The Instructions Of The King

Our Text: Matthew 18

It is fair to say the biggest hindrance to the Church has been the Church itself. When Christian people bicker and fight amongst themselves then the Church does not set much of an example to that lost soul looking in. When the Church sides with the immorality of the world it has not followed the truth of the Word of God and to that lost soul that is looking in he sees no difference from that of his own life.

The Church needs to be busy about the Masters work and leave off the ways of the world that have been seeping into God’s House for a long time now. We need to be ashamed and humble our selves before God.

I am a Christian who attends a Baptist church, not because it is Baptist but because I believe the doctrine is the closest thing to the New Testament church as taught by the Apostles.

Like Oliver Green said, when someone comes along with a doctrine that follows the doctrine of the New Testament church in the time of the Apostles in a better way then, I may go to a different church.

The main thing is to be in a Bible believing Church and that means the entire Word of God. I find the most accurate version to be the King James Bible.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy these words:

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know [how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth].

In this chapter we will continue to see what Jesus taught His disciples about principles and relationships, especially involving the kingdom of Heaven. We must remember that this is not the church but these lessons are needed by today’s believers as well.

What we will see is that after the transfiguration of chapter 17 is that these disciples showed more concern for their own status in that soon coming Millennial Kingdom than in the actual building of it.

*****Our Text:

Mat 18:1  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Mat 18:2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:5  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
Mat 18:6  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mat 18:7  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Mat 18:8  Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
Mat 18:9  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Mat 18:10  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

This very first verse connects these events with the events of chapter seventeen:
 
Luk 9:37  And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him.
Luk 9:38  And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.
Luk 9:39  And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.
Luk 9:40  And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.
Luk 9:41  And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.
Luk 9:42  And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.
Luk 9:43  And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
Luk 9:44  Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
Luk 9:45  But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
Luk 9:46  [Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest].

The questions of the kingdom stayed so much in the mind of the disciples that they were loosing track of their purpose.

As the church, we also have a place reserved in Heaven but if God did not have a purpose for us here while we yet live, then He would have taken us on to Heaven when he saved us.

There is not single child of God that has more influence with Him than another. We all have a job in the army of God and it is that one thing that we will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

1Co 12:4  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1Co 12:7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many.

We receive the Holy Spirit upon being washed in the blood of Jesus. It is that very Spirit that will then give us a gift with a meaning and a purpose in the body of Christ.

Excluding Judas (the betrayer) and adding Matthias those 12 disciples will judge the nation of Israel during the Millennial Kingdom as it written, all on the same standing.

To emphasize Jesus Christ sat a small child in the midst of them. With this child in plain site Jesus began to teach some valuable lessons.

1.) A child at that time was dependant totally upon it’s father. A child knows nothing of itself but must be taught by it’s father. A child must depend on it’s father.

a.) In order to enter into the kingdom of heaven then that person must have a childlike dependence on the "One"(God) who offers up the kingdom.

2.) A child had no rights at home, all rights belonged to the parent. The child could not exert his will against his father but was subject to his father’s will.

a.) The position in the kingdom of heaven depends on taking that position as a child.

3.) Only those that subject themselves to the will of the Father who is in Heaven can enter into that Heaven.

4.) To receive the Father one has to also receive His Children.

Mar 9:35  And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire [to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all].

Nothing like this had ever been taught in the history of the world.

This brings to the importance of these words:

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

We must humble our selves before God as a child. True humility means knowing yourself, accepting yourself, and being yourself, to the Glory of God.

There are two extremes we have to avoid:

1.) Thinking less of ourselves than we ought to:

As Moses:

Exo 3:11  And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

We know Moses as one of the great men of the Bible and probably one of the two witnesses in the Book of the Revelation of Christ.

2.) We can also think too much of ourselves:

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

3.) The servant of God will not deny the gifts God has given to them but will use them to the Glory of God.

An unspoiled child of God will:

1.) Trust in Him for everything.

2.) Depend on Him for all things.

3.) Desire to make others happy through knowledge of Jesus Christ.

4.) There will not be a selfish desire to be greater than others.

5.) He will not boast of his accomplishments.

None of us want to be servants but God requires us to have the mind of a servant.

Jesus points out four attitudes about children:

1.) "become as little children"

2.) "humble himself as this little child"

3.) "receive one such little child"

4.) "despise not one of these little ones"

We must be careful that we do not become a stumblingblock to any child of God.

