Welcome And The Passage Setup

Mark 0:05

Hello everyone, this is Mark Davis, and I want to welcome you to the Gospel Explorations Podcast, where we gather together each week to take time to explore God's Word to learn how we ought to live in this present age. I'm glad you've chosen to spend some time with us today. Let's jump into today's episode. Well, hello friends, and welcome back to the Gospel Explorations podcast. My name is Mark Davis, and I am your host, and this is episode number 74. In our last episode together, Jesus redefined greatness, and we learned that it's not a position, but rather it's a spirit of humility. And Jesus tells us that of having a humble spirit in the heart of a child. Now, today we're going to look at Jesus continuing that same teaching, but turning it into a very sobering direction. Because if we're going to live as people of the kingdom and reflect the heart of Christ, then we have to take two things very seriously. And that is sin and how our sin affects other people. So if you have your Bibles, let's look at Matthew chapter 18 together. We're going to be looking at verses 7 through 14. But let's get started right there in verse number 7 of Matthew 18.

Offenses Are Real And Accountable

Speaker 1:21

We read this in Matthew's gospel. Woe unto the world because of offenses, for it must needs be that the offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh. Now, Jesus begins here with a hard truth, and he reminds us that offenses must come. We're reminded that we live in a fallen, sinful world. Sin is present and people hurt each other and temptations arise. And there's no escaping that reality. But Jesus gives us two woes here, two warnings, two realities as a result of living in a sinful world. The first is a cry of sorrow. He says, Woe unto the world. It's a picture of a recognition that sin does bring real damage, real pain and real destruction. And the second is a warning. He says, Woe to the man by whom the offense comes. In other words, Jesus is saying, yes, sin is inevitable because we live in a fallen world, but that does not excuse the one who brings it. No one gets to say, well, it was bound to happen anyway. God still holds each person accountable for their actions and choices. Now, there's something here that's important for us. If God says woe to that man, that means that he's going to deal with it. He sees and he knows and he judges rightly. And that should give us a sense of freedom. Freedom that we can release any bitterness, freedom that we can let go of revenge, and ultimately freedom that we can trust God for justice. Because we're very aware that if we try to carry out the weight of that ourselves, it will consume us. We're told in Romans, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. So we need to learn to walk in peace. And at the same time, this warning should cause us to examine ourselves, not just ask the question, Who hurt me? But have I become a source of offense to others? So Jesus turns then this focus inward.

Drastic Steps Against Personal Sin

Speaker 3:29

Looking at verses eight and nine, he says this Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off and cast them from thee. And if thy eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. Now, if we're honest, these are strong words, a graphic picture. But Jesus is making a point that sin is serious, and fighting sin requires sacrifice. Now it's worth stating that Jesus is not calling us to literal self-mutilation because the problem is much deeper than our hands or our eyes. The fact of the matter is you can remove a hand and still sin. You could pluck out your eye and still sin. You see, the issue is in the heart, but the principle that Jesus is speaking to still stands. We must be willing to take drastic action against sin. Whatever it is that leads you to sin, cut it off, remove it, separate from it. Not casually, not halfway, but decisively. Because Jesus says it's better to lose something now than to face eternal judgment later. And this is a reminder to me of something very critical: that sin is not primarily external. It doesn't begin with what we touch or what we see, it begins from within. Jesus already told us earlier in Matthew's gospel that out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts. So while we may need to remove external triggers, what we ultimately need is internal transformation. We need a new heart, a renewed mind. We need a life that's surrendered fully to Christ. So then Jesus returns to a theme that we saw in the last episode when we were looking at earlier verses in chapter number 18.

Do Not Despise The Little Ones

Speaker 5:30

In verse 10, Jesus says these words, 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. Take heed, Jesus says. He says, Pay attention, be careful. He calls us to not despise the little ones. Again, this isn't just about children. It includes all who are humble, vulnerable, dependent, believers in Christ. And Jesus gives a powerful reason why. He says, Their angels always behold the face of my Father. This is a reminder to us that God is deeply attentive to his people. He sees them, he values them, he protects them. And if God pays that much attention to them, how then can we afford to overlook them? And that leads Jesus to paint us a picture of the heart of the shepherd.

The Shepherd Who Seeks The One

Speaker 6:31

In verses eleven through thirteen we read these words, For the Son of Man has come to save that which is lost. How think ye, if a man have a hundred sheep and one of them gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine and goeth into the mountains and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he findeth it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. In this story that Jesus shares, one sheep wonders, just one, and the shepherd goes after it. He leaves the ninety and nine to seek the one, and when he finds it, he rejoices, not with frustration, not with anger, but with joy. And this reveals a truth to us about God and his love. It is an individual love. He cares about the one, but it's also a love that seeks after the lost. And it's patient, it just doesn't give up quickly when it doesn't find what it's looking for. It's a love that rejoices, he celebrates in the restoration, and it's a protecting love that brings that sheep back to safety. This is the heart of Jesus, and this is the heart that he calls us to reflect. Now, notice something here important. Jesus doesn't say write off the one who wandered, he doesn't say focus only on the faithful 99. He says to go after the one, and that includes the one that's struggling, the wandering, the broken, the sinful. Charles Spurgeon once said we must care for sinners as they are, not wait until they improve, because that's exactly how Jesus cared for us. Look with me then at verse number 14. Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. Jesus closes the section with a powerful statement that this is God's heart, that no one be overlooked, no one forgotten, no one abandoned. God desires restoration. He sent his son to be our savior, to provide us salvation so that none should perish. So, how then do we respond?

How We Respond With Urgency

Speaker 8:59

Well, first, we need to take sin seriously. We ought not be casual about it or comfortable, but rather act with urgency and willingness to eradicate it. Secondly, we need to be careful to not cause others to stumble. Your life affects people. Your words matter, your example matters. And Jesus tells them in this passage, thirdly, to not despise the little ones, that is, the humble ones, the overlooked ones, the struggling ones, because God in heaven does not overlook them. And then finally, we're reminded that we're to go after the one. Don't just stay with the 99. Pursue those who are wondering, love the lost, and reflect the very heart of our loving shepherd. Jesus in this passage shows us that his kingdom is shaped by seriousness about sin, caring for others, and a relentless love for the one who strays. This is not passive Christianity. This is an active, intentional, sacrificial love. It's the same love that came after you and came after me and brought us home.

Closing Encouragement And Next Steps

Speaker 10:19

Friend, thanks so much for joining us for the Gospel Explorations podcast. I hope this has been an encouragement and a challenge to you. If so, would you share it with someone else? And by the way, don't forget to check out the show notes for more reflection and study questions. Until next time, grace and peace, friends. Thanks for listening. I hope that you've been both encouraged and challenged today. If you want to connect with us further, please be sure to check us out on the web at gospelexplorations.com. We look forward to having you join us again next time.