
yet
and
they're
in
unrepentance
sin
you're
just
going to
leave
them
alone
that's
why
we
should
strive
to
get
to
know
each
other
and
pursue
each
other
you
know
I
know
we're
getting
a little
bigger
as a
church
and
this
is
harder
to
do
than
it
used
to
be
and
sometimes
single
people
can
look
at
married
people
and
think
oh
man
they're
too
busy
they
got
kids
you
know
they
don't
want
to
spend
time
with
us
don't
think
that
that's
not
the
case
in
fact
the
busier
people
are
I
think
they
appreciate
it
more
if
you
take
the
initiative
and
set
something
up
and
they're
like
oh
we'll
show
up
you know
and
they're
eager
to
do
that
and
some
of
you
single
people
in
our
church
do
that
really
well
and
if
you're
married
people
in
the
church
and
your
family
don't
assume
automatically
all
those
young
single
people
don't
want
to
hang
out
with
me
I'm
so
not
cool
anymore
you know
and
don't
assume
that
either
so
many
young
people
in
our
church
want
to
long
to
spend
time
with
older
people
in
the
church
get
to
know
each
other
pursue
each
other
and
love
each
other
so
that
you
can
have
this
kind
of
relationship
with
each
other
we're
speaking
the
truth
and
love
to
one
another
pursue
your
brother
or
sister
Galatians
6
1-5
it says
brothers
if anyone
is caught
in any
transgression
you who
are spiritual
should
restore him
in a
spirit
of
gentleness
keep
watch
on
yourself
lest
you
too
be
tempted
bear
one
another's
burdens
And so
fulfill
the
love
of
Christ
in
this
life
that's
our
call
as
brothers
sisters
to
bear
one
another's
burdens
And
this
is
one
way
that
we
do
that
so
if
your
brother
sins
go and
tell him
his
fault
between
you
and
him
alone
that's
the
first
guidance
the
correction
should
be
private
and
should
be
sensitive
you're
not
making
a
big
fuss
of it
and
public
shaming
no
you
don't
talk
to
other
people
about
that
person's
sin
that
be
slander
or
gossip
no
instead
and
that's
cowardly
and
self
serving
no
you
go
to
the
person
that
sins
and
address
that
sin
directly
and
if
he
listens
to
you
have
gained
your
brother
that
word
gain
comes
from
the
language
of
commerce
and
profit
it's
again
communicating
the
preciousness
of our
brothers
sisters
in
Christ
God
considers
you
his
treasure
possession
and
when
we
win
them
back
from
sin
we
are
gaining
something
precious
but
if
he
does
not
listen
take
one
or
two
others
along
with
you
verse
16
that
every
charge
may
be
established
by
the
evidence
of
two
or
three
witnesses
this
is an
allusion
to
Deuteronomy
15
where
required
that
a
charge
cannot
be
established
in
court
except
on
the
basis
of
two
or
three
witnesses
!
he
said
he
said
he
said
he
said
this
and
she
said
that
and
it's
not
one
person's
word
pitted
against
another
person's
word
but
instead
you
can
establish
fact
based
on
the
testimony
of
multiple
witnesses
!
Maybe
that
one
witness
is
not
enough
you
need
another
one
right
there
are
situations
that
call
for
more
and
verse
17
if he
refuses
to
listen
to
them
tell
it
to
the
church
and
if
he
refuses
to
listen
even
to
the
church
let
him
be
to
you
as
a
Gentile
and
a
tax
collector
look
at
all
these
words
if
there's
lots
of
ifs
if
he
listens
to
you
verse
15
if
he
does
not
listen
verse
16
if
he
refuses
to
listen
to
them
verse
17
if
he
refuses
to
listen
even
to
the
church
and
that
goes
back
to
the
if
in
verse
13
and
if
he
finds
it
truly
I
say
to
you
he
rejoices
over
and
more
than
over
the
99
that
never
went
astray
it's
a
painful
if
because
sometimes
that
wandering
sheep
is
not
found
sometimes
some
sheep
never
return
to
the
fold
sometimes
the
sheep
turn out
to be
goats
and
that's
what
he's
referring
to
if
they
don't
listen
even
to
the
church
let
them
be
to
you
as
a
Gentile
and
tax
collectors
Gentiles
and
tax
collectors
in
the
gospel
of
Matthew
are
proverbial
for
unbelievers
do
not
keep
saying
these
random
words
when you
pray
as the
Gentiles
do
in
Matthew
6
don't
greet
only
your
brothers
only
those
who
love
you
do
not
even
the
Gentiles
do
that
the
Gentiles
and
tax
collectors
are
proverbial
for
unbelievers
he's
saying
if
someone
is
in
unrepentant
sin
then
treat
them
as
an
unbeliever
this
is
what
churches
call
some
churches
call
excommunication
what
some
churches
call
disfellowshipping
someone
declaring
them
as
outside
of
the
kingdom
of
God
verses
18
to
20
confirm
this
truly
I
say
to
you
whatever
you
bind
on
earth
shall
be
bound
in
heaven
and
whatever
you
lose
on
earth
shall
be
loosed
in
heaven
again
I
say
to
you
if
two
of
you
agree
on
earth
about
anything
they
ask
it
will
be
done
for
them
by
my
father
in
heaven
for
where
two
or
three
are
gathered
in
my
name
there
am
I
among
them
this
is
an
often
misused
verse
right
this
doesn't
mean
that
you
know
you
just
have
to
get
one
or
two
other
Christians
with
you
and
you
start
praying
you
get
your
friend
to
pray
!