Like the good Shepherd, God seeks the lost and God saves them. As His servants WE MUST NOT CAUSE THEM TO PERISH.

We would be foolish to also think that these things did not apply to the way we raise our own children. I’m sure child neglect is a serious matter to Our Father in Heaven.

Humility is a much desired trait of the redeemed of the Lord:

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Jesus was not telling us to maim our own bodies but He was telling us instructing us to perform "spiritual surgery" on ourselves, removing anything that could cause us or others to stumble.

A truly humble person lives for Jesus first and others next. In fact a good rule of thumb still is the word JOY:

Jesus

Others

Yourself

*****Our text:

Mat 18:11  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
Mat 18:12  How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
Mat 18:13  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
Mat 18:14  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

The goals of Jesus should be the goals of every Christian. We should want what God wants! God wants every living breathing human being to be saved. It’s up to God if that takes place. It is in the hands of God and not in our hands but we should have the attitude that all are in need of salvation and be open witnesses to all that will hear God’s message. He does the calling and He does the saving.

OUR JOB IS TO BE THE WITNESS. Not only in theWord of God but in our daily lives. There are always those that are looking at those who claim to be Christian.

There is no greater words about the shepherd than that in John 10:

Joh 10:6  This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Joh 10:7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12  But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13  The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joh 10:15  As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

*****Our Text:

Mat 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Christ Jesus has already announced His intention to build His Church. We also know that the building of the Church is still future, after the cross. He has said that no Church exists at this time of His life on this Earth.

And so the words He spoke now to the disciples are in anticipation to the gathering out of the assembly of God. (The Church)

The "Church" is not the same thing as the "Synagogue"!

Jesus had already answered their question about who will be the greatest. He had said that true believers must be as little children and Born of God.

Jesus had spoke of His "mission" to save all that are lost.

Jesus spoke of His "grace" in seeking those that stray.

Now His teaching falls on those that have sinned. He speaks directly of the brother who has sinned!

Jesus will now address how a brother who is in sin is to be treated:

If a brother is in sin, whether it be intentional or unintentional another brother is to go to that brother and point out that sin to him.

The object is to restore and regain this brother. This should only be done after earnest prayer, in meekness and only after self judgment.

God gave these words to the Church:

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.
Gal 6:6  Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.
Gal 6:6  Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

1.) We can see that the first step is to treat our brother in a personal manner and not over expose the committed sin to others.

2.) If he will not listen as it would be your understanding against his own understanding then another witness or two should be taken both having the same manner of preparation. (Prayer, in meekness, and self judgment)

3.) After this fails then it should be presented to the entire Body of Christ all in the same manner, in prayer, in meekness, and self examination. And if everyone in one accord and there is no repentance then step four will be taken.

4.) Let him be as a heathen and a publican:

Heathen means today:

In modern usage the word denotes all nations that are strangers to the revealed Word Of God.

Publican means:

The class designated by this word, in the New Testament, were employed as collectors of the Roman revenue. A collector of toll or tribute. Among the Romans, a publican was a farmer of the taxes and public revenues,and the inferior officers of this class were deemed oppressive.

Both were hated by the Jews!

We must also understand that this is the function of the Church to the brothers in Christ. These same rules are not to be used on the "lost". We may judge our brother to a degree but we are witnesses only to the lost of this world. It is God and His Word that will judge the "Lost"!

*****Our text:

Mat 18:18  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

*****VERILY: In truth, in fact, certainly.

What we see is that the Lord has given authority not to the Apostles but to the assembly, The Church to act on Earth for Himself. The authority of the Church is absolute. The Apostles are to teach but this cannot take place till after the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ. It will begin at Pentecost. The proof being in the first sermon of the Apostle Peter.

It is the Church that has executive power! The Church is to act according to the rules laid down by Jesus in harmony with His Word.

It is necessary to maintain unity among believers because this has been required by the Lord for answered prayer. Corporate prayer is simply not effective unless it is done in unity and in agreement.

God said that where two or three that gather together in agreement with Him that He also would be there with them to pray.

We must stay focused on the goal, which is to save this brother.

Church discipline is not the Church acting as policemen but exercising the authority of God through a local Body of Christ to restore and erring child of God.

