Introduction
Jesus gives advice on living.
Verses
1In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
2Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them,
3and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
4Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
5Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,
6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck, and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.
7“Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!
8If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire.
9If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire.
10See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
12“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?
13If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
16But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
18Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
19Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
21Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
22Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
23Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants.
24When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’
28“But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29“So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’
30He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due.
31So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done.
32Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.
33Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’
34His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him.
35So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
Questions
1. What does Jesus say we must do to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?
v 3 ... Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
2. What does Jesus say we must do if our brother sins against us?
v 15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
3. What did Peter ask Jesus about forgiving his brother and what did Jesus say in reply?
v 21 and 22 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
Summary Points
- v 1 to 6 Jesus tells his disciples that they must be childlike in their humility if they want to be in God’s Kingdom. He adds that there will be dire consequences for anyone who causes anyone with childlike humility to stumble
- v 7 to 9 Jesus says we must remove from our lives anything that causes us to stumble
- v 10 to 14 We mustn't despise those who have childlike humility. They have angels in touch with the father in heaven who wants them all to be saved
- v 15 to 20 Faults between Jesus' followers should be resolved by those concerned if possible. If the problem cannot be resolved, one or two more can be involved to help. Only if that fails should the matter become public
v 21 to 35 Jesus teaches that we must forgive if we want to be forgiven. He tells a parable about a man who is forgiven an enormous debt who then won't forgive somebody else who owes him a tiny amount
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