Matthew 18:15-17
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. As you breathe in, say the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
As we continue to explore Jesus’ teaching on relationships in the Kingdom of Heaven, read Matthew 18:15-17 stopping to contemplate anything that stands out.
This passage is often used as a formula for discipline within the institutional church, but as Jesus speaks these words in the 1st century, the idea of an organization or institution called “the church” does not exist. In fact, only once before has Jesus used the word translated “church” in our English Bibles, and as we saw previously, the term in Greek is “ekklésia” – the universal community of Jesus’ followers who are called out into the world on Jesus’ mission.
This considered, we’re better off looking a bit deeper into what Jesus is saying to all of us who are all part of Jesus’ family because of our faith in him.
In God’s Kingdom people live for the good of others. If love is our motive when confronting hurtful behavior, we have the opportunity to help another person see the violent nature of their sin so they turn around to walk in the way of Jesus.
But when we are hurt, most of us at some level want to lash out and hurt the offender back, and confrontation can become a weapon for achieving that end if we don’t recognize the tendency toward violence and retribution in ourselves. Jesus calls us to the Kingdom way of confrontation which never repays violence with violence, but instead conquers evil and violence with love.
Sit with this idea for a while. What do you think, or how do you feel about the idea of non-violent, loving confrontation when someone has wronged you? Talk openly with Jesus about your thoughts and feelings.
Read Matthew 18:15-17 again with all of this in mind.
If we were to look ahead to the next lesson Jesus is going to teach, we’d see that the subject is forgiving others. Jesus isn’t suggesting in our current passage that every single slight or offense requires a confrontation, but when a fellow sibling in Jesus’ family acts in ways that degrade him or herself and damage us, we are called to help that sibling see the error of their ways.
And that means we take the matter to them first - as awkward and vulnerable as it feels - and we give them the opportunity to make things right before we discuss it with someone else.
For the remainder of this time of reflection, get quiet and center yourself in the presence of Jesus. When you are ready, engage Jesus in a conversation about this very counter-cultural way of navigating difficult relational issues. Be sure to listen as much as you speak.
What might Jesus want you to remember or do as a result of his teaching today?
What will you do to follow him in that?
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