*****Our Text:

Mat 18:21  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mat 18:22  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Unless the lessons of the Word of God result in forgiveness, relationships cannot be mended and strengthened. Peter recognized this but, we cannot just assume that it is our brother that will sin against us. We then have exalted ourselves above our brother and lack humility. We all make mistakes!

When Christ died on that cross he unleashed limitless forgiveness. Where there is "agape" love, there can be no limits in forgiveness.

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Again Christ teach teaches the Church:

Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

*****Our Text:

Mat 18:23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Mat 18:24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Mat 18:26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Mat 18:29  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:30  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Mat 18:31  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Mat 18:32  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.Mat 18:23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Mat 18:24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Mat 18:26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Mat 18:29  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:30  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Mat 18:31  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Mat 18:32  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

In order to teach the principle of forgiveness Jesus uses a parable.

Let’s put this in perspective. At the time of Jesus the entire levy of taxes for all of Palestine was only about 800 talents a year. This man was stealing funds from the king and actually thought he could get out of debt.

800 talents in our day would be about 10 million dollars. This man owed 10 thousand talents. This man owed about 125 million dollars to this king. This man could never repay this debt.

That sounds a whole lot like my debt I owed when the Lord paid my debt. I had a debt I could not pay.

This man’s belongings and all his family would never be enough to pay this debt. We can see the "typology" in these statements. You cannot accumulate enough in this world to get you into Heaven. Only with God’s mercy and His Grace can we obtain eternal life!

This servant did just as we all have to do. We have to humble ourselves before a righteous God.

The Master was moved with this man’s plea and forgave him.

Oh what a Savior!

Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  

Heb 13:12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Why because I had a debt I could not pay. My blood would have meant my life.

What is propitiation?

The act of appeasing wrath and conciliating the favor of an offended person; the act of making propitious.

In theology, the atonement or atoning sacrifice offered to God to assuage his wrath and render him propitious to sinners. Christ is the propitiation for the sins of men.

He is all that is needed for propitiation in behalf of our sins, the propitiatory sacrifice provided by the Father’s love removing the estrangement, appearing God’s righteous wrath against the sinner. A father may be offended with a son, yet all the while love him.

Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be [a propitiation] through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

1Jn 2:2  And he is [the propitiation] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1Jn 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be [the propitiation] for our sins.

Now the true test of the forgiven ones:

This servant did not deserve this forgiveness but did it change him?

Let’s not forget what a parable is all about:

A fable or allegorical relation or representation of something real in life or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction.

A parable is the  placing side by side or comparing earthly truths, expressed, with heavenly truths to be understood.

This servant left the presence of this king. You if we are truly saved we will never want to leave from the presence of our King, Our Lord, Our God.

When he did he found a servant that had owed him some money. Now a pence at the time of Jesus was a day’s wages. This man owed 100 pence which could have been paid with 100 days of labor.

This unjust servant, who had left the presence of the Lord, had no forgiveness in his heart.

Now we could see this in two different ways but we must be careful. We could say that in "typology" that this man was saved and then lost his salvation and we would be in great error.

What we really should realize is this parable relates to the kingdom heaven, which is not the Church though a great principle can be observed here.

The truth is that he had not ask for forgiveness with a open heart. He had not truly invited the Lord Jesus into his heart.

James says:

Jas 2:8  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

Jas 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

This servant who had had the opportunity to avoid prison was now placed into prison. The king had these words:

Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

In other words:

If you want to live by the justice of this world rather than the justice of God, then you can have it your way.

It was the actions of this servant that sent him to hell rather than the freedom offered by this king.

The world’s worst prison is the prison of an unforgiving heart. When we refuse to forgive others we are imprisoning our selves in our own torment.

Let’s Pray!

The Instructions Of The King

Our Text: Matthew 18

It is fair to say the biggest hindrance to the Church has been the Church itself. When Christian people bicker and fight amongst themselves then the Church does not set much of an example to that lost soul looking in. When the Church sides with the immorality of the world it has not followed the truth of the Word of God and to that lost soul that is looking in he sees no difference from that of his own life.

The Church needs to be busy about the Masters work and leave off the ways of the world that have been seeping into God’s House for a long time now. We need to be ashamed and humble our selves before God.

I am a Christian who attends a Baptist church, not because it is Baptist but because I believe the doctrine is the closest thing to the New Testament church as taught by the Apostles.

Like Oliver Green said, when someone comes along with a doctrine that follows the doctrine of the New Testament church in the time of the Apostles in a better way then, I may go to a different church.