something
and
you
say
I
agree
with
this
and
you
pray
for
the
same
thing
and
you
just
guarantee
that
result
that's
not
what
that
means
this
verse
is
here
in
the
context
of
church
discipline
of
excommunication
in
the
context
of
reaching
out
to
an
erring
brother
or
sister
to
bring
them
back
to
the
fold
and
they
refuse
!
to
repent
it's
the
gathering
of
the
church
the
church
means
the
gathering
this
is
the
only
there's
another one
was
in
Matthew
16
when
Jesus
promised
that
he's
going
to
build
his
church
on
this
rock
on
the
rock
of
Peter
and
that
the
gates
of
Hades
will
prevail
against
it
the
church
the
gathering
of
the
people
of
God
is
given
the
authority
the
power
of
the
keys
to
bind
and
to
lose
in
allusion
to
Isaiah
22
20
to
22
when
God
declares
he
will
make
Eliakim
a
steward
of
the
kingdom
of
David
and
he
will
give
him
the
key
of
the
house
of
David
so
that
he
shall
open
and
none
shall
shut
and
he
shall
shut
and
none
shall
open
and
that's
first
and
foremost
the
prophecy
about
Jesus
himself
that's
why
in
Revelation
3
7
to
8
Jesus
says
to
the
church
in
Philadelphia
the
words
of
the
holy
one
the
true
one
who
has
the
key
of
David
who
opens
and
no
one
will
shut
and
who
shuts
and
no
one
opens
I
know
your
works
behold
I
have
set
before
you
an
open
door
which
no
one
is
able
to
shut
Jesus
is
the
one
who
ultimately
holds
that
key
and
we
see
here
that
key
that
Jesus
gave
to
Peter
as
a
representative
of
the
apostles
and
of
the
church
of
Christ
is
now
of
course
it's
a
fearful
power
but
this
doesn't
mean
that
you
know
that
we
have
some
kind
of
autonomous
authority
separate
from
God
and
if
we
do
something
and
declare
something
God
has
to
now
submit
to
it
the
phrasing
of this
verse
is very
intentional
the words
shall
be
bound
or
shall
be
loosed
here
they're
perfect
passive
participles
in the
Greek
and
if
we
translate
that
more
literally
as
the
Christian
standard
Bible
does
it
reads
this
way
whatever
you
bind
on
earth
will
have
been
bound
in
heaven
and
whatever
you
lose
on
earth
will
have
been
loosed
in
heaven
in
other
words
when
the
power
of
the
key
that
God's
given
to
the
church
delegated
to
the
church
is
used
to
bind
on
earth
we
learn
that
as
we
do
that
the
person
has
already
been
!
earthly
representatives
of
Christ
they're
found
to be
executing
the
will
of
heaven
and
not
vice
versa
this
is
not
a
promise
that
God
will
endorse
every
decision
that
every
local
church
will
make
no
but
it
does
mean
that
the
church
is
authorized
to
execute
the
will
of
heaven
on
earth
I
know
this
is
a
tough
topic
and
some
people
have
a
time
with
the
idea
of
church
discipline
or
excommunicating
someone
or
disfellowship
someone
isn't
Jesus
the
friend
of
sinners
isn't
Jesus
the
friend
of
tax
collectors
shouldn't
we
have
compassion
on
these
people
of
course
we
should
have
compassion
for
those
people
and
we're
not
talking
here
about
confronting
unbelievers
in the
world
of their
sin
Paul
makes
that
very
clear
in
1
Corinthians
5
what
do
I
have
with
judging
!
