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MATTHEW

Chapter 18

read this chapter

STUDY:

  • What question did the disciples first ask Jesus?
  • How did Jesus respond?
  • Who would it be better for to have a millstone fastened around their neck and drowned?
  • What does Jesus say if your hand or foot causes you to sin?
  • What is the summary of the "Parable of the Lost Sheep"?
  • How are you supposed to handle a situation when someone sins against you?
  • What does Jesus say about when two or three are gathered in His name?
  • How many times are we supposed to forgive someone?

DIG DEEPER:

  • Why do you think the disciples asked Jesus who the greatest in heaven was?  
  • What do you understand about Jesus' response in verses 3-6?
  • Why is it necessary that we face temptation?
  • What are your thoughts about verses 7-9?  Do you think Jesus means to actually cut off your hand or gouge out your eye?
  • What are you thoughts about the story of a king and his servant? (verses 23-35)

APPLICATION:

  • Which part of this chapter did you relate to the most.  Why?  
  • What were you most challenged by?
  • Pray and ask the Father to allow you to understand each of these sections in a fresh way.  Then look for opportunities to obey what these passages say.
go to chapter 19

HIGHLIGHTED TEXT:

"Again I say to you, if tow of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done from them by my Father  in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

    QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Submit

Temptation and Forgiveness

10/16/2012 14:03        So much in this chapter!  Personally, I relate really well to the section on temptation.  Here it is again:

"Woe to the world for temptation to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!  And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire."

        I don't relate with this because I've cut off a limb or gouged out my eye, but I have taken radical steps to remove sin and temptation in my life.  People think I have been hard on myself or done radical things- but I think this is what Jesus is teaching here.  Sin needs to be removed, and you need to do radical things to do it.  Now, Jesus isn't being literal in the sense of cutting off your arm or leg, or tearing out your eye, but He is emphasizing purity and holiness.  

        I'm not sure what you struggle with.  I don't know where you are at with Jesus.  But I exhort you, if there is a sin that seems to get repeated in your life- something you might be in bondage to, do whatever it takes to get rid of it.   Some examples of sinful behavior or lurking temptations that have been removed in my life are:  drinking alcohol, porn, shopping online, subscription to House Beautiful, ordering from Walmart online causing the Fedex man to deliver {Read my article: Brewing Attraction}, obsession about one specific thing, identity in outward appearance, discontentment.

        What are yours?  Be honest with yourself.  The first step I found to truly repenting, was telling someone.  Confess it to God and to a close friend who can pray with you and encourage you.  The second step, is get rid of it.  If you have to throw something out, unsubscribe to something, not log in to something, not go somewhere... whatever you have to do- do it.   Your purity to Jesus is more important than anything this life has to offer.  Your righteousness is worth far more than what anyone could buy you.  Your eternal destiny and reward far outweighs your earthly reward.  

        The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.  This story is incredible.  Jesus really wants us to understand forgiveness.  The penalty for not forgiving someone who has sinned against you, is severe- you are not forgiven.   The Bible teaches that if you have experienced forgiveness and mercy from Christ you should also bestow upon others the same forgiveness and mercy.  If you are withholding forgiveness from somebody, it is said then, that you have not truly tasted forgiveness in your own life, you are not truly saved.  It sounds harsh, but it is the truth.  This is evidence of a true believer.  Some of you may say, "But you don't understand!  You don't know what they did to me!"  You're right, I don't know.  But God does- and He knew it when He wrote this passage and every other passage of Scripture concerning forgiveness.  If there was an exception to the rule, it would be known.  For instance, with divorce.  In Matthew 5, Jesus says that divorce is sinful, "except on the ground of sexual immorality".   Jesus gave an exception to the command.  God could have written this passage on forgiveness this way: "Unless you have been [raped, abused, lied to, cheated on, killed your son or daughter, stole against you] you need to forgive others."  But recall this: "Then Peter came up and said to him [Jesus], '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 times seven.'" Also recall in Matthew 6:14-15 after Jesus teaches us the Lord's Prayer, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."  Read these verses over and over again until you completely believe them and are willing to obey them.   

        I know there are many unforgiving hearts out there- but this also means unforgiven hearts too.  I encourage you to obey what you have heard today and make yourself right with God.  May the Lord bless you for your obedience.  Amen.


~Leanne~
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