Go to Offenders

“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. 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. 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.” (Matthew 18:15-17 ESV).

The discipline process outlined by these verses applies only for sin serious enough to remove a member from fellowship and there is evidence of that unrepentant sin by at least two or three witnesses. If the situation is about conflict resolution or there are not firsthand witnesses to the unrepentant sin, then these verses do not apply.

If a brother sins against you it is your responsibility to go to that brother, in love and humility, to seek his forgiveness. If he understands how he has sinned against you and seeks your forgiveness, then you have maintained fellowship with that brother. If that brother refuses to repent and evidence of that sin was witnessed by others, then take those witnesses with you and seek his forgiveness. If he refuses and the offense is serious enough to remove him from fellowship, then the final step is to be considered as a last resort. In our politically correct environment of today, this command is very rarely applied now. Even going to the brother who has sinned against you is often complicated by your own sin of sharing your hurt with others as judgment against him and not trying to help you brother who has stumbled.

Prayer

Father, as I think about those who offend us, I am reminded of what Paul said: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV). If we could live in this way, then the offense against us would probably not appear to be as serious as we think it to be.

See "The Commands of Jesus" Index to view other commands.

Go the Second Mile

“You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:38-42 ESV). We are not to apply these verses literally, but to understand the truth of what Jesus is teaching and how this might apply to the command of going the second mile.

When someone wrongs us it is our tendency to want to retaliate, but the expression of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is to place a limit on our need of justice to not exceed the injustice done to us. To not resist evil does not mean we give up to its advances when we have opportunity to hold it back. Jesus is not suggesting we allow continued abuse when there are means to overcome it. We are not to allow others to take what is ours just because they want it and there is a limit to what we can do for others. So, what is Jesus teaching through these extreme illustrations?

Consider an example of one who has been taken into custody by authorities for sharing the gospel in a country of persecution. The person is about to be tortured and any resistance would only make matters worse. To renounce your faith, as they demand, is not an acceptable option. Evidence shows and Scripture supports yielding our need of justice over to God, allowing a spirit of love and forgiveness to fill us, providing us with a supernatural witness of the power of the gospel. Many evil men have come to salvation from this kind of witness.

To gain the insight of these verses, one needs to understand the life of Jesus and live as he did. As the Son of God, he humbled himself to a shameful death on a cross to purchase our salvation. How do we resist the powers of darkness and advance the kingdom of God? By going the second mile when called upon to do so.

Prayer

Father, there have been many sermons preached and much written on going the second mile, but the bottom line seems to be our surrender to your will to accomplish your desire for us in doing kingdom work. Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to walk the second mile to give his life so that we who were spiritually dead in our sin could be forgiven and obtain eternal life. Father, help each of us be willing to go the extra mile, to sacrifice whatever is necessary to benefit someone else by living out our faith.

See "The Commands of Jesus" Index to view other commands.

Forgive Offenders

“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?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21-22 ESV). This command was prompted by a question Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness. Apparently Peter thought there was a limit on the number of times a person should be forgiven. Since Peter suggested seven times, Jesus also responds with a number. The number given was large enough to suggest no limit and was validated as such with an illustration.

The setting of the illustration is the kingdom of heaven and its king who wishes to settle accounts with his servants. He calls up one who owed more than a lifetime of wages and wanted payment. The servant fell on his knees and begged for time to repay, which would be an impossibility. Out of pity the king released him and forgave his debt. That forgiven servant then goes and finds a fellow servant and requires payment of debt owed him. That servant asks for time to repay, but the request was denied and he was sent to prison until he could pay in full.

The purpose of this story is to illustrate that each of us owes God more than we could ever pay to cover our sin and if we expect to enter heaven we would have to be forgiven our enormous debt. That forgiveness was made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus, but it comes with conditions; a humble submission before Jesus in belief and the willingness on our part to forgive others: “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.” (Matthew 6:14-15 ESV). Just as God is willing to forgive us who offend him, we are to forgive those who offend us, and without limit.

Prayer

Father, it appears that a characteristic of a believer is the willingness to forgive others. The range of seven times to 777 times would suggest we must forgive the small offenses as well as the large ones. Father, as I study persecution, I see extreme examples of this by those who can transfer their need of justice to God and then share expressions of love and forgiveness to those who are persecuting them. Replacing our need of justice with forgiveness is not natural and requires direction and strength from the Holy Spirit. Father, thank you for making that ability available and providing us with an example with Jesus and those who are willing to die for their faith.

See "The Commands of Jesus" Index to view other commands.

Follow Me

“And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."” (Matthew 4:19 ESV). This command was given as an invitation to those men Jesus was calling to be his disciples. Apparently each one called decided to follow as there is no indication otherwise, and to those who follow and leave their current lifestyle, he promises to train to become fishers of men. Since this was a call to those to become his disciples, how might thus apply to us?

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands us, as believers, to go and make disciples. Each believer is therefore considered to be a disciple of his. As we follow Jesus our task is to call others, but only a few of them are actually chosen to follow: “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14 ESV). As followers of Jesus, our job is to invite or to call, but only those who are lost sheep, will the Father choose to become disciples. The more people we call the more lost sheep we will find. Remember, of those called only a few are chosen, so we must not be discouraged.