is
it
not
those
inside
the
church
whom
you
are
to
judge
God
judges
those
who
are
outside
purge
the
evil
person
from
among
you
we
have
no
business
judging
outsiders
or
unbelievers
because
we
can't
expect
unbelievers
to live
by
Christian
standards
we
we're
talking
about
people
who
are
little
ones
those
who
are
professing
believers
people
who
claim
that
they
follow
Jesus
and
they
are
trying
to
obey
Jesus
and
that
they
represent
Jesus
but
are
living
in
unrepentant
sin
and
for
that
reason
is
bringing
disrepute
to
Christ
and
discrediting
the witness
of the
church
and
that
is a
serious
problem
and
for
that
reason
this
drastic
step
is
necessary
some
people
who
have
a
very
compassionate
and
merciful
disposition
have
a
hard
time
with
this
but
for
them
it's
not
the
over
abundance
of
compassion
that
makes
it
hard
for
them
to
accept
church
discipline
excommunication
Jesus
has
more
compassion
than
all
of
us
and
he's
teaching
this
it's
not
too
much
compassion
or
over
abundance
of
compassion
it's
under
appreciation
of
the
holiness
of
God
and
the
glory
of
God
it's
under
appreciation
of
the
gravity
of
sin
that
makes
us
question
this
or
dispute
this
teaching
or
not
practice
it
sin
every
sin
drives
a
wedge
in
your
relationship
with
God
every
sin
and it
grows
that
wedge
grows
and you
hammer
that
in
and
hammer
that
in
and
eventually
it's
a
chasm
that
you
cannot
bridge
and sin
leads to
death
sin
leads to
eternal
damnation
and if we
take sin
seriously
in that
way
then we
will
pursue
our
brother or
sister
in
Christ
and
follow
through
with
this
process
it's
kind
of
like
even
when
you're
disciplining
children
if you're
a father
or mother
if you
have no
consequences
I guarantee
you they'll
stop listening
to you at
some point
they know
that you
don't mean
it
you could
threaten
all you
want
but if
there's
no real
consequences
they will
stop
listening
to you
this
final step
is intended
to be
that
consequence
to say
no
this
what
you're
doing
right
now
is
no
laughing
matter
it's
serious
it's
grave
and
that's
the
consequence
what we're
doing
now
of
where
sin
leads
separation
from
God
now
what does
it mean
then to
treat
someone
as a
Gentile
and a
tax
collector
and I
want to
remind you
of how
Jesus
has been
interacting
with
Gentiles
and tax
collectors
throughout
this
book
in
Matthew
chapter
8
Jesus
healed
the
Gentile
centurion
paralyzed
servant
in
Matthew
chapter
15
he
healed
the
Canaanite
woman
the
Gentile
woman's
daughter
who was
demonized
and then
he
proceeded
to
minister
to feed
4,000
Gentiles
by
multiplying
bread
and ministered
and healed
their sick
and cast
out their
demons
and then
in chapter
9
verse 9
to 13
Jesus
came to
Matthew
who was
the author
of this
book
while
Matthew
was a
tax
collector
he's
sitting
at his
tax
booth
taxing
his own
people
betraying
his own
people
to enrich
the oppressors
the Roman
occupiers
Jesus
comes to
Matthew
when he's
at the
tax
pool
and tells
him
to come
and follow
him
and when
Matthew
responds
to that
the Pharisees
and the
scribes
look at
that
and they
grumble
what
you're
calling
him
he's
a scumbag
he's
the lowest
of the
low
and you're
calling
him
to
yourself
why
does
your
why
does
your
teacher
eat
with
and
receive
tax
collectors
and
sinners
so
this
doesn't
mean
that you
treat
them
as
Gentile
this
does
not
mean
okay
well
you're
dead
to
me
now
no
it
means
you
separate
them
out
you
disfellowship
them
from
Christian
community
and
Christian
fellowship
because
they
are
acting
as
if
they're
unbelievers
but
you
pursue
them
now
as
unbelievers
you
pursue
them
as
Jesus
pursues
tax
collectors
and
sinners
in
love
calling
them
to
repentance
and
when
they
repent
and
believe
the
door
is
always
wide
open
and
they
can
come
and
be
included
once
again
at
the
table
of
God
and
within
the
family
of
God
that's
what
that
means
I
wish
I
had
more
time
to
talk
about
this
but
this
is
I
do
talk
about
it
in
the
membership
class
so
plug
for
the
membership
class
and
the
baptism
class
if
you
haven't
gone
through
it
I
pray
that
we'll
be
a
church
that
practices
this
well
so
that
people
can
anybody
who
is
looking
at
our
church
in
the
way
we
relate
to
each
other
can
see
that
we
love
each
other
with
the
love
with
which
God
has
pursued
us
and
come
after
us
let's
pray
father
give
us
a
glimpse
of
your
heart
and
help
us
to be
transformed
by
that
vision
of
your
love
in
Jesus
Christ
Lord
in
our
own
strength
we
cannot
love
each
other
this
way
so
we
fall
short
but
so
fill us
with
your
love
so
that
out
of
the
overflow
of
your
love
we
care
for
one
other
in
this
way
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
!