Matthew 18

Matthew 18:1-35

AND GRAVE Matthew 18:1-35. THERE is such a thing as combining an unrighteous ambition with a grave responsibility. The fourteen verses elected for this study are an illustration of our thought. The disciples of Jesus were far from perfect men. A disciple is a learner and a follower; perfection, therefore, is not to be expected. Because Christ is perfect, worldly men unreasonably conclude that all Christians should be equally so. In other words, they imagine because one is willing to learn, he should know all; willing to attain, he should instantly be perfect! History does not so conclude.We may be tried with the disciples who come to Jesus asking, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” but we should be comforted, rather, that they are so much like us; that so, in the face of our weaknesses, we may also claim to be disciples.Christ’s answer to their petty and even unrighteously ambitious question, involvesA . “Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, 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. “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:2-4). In many respects, a child is the best illustration of Christianity. That is not to say that Christianity is feeble in intellect, for it has always been the intellectual religion of the world. That is not to say that Christianity is crude in its ideas and ideals, for no religion can present such a perfection of ideas and ideals as does Christianity. That is not to say that Christianity is, at its best, immature, simple and sweet perhaps, but not efficient, for such is not and never has been the truth of it. But that is to say that Christianity is childlike in its innocence, childlike in sweetness, childlike in unfaltering faith, childlike in altruistic spirit, childlike in the absence of vain boasting and self-glorification, childlike in its sincerity of heart and its purity of motive.Humility, a childlike characteristic, is most Christian. Christ laid especial emphasis at that point. “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven”.One of the things that made Christ, Christ, finds expression in the experience of Christ Himself,“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, “But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: “And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross?” (Philippians 2:6-8). A man who went up into the Temple to pray boastingly and thank God that he was better than other men, received no blessing such as did the humble soul who smote his breast, crying, “God be merciful to me a sinner”, and went to his house justified.That is why James wrote, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up” (James 4:10).This doctrine was not preached by Christ to His Apostles as a new thing. It had long been known to the language of revelation. Solomon had written his proverb, “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud” (Proverbs 16:19). Isaiah makes a remark to be dwelt upon, “The great man humbleth himself” (Isaiah 2:9).Pride and arrogance are never the traits of true greatness. The moment a man stands up and begins to speak, you know whether he is great or not. If he takes on airs, if he employs high sounding and unusual speech, and indulges in big words requiring dictionaries for definitions, you know that his soul is small.

Joseph Parker said, “In proportion as a man is truly learned is he truly modest; in proportion as a man is really great is he really childlike.” The superb spirits of the earth are simple, clear, sincere. They are as guileless as children; and in that very fact, their truest element of greatness exists.The child-receiving spirit is the Christ spirit. “And whoso shall receive one such little child in My Name receiveth Me” (Matthew 18:5).We hesitate to make any single act or attitude the full basis for a final judgment, but if we were so disposed, we should almost be compelled to feel, if not to say, that men or women who have no child receiving spirit can hardly know the Christ.

Women who are content to go their way through the world without knowing children, preferring not to be bothered by babies or hampered in their social engagements by little ones, may possibly be Christians, but certainly any antipathy to the child is out of harmony with the whole spirit of Christ. Men and women who are annoyed by the presence of children, and who, if they could find such a sanctuary, would never attend a church where children were present, are far removed from the spirit of the Kingdom of Heaven. Some of us believe that the overwhelming proportion of the population of the celestial city is of little ones, and how shall people who hated children on earth be themselves happy in Heaven? It is very unpopular now to be the parents of a large family, and yet we confess with great frankness that we never see a family of eight, ten, or a dozen in number, brought into the house of God, lined into the pews until two seats are “chuck full”, so to speak, but we imagine the smile and approval of Jesus as He views the steps that rise from the yearling up.But there is more in this Scripture than Christianity’s child type. This text moves toA SOLEMN . “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. “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” (Matthew 18:6-7). It is easy to see that Jesus slips over from the child to the saint, of which the child was a sample, and when He has disposed of the little one, He has put us under obligation concerning the larger one, and yet that one, who being Christ’s, has a child spirit, and is, in the judgment of Christ, among “the little ones which believe on Him” (1 John 2:12).There is in this Scripture, then, a suggestion at least for the deliberate degradation of a soul.Perhaps since Christianity came into the world, there has been no century in which the sins to which this text refers, have been so regnant, yea, even blatant, as now. There has never been a time when the teachers of youth were so often engaged in the very destruction of faith to which this text refers. Text books that are elected for our grades, High Schools, colleges, and universities are written by men who deliberately seek to destroy the faith of their believing fellows; and of the thousands of men and women whose profession it is to teach the youth, a large proportion of them now are known to be of the company here condemned. They scoff the Christian religion; they take positive pleasure in undermining the faith of the young, and removing the foundations of the feeble; and, sad to relate, ofttimes the pulpit appointed of God for the very purpose of strengthening that faith, turns traitorous and produces skeptics instead.Is it any wonder that Christ, anticipating the last days, and remembering the false teachers and the false prophets that should arise, warned against both in the language of the text, “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”!We should remember the deformer can never undo his work. That is true of sinners of every sort, but especially true of faith-destroyers. When my older brothers were little ones, once the eldest shut the door on the fingers of his junior.

