Tag: Matthew 18:21-22
Day 4–Courage to Keep Forgiving
Scripture reading for February 26: Matthew 18:21-22 “Then Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
A central teaching of Jesus Christ concerned forgiveness of sins. Man’s greatest need is forgiveness of sins and Jesus Christ’s primary message of the Good News was that through Him, sin could be forgiven. Jesus’ disciples struggled to understand forgiveness. Part of their religious training concerned equal retribution for offences. If someone poked out your eye, you could get even and poke out his eye. Jesus instead taught that if we expected God to forgive us our sins, we must forgive others their sins against us. All vengeance belonged to God, since only He knows all about each person and He alone can judge justly.
Peter, a disciple of Jesus, asked Jesus about how many times he should forgive someone who sinned against him. He suggested that seven times might be a generous number. But Jesus responded with something much greater–“seventy-seven times.” Some translations say ‘seventy times seven.’ The whole point is that forgiveness is the proper decision towards those who have offended you or did you wrong.
As first responders, we must work with others on most of our calls. There are always those who offend. These may be fellow responders or even the people that we were called to help. We should never keep score in order to get even or to repay in kind. Jesus’ gave us the ultimate demonstration of forgiveness when from the cross He cried, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) This prayer was directed to those who had crucified Him and falsely accused Him. He laid down His life that all might receive forgiveness and demonstrated God’s generous grace.
Prayer: Father God, like Peter, I sometimes count how many times I have forgiven and think I have been generous. Forgive me and teach me how to have the courage to forgive others every time I am offended or wronged. I trust You to have mercy on them and me. Amen.
Biblical conflict resolution
Scripture reading for July 22nd: Matthew 18
Key Scriptures: Matthew 18:15-20 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I among them.””
Our Father is a God of order and hates dissension between brothers. Here Jesus outlines a way to deal with conflict caused by sin against a brother or sister in the Church. If you are wronged, the first step is to go alone, privately, to the brother and tell the wrong. The other party may not even be aware of the wrong. This should be done privately so that none of it would be gossiped about or shared but forgiven and forgotten quickly with little or no disruption of relationship. If there is refusal to even listen, the next step is to take along one or two others who are godly and respected and try to get the problem resolved. If this brings no results, then the matter can be shared with the Church. This may by the whole body of Christ or possibly just the elders. They then confront the party and if there is refusal to repent, then discipline can be taken. Whatever is bound on earth will be bound in heaven. Agreement is a powerful thing for Jesus is there too! The whole goal is forgiveness and restoration with as little fuss as possible.
Matthew 18:21-22 “Then Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father, thank You for clear instruction in resolving conflict between brothers or sisters. Help me to always practice and obey Your teaching. I want to be a peace-maker, following the example of Jesus Christ. May Your Word bring glory to Your Name and peace in Your body, the Church!
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”