Greatness: Matthew 14-20Sample

According to the website churchleaders.com, the number one reason listed for people leaving the church is relationship conflict. Stop and think about that. The church is called to be salt and light to our dark world, and yet it can be a place of conflict and division.

Jesus knew these conflicts would arise. In the passages today, Jesus presents a framework for dealing with sin among His believers.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus is clear that we need to deal with our sin. In the context of our relationships with other believers, we also need to help each other deal with the sin we struggle with. We’re not to turn a blind eye to each other’s sins. Jesus tells us that we need to “rebuke” (Luke 17:3, ESV) and “tell him his fault, between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15, ESV).

These are confronting words — for the conflict-avoidant among us, and for those of us who have been on the receiving end of rebuke. But the point of rebuking a Christian brother or sister is to point them back to Christ. In Matthew, Jesus says, “If he listens to you, you have gained your brother” (Matthew 18:15, ESV). It is an act of love to help fellow believers turn to Jesus in repentance and give them the opportunity to receive forgiveness.

Confronting the sin of a fellow believer also helps us become more like Christ. In Luke, rebuke can lead to repentance, and in the case of repentance, we need to meet our friend with forgiveness — just as Jesus has forgiven us.

These are not easy conversations to have, but the outcome is clear. Helping each other turn from sin makes us unified as the Church. It also makes us more like Jesus, because He first forgave us of our sin against Him.

Today, ponder this: Are you pursuing unity in love with your Christian brothers and sisters? Where might God be calling you to address hurt and forgive a friend? Where might you have caused hurt to a friend and need to seek their forgiveness?