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Good Ole' Matthew 18

My husband is the king of Matthew 18!  That might not mean anything to you, but we use the phrase "Matthew 18" so much in our house that it could probably be our family's catch phrase!  My husband has preached or taught on Matthew 18 multiple times each year in his thirteen years in pastoral ministry.

So what's so special about Matthew 18?  You'll find a couple of wonderful parables there, as well as a beautiful conversation between Jesus and His disciples about what we can learn from a child.  But the part that our references to Matthew 18 comes from is found right smack dab in the middle of the chapter. 

Matthew 18:15-17 gives believers very specific directions for how we are to handle our problems, disagreements, miscommunications, and anything else that causes strain to a relationship.  Jesus says in those verses:
 
"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.  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.  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."  Matt. 18:15-17
 
In this passage, Jesus very systematically breaks down the process of seeking resolution to a problem.  It gives us clear guidelines on how to ensure that our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ are healthy and strong.
 
Why do you think my husband preaches or teaches on this subject multiple times every year? 
 
The simple answer to that question is that no matter how many times he says it, there are always situations that arise where he observes that every tactic EXCEPT Matthew 18 has been carried out.  The other answer to that question is that he knows that it is vitally important for the relationships within a community of believers to be healthy and to model the guide that Scripture gives us.
 
I can sit here and say that he is the king of Matthew 18 for another reason besides the fact that he is convicted to preach it from the pulpit regularly.  I can say it because he lives Matthw18.  He truly practices what he preaches. 
 
I wish I could tell you how many times he has personally felt friction in a relationship, had his feelings hurt, or even personally offended someone and used the approach that Jesus laid out in Matthew 18 to seek resolution to the problem.  His quick response to problems and his desire to see relationships restored truly puts my efforts to shame sometimes.
 
I don't want you to mistake this as an opportunity I took to merely brag on my husband.  I want you to see how important it is for us to seek reconciliation within our relationships. 
 
Jesus said in John 13:35:
 
"By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another."
 
One very important way that we show someone how much we love them is if we quickly seek restoration if we've been sinned against or if we have been the one in the wrong.  If your relationship with your brother or sister in Christ is truly one that is based on love, then we will see to it that offenses be addressed and the relationship be mended.  Our love for one another was so important to Jesus that He said that this is a clear and distinguishing characteristic of His followers.  If our relationships are fractured or broken, then the outside world isn't witnessing an example of love and they can't rightfully determine whether or not we're a true follower of Christ.
 
I chose not to break down the three facets of Matthew 18 because, honestly, Jesus did it perfectly!  It truly needs no further explanation.  Quite frankly, it just needs to be acted upon. 
 
My prayer for myself and for you today is that we all will become the kings or queens of Matthew 18.  I pray that our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ will be filled with love and grace, but when those unfortunate and unavoidable times of offenses arise, I pray that we will  very quickly put this passage into practice.
 
 


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