People always matter to God's people. They always matter to God.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 5
Copyright © 2006, 2007
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ
The objective of this lesson: to stress the attitudes that result in peace among Christians.
This lesson focuses on two realities. (1) God's devout follower who is tempted to be arrogant [not in his/her eyes, but in the eyes of others]. He/she views confrontation as a necessary means to achieve purity. (2) God's devout follower who has been offended by what he/she regards as another's abuse.
When problems arise, the temptations among all Christians are either to be arrogant or to play the role of the sulking victim. We will move far toward reconciliation in times of distress if all of us realize neither of these attitudes are godly.
In Jesus' lesson, two attitudes are brought into focus. The first attitude is this: "If I consider you a threat to God's purpose [typically, the objectives of godly purity], I can treat you any way I wish without consideration of you." The second attitude is this: "If you hurt me, I can silently sulk as a victim." Jesus declared neither attitude reflected God in kingdom existence. There is a responsibility to be assumed in each situation.
Peace in God's kingdom is hampered, not advanced, when Christians feel empowered to hurt people under the guise of godly faith OR when Christians feel a right to silently sulk under the guise of godly faith. Reconciliation with God includes reconciliation with each other in times of distress.
Begin by noting the context. Jesus is speaking to the disciples, presumably the twelve (Matthew 17:24). They directly asked Jesus about greatness in the kingdom. Their concern prior to Jesus' death and resurrection focused often on prominence in the kingdom (Luke 9:46ff; 22:24ff; Matthew 20:20-28; John 13:3-17). Obviously, at this time their concept of God's [Jesus'] kingdom was nationalistic and materialistic. In those considerations, their advantage in God's kingdom would be experienced in power and prominence. Throughout Jesus' ministry, they never grasped God's kingdom was not and is not nationalistic [there is no "us" and "them" in God's concern for people]. They never grasped that God's kingdom blessings are not material blessings [as an example, not money, but forgiveness]. American Christians should be hesitant to fault "their ridiculous view of the kingdom" because we too often are guilty of the same attitudes.
If the disciples were to grasp the concept of the kingdom revealed by Jesus, they would find it necessary to think and understand by using concepts they had never before heard. The same is true of us. Often Jesus' teachings are opened to us by the necessity of hearing and considering concepts that [while old] are new to us.
Jesus illustrated and taught his lesson. To capture and focus their attention, he placed a child before them. Remember, this was a society that venerated the maturity and wisdom of age. The younger you were, the lower you were "on the ladder to success." Being a child was merely the beginning point.
At times you have "to see" a lesson as well as hear it to grasp it. The combination of "seeing" and "hearing" can be powerful, especially when we are challenged to consider "new to us" concepts that are true.
Jesus then declared that being as a child was necessary to entering the kingdom as well as the way to greatness in the kingdom. This was not a blank statement declaring everything about childhood was desirable. Jesus specified the target quality--the quality of humility. A child was completely dependent on his parents. In that dependence, he was unassuming. Jesus point: know your dependence rather than seeking independence. Rather than concern yourself with receiving honor, concern yourself with the role of helpfulness.
Not everything in childhood is desirable. For example, children can be enormously self-centered. Please remember Jesus was teaching a lesson in his age. Surely that age had its problems, but it had no TV, no video games, no junk food, and likely no allowances. Typically, small children were dependent on parents and unassuming. The core of godly humility is unassuming dependence on God. In that age in Israel, a child would not be considered a wonderful example of humility. That was a role to be assumed by a prestigious person in the religious world.
They, like us, attached great significance to recovering bodies. One of their fears of drowning was associated with the fact that often the body could not be recovered. Jesus' lesson was and is astounding. Do not be the cause of an immature believer in me to stumble [loose his/her spiritual balance and fall]. If you do, a consequence more horrible than drowning without recovering the body is yours! Serving the spiritually immature is the road to significance in God's kingdom, not placing yourself above others who have weakness and flaws that offend you. Let God be in charge of "purity control;" you serve the role of helping those who need help and encouragement. God will still be in charge of purifying after all of us are dead!
Even today people have questions and issues regarding resurrection if no body exists to be raised.
Would we equate spiritual discouragement as being of greater consequence than not acquiring a dead person's body? Jesus did. Repeatedly it is emphasized that the spiritually mature help the spiritually immature. [Consider Romans 14:1 and 15:1.] Arrogance has no place in faith. Neither does sulking.
God can take care of the future with or without our help. He has been doing it since creation. He will continue doing it after we are dead.
In the same discourse, Jesus presented the lessons found in verses 15-18. The first lesson is the opposite side of the coin from the central lesson in verses 3-6. Jesus' discourse on greatness in God's kingdom began with the wrong attitude--looking condescendingly on others. In these verses Jesus focused on the believer who sulks because he/she has been hurt. Instead of sulking [others note something is wrong, but they only can speculate {which is dangerous!} about what is wrong], go privately to the one you consider the offender to work the situation out. Do not sulk; talk to the person! There is much to gain and little to lose!
It is just as ungodly to irresponsibly sulk as it is to be irresponsibly arrogant. Christians are taught to be kind, responsible people.
Remember, Jesus said this to men in a theocracy [a society ruled by God] that utilized agreeing witnesses to settle court issues. The admonition: if possible, do not allow the situation to escalate! Yet, if it escalates take witnesses. [The objective is to create resolution, not to "gang up" on someone.] I presume one would take those who would be respected and who were interested in peace. Only if (1) the offensive person is wrong and (2) refuses to make peace should one "go public" by taking it to the assembly of God seekers. Only then, if the offender refused to listen to everyone, was he/she to be rejected as one who did not care about God. Please note the major effort made to produce genuine peace.
Those devoted to God seek reconciliation, not destruction by discrediting. We seek to influence enemies toward good, not to harm enemies. We seek to eliminate enmity through considerate treatment. Contrary to thinking forty years ago, conflict is not resolved by banishment, but by helpfulness. Banishment is a last resort after responsible attempts to reconcile. It is not a matter of "jumping through the correct hoops," but of genuinely seeking peace.
Two lessons to note. (1) If God's persons are governed by a spirit of humility that (2) seeks peace, no one will seek advantage by placing himself/herself in a position of prestige. Everyone will be devoted to seeking peace by resolution.
The objective is not finding an advantage over an enemy, but creating genuine peace. It is not control, but resolution.
God sent us the Prince of Peace in order that we would live in peace. Those who find peace in God seek peace with each other. Such is not the focus of godless people. That is the focus of those in God's kingdom. In God's kingdom, people always matter to God's people because people always matter to God.
God creating a possibility for us to be at peace with Him generates a passion in us to be at peace with others.
For Discussion and Thought
"I can treat you as I wish without consideration of how my treatment of you affects you."
He/she can sulk as if he/she is a victim.
There is a responsibility to be assumed in each situation.
Jesus spoke to his disciples, presumably the twelve.
Their concept of the kingdom was nationalistic and materialistic.
An "us" and "them" does not exist in God's concern for people.
They never grasped that the blessings he discussed were not material blessings.
He used both an illustration and teaching [verbal instruction].
The quality of humility.
God should be in charge of purity control? We who are Christians should help and encourage those who need help and encouragement.
Jesus focused on the person who sulks because he/she has been hurt.
People always matter to God's people. They always matter to God.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 5