Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There’s a lot going on in today’s Gospel reading—so much that it leaves us reeling. What do children, humility, millstones, temptation, angels, lost sheep, and conflict all have in common? Sin. Sin is the common thread through Jesus’ thought in Matthew 18. Specifically, the seriousness of sin. Jesus wants us to know that he takes sin very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that Jesus says we should be concerned about three different aspects of it:

  1. We should take care not to cause others to sin.
  2. We should be concerned about the seriousness and danger of our own sin.
  3. In Christian love, we should be concerned about other people’s sins too.

 

In the opening verses of our lesson, the disciples ask Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matt. 18:1, ESV).[1] This question is anything but innocent, and it’s certainly much more than theological curiosity. The disciples’ pride is on full display here—one of the classic seven deadly sins. And it wouldn’t be the last time. (In fact, they would even argue this matter at the Last Supper!)

So Jesus stands a child in their midst and tells them that whoever humbles himself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus takes the disciples down several notches, reminding them that the kingdom of God is about humility, not greatness. In fact, whoever receives a child in the name of Jesus receives Christ himself.

And for that same reason, anyone who hurts or harms a child, causing them to sin, is guilty of a terrible offense. Jesus says it would be better for him to have a millstone tied around his neck and to be thrown into the sea. In other words, you’re better off drowning and dead than causing a child to stumble. The millstone Jesus speaks of is no small thing. The Greek literally says, “millstone of a donkey,” meaning a millstone large enough that it would require a beast of burden to turn it.

So what are some of the ways that we cause little ones to sin? First of all, we cause our children to sin when we set a poor example for them. For example, if we put down or belittle our spouse, lose our temper, curse, take the Lord’s name in vain, or watch garbage on TV. That may cause them to sin. Or if our children see us lying, cheating, or stealing, then they will think that’s okay. Our children watch us, and they will do the same things we do. That’s one way we cause them to sin.

Another is by sins of omission. For example, if we do not pray or read the Bible with our children, what are we telling them? That a relationship with God is not important. Or if we prioritize youth sports or performing arts over worshiping together as a family, then what are we teaching them? That church isn’t important. That receiving Communion regularly is not important. So we tempt them to discount or completely disregard their faith—because we’re already doing the same thing. Should we be surprised that so many kids leave the church after they graduate high school and never come back? That may be the tragic result of what we teach our children by our poor example and misplaced priorities. Jesus warns: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10). I’m serious.

Next Jesus warns us about our own sins. “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire” (vv. 8-9).

Who of us can say that our hands or feet have never caused us to sin by taking something we shouldn’t take or going somewhere we shouldn’t go? Who of us can say that our eyes have never caused us to sin by giving people the evil eye or watching something we should not see? Resorting to hyperbole, Jesus says that we should be willing to do whatever it takes to stop committing sin—even resorting to blinding or maiming ourselves, if necessary. Now a word of caution: Jesus is not in favor of self-mutilation. But he indicates that we should be willing to take drastic measures to stop doing dastardly deeds.

For example, if hanging out with a certain person or group tends to get you into trouble, then maybe you need to find some new friends. If you look at things at night on your phone or computer that you shouldn’t look at, then leave your phone or computer in the living room or on the kitchen table, where anyone can see it, and it’s out of reach. If you’re tempted to go into a liquor store or spend too much shopping online, then take a different route to work or cut up your credit cards. Do whatever it takes to stop.

Yet now Jesus turns our attention from ourselves to our erring brother or sister. He tells a short parable about a wandering sheep that goes missing and about the good shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine other sheep on the hillside while he goes in search of the one lost sheep.[2] If you know anything about Jesus, you know that the lost sheep represents every sinner who strays from God’s will and ways. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who puts everything on the line for his search and rescue mission. That’s how much he loves lost sinners. And when he finds a sinner, Jesus rejoices, bringing him or her home into the fellowship of his church and, eventually, our eternal home in heaven. “So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” (Matt. 18:14).

There are no lengths to which God will not go to rescue us from our sin. In fact, he went all the way to the cross and grave. There are no lengths to which he will not go to rescue a little child or any sinner from their sin. And, as God’s forgiven children, there must not be any lengths to which we would not go to bring back a sinner.

That’s what the next section of this Gospel is about (vv. 15-20). Sometimes people wrongly believe that Matthew 18:15-20 is solely about ex-communication—how to kick somebody out of church who did something embarrassing, offensive, or scandalous. But that’s not what Matthew 18 is about. The goal of the process Jesus outlines in these verses is not to get rid of people, but to restore them into right relationship with God and fellowship with his people—to win them back. In the words of Jesus, “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” (v. 15). The goal of Matthew 18:15ff isn’t to kick people out of the church or write them out of your life. The goal is to convince them of the seriousness of their sin so that they repent, confess, and receive forgiveness—God’s forgiveness and yours! Remember: Jesus rejoices when lost sinners come home. So should we. So when another person sins against us, we must do the loving thing for them. Love neither turns a blind eye and ignores their sin, nor does love bully or berate them because of their sin. Love seeks confession, forgiveness, healing, restoration, and peace.

God takes sin seriously. All sin is damning if we do not repent and receive God’s forgiveness. No matter how big or small our sin may seem to us, all of it endangers our souls. We must turn from our sin and turn to Christ for mercy. After all, he bled and died on the cross to forgive precisely these kinds of sins. His hands and feet were pierced with nails so that we do not have to be cast into hell with our limbs intact. His eyes looked out on the soldiers gambling for his clothes, and still he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). He died for them. He died for you. He died for me. There is no sin for which Jesus did not die. He is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep (John 10). He loves you so much that he wants nothing—absolutely nothing—to get in the way of us getting to spend eternity with him. As Jesus said, God does not desire anyone to perish (Matt. 18:14). That is how seriously God regards sin.

We should be grateful and glad for God’s mercy in sending his Son Jesus to bear our sin and be our Savior. The picture of Jesus hanging on the cross with nails through his hands and feet, a spear in his side, and a crown of thorns on his head should be enough to bring us back from wandering.

So in summary, this is what Jesus wants us to know in today’s Gospel lesson:

  1. We must take care not to cause other people to, especially children.
  2. We must take our own sin very seriously and do whatever it takes to repent.
  3. We must demonstrate love and concern for other sinners, even if they have sinned against us personally.

 

God takes sin seriously. So seriously that Jesus died for it. But the cross shows us just how serious God is about mercy and forgiveness. Because Jesus died and rose again, there is forgiveness for every sinner who turns to him. Sin is serious business. But God’s grace is even greater. In the name of the Father and of T the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

[1] All Scripture references, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version.

[2] See the parallel in Luke 15:1-7.