A PATTERN FOR RECONCILIATION

~Matthew 18:15-20~

In-person service at

Second Baptist Church,

Griffith Hall!

William S. Epps, Senior Pastor

Sunday, September 10, 2023

¹⁵Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. ¹⁶But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. ¹⁷And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. ¹⁸Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.¹⁹Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:15-20

Introduction

The passage for this Sunday reminds us that Matthew’s story was written initially for a small community, living in a hostile environment. The text reads like a pattern for addressing an issue in the church where a person is faulted for doing something that is harmful to the church family. 

This passage from Matthew 18:15-20 was intended to give the early church guidance about how to deal with conflict and broken relationships in a congregation. The first step toward reconciliation involves listening. Sometimes what we hear is not actually what was said. A good example is gossip. Several different stories or rumors often result from one story or incident. True listening means going to the other person. In other words, we are to take the first step. This is often painful, but it is necessary if there is to be any hope of reconciliation, forgiveness and peace. If a relationship is important to us, sooner or later we will need to swallow our pride.

Maintaining relationships is challenging and complicated. Relationships seem so fragile at time and are easily broken and fractured. Good friends fall out with each other. Family members become alienated that they may not speak to each other for years. It is because we are sinners who are, by nature, enemies of God and of each other. However, the message of the Gospel is the message of reconciliation (that is, uniting divided parties) - Jesus’ bringing God and man together).

“In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19)

Consider what it means that the Lord entrusted to us

the message of reconciliation. 

Monday, September 11, 2023

Paul’s use of the word "reconciliation" to describe God’s movement toward men

implies that there was the need for an end to enmity, animosity, or malice.

God’s communication with His creation had been disrupted, the connection broken. Isaiah 59:2 states: “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” Radical repair was necessary in order for God to again show His love for people. This radical repair came in the form of Christ’s death on the cross. God was willing to count our trespasses against Christ, rather than against us. The recipients of God’s grace become His messengers of reconciliation.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17) The power that raised Christ from the dead, raises His followers to new life. Old thinking, old behavior, old opinions, old personality traits, and attitudes have passed away; they are dead. As new creations, men and women are called to communicate the message of reconciliation. How is this message communicated? The same way God communicated His work of reconciliation to us,

in the radical repair of relationships by showing love to offensive people. Even in the church, the beloved community that the Lord envisions, there are competing interests and disagreements which lead to divisions and ruptures in relationships. The Lord

gives us the responsibility of reconciling through accountability, forgiveness and grace. 

Consider what it means that the Lord gives us the responsibility of

reconciling fractured friendships and ruptured relationships by being accountability, forgiving and accepting and receiving grace.  

Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” 

None violent protests about injustices is the only way to fulfill what the Lord wants to accomplish with the kingdom of God. You can’t achieve harmony, peace, and unity using the strategies of those who are devious, immoral, unethical and ungodly. You are  participants in praying, "let thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” as Jesus taught us to pray. (Matthew 6:9)

C.S. Lewis wrote that Jesus, “told people that their sins were forgiven, and never waited to consult all the other people whom their sins had undoubtedly injured. Jesus unhesitatingly behaved as if He was the party chiefly concerned, the person chiefly offended in all offences” (Mere Christianity). God is the one “chiefly offended” in all conflict. Yet it is so difficult for mere mortals to forget their own hurt and anger and to remember that the sin causing them so much suffering is ultimately against their heavenly Father. The problem lies in the fact that the communication of this reconciliation necessarily comes about as God works through human sinfulness and emotions to bring about the need for reconciliation. Obviously, there would be no need for reconciliation in the world if there were no conflict.

Jesus offers a pattern, procedure or process for mending our fractured relationships in the body of Christ, the Church, the beloved community of believers. 

Consider what it means to follow Jesus’ advice about mending

fractured friendships and ruptured relationships.  

Firstly, the Lord is concerned about fractured friendships and ruptured relationships. 

We discover the context of Matthew 18 from beginning to end points away from that of self-righteousness and harsh judgment. When the disciple asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” a child is placed in their midst and Jesus says, “whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven

(Matthew 18:4) 

Then, the disciples are warned about putting stumbling blocks in the way of others and are invited to be self-conscious about their own manner of life (vs 6-9). They are not to distain fellow members (“little ones”). God cares about stray sheep and rejoices when one is restored/reconciled. “It is not the will of the Father I heaven that one of these little ones should be lost” (v. 14).

