The Rupture and Repair

Rupture and Repair

Matthew 18:15-35

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. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[f] in heaven. 19 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. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” 21 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?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.[h] 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[i] 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant[j] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,[k] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[l] until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

1) A Careful Process (vv. 15-17)

Proverbs 19:11 It is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

In a formally constituted church with an appointed leadership it is easy for the “ordinary” disciple to hide behind that authority structure and to leave it all to the official leaders, appealing to Cain’s question “Am I my brother’s keeper?” with the comfortable assumption that the answer must be No. But this passage asserts that the answer is Yes. In a community of “little ones” each must be concerned about and take responsibility for the spiritual welfare of the other. --R.T. France 

Private confrontation is almost the legal equivalent of democracy’s “innocent until proven guilty.” --Dale Bruner 

2) A Comforting Promise (vv. 18-20)

3)  A Curious Plea (vv. 21-22)

4) A Convicting Parable (vv. 23-35) 

What Forgiveness Does Not Mean:

      -Ignoring or forgetting what happened

      -Condoning or excusing sin 

      -Tolerating or allowing further abuse 

      -Returning back to the way things were before 

      -Reconciliation nor restoration in the relationship 

Basic Truths About Forgiveness:    

       -Forgiveness is necessary 

       -Forgiveness is hard 

       -Forgiveness takes effort

       -Forgiveness sometimes takes time 

       -Forgiveness is radical, counter-cultural and uniquely Christian