The main thing is to be in a Bible believing Church and that means the entire Word of God. I find the most accurate version to be the King James Bible.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy these words:

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know [how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth].

In this chapter we will continue to see what Jesus taught His disciples about principles and relationships, especially involving the kingdom of Heaven. We must remember that this is not the church but these lessons are needed by today’s believers as well.

What we will see is that after the transfiguration of chapter 17 is that these disciples showed more concern for their own status in that soon coming Millennial Kingdom than in the actual building of it.

*****Our Text:

Mat 18:1  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Mat 18:2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:5  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
Mat 18:6  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mat 18:7  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Mat 18:8  Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
Mat 18:9  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Mat 18:10  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

This very first verse connects these events with the events of chapter seventeen:
 
Luk 9:37  And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him.
Luk 9:38  And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.
Luk 9:39  And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.
Luk 9:40  And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.
Luk 9:41  And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.
Luk 9:42  And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.
Luk 9:43  And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
Luk 9:44  Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
Luk 9:45  But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
Luk 9:46  [Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest].

The questions of the kingdom stayed so much in the mind of the disciples that they were loosing track of their purpose.

As the church, we also have a place reserved in Heaven but if God did not have a purpose for us here while we yet live, then He would have taken us on to Heaven when he saved us.

There is not single child of God that has more influence with Him than another. We all have a job in the army of God and it is that one thing that we will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

1Co 12:4  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1Co 12:7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many.

We receive the Holy Spirit upon being washed in the blood of Jesus. It is that very Spirit that will then give us a gift with a meaning and a purpose in the body of Christ.

Excluding Judas (the betrayer) and adding Matthias those 12 disciples will judge the nation of Israel during the Millennial Kingdom as it written, all on the same standing.

To emphasize Jesus Christ sat a small child in the midst of them. With this child in plain site Jesus began to teach some valuable lessons.

1.) A child at that time was dependant totally upon it’s father. A child knows nothing of itself but must be taught by it’s father. A child must depend on it’s father.

a.) In order to enter into the kingdom of heaven then that person must have a childlike dependence on the "One"(God) who offers up the kingdom.

2.) A child had no rights at home, all rights belonged to the parent. The child could not exert his will against his father but was subject to his father’s will.

a.) The position in the kingdom of heaven depends on taking that position as a child.

3.) Only those that subject themselves to the will of the Father who is in Heaven can enter into that Heaven.

4.) To receive the Father one has to also receive His Children.

Mar 9:35  And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire [to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all].

Nothing like this had ever been taught in the history of the world.

This brings to the importance of these words:

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

We must humble our selves before God as a child. True humility means knowing yourself, accepting yourself, and being yourself, to the Glory of God.

There are two extremes we have to avoid:

1.) Thinking less of ourselves than we ought to:

As Moses:

Exo 3:11  And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

We know Moses as one of the great men of the Bible and probably one of the two witnesses in the Book of the Revelation of Christ.

2.) We can also think too much of ourselves:

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

3.) The servant of God will not deny the gifts God has given to them but will use them to the Glory of God.

An unspoiled child of God will:

1.) Trust in Him for everything.

2.) Depend on Him for all things.

3.) Desire to make others happy through knowledge of Jesus Christ.

4.) There will not be a selfish desire to be greater than others.

5.) He will not boast of his accomplishments.

None of us want to be servants but God requires us to have the mind of a servant.

Jesus points out four attitudes about children:

1.) "become as little children"

2.) "humble himself as this little child"

3.) "receive one such little child"

4.) "despise not one of these little ones"

We must be careful that we do not become a stumblingblock to any child of God.

Like the good Shepherd, God seeks the lost and God saves them. As His servants WE MUST NOT CAUSE THEM TO PERISH.

We would be foolish to also think that these things did not apply to the way we raise our own children. I’m sure child neglect is a serious matter to Our Father in Heaven.

Humility is a much desired trait of the redeemed of the Lord:

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Jesus was not telling us to maim our own bodies but He was telling us instructing us to perform "spiritual surgery" on ourselves, removing anything that could cause us or others to stumble.

A truly humble person lives for Jesus first and others next. In fact a good rule of thumb still is the word JOY:

Jesus

Others

Yourself

*****Our text:

Mat 18:11  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
Mat 18:12  How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
Mat 18:13  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
Mat 18:14  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

The goals of Jesus should be the goals of every Christian. We should want what God wants! God wants every living breathing human being to be saved. It’s up to God if that takes place. It is in the hands of God and not in our hands but we should have the attitude that all are in need of salvation and be open witnesses to all that will hear God’s message. He does the calling and He does the saving.

