The Lost Sheep; Gaining Thy Brother; Reckoning with Servants; the Feast at Jerusalem

Notes

Gaining Thy Brother.

Notes

Reckoning with Servants.

Notes

The Feast at Jerusalem.

Notes

1. The world is the one lost sheep of the universe. To save the world, cut off as it was from heaven by sin, Jesus gave His life. For every sinner, therefore, there is hope. However far we may have strayed from the fold, we can be assured that the great Shepherd of the sheep is seeking for us.

2. "Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone." "If he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more." The Lord desires that alienation between brethren and all difficulties in the church should be kept within as small a circle as possible. "An earnest effort should be made in every church to put away evil-speaking and a censorious spirit as among the sins productive of the greatest evils in the church. Severity and fault-finding must be rebuked as the workings of Satan. Mutual love and confidence must be encouraged and strengthened in the members of the church. Let all, in the fear of God and with love to their brethren, close their ears to gossip and censure." "If a brother is supposed to have erred, his brethren and sisters should not whisper it among themselves and comment upon it, magnifying these supposed errors and faults. Much of this work is done, and the result is, the displeasure of God rests upon those who do it, and Satan exults that he can weaken and annoy those who might be strong in the Lord."—"Testimonies," Vol. 5, pages 609, 615.

3. The Lord here clearly teaches the necessity of maintaining the purity and order of the church. The place for heathen men and publicans is outside, not inside, of the church. When they have been separated from the church, our duty, then, as Christians is to continue to labor for their conversion that they may be converted and again brought into the church from which they have been separated.

Some claim that to disfellowship a member is the spirit of the Papacy. While it is possible to do the right thing in an arbitrary manner, disciplining church-members because their lives are a reproach to the church, is just the reverse of the work of the Papacy. The papal church, so far as we know, does not discipline members because they practise sin.

"He who is unforgiving, cuts off the very channel through which alone he can receive mercy from God. We should not think that unless those who have injured us confess the wrong, we are justified in withholding from them our forgiveness. It is their part, no doubt, to humble their hearts by repentance and confession; but we are to have a spirit of compassion toward those who have trespassed against us, whether or not they confess their faults. However sorely they may have wounded us, we are not to cherish our grievances, and sympathize with ourselves over our injuries; but as we hope to be pardoned for our offenses against God, we are to pardon all who have done evil to us."—"Mount of Blessing," pages 158, 159.

4. If the church on earth follows the instruction of Christ in dealing with offenses, we are assured that the decision will be ratified in heaven. This is a serious thought for the church itself as well as for the offending members.

5. "Every one who has been free to condemn or discourage, will in his own experience be brought over the ground where he has caused others to pass; will feel what they have suffered because of his want of sympathy and tenderness."—"Mount of Blessing," page 185.

6. We, like the servant in the parable, because of sin were ten thousand talents in debt. But when we came to Jesus and asked forgiveness, He freely forgave us the whole debt. The offense of those who may have done us wrong is but a hundred pence as compared with our debt to God. If the Lord has so freely forgiven us the ten thousand talents, ought we not freely to forgive the hundred pence? Every truly forgiven soul will forgive others. "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses." Matt. 6:15.

7. "The people refused to receive Him [Jesus], because He was on His way to Jerusalem. This they interpreted as meaning that Christ showed a preference for the Jews, whom they hated with intense bitterness. Had He come to restore the temple and worship upon Mount Gerizim, they would gladly have received Him; but He was going to Jerusalem, and they would show Him no hospitality."—"Desire of Ages," page 487.