MATTHEW LESSON 37

     We will begin this lesson in Matthew 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."

     You will notice, here, that there had definitely been an offence
committed. Notice, also, the word "...brother..." This has to do with a
fellow Christian who has done, or said something. This is not the world
who has sinned against you.  The best advice in the world is not to
tell this to anyone, except the one who has sinned against you. The
best time to settle something like this is immediately. If you go to
him in love, and not with an arrogant attitude, it will help, also.
Usually, just letting the person know that you love him, in spite of
what he has done, will leave the door open for settling this. If
you can have a prayer together, it will usually settle the whole
thing. Friendships that overcome this are usually much stronger.
Sometimes,he will not accept you, and we see what we need to do in
that case.

     Matthew 18:16 "But if he will not hear [thee, then] take with
thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses
every word may be established."

     When you take a witness with you, you must be careful to take
someone who won't spread gossip.  This, also, should be kept as quiet
as possible, and try to settle it quietly. These need to be level-
headed people who would not get into a heated argument. Then in the
next verse, we see what must be, if all of this fails.

     Matthew 18:17 "And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it]
unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto
thee as an heathen man and a publican."

     All of these situations were between Christian brothers and
sisters.  If you cannot reconcile the situation even through the
church, then you must separate yourself from these people. The Lord
tells us not to fellowship with this type of people, just as we are
not to fellowship with heathen (worldly) people.  Christians must be a
separated people,  sold out to God. Living wholesome lives before God.
We may witness to the worldly people, but must not get involved in their
way of life.

     Matthew 18:18 "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on
earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven."

     The word "...verily..." just means that without question the
statement is true. We are living in a world that is controlled by
spirits. This is speaking of binding an evil spirit that is attacking
you. Jesus gave believers the authority to bind evil spirits, when it
is done in the name of Jesus.  Christians, through the powerful name
of Jesus, can take authority over these evil spirits. We, Christians,
can, also, speak a blessing through that same powerful name of Jesus.

     Matthew 18:19 "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall
agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be
done for them of my Father which is in heaven."

     This is a very strong statement.  When two Christians agree, it
seems nothing is withheld from them. When Jesus sent the disciples out
to minister, He sent them by twos, probably, because of the power of
God that two of them have.  The Scriptures say "How should one chase a
thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight..."Deuteronomy 32:30.

     The next Scripture shows us that this power that they have, is
because Jesus is in their midst.  Notice carefully that it does not
say it might be, but that it will be.

     Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my
name, there am I in the midst of them."

     The presence of God is not greater in a group of thousands, than
it is in a group of two or three who are gathered in His name. God's
Divine Presence is what we should be seeking, more than vast numbers
of people.

     Matthew 18:21  "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft
shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?"
Matthew 18:22 "Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven
times: but, Until seventy times seven."

     Of course, this was not saying 490 times, but was rather saying,
every time your brother asks you to forgive him. Seven is a spiritual
number.  Seven times seventy just means to the ultimate.  He is not
your physical brother, but your brother in Christ. We will see in
these next few verses, that if we expect God to forgive us, then we
must forgive, also.

     Matthew 18:23  "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a
certain king, which would take account of his servants."  Matthew
18:24 "And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him,
which owed him ten thousand talents." Matthew 18:25 "But forasmuch as
he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife,
and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made."

     The custom of the land was that if you could not pay your debts,
you went into servitude. Ten thousand talents by our money could be an
astronomical figure.  In fact, so great an amount that if the whole
family worked their entire lives, there would be no way to pay it off.

     This is the sadness of our debt we owe. If we worked every day of
our lives, we could not pay off what we owe God. Our only hope is that
Jesus paid the debt for us. We have been forgiven the debt. We will
learn a very important lesson about the condition of our forgiveness
in the next few verses.

     Matthew 18:26 "The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped
him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all."
Matthew 18:27 "Then the lord of that servant was moved with
compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt."

     This is the very same thing that has happened to us, our debt is
so great, there is no way to pay it; so He frankly forgave us.  This
lord forgave the debt, because he knew it would be impossible for the
servant to pay.

     Matthew 18:28 "But the same servant went out, and found one of
his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands
on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest."
Matthew 18:29 "And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and
besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all."
Matthew 18:30 "And he would not: but went and cast him into prison,
till he should pay the debt."

     In the prayer that Jesus taught the disciples to  pray it says,
"...forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Matthew 6:12.

     Matthew 18:31 "So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they
were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done."
Matthew 18:32 "Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto
him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou
desiredst me:" Matthew 18:33 "Shouldest not thou also have had
compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?"

     No one appreciates cruelty.  This servant was quick to ask for
forgiveness for the large debt he owed, but the small debt his fellow
servant owed him, he would not forgive.  To get forgiveness, we must
forgive.  Just as the Lord has forgiven us we, too, must forgive our
fellowmen when they ask us. This truly was a continuation of what Peter
had asked about forgiveness.  Not just once, but every time they ask
us to forgive, we must; if we expect to be forgiven.

     Matthew 18:34 "And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the
tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him."

     We can ask for no more favor than we give. You can easily see why
his lord was so angry, and reversed his opinion on forgiving him.

     Matthew 18:35 "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto
you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their
trespasses."

     We must not even take communion, if we have not forgiven everyone.
If you have anything against your brother, go and forgive, and then
come back and take communion.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven. We
should ask no more from God than we are willing to do to our friends.

     We will begin in chapter 19 of Matthew in the next lesson.


                        Matthew 37 Questions

1.  When you have a problem with a brother, who do you tell?
2.  What might you gain?
3.  When is the best time to settle a problem?
4.  If he doesn't hear you, what is the second option you have?
5.  If that doesn't work, what do you do?
6.  What must you be careful to do, when you take someone with you?
7.  If no amount of persuasion works, what should you count him as?
8.  Who should we not fellowship with?
9.  What does V-18 say about binding and loosing?
10. What does ".  ..  verily ..  ." mean in the scripture above?
11. Who has authority over evil spirits?
12. How?
13. What name is so powerful that all spirits obey?
14. How many must agree for a thing to come to pass ?
15. Why?
16. Jesus is in the midst, when how many gather?
17. What should we seek more than numbers?
18. How many times did Peter believe was enough to forgive a brother?
19. How many times did Jesus say?
20. Is this a literal number?  Explain.
21. If we expect God to forgive us, what must we do?
22. In the story Jesus told about the king, how much did his servant
    owe him?
23. How long would it take to pay that much?
24. When they could not pay their debts, what  happened?
25. What did the servant do to make him cancel the debt?
26. How much did the servant's fellow owe?
27. Why did the king decide to throw his servant in prison?
28. What lesson can we take from this?