It is important to point out that evidence of being chosen is that we will begin bearing fruit, “Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:20 ESV). Those who are chosen receive the Holy Spirit and thus should display the fruit of the Spirit of “. . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; . . .” (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV). A central piece of being chosen that is increasingly being ignored today I that we are by faith to be crucified with Christ, for “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 ESV). As Jesus lives his life in me we will take on a new lifestyle and bear fruit to his glory. So, how are we doing in following Jesus?

Prayer

Father, as I think about a prayer in relation to this command to follow Jesus, I realize how far off the mark we are today. Our following involved little lifestyle change and little desire to commit to kingdom work. Following Jesus today appears more and more like being of the world, not being in the world as a representative of God, with the attitude that I have a free pass to heaven. Following Jesus is not being what I want to be, it is becoming more and more like Jesus Christ. 

Feed My Sheep

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."” (John 21:15 ESV). Again, Jesus meets with his disciples, after he was raised from the dead, and after breakfast, Jesus has some specific conversation with Peter concerning his denial of him at the time of his trial. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loved him and three times Peter affirms his love, and Jesus instructs him to be a godly shepherd.

Each of the three times Jesus asks Peter if he loved him and Peter affirms his love, Jesus responds with a different instruction. His instruction was “Feed my lambs”, “Tend my sheep”, and “Feed my sheep”. When Peter was originally called to follow Jesus, Jesus promised to make him a fisher of men; to search for and find lost sheep among men, but here Jesus is instructing Peter to continue the process of caring for the sheep. We should be careful not to separate being fishers of men from making disciples. Jesus said, “Go” (being fishers of men) and make disciples (being a godly shepherd). These are not jobs to be done, but a process like raising a child in a family.

It is interesting to note that Peter denied Jesus around a charcoal fire and it is around a charcoal fire that he is restored. Jesus wants Peter, and you and I, to be a godly shepherd, and thus our command, “Feed My Sheep.”

Prayer

Father, Jesus asked Peter if he loved him more than these fish they had just caught. I believe we are being asked a similar question today, but the word fish is to be replaced by whatever draws our love. Whatever that might be, the question is do we love Jesus more? Father, it appears that our love for you is validated by our attention to being a godly shepherd. It is so easy to put forth effort to feed ourselves and ignore the needs of the sheep. Father, I pray that we will be more intentional at being godly shepherds.  

See "The Commands of Jesus" Index to view other commands.

Fear Not

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28 NASB). We are going to see the importance of context as we look at this command. This verse is found in a section of verses that is titled, “Have No Fear” in the ESV translation, but which is found in a much larger section that is titled, “The Meaning of Discipleship” in the NASB translation. This context of do not fear within the context of making disciples, directs us to a proper application.

Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19), which for many is something they fear. Here in the west that fear may simply be the fear of embarrassment, but in countries of persecution, it could mean torcher, a prison sentence or even death. The context of “Have No Fear” is therefore in relationship to making disciples and what might happen to you if you do.

Jesus tells us to go and proclaim the gospel from the housetops and do not fear those who can kill you. Jesus also said, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16 ESV). Knowing that you are out among wolves and could easily lose your life is reason for fear, but there is another, higher level of fear, which we in the west have managed to ignore and that is fear of God in relationship to disobedience. Every believer must stand before the judgment seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10 – 15) for a time of evaluation. Jesus said, “Go.” Do we not fear standing before him if we have not been obedient? Should not that fear be greater than fearing what men can do to us if we obey?

Prayer

Father, as I think about fearing God I realize that is something we do not teach or preach about. We constantly hear about God’s love for us and as a result we fail to think about love including discipline for disobedience. We constantly hear messages that make us feel comfortable and safe, not messages about that which probable cause us a level of suffering and as a result fear of discipline is not a motivation for obedience for us. I confess that I still have areas in my life where I am struggling with that. Father, help us fear that which we should fear; disobedience.

See "The Commands of Jesus" Index to view other commands.

Do Unto Others

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12 ESV). We know this verse as the “Golden Rule” and in the form we probably all learned it as children it was, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” In the positive sense you treat others like you want to be treated or in the negative sense you do not treat others in ways that you don’t want to be treated. This is a concept that is found in some form in nearly every religion and extents back to ancient days.

This principal of reciprocity is found in various forms in the New Testament. For example: Matthew 6:15: As we forgive others, our Father will forgive us; Galatians 5:14: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”; John 3:16: God gave Jesus that he might receive us; 1 Peter 3:9: “not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling”; Matthew 7:1 – 5: As you judge others you will also be judged. The example set for us is that God loved us enough to sacrifice his son on a cross so that he might receive us and our love. If we were to live to meet God’s desire the world would sure be a different place to live.

Prayer

Father, as I worked on this command I was intrigued by the thought that you loved us and desired that we freely love you. To make that possible and as a demonstration of your love for us, you were willing to sacrifice your Son. We desire others to love us, but what are we willing to sacrifice for that love? Doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, generally involves some form of sacrifice, but is our desire strong enough and are we willing to benefit the other person to receive what we desire? Father, it appears from the trends in our nation that we need more good reciprocity today.