OUR JOB IS TO BE THE WITNESS. Not only in theWord of God but in our daily lives. There are always those that are looking at those who claim to be Christian.

There is no greater words about the shepherd than that in John 10:

Joh 10:6  This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Joh 10:7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12  But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13  The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joh 10:15  As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

*****Our Text:

Mat 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Christ Jesus has already announced His intention to build His Church. We also know that the building of the Church is still future, after the cross. He has said that no Church exists at this time of His life on this Earth.

And so the words He spoke now to the disciples are in anticipation to the gathering out of the assembly of God. (The Church)

The "Church" is not the same thing as the "Synagogue"!

Jesus had already answered their question about who will be the greatest. He had said that true believers must be as little children and Born of God.

Jesus had spoke of His "mission" to save all that are lost.

Jesus spoke of His "grace" in seeking those that stray.

Now His teaching falls on those that have sinned. He speaks directly of the brother who has sinned!

Jesus will now address how a brother who is in sin is to be treated:

If a brother is in sin, whether it be intentional or unintentional another brother is to go to that brother and point out that sin to him.

The object is to restore and regain this brother. This should only be done after earnest prayer, in meekness and only after self judgment.

God gave these words to the Church:

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.
Gal 6:6  Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.
Gal 6:6  Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

1.) We can see that the first step is to treat our brother in a personal manner and not over expose the committed sin to others.

2.) If he will not listen as it would be your understanding against his own understanding then another witness or two should be taken both having the same manner of preparation. (Prayer, in meekness, and self judgment)

3.) After this fails then it should be presented to the entire Body of Christ all in the same manner, in prayer, in meekness, and self examination. And if everyone in one accord and there is no repentance then step four will be taken.

4.) Let him be as a heathen and a publican:

Heathen means today:

In modern usage the word denotes all nations that are strangers to the revealed Word Of God.

Publican means:

The class designated by this word, in the New Testament, were employed as collectors of the Roman revenue. A collector of toll or tribute. Among the Romans, a publican was a farmer of the taxes and public revenues,and the inferior officers of this class were deemed oppressive.

Both were hated by the Jews!

We must also understand that this is the function of the Church to the brothers in Christ. These same rules are not to be used on the "lost". We may judge our brother to a degree but we are witnesses only to the lost of this world. It is God and His Word that will judge the "Lost"!

*****Our text:

Mat 18:18  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

*****VERILY: In truth, in fact, certainly.

What we see is that the Lord has given authority not to the Apostles but to the assembly, The Church to act on Earth for Himself. The authority of the Church is absolute. The Apostles are to teach but this cannot take place till after the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ. It will begin at Pentecost. The proof being in the first sermon of the Apostle Peter.

It is the Church that has executive power! The Church is to act according to the rules laid down by Jesus in harmony with His Word.

It is necessary to maintain unity among believers because this has been required by the Lord for answered prayer. Corporate prayer is simply not effective unless it is done in unity and in agreement.

God said that where two or three that gather together in agreement with Him that He also would be there with them to pray.

We must stay focused on the goal, which is to save this brother.

Church discipline is not the Church acting as policemen but exercising the authority of God through a local Body of Christ to restore and erring child of God.

*****Our Text:

Mat 18:21  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mat 18:22  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Unless the lessons of the Word of God result in forgiveness, relationships cannot be mended and strengthened. Peter recognized this but, we cannot just assume that it is our brother that will sin against us. We then have exalted ourselves above our brother and lack humility. We all make mistakes!

When Christ died on that cross he unleashed limitless forgiveness. Where there is "agape" love, there can be no limits in forgiveness.

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Again Christ teach teaches the Church:

Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

*****Our Text:

Mat 18:23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Mat 18:24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Mat 18:26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Mat 18:29  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:30  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Mat 18:31  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Mat 18:32  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.Mat 18:23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Mat 18:24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Mat 18:26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Mat 18:29  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:30  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Mat 18:31  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Mat 18:32  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

In order to teach the principle of forgiveness Jesus uses a parable.

Let’s put this in perspective. At the time of Jesus the entire levy of taxes for all of Palestine was only about 800 talents a year. This man was stealing funds from the king and actually thought he could get out of debt.

