Forgiveness Is the Rule, Not the Exception.

Thursday July 10, 2025

Main idea: The fuel that propels the gospel into the hearts of others is unity in the church. 

Introduction to the next Sermon in Matthew.

Mat 18 is discourse 4 out of 5 in Matthew. 

It easily divides into two sections set upon two questions by Peter (acting as leader). Yet this is one discourse; the second part being a parable to illustrate the first part. 

Mat 18:1

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 

Mat 18:21

Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 

After having humility revealed to him and that humility applied to forgiveness, a concerned Peter then reveals that he sees forgiveness to be the exception and not the rule. Jesus will correct and reverse this false idea in the parable - forgiveness is the rule.  

Summary the 5 major sermons in the Gospel of Matthew, we see a pattern and a chiasm. 

Sermons 1 and 5 match up since the life of the disciple of the kingdom is fueled by his confident expectation that the kingdom is definitely coming. 

Sermons 2 and 4 match up, because in this world the missionary activity of the church is directly enhanced or diminished by the community of the church (or lack of). 

The central sermon is the revelation of the period itself. Interregnum (intercalation) means a time between times.

Mat 18 – the Sermon of Community.

Mat 18:1

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

The disciple’s occupation with status is a recurrent one (We’ll see more about that next class). 

We know that the question is about status, for Jesus sets a child in their midst. 

Mat 18:2-3

And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

The instruction to “become like children” therefore is not about adopting some characteristic of children (innocence, humility, receptiveness, trustfulness, etc.) but about accepting for oneself a position in the social scale which is like that of children, that is, as the lowest in the hierarchy of authority and decision making, those subject to and dependent upon adults. The verb Jesus uses, “humbles himself” confirms this is what He is teaching. 

He is calling for so radical an inversion of their own ideas about leadership and importance that He needs to visually shock them. 

Matt 18:2-3

And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

They are converted (literally: turned) and they become like children. Not that they get innocent or fancy-free, but that they are granted the lowest status. Isn’t that great?!

Jesus promotes all His saints to the lowest status. 

(whether they know it or not)

 1Co 1:11, 26.  

This sets the theme for the Sermon. The Greek word used for child (paidion) Christ will change to mikros (“little ones” vv. 6, 10, 14) in a way that clearly goes beyond literal children to include fellow members of the disciple community in their insignificance and vulnerability. 

The relationship between such disciples must be one of mutual consideration and pastoral care that little ones need. 

A key verse that reveals that Jesus is teaching each one of us to have pastoral care for all others in the community is verse 15. 

Mat 18:15

"If your [singular] brother sins, go and show him his fault in private (literally: in the midst of you (singular) and him alone); if he listens to you, you have won your brother.”

You do it alone. Jesus doesn’t tell us to go tell the pastor or the board or anyone. If you see the signs of straying because of sin, you go to the person and confront them with gentleness and grace.

This will get Peter thinking that he’s going to have to forgive a lot of people. His error is that he sees forgiveness as the exception and not the rule. 

The reason for this sermon and its place in the gospel is that for the disciples, community is a key factor to their impact on the world with the gospel. 

Joh 13:34-35; Joh 17:11; Joh 17:20-21. 

Application: The Kingdom of heaven is not self but others.

Love in the Greek world was mainly eros - a love that was in the end always for self. 

God’s love is agape - a love for others (1Co 13:4-8). 

If the church is divided. If the church is about self, or my group (as in Corinth) then the church has lost its effectiveness for the gospel, and that is exactly what Satan wants. 

If our purpose in the church is others; their evangelization and their growth as disciples, and if our effectiveness at these two things is greatly affected by our unity and community, then you must remove from your heart any animosity or despising or jealousy or bitterness or anger or malice toward anyone. If you are gossiping and slandering, you must stop. If you are harboring any negative thoughts toward any in the body of Christ then you must give them over to God. The effect of these attitudes are bigger than you think. 

On a positive note, community is the most wonderful thing. Friendship is the best blessing in life.