He is an old man now, but he will carry an abnormal finger nail to the grave. But that slight hurt suffices to illustrate the truth that wounds leave scars.When John Newton was a boy, he ran away from home one day and learned the sea trade.

He sailed to the South Sea Islands, and even to Africa, engaged in slave trading. On board a trading vessel, he met a young English boy, over whom he came to have a potent influence. Newton initiated this lad into every iniquity, until this young man excelled his teacher in the grossest sins. When Newton was converted, he sought assiduously the salvation of this man, but the man only laughed at religion and replied, “You taught me all I know of a vicious life; it is too late for you to turn preacher to me now.” Newton had a brilliant ministry and brought many men to Christ, but the testimony of his dying hour was that he had never known a serene moment, such sorrow had been his because he had corrupted a youth. One might repent his deeds and be forgiven by a merciful God, but even that will not erase the effects thereof.You remember how Arthur Dimmesdale in Hawthorne’s “Scarlet Letter” carried with him daily the stings of a conscience. One sin kept his tear tubes open throughout all his life, and there was never an hour when there was not a sob in his throat.

Tears could never wash the tears from Hester’s letter, nor relieve his own heart of a blighting, black burden.We may have marvelled at times at what Christ said here, but before the facts of history we marvel no more. He said,“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. “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” (Matthew 18:8-9). Who can understand such speech? Who can sound the depth of such judgment? And yet, who can deny that history has a thousand times illustrated the truth of these verses? Sin may “at first suggest with Heavenly shows”, but when “it is finished, it bringeth forth death”.Full well did Christ turn back again to His original proposition of despising little ones and destroying their faith. “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” (Matthew 18:10).This is a sentence that seems to suggest both guardian angels and judging ones. Why not? If the Heavenly life is a life of active service, what could profit men more or better honor God than to have some member of the family in Heaven in charge of some believing one on earth?

And, what more likely than that guardian angel should do more than look after the little ones of our Lord, reporting their enemies, pass sentence against them? They have access to the Father; they behold His face, and they doubtless bear their testimony.Who then would dare make sacrilege a pastime? Who then would dare to scoff the faith of Christ’s followers? Who then would dare snub the true believer, belittle the Bible student, poke fun at the praying man, and treat the faithful as if they were fools? The conservation of Christianity in one’s own life and in the lives of others, is the highest accomplishment, and to cast contumely and scorn upon faith in God is the climax of deviltry. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psalms 1:1). . The remainder of this chapter has to do with suggested discipline;First, as it involves disagreement between brethren.“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. “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. “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. “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. “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” (Matthew 18:15-19). The language of Scripture seems to suggest contradictions—“If thy brother shall trespass against thee”. The natural inference is that a brother would not so do; but the philosophy of life, even of Christian fraternity, often falls before the mailed fist of fact, and the sad fact is that a Christian brother has trespassed against his fellow. Had that not been true, the controversy between Peter and Paul over John Mark would never have been possible. Had that not been true, the first church council held at Jerusalem would scarcely have been a necessity. If that were not still true, church troubles would be far fewer. It is a sad concession to make, but it is true, that ofttimes the trespasser is hard, unapproachable, and will not even hear what his offended brother has to say.