Following today’s reading 18:15-20, comes the word to Peter that forgiveness cannot be calculated. God does not keep a score card of rights and wrongs, and neither can we. 

Finally, the chapter concludes with the memorable parable of the servant who accepts from the king the generous release of indebtedness, but cannot forgive one of his fellow servants, a relatively paltry amount (vs. 23-35). Withholding forgiveness to a fellow human being raises questions as to whether one has really discovered God’s forgiveness. 

Poignant images of pardon and mercy are found. Forgiveness and restoration are the topics of this passage. God forgives you freely, and those who are forgiven evidence their reception of forgiveness by forgiving others. Thus, when we are the injured party, we are to seek out the person who we think has done the injuring and initiate reconciliation. We have no right to nurse our grudges, whine about our wounds, and resist efforts at healing. We are to take the first step, to risk the engagement that can lead to a restored relationship. That surely is easier said than done, and the parable of 18:23-35 addresses the difficulty. 

Consider what it means that the Lord is concerned about pardon, mercy,

forgiveness and restoration of fractured friendships and ruptured relations.

Secondly, we discover that the Lord takes situations of alienation very seriously. 

Breaches between members cannot be simply glossed over or treated as unimportant. Nothing is gained by overlooking the injury or by not talking about it in the hopes that it will go away. Forgiveness never happens by default. It occurs in the risky encounter between alienated persons. 

While the threefold process of dealing with the alienated party (outlined in 18:15-17) may not always be an advisable process to follow today, it acknowledges the reality that not every participant will immediately own up to his or her part in the broken relationship. The Christian community has a stake in brokenness and seeks reconciliation – not only in the liturgical declaration of pardon each week but in the actual relationships among its members.  The church is under the same mandate of forgiveness as the alienated parties and therefore joins in the search for a resolution. One is reminded of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. When you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go, first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift (5:23-24).

Consider what it means to take alienation seriously

as Jesus suggests for those who believe in Him.  

Thirdly, reconciliation is important to the Lord and that is why Jesus came into the world to reconcile us to God and to one another.

While a rather elaborate process is established, the first step comes in a face to face encounter of the two involved persons. “If the member listens to you, you have regained that one literally, your brother.” 

The three concluding verses underscore the critical importance of reconciliation in the Christian community. The Lord promises to be present with us as we participate in the restorative reconciling work of the Lord in Christ.  

If one-on-one efforts fail to resolve the problem, the next step is to involve two or three outsiders. Unfortunately, people are often dragged into disputes as the parties involved look for allies. The beloved community has the final response. Unfortunately, there are those who use this to justify shunning persons. This is not what Jesus meant when he told the church to treat outsiders like tax collectors or Gentiles. After all, Matthew was a tax collector, and Jesus certainly didn’t treat him harshly! Furthermore, it is the Lord’s purpose that no one should be lost. Forgiveness cannot be calculated. That is left

to the Lord. 

The Holy Spirit lives in each and every one of us, but Jesus promises to be with us in

a unique and special way when we gather in His name for worship, service and mutual encouragement. Jesus is in our midst when we work together to right wrongs. Forgiveness and justice should characterize the Christian community. If it does, others will recognize something unique about the church and might even recognize Christ alive and active in our midst doing what isn’t “do-able” without him.

Consider what it means that reconciliation is important to the Lord

and is the reason God was in Christ to redeem and reconcile the

world to God and people to each other.  

Remember it was Jesus who reduced the ten commandments to two:

1. Love the Lord
2. Love your neighbor

Jesus put it simply in what has become the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you

would others to do unto you.” Treat people like you want to be treated with the goodness of the Lord, and the mercy of the Lord which endures forever. 

“Be thankful unto the Lord, and bless his name. For the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting and his truth endures forever." Psalm 100:5

Conclusion

I will trust in the Lord. / I will trust in the Lord. / I will trust in the Lord until I die

I will trust in the Lord. / I will trust in the Lord. / I will trust in the Lord until I die.

I'm goin' to treat everybody right. / I'm goin' to treat everybody right.

I'm goin' to treat everybody right until I die / I'm goin' to treat everybody right.

I'm goin' to treat everybody right. / I'm goin' to treat everybody right until I die.

Consider what it means to follow the Golden Rule

and treat everyone like you want to be treated.  

Second Baptist Church Los Angeles

2412 Griffith Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90011 

Phone: (213) 748-0318