But in Matthew 18, the Lord presents to us the practical church life. He speaks about the church in a local aspect, in the living of the church life. We don’t live the church life in its universal aspect. You don’t have problems with the saints in the universal aspect. Do you have a problem with the saints who live in Alaska? No! But you have problems with the ones living beside you! Here in chapter 18, the Lord speaks about the church life in the realm of the locality. Verses 3-4 say, “Truly I say to you, Unless you turn and become like little children, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens. He therefore who will humble himself like this