The Good Shepherd Still Seeks His Sheep

Forgiven People Forgive

The Good Shepherd Still Seeks His Sheep

12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go looking for the one that wandered away? 13 If he finds it—Amen I tell you—he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not wander away. 14 In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want even one of these little ones to perish.
15 “If your brother sins [ἁμαρτάνω (ha-mar-tan-ō)] against you, go and show him his sin [ἐλέγχω (e-leg-chō)] just between the two of you. If he listens [ἀκούω (a-koo-ō)] to you, you have regained [κερδαίνω (ker-dī-nō)] your brother.
16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
17 If he refuses to listen [παρακούω (pa-ra-koo-ō)] to them, tell it to the church. And, if he refuses to listen [παρακούω (pa-ra-koo-ō)] even to the church, then treat him as an unbeliever [ἐθνικός (eth-nē-kos)] or a tax collector.
18 Amen I tell you: Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 Amen I tell you again: If two of you on earth agree to ask for anything, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20 In fact where two or three have gathered together in my name, there I am among them.” (Mt 18:10–20)  

  1. He ___________ His wandering sheep _______________ His _____________.

EHV Study Bible: A few witnesses to the text omit the words against you. Another possible translation of the phrase sins against you would be sins with respect to you. In that case, the meaning would be that the sin was not necessarily against you, but you have first-hand knowledge of the sin. In other words, another person sinned and you know about it personally as a witness.

A single witness does not have legal standing to convict a person of any guilt or sin in connection with any wrongful action he may have committed. A case is to have standing only on the testimony of two or three witnesses. (Dt 19:15)

Points to Ponder

  1. What is one thing that stood out for you from this week’s message?
  2. What does Jesus command a Christian to do when he has firsthand knowledge that a brother or sister has sinned?
  3. What additional steps does Jesus give when the brother refuses to listen?
  4. Why is Jesus’ phrase “your brother” important for understanding the purpose of the conversation?
  5. What does Jesus mean when He says, “If he listens to you, you have won your brother”?
  6. Why are Christians sometimes more willing to discuss another person’s sin with others than to speak privately with that person?
  7. What dangers arise when Christians act on rumors, incomplete information, or personal assumptions?
  8. How can you prepare your own heart before approaching a fellow Christian about a sin?
  9. How should remembering the way Christ sought and forgave you shape the way you approach a wandering brother or sister?

Homework: Matthew 18