See "The Commands of Jesus" Index to view other commands.

Do Not Lust

“You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28 ESV). Today we are experiencing a sexual revolution with sexual stimulation coming from many sources. In fact, it is difficult to avoid it.  As a result, this command, to not lust, is very relevant, but is being ignored by many, even by Christians. I can remember when adultery (sexual activity between a married person and one who is not their spouse) was a crime and tried in our courts. I was even a witness called before such a trial because of what I had seen, but today sexual activity is accepted and expressed in print and in visual formats.

At the time of Jesus, the command not to commit adultery was probably explained by the Pharisees as extending only to the external act and not to evil thoughts or desirable imagination. Jesus corrected them by saying the command extends to the secrets of the heart and the looking with the eyes. Those who indulge their imaginations with wanton desire or who look at a woman with desire, have already, in the sight of God, violated the command. That which begins in the heart, if not controlled, may live itself out in reality as was the case with king David.

James speaks of this process of evil desire beginning in the heart: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15 ESV). How much grief and suffering could be avoided today if this command were obeyed, but with many it is not and in the end life becomes so much more difficult, especially for any children involved.

Prayer

Father, as your children we fall so far short in setting a moral standard for the world to rub against and instead we have allowed their standards to creep into our lives. With the emphasis on holy and righteous living lacking, we are allowing sin to creep in, darkening our lives. With our light diminishing, we are losing our ability to guide the loss to their needed savior and together we are headed toward appropriate judgement. Father, as we see the devastating changes taking place in our culture, we have but us to blame. I have a suspicion it might take persecution to encourage obedience.

See "The Commands of Jesus" Index to view other commands.

Do Not Cast Pearls

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” (Matthew 7:6 ESV). This command, “Do not cast pearls” is found at the end of a section of verses about judging others. We are warned that as we judge others we will likewise be judged. We are not to point out some flaw in another when we have an even greater flaw in ourselves to take care of. It is in that context that we are instructed not to give that which is holy and of great value to dogs and pigs.

To the Jews, dogs and pigs are considered unclean and suggest vile sinful people that the Jewish leaders would avoid. That which is holy and of great worth could suggest the word of God and the truths of the gospel. This metaphor is thus generally understood of not delivering or communicating the word of God or the truths of the gospel to vile evil people. But should not all hear the gospel as there might be some lost sheep found among them?

Since this metaphor is at the end of a section about judging others then it must somehow relate to that context. I believe it has to do with how we use the word of God and the gospel when around vile evil people. What message are we communicating? Is it judging them or sharing the love and forgiveness of God? Proverbs provides guidance for us: “Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.” (Proverbs 9:7-8 ESV). 

In place of correction we might consider sharing the message: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17 ESV). There are testimonies of men of great evil coming to salvation because of expressions of love and forgiveness from those being tortured. There may be times when God would have us say nothing, but foremost, our goal is to find lost sheep and guide them spiritually, not to increase the anger and hate of people and thus push them farther away from God.

Prayer

Father, you promised to give us the words to say when facing a difficult situation. I pray that our stance before evil would be that of Jesus with a clear message of love and forgiveness, being willing to suffer for our faith if called upon to do so.

See "The Commands of Jesus" Index to view other commands.

Do Not Worry

“But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” (Matthew 10:19-20 NKJV). For some reason this command is not found in standard lists of commandments of Jesus. This command is also found at Matthew 6:25, but in a different context. It reads: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25 ESV).

The context in Matthew 10 is coming persecution, while in Matthew 6 it is about daily living. The one we think about the most here in the west relates to daily living, simply because we don't currently live under persecution. That experience may be closer than we think and should be considered.

In Matthew 10, Jesus speaks of us as sheep being sent out in the midst of wolves. This illustration and the details Jesus gives about what will happen is clearly understood as it is being experienced in countries of persecution. There the wolves, the evil men, the pawns of darkness, will bring us before those in authority, usually with false charges. Family members may oppose us as well as others. Sheep in the midst of wolves describes suffering, even death for the sheep.

In Matthew 6, Jesus appears to be speaking to those living in poverty who are anxious about having what they need for daily living. This is a common experience by many who live in countries of persecution, under unstable social conditions, or times of severe environmental conditions. There are many things that are related to daily living that seem to stimulate us to worry from time to time.

Following both examples, Jesus gives reasons why we should not be anxious or worry. To read those reasons please see Matthew 6:25 – 33 and Matthew 10:16 – 22. In addition to those suggestions, we should think about what Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6 – 7 (ESV): “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV). Verse 6 describes what we are to do when we feel anxious and verse 7 gives the benefits. For further information on this, please follow this link to a previous study.

Prayer

Father, worry seems to be an emotion that reveals our apparent inability to cope with something. These verses remind us not to remain in that state, but instead remember that you love us and will care for us and that we should come to you and with thanksgiving we should share what we are experiencing. Help us stay focused on you and not on the situation that is troubling us so that we may enjoy your peace and hope in the midst of trouble.

See "The Commands of Jesus" Index to view other commands.