Questions for Reflection
Read Matthew 18:15-21
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What words does Jesus use to talk about fellow believers in verse 15? How does that frame our understanding of what is to come in this passage?
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Read Matthew 18:1-14. What does Jesus say about children and the “little ones”? What is God’s perspective on the most vulnerable of society? How do Jesus’ comments about “little ones” inform our understanding of Matthew 18:15-20?
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What is the process of restoration and reconciliation laid out here? Which of these steps seems most difficult to enact in our world today?
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What are the unhealthy ways you handle conflict that you need to give over to Jesus so you might be renewed? For some of us, we avoid. We stuff our feelings and withdraw. For others, we attack, we get defensive, we shame, we need to be right, or we simmer in resentment and anger. What about for you?
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When have you seen restoration or reconciliation create a greater bond between people? *
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What should be our motivation in confronting someone who has strayed from God? What are other, less honorable motives that often inform our confrontations and conflicts in the church?
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Take some time to pray for the end to the conflict in Ukraine, for our own church, and for your personal relationships.
* This question came from N. T. Wright’s book, Matthew:25 Studies for Individuals and Groups
Chuck Hunt