马太福音［第十八章］
Book of Matthew 18

Who is the greatest?

The disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He used a child as an example to point out that in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, one must be as humble as a child. Emphasize that the greatness of the Kingdom of Heaven is not about status, but about mentality. We must be as simple and trustworthy as a child, and do not compete with others for status.

Do we simply trust God like a child? Are you willing to let go of your competitive spirit in your family, church, and work? When we seem to be getting smarter and better at making money, we will live in the illusion that "man can conquer heaven" and get further and further away from the essence of the kingdom of heaven!

This passage is Jesus’ warning to his disciples, emphasizing that the people of the kingdom of heaven must be careful in their lives to avoid becoming a stumbling block for others to sin, and to eliminate places in their lives that may cause others to stumble.

Not stumbling others is a requirement of the kingdom of heaven. Because our lives not only affect ourselves but may also affect the spiritual lives of others; so, in the face of sin, we must take action without hesitation to prevent ourselves from falling and to protect others from our harm.

Jesus used the parable of the lost sheep to show God’s love for everyone. Heavenly Father values every soul, regardless of status, and does not want anyone to be lost.

When we are lost, God will not ignore us just because there are already a hundred sheep, and we are just a stray lamb. How He loves us! Value us! Are we also willing to pay the price for lost souls? Does the church actively seek out members who are drifting away?

Jesus taught three loving steps for dealing with conflicts between brothers:

a) Communicate lovingly and privately: avoid publicly humiliating the other party, give the other party a chance to repent, and try your best to restore the brother.
b) Love and invite witnesses: If the matter cannot be resolved privately, you can invite one or two spiritually mature people to participate to ensure fairness.
c) Submit your love to the church: If you have tried many times but still have no results, you need to hand it over to the church for processing.

Jesus’ answer to Peter shows that the essence of forgiveness is not a number of times but an infinite amount of grace.

We all know that God has given us enough grace, but have we given ‘sufficient grace’ to others? Within family or among friends, are we prone to calculating each other's faults and holding grudges? Can we let go of our grievances and hurts and use God’s grace to forgive others?

Jesus used the parable of the ‘debt servant’ to illustrate the importance of forgiveness and warned his disciples that they would not be forgiven by God if they were unwilling to forgive from their hearts. Those who do not forgive will live with bitterness, but those who forgive will have true freedom.

Greatness begins with humility and is entirely in love

The greatness of the Kingdom of Heaven does not depend on achievements and wealth, but on humility, self-denial, and forgiveness. Imagine a church where everyone is humble, loves and forgives each other from the heart, and seeks out the lost. What a wonderful testimony this would be!