It is a bit difficult to imagine that hard natured, unyielding people, people with unreasonable gusto, who go their own way indifferent to the feelings of others, careless concerning the wounds they have made, are Christian; and yet that the church contains many such, no one questions; and this text is a law of procedure for the injured church member. When the offender will not hear, and two or three others have been convinced personally of that fact, the church is to be told, and if he neglects to hear the church, he is to be regarded as a heathen and a publican. The plain inference is that a man may be in the church and yet not of the church; he may be of the professed body of Christ, and know nothing of the spirit of Christianity. Certainly it has always been so, and, for this age at least, will so remain.What a contrast is this separation of brethren and its sad results to the blessed suggestion that follows:“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 rather which is in Heaven” (Matthew 18:19). Disunion has discouraged and damaged a church a thousand times; agreement between brethren has always been a power—a power that could bring any blessing from Heaven, since where two or three are gathered together in Christ’s Name, He, Himself, is in the midst, and Christ’s Presence makes all things possible.Second, the discipline of the Spirit in the matter of forgiveness.“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). On first blush, this sounds like a hardship. One might easily reason, “I will never be free from insult, if my enemy finds out such a law of the Lord.” One might feel, “What is the use of forgiving when insult can follow insult, until 490 times have been felt.” Such a multiplication of injuries would render endurance impossible and patience unthinkable.But is there not another side to this subject—a bright side with which even the injured may bless his own soul? We are told that “except we forgive men their trespasses, neither will the Heavenly Father forgive us our trespasses”, and may we not reason that if God expects us to forgive our offending brother 490 times, will not He, whose grace is exceeding greater than that of any mortal man, forgive us our offenses again and again, and yet again? In its best analysis, is not this teaching of Jesus the basis of the brightest possible hope for men who sin almost with every breath, whose thoughts are often iniquitous, and whose dark deeds are daily multiplied? We confess that in our darkest hours, this text has thrown to us a light of hope, and when we have been able to review life and face all its foibles, failures and multiplied sins, until discouragement took hold upon the heart, we wondered if God’s grace was adequate, and even then we remembered that we could forgive our enemies; we had forgiven them and held not one single grudge against any; and in that consciousness we have risen from the very slough of despond to the mountain heights of hope. He is more forgiving, more tender, more compassionate, and a thousandfold more forgetful of injuries.“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy * * “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. “For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust * *. “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalms 103:8; Psalms 103:10-14; Psalms 103:17). What a blessed requirement that we forgive men 490 times! Faith takes wings at the very thought of it and rises to some comprehension of God’s fatherly forgiveness.Third, the frightful fact that the unforgiving are unforgiven.“Therefore is the Kingdom of Heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. “And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. “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. “The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and J will pay thee all. “Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. “But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. “And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. “And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. “So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. “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: “Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? “And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. “So likewise shall My Heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses” (Matthew 18:23-35). There is a class of people in the world for whom judgment is set. It is the class encouraged by Nietzsche’s philosophy of hardness; it is the class imagined by the evolutionary hypothesis which makes no provision for sympathy; it is the class who look upon life as a struggle for existence, and who know only the doctrine of survival of the fittest, and so are determined to trample their fellows, and if possible, convert them into stepping stones for their own exultations; it is the class made up of men who, when they are in debt, will plead for time, but who, when others are indebted to them, show no mercy; it is the class that will fawn at the feet of those who have power against them, and beg for the exercise of patience, but who, when power is with them, lay hand on the throat, thrust into prison, and laugh at compassion. Such men are seldom brought to judgment in this life. They cut their way through the world as bullets cut their way; they wound and tear, but march on till all force is spent and they fall limp, useless, and adjudged.There are few sins that men commit that the Scriptures declare unforgivable; I know of but two—blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and unforgiveness. Is it possible that they are one? In a sense they are, for they both amount to the same, the actual rejection of Jesus Christ. To put Him away permanently, is to blaspheme the Spirit, and to refuse to have Him in life is to be both unforgiving and unforgiven.