Matthew 18; Luke 10

INTRODUCTION TO MATTHEW 18

“Just prior to this, we had the Transfiguration. We also had Peter's confession that he believed Jesus was the Christ, he was the Messiah, and so His messiahship has been acknowledged. He has told them that they are on their way to Jerusalem and what's going to happen there, that He is going to suffer and be killed and be resurrected, which they sort of struggled with.

A lot of what Jesus is going to say in this chapter and in Luke 10 is to really show the people that the Messiah that they thought He was going to be based on the Old Testament and the law of Moses is a little bit different. He's told them He's not going to be there much longer. Matthew 18 is really His trying to set up the church or what He calls the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven so that it can continue on after He's gone, after He leaves the people. He talks a lot about this is the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the Kingdom of God, the king is here and this is how we're going to organize the church, this is how we're going to treat each other in the church, this is expected behavior.”

Dr. Krystal V.L. Pierce, Follow Him Podcast

THE SAVING GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

“In this series of leadership instructions, the heart is turned to the one; receiving the one in the name of and on behalf of Jesus Christ; not offending or damaging the faith of any one; not thinking poorly of any one. But even more than this is required. More than welcoming, strengthening, and admiring, one must also be prepared to leave home, go out into the wilds, to search high and low, to find, and to rescue.”

John and Jeannie Welch, “The Parables of Jesus,” pg. 97

GOING AFTER THE LOST SHEEP

“Going into the treacherous mountain in the dark presents serious risk for the shepherd, yet he willingly incurs that risk, having shouldered the responsibility that ‘not one should perish.’ It is a sobering thought that the Savior has already numbered us His, accepted our burdens as His own, and agreed to be with us wherever the journey leads.

These gentle words of Jesus also reveal how He feels about the daunting challenge: He takes joy, even greater joy at the rescue of that which was lost, seeing it as a triumph. As he returns the lost sheep to the fold, His gracious acts of amazing grace reestablishes the relationship between Him and His sheep. It also reassures and reconnects all of the bonds of love among all the shepherd’s fold.”

John and Jeannie Welch, “The Parables of Jesus,” pg. 98

FORGIVENSS

“The principle of forgiveness is vital to our eternal well-being. Eternal lives are at stake, and without forgiveness and tolerance, no celestial sociality is even imaginable. Nothing less than the second great commandment is involved here. How can we love our neighbors as ourselves if we do not forgive one another? Are we not commanded to love one another, not just as we love ourselves, but as Jesus loves us? As we would desperately want to be forgiven in our hour of existential debt crisis, so we also should reciprocally forgive in meaningful amounts and at crucially needed times.”

John and Jeannie Welch, “The Parables of Jesus,” pg. 115

MARY AND MARTHA

Footnote in NIV of 10:42—Jesus prioritizes the spiritual over the domestic responsibility. Too often in church history, God’s people have inverted this priority for women.

Footnote in Wayment 10:40—Martha was busy serving, an action described as diakonia, or in the capacity of a deacon or deaconess. Such a description indicated that she was likely preparing or serving food. The actions of a deacon or deaconess became the model for service among Christians.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

How is the plan of salvation portrayed in this story?

What observations can we make about the characters in this story and why they acted as they did?

What questions does the story answer?

What does the Savior expect of His followers? What are the risks associated with doing as he asks? Did the characters in the story take any risks? Who and how?

What injuries does the man suffer? Are there others besides the obvious physical ones? How do you see yourself in this story?

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

“Because of our mortal limitations, God speaks to us in similitudes. Symbols draw our finite minds to the sacred truths embedded in the incomparable gospel. As a type and shadow of the plan of salvation, the parable of the good Samaritan places deeds of neighborly kindness within the eternal context of where we have come from, how we have fallen info our present plight, and how the binding ordinances and healing love of the promised Redeemer and the nurture of His Church can rescue us from our present situation.

Seeing the parable in this light invites readers to identify with virtually every character in the story. At one level, people can and should see themselves as good Samaritans, acting as physical rescuers and as saviors on Mount Zion, personally and directly aiding in the rescue of lost souls and all people in need. By doing as the Samaritan, we join with the Savior in helping bring to pass the salvation and eternal life of man.

We all need to receive help even from people we might otherwise think of as being outside our social circles. And we all need to be saved by the merciful Christ, the most exemplary Neighbor.”

John and Jeannie Welch, “The Parables of Jesus,” pg. 39-40