Matthew 18:10-14

Matthew 18:10-14
In the beginning part of this chapter Jesus has been primarily concerned with warning His disciples against causing a tender new believer to fall away. Humility of heart in all believers is the key to healthy relationships in which every Christian is concerned about the spiritual welfare of his brethren.In verse ten, Jesus gives us a glimpse into what is going on before the throne of God when a believer is being spiritually harmed. Hebrews 1:14 states that angels are “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.” But in what way do angels “serve” or help the Christian? We know from Daniel 10 that angels are sent to answer prayers. Psalm 82, in connection with John 10:34-35, indicates that angels were given the responsibility of bringing the word of God to the nations of old. Other than that, we are given very few details. But the fact is, angels are involved in our eternal welfare, and as is stated in our text, report to God directly so that anyone who harms a believer will be held accountable.

The parable of lost sheep reverses the subject from not causing a believer to sin, to seeking a believer who has gone astray. A shepherd would not be content with allowing one of his lambs to be lost just because he had ninety-nine who were safe. Instead, he would go to great lengths to find his lamb, not only because of the value of the lamb, but out of compassion for the lamb’s helpless condition. Unfortunately, many Christians and even whole churches do not have this kind of heart. A brother or sister goes astray, but instead of putting in the effort to save their soul, there is often a “shrug of the shoulders” and it’s back to the concerns of self. Every Christian and every church needs to be infected with a “leave the ninety-nine” attitude. We are far too concerned with ourselves and with how full the building is when compared to our concern for one soul that is in danger of eternal fire. We would not act this way if it were our own son or daughter. We need the heart of God knowing that every person is valuable to God. As God’s children we must have that same understanding of the value of every soul.
Berry Kercheville