800 talents in our day would be about 10 million dollars. This man owed 10 thousand talents. This man owed about 125 million dollars to this king. This man could never repay this debt.

That sounds a whole lot like my debt I owed when the Lord paid my debt. I had a debt I could not pay.

This man’s belongings and all his family would never be enough to pay this debt. We can see the "typology" in these statements. You cannot accumulate enough in this world to get you into Heaven. Only with God’s mercy and His Grace can we obtain eternal life!

This servant did just as we all have to do. We have to humble ourselves before a righteous God.

The Master was moved with this man’s plea and forgave him.

Oh what a Savior!

Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  

Heb 13:12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Why because I had a debt I could not pay. My blood would have meant my life.

What is propitiation?

The act of appeasing wrath and conciliating the favor of an offended person; the act of making propitious.

In theology, the atonement or atoning sacrifice offered to God to assuage his wrath and render him propitious to sinners. Christ is the propitiation for the sins of men.

He is all that is needed for propitiation in behalf of our sins, the propitiatory sacrifice provided by the Father’s love removing the estrangement, appearing God’s righteous wrath against the sinner. A father may be offended with a son, yet all the while love him.

Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be [a propitiation] through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

1Jn 2:2  And he is [the propitiation] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1Jn 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be [the propitiation] for our sins.

Now the true test of the forgiven ones:

This servant did not deserve this forgiveness but did it change him?

Let’s not forget what a parable is all about:

A fable or allegorical relation or representation of something real in life or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction.

A parable is the  placing side by side or comparing earthly truths, expressed, with heavenly truths to be understood.

This servant left the presence of this king. You if we are truly saved we will never want to leave from the presence of our King, Our Lord, Our God.

When he did he found a servant that had owed him some money. Now a pence at the time of Jesus was a day’s wages. This man owed 100 pence which could have been paid with 100 days of labor.

This unjust servant, who had left the presence of the Lord, had no forgiveness in his heart.

Now we could see this in two different ways but we must be careful. We could say that in "typology" that this man was saved and then lost his salvation and we would be in great error.

What we really should realize is this parable relates to the kingdom heaven, which is not the Church though a great principle can be observed here.

The truth is that he had not ask for forgiveness with a open heart. He had not truly invited the Lord Jesus into his heart.

James says:

Jas 2:8  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

Jas 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

This servant who had had the opportunity to avoid prison was now placed into prison. The king had these words:

Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

In other words:

If you want to live by the justice of this world rather than the justice of God, then you can have it your way.

It was the actions of this servant that sent him to hell rather than the freedom offered by this king.

The world’s worst prison is the prison of an unforgiving heart. When we refuse to forgive others we are imprisoning our selves in our own torment.

Let’s Pray!

The King Instructs

Text: Matthew 7:1-29

Focus: Matthew 7:1-14

No matter what other people think about what is called “The Sermon On The Mount”, it has not been hard to see that the purpose of this message has been to instruct the disciples of the Lord. These chapters have not been a plan of salvation but instruction to the disciple, to the believer, to the follower of Christ Jesus. If we toss aside these words of Jesus Christ Our Lord then we have missed a pure training program for those of us who love Our Lord Jesus. It is only after salvation that we can begin in the work that God has called us to do.

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Rom 12:9  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Rom 12:11  Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Rom 12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Rom 12:13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

We will learn in chapter seven how we should love our fellow disciples.

The scribes and Pharisees were guilty of exercising a false judgment about themselves, other people and even the Lord Jesus Christ. Their false judgment was an extension of their false righteousness.

These Pharisees made it a practice of setting themselves up as judges of all men and measuring others using themselves as the example.

We cannot forget the theme of this sermon of Christ Jesus:

Mat 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

*****Our Text:

Mat 7:1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Jesus Christ was not forbidding His disciples nor any that believe on Him to distinguish between “good and evil”. He was not forbidding the believer to distinguish between truth and error in  doctrine. Christ was not dealing with actions as much as He was dealing with the motives behind those actions.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church these words:

Php 1:9  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge [and in all judgment];
Php 1:10  [That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence] till the day of Christ;
Php 1:11  [Being filled with the fruits] of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Those fruit are listed as:

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit led Paul to this example of the preaching of Jesus Christ.

