The Importance of One

16. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Our text for today is as follows:

Matthew 18:7″Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. 10 ”See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 12 ”What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

Today’s text flows out of our lesson on Friday.  Jesus talks about the seriousness of sin.   Sometimes, our attitude towards sin is just too casual.   Jesus uses a hyperbole to show how serious the effects of sin are.   The bible is loaded with different types of literature.   Some are narrative; others are parables, figurative language, songs, poetry, etc.   A critical part in studying the bible is to be able to identify when the text is to be taken literal and when figurative language is being used.  The above text is clearly an example of figurative language.  It is clear that Jesus is not telling us to physically cut off our feet, hands, and eyes when we sin.    He is using the examples to state how serious sin is.   If we cut off body parts each time we sin then we would be left with nothing. 

People don’t like hearing this or dealing with the sin issue but there is a destiny for our souls and it is either heaven or hell.   If we have given our lives over to God then we should have a desire to live “holy.”   I have explained that word holy before, it simply means to be different.    We are different.  We act different, we talk different, and we simply live different.  We are governed by the

I am on a mission to teach people the bible.   It is what I crave.   I believe that there are too many false perceptions that exist about the bible.  It’s too hard to figure out, it’s boring, you must have a formal education to understand it and the list goes on and on and on.        While I have expressed some of the same sentiments in the past, I have found out that God has put gifts in the body to help us understand his word and in the technological age that we live in, there is really no excuse.  There are so many free resources that are available to help us in our studies.    Personally, when it comes to the bible, I think the average Christian is just lazy and we depend on what we get from the preacher once or twice a week to sustain us.     We all must have our own personal study life outside of what we get at church. 

Today’s lesson also shows the importance of one.   I love this scripture.   It talks about the shepherd who has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off.  The shepherd leaves the ninety nine on the hill side grazing and goes after the one that has wandered off.   EVERYBODY IS IMPORTANT!!!!!      When the shepherd finds the one, he is happier about the one than the ninety nine that were safe.    The ninety nine did not need help.  They were not in trouble.   Sometimes we throw people away because they are in trouble and it’s too much trouble or too much of an inconvenience to help them.    I’m not talking about being taken advantage of because sometimes people do take advantage of our good nature but I’m talking about people who genuinely are lost or have strayed away and just need someone to go “look for them.”  

I was teaching yesterday on the disciples that walked with Jesus and I was reviewing the life of Peter.   I came across the text where Jesus is telling Peter that before the cock crow thrice, he would betray him and of course Peter denies it. 

Jesus then says:  Simon, Simon, Satan desires to sift you as pure wheat but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not and when you are converted strengthened your brethren.  

Jesus could have chosen any name for Peter, for Peter was also called Cephas.   Jesus chose to use the name Simon.  Simon means hearing or faith.    If I replace it with the meaning it reads:  Faith, Faith, satan desires to sift you as pure wheat.   That text is so powerful to me.   Satan is after our belief system.   If he can get us to not believe then he can seriously hinder us.  For all things are possible if we believe.    Then he goes on to say that he has prayed that his FAITH fail not.   How powerful.  What does it really mean that Jesus has prayed for us.   Oh!!!!!!!!

The last part of the text says and when you are converted.   When you get it together, strengthened your brethren.That was the point, I was trying to make about the shepherd going after the lost one and Jesus talking about how precious one soul is in the kingdom.   Everybody matters and once we get converted then it is our job to help strengthen someone else.Living holy is real.  It is necessary and it is required living for Christian.    

 Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!! 

Have a wonderful weekend.   See you on Monday. 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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