Matthew 18
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to Him, and placed the child among them. And He said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:1-4 NIV
We all want to excel or be the best at something. It’s human nature. Jesus’ disciples asked Him “who will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1) His answer probably surprised them, because it is exactly opposite of what we learn from the world. In the kingdom of heaven, humility and service to others are prized above all else. And it must be done out of love, not out of an obligation or in order to get something in return. In Mark’s account of this story, he recalls Jesus saying “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35). This is so contrary to our human nature and our flesh, that we need to constantly ask for God’s help in this area. The more humble we are and the more we serve others, the more we become like Christ, who was the perfect example for us.
“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” Matthew 18:8-9 NIV
Jesus’ warning here is against temptation and sin. He is not literally telling us to cut off our arms or gouge out our eyes. But, He is being graphic in order to give us a stern warning. Any activity that is not honoring to God and His creation, is wrong and should be stopped. We should carefully examine our lives to evaluate for thought patterns, activities and tendencies that lead us away from God and His plan for our lives. When problems are identified, “cut them off.” Jesus says it would be better to go to heaven with one hand than to hell with both. The choice is ours.
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they 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 they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” Matthew 18:15-17 NIV
Here, Jesus teaches us how to treat a believer that sins against us. When another Christian wrongs or offends us, we are tempted to run and tell someone else all about it, seek revenge or let anger or resentment build up inside of us. However, Jesus teaches us the appropriate method for bringing correction and reconciliation. The next time you are hurt or wronged by another believer, be sure to go to that person first. If that does not work, follow the steps outlined by Jesus in this passage. We need to do everything in our power to try to maintain or restore the relationship. We need to offer forgiveness and ask for God’s help so that we can completely forgive. All Christians, regardless of what church we attend or denomination we follow, must stay united with each other: “That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:6).