The person who believes every preacher without judging his sermon by God’s Word, or the person who accepts everyone that say they are spiritual but their works show that not to be true by the Word of God, will suffer from confusion and great spiritual loss.

If we accept the fact that we all will stand before Jesus at the Judgment Seat of Christ:

2Co 5:10  [For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ]; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

This is the judgment for the saved. You have to be saved to be here!

We will receive the things done in the body we call flesh. We will be judged by the work we have done for Christ since our salvation. If we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior then we know this to be true.

Knowing this then we should judge our own selves and know that we abide by God’s Word before we can discern between good and evil of others.

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil].

The Pharisees “played God” in their judgment of others and gave no thought that they would be judged of God.

We are being judged as Christians as we walk the walk of Christ Jesus:

Luk 6:37  Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Luk 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

People judge us in our walk and we will receive exactly what we give. We will reap what we have sown:

Rom 2:1  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

When we judge our selves by God’s Word we can then be prepared to serve others. Every Christian is obligated to help each other grow in “Grace”.

Only God has true judgment:

Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Rom 2:3  And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

These Pharisees criticized others to make there own selves look good, not before God, but before man.

Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

There is a difference when we help our brothers to look good and not our own self.

If we cannot honestly face up to our own sin then while we are trying to get a piece of dust out of another one’s eye, then that two by four in our own eye will not allow us to see properly. We can be of no help to anyone, the lost nor the saved.

God can see all the way into the heart, we cannot, no secret can be withheld from Him:

Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

So we have learned:

1.) Before we can even try to help our brothers and sisters in Christ we must self examine ourselves.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Jas 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

2.) We must also realize that as long as we are in this body of flesh we will have some sin. It is our faith in Jesus Christ that allows His forgiveness and He will restore us.

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

*****A restored child of God can then be a help to his brothers and sisters in Christ.

As far as the lost, it is God that will judge the lost, our job is only to witness to them. Christians must realize that not everyone is a sheep.

Some people are dogs, or hogs, and some people are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

This is the judgment that we have to make. We cannot allow the liberal church to pull the wool over our eyes.

God has given us some tools that we must use:

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7  [But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God], and not of us.

We must not cheapen the Gospel of Jesus Christ by lacking discernment of good and evil.

We must be able to discern the liberal movement of the Church as wrong and as evil. We must stand up for the truth of the Gospel and in doing so we must judge those who teach such nonsense.

We must stand up for the Blood of the Cross.
We must stand up for the Virgin birth.
We must stand up for the Resurrection of Our Lord.
We must stand up for the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We must stand on the Whole Truth of the Bible and not just the parts we like.

We cannot allow these pearls of the Gospel to be trampled on by anyone.

2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

We cannot abuse the “Grace” of God.

We are to present the truth of the Gospel, judge among ourselves as believers and correct each other in love and also realize that to argue with an unbeliever will lessen our own testimony in most cases.

Even Jesus never spoke to Herod:

Luk 23:8  And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
Luk 23:9  Then he questioned with him in many words; [but he answered him nothing].

And the Apostle Paul would not argue with unbelievers:

Act 13:45  But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, [we turn to the Gentiles].
Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Act 13:48  And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

*****Our Text:

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 7:9  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Mat 7:10  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
Mat 7:11  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Christ knew that there will always be those that will not receive the Word of God so He returns to some additional teaching on prayer, and our prayer life.

We must remember this sermon was preached to the saved, it is not a sermon for salvation, but a sermon of instruction to disciples.

Our Lord had rejected the practice of prayer that the Pharisee used. Jesus now instructed on the true nature of prayer.

1.) If we keep on asking, He will keep on giving!
2.) If we keep seeking, we will find!
3.) If we keep knocking, He will continue to open the doors to allow His will to be done!

You know not everyone is called to be a preacher, or a teacher, or for some special office in the Church but everyone has been given this instruction in doing the will that God has for each and every one of us.

4.) We must all be persistent in our prayer life!

The reason for answered prayer lies in the attributes of the true Father, Our Father that is in Heaven.

He will never mock His children!
It is the Father’s responsibility to provide!

God would never teach us these things if He was not willing to do them Himself!

God’s faithfulness as a Father will not permit Him to deny the request of His children!

We must first pray to seek His direction and His wisdom for our lives and His will for each of us!

