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September 25, 2016

"How God Cares for His Children"

Series: How God Cares for His Children Passage: Matthew 18:1–35

1. Murder your pride, recognize your utter dependence on the grace of God to save you and sustain you; pride is a bad sign, Matthew 18:1-4; Galatians 6:14; Jeremiah 9:23-24. Are you even a believer?

2. Pursue, actively accept, and receive each other – no despising allowed – honor one another, Matthew 18:5, 10-11; Romans 12:10; Philippians 2:3-4.

3. Be watchfully careful with your brother or sister, whatever you do, in all you do, do no harm, Matthew 18:6.

4. Guard your own life, examine yourself with honest decisiveness, so that you are living a pure life, and are not the cause for another to fall, Matthew 18:7-9; 7:1-5.

5. This is not a trivial pursuit. Nobody gets left behind; the universe is watching TACC, Matthew 18:12-14; Ephesians 3:8-13.

6. If your brother falters, grieve. Then go to him in private and say these words, “Help me understand; I think I can help,” Matthew 5:3-5; 18:15.

7. If he continues to stumble, grieve. Then go with one or two and say, “Help us understand; we can help.” Matthew 5:3-5; 18:16.

8. If he continues to stray, all grieve, and all say, “Help us understand; we’ll help you change,” Matthew 5:3-5; 18:17.

9. If there is no repentance, all grieve, and all say, “You are no longer part of this fellowship,” Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 5:11-13.

10. When the church obeys with humility, grief, carefulness and confidence, the Lord comes to guide in specific and blessed ways, Matthew 18:18-20.

11. Be delighted to forgive the repentant - vigorously. Never forget that God has forgiven you far more than you ever will have to forgive anyone else, Matthew 18:21-35; Luke 17:1-10; Ephesians 4:32.

 

Discussion questions
1. What makes your own pride so hard to spot but other’s pride so easy to see? How can that be changed? (hint: this is not a quick easy answer or a quick fix.)
2. The disciples are pursuing greatness in the Kingdom, but Jesus pursues the possibility that they may not even be in the Kingdom. Do you think that was a shock to them? Should that be something we think about? 2 Corinthians 13:5.
3. Why is the section on plucking out your own eye inserted here? What’s a hyperbole?
4. What does it mean in real terms (how you act on Sundays, events, etc.) that we pursue each other? Receive each other? Is ignoring someone consistent with pursuing them?
5. Why do we say, “help me understand?” Why is listening to the answer so critical? What do we do if the answer is short?
6. How should the church body address persistent, unrepentant sin from a member? Why is it essential that only those who grieve over the sin should address the person in sin?