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Many matters are between you and your
brother or sister. And many matters can be handled just by going to that person
and telling them what they’ve done. Now sometimes the one who did the offending
didn’t even know he had done it. Even so, when you’ve been offended, and you
are taking offense, so, go to that person, be truthful, and seek to be
reconciled.
Look again at verse fifteen and see what Jesus says here. Matt. 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.” Your goal is this one thing; to gain your brother.
2. If going privately doesn’t solve the problem, Jesus says you are to take two or three witnesses of the offence with you and deal with it as a family of brothers and sisters.
3. When those two methods don’t solve the problem, bring the matter before the Church and let it be known publicly. Then the Christians will be able to deal wisely with the offence.
Now, none of these is easy. You see, there’s a good way to handle these personal offenses.
Here are the lessons then.
1. People haven’t changed very much. We’re all sinners.
2. Some of our offenses are very large and very intentional.
3. Jesus gave us a clear method for handling offenses.
4. Get things cleared up between you and others before you come to the LORD’s table.
Here’s what Jesus says about coming before Him while you’ve got a bad relationship with someone.
Matthew 5:23 “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; (24) Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
Jesus knows your heart. And when you come to the House of the LORD to worship; when you come to partake of the LORD’s table; when you come to bring your offering to the LORD; whatever your worship might be and you remember that your brother has something against you, then first go him and be reconciled. More than anything, before you come in worship, Jesus says go and be reconciled; first. Yes, He will gladly receive your worship; He does want your worship. But ahead of worship and gifts is reconciliation. Do you see how practical the Bible is? Do you see how important this matter of offenses really is?
1. When you remember that your brother has something against you [meaning that you’ve sinned against him], you must go to that person and be reconciled and then He will receive your worship. That’s what we read in Matthew chapter five.
2. When your brother has sinned against you, you are to go to him and be reconciled. That’s what we read in Matthew chapter eighteen.
Lastly, please turn with me to I Corinthians chapter eleven and verse twenty-six. I Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (27) Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (28) But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (29) For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (30) For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (31) For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
As you prepare for your day today, here’s what you need to do; verse twenty-eight. (28) “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” The LORD wants us to come to His table and eat of the bread and drink of the cup; but only after we’ve examined ourselves. The Communion table is the LORD’s supper. And we show the LORD’s death when we partake of these two elements. Jesus died for our sins so that we can be completely forgiven. And yet, sin is very powerful. And if we’ve sinned lately, we can still come to Him and partake; but only after we’ve examined our hearts; only after we’ve dealt with ourselves before Hm.
We’ve all been offensive as some time. Others have offended us. But Jesus died for those very offenses. And the blood of Christ is enough to wash them all away. Our greatest needs were remedied when Jesus was crucified. As usual, it’s your choice. If you haven’t trusted in Jesus for eternal security, today is the day. And if you’ve sinned recently, come in confession; and the blood of Christ will keep on cleansing you. The End
Look again at verse fifteen and see what Jesus says here. Matt. 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.” Your goal is this one thing; to gain your brother.
2. If going privately doesn’t solve the problem, Jesus says you are to take two or three witnesses of the offence with you and deal with it as a family of brothers and sisters.
3. When those two methods don’t solve the problem, bring the matter before the Church and let it be known publicly. Then the Christians will be able to deal wisely with the offence.
Now, none of these is easy. You see, there’s a good way to handle these personal offenses.
Here are the lessons then.
1. People haven’t changed very much. We’re all sinners.
2. Some of our offenses are very large and very intentional.
3. Jesus gave us a clear method for handling offenses.
4. Get things cleared up between you and others before you come to the LORD’s table.
Here’s what Jesus says about coming before Him while you’ve got a bad relationship with someone.
Matthew 5:23 “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; (24) Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
Jesus knows your heart. And when you come to the House of the LORD to worship; when you come to partake of the LORD’s table; when you come to bring your offering to the LORD; whatever your worship might be and you remember that your brother has something against you, then first go him and be reconciled. More than anything, before you come in worship, Jesus says go and be reconciled; first. Yes, He will gladly receive your worship; He does want your worship. But ahead of worship and gifts is reconciliation. Do you see how practical the Bible is? Do you see how important this matter of offenses really is?
1. When you remember that your brother has something against you [meaning that you’ve sinned against him], you must go to that person and be reconciled and then He will receive your worship. That’s what we read in Matthew chapter five.
2. When your brother has sinned against you, you are to go to him and be reconciled. That’s what we read in Matthew chapter eighteen.
Lastly, please turn with me to I Corinthians chapter eleven and verse twenty-six. I Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (27) Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (28) But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (29) For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (30) For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (31) For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
As you prepare for your day today, here’s what you need to do; verse twenty-eight. (28) “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” The LORD wants us to come to His table and eat of the bread and drink of the cup; but only after we’ve examined ourselves. The Communion table is the LORD’s supper. And we show the LORD’s death when we partake of these two elements. Jesus died for our sins so that we can be completely forgiven. And yet, sin is very powerful. And if we’ve sinned lately, we can still come to Him and partake; but only after we’ve examined our hearts; only after we’ve dealt with ourselves before Hm.
We’ve all been offensive as some time. Others have offended us. But Jesus died for those very offenses. And the blood of Christ is enough to wash them all away. Our greatest needs were remedied when Jesus was crucified. As usual, it’s your choice. If you haven’t trusted in Jesus for eternal security, today is the day. And if you’ve sinned recently, come in confession; and the blood of Christ will keep on cleansing you. The End