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

*****Our Text:

Mat 7:12  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Some people call this the “Golden Rule” but in reality it is really the basis of our attitude toward others. This principle only applies to believers! When we judge others this is the principle we should follow. A person who would project righteousness must do for others what that person would want someone to do for him if he was in the same situation.

If people would treat every neighbor as themselves, no neighbor would be mistreated!

Christ would never demand the righteousness of the Pharisees to enter the kingdom of heaven but He would demand the righteousness of the Law to enter in. To the believer, his righteousness must equal the righteousness of Christ. This can happen only one way!

The Bible says:

Rom 5:17  For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Rom 5:18  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Rom 5:19  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, [who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit].

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Rom 8:10  [And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness].
Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Gal 5:5  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Eph 4:21  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

If we want God’s best for ourselves and for others for there will those that will resist God’s Word.

A couple of things we need to remember:

1.) We are the salt of the earth. Salt is a preservative but we also know salt will burn and sting when it is poured on an open wound. There will be those that will oppose us.

2.) We are to be a bright and shining light for God and Christ but we must realize a bright light will expose the dirt of evil living and some will always want to stay in darkness so their dirt will be hid.

We will always have Pharisees in our world. These false prophets are still trying to deceive God’s children. They will still teach a self-righteousness. They have fooled themselves into believing that they are righteous and all others are sinful in the eyes of God. We must remember what God says:

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Christ gave us to more pictures for explanation:

There are only two roads to travel in this life. The road to Heaven and the road to Hell.

1.) The Broad way: (that leads to Hell)

This is the easy way, this is also the most popular way. Every religion seems to have this in mind when they tell us of their way to Heaven. Just because every one says they can follow their own path and that every road will lead to Heaven is simply not true. Just because they say this does not make it true.

God’s people have always been a remnant. The Church will always be a small minority.

2.) The Narrow way: (that leads to Heaven)

The way to everlasting life is sometimes narrow, lonely, and costly.

We can walk on the broad path keeping our baggage of sin but to travel the narrow path we must give up all those things.

Jesus said the Christian walk would be a hard one.

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, [let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me].

The cross we bare will be painful at times!

Before we close let’s high light the remaining chapter:

(Vs 15-20)

Since the beginning of creation every plant and every animal will reproduce it self after it’s kind. In other words an apple tree will not produce bananas, and two cats will not produce a dog. I know what evolution says, but remember they have never found anything that has changed this basic law of God.

We know that good fruit comes from a good tree, but bad fruit comes from a bad tree. Those that have bad trees usually cut down the bad tree so it will not spoil the good tree. It is easy to see if you have a good fruit tree, wait till it produces fruit and you can tell from that point.

In a spiritual sense it is easily seen if a child of God has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his or her Savior by the fruit they bare. If you do not have a noticeably changed life then the fruit is bad.

False Prophets, false preachers, who teach a false doctrine will have this affect on those that sit in the pews. The fruit, (the results of their ministry) is false and cannot last.

The Apostle Paul had these words:

Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

You can still tell them by their fruit!

The person that believes a false doctrine will also never produce good fruit.

(Vs 21-29)

It does not matter what we think of our selves or really what others think of us, the final test of the child of God is what God thinks of us. What will God say when we stand before Him? The only way to prepare for God’s judgment is to be in the will of God. Obedience to God is the true test of “faith”!

When a person is truly born again, that person will have the Holy Spirit living within them:

Rom 8:9  [But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you]. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

That same Spirit enables every child of God to know His will:

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; [because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us].

If you have the “love of God” within you, you will obey God and you will serve others! A light on a hill cannot be hid.

The words we say are not enough. Many preachers are not saved. Even Judas Iscariot was sent out to preach. Even miracles do not make you a child of God. Satan will use lying wonders to deceive the people during the tribulation period:

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

We are commanded, with love, to hear God’s Word and then, be a doer of that Word:

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

That carries with it a knowledge of God’s Word. If you do not know God’s Word how can you know if the preacher knows God’s Word.

If our faith in the Word of God does not lead us to good works after we are saved then we are as salt that has lost it’s flavor:

Jas 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

We have built on the wrong foundation!

Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Your false profession of faith will not hold up at the judgment seat!

How can we judge ourselves?

1.) Have we paid the price, do we have a changed life?

2.) Does our faith hold up through the storms of life and will it still stand the test of God’s judgment.

These are questions we must answer for ourselves. We must look into that mirror and judge our own selves and this by the Holy Word of God.

Let’s Pray!