Matthew 18

The opening section of the chapter is a good reminder for me as a parent. Jesus expounds on the importance of teaching and leading children. I know it’s a lesson on humility and innocence but it reinforces to me the responsibility have to be the spiritual leader of my family. I don’t want to be the cause of sin in my little ones. I would rather be the one who treats them like Jesus.

This chapter as a whole shows us many character traits of God. Jesus is teaching with the point being our transformation into a person more like Him. If we live our lives the ways He is teaching us we can’t help but posses His characteristics.

He is holy. God is so pure, so holy that He can not even tolerate the idea of sin. This is the second time Jesus has told us to mutilate our bodies to avoid sin. Sin is so abhorrent to God that we need to remove anything that causes it. Fill in your own blanks. If ____ causes you to sin, remove____. Like we were told in chapter 16, what would be the benefit if we gain _____ , at the cost of our soul? It is better to live a life with nothing at all than to be cast into hell.

God loves us and protects us. He demonstrates it with the parable of the Lost Sheep. God has guardian angels for all people, but Jesus specifically mentions the ones who watch over the little ones. Why would God give angelic protection to sinful people who have not made a decision to follow Him? Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He would leave 99 sheep to find the one that was lost. That one was, or is, you.

He forgives us. How many times does He forgive? 70 x 7 times. We can’t outlast His forgiveness. It is so easy to be the servant who fails to forgive others with the same grace he himself received. Only Jesus can be so perfectly gracious to forgive when wronged. The servant’s lack of forgiveness comes around when he is given his due justice for his transgression.

The whole chapter points to God and how we should live to transform ourselves to His likeness. He is holy, loving, protecting, and forgiving. He is also just, and will give punishment if it is deserved. That is why I am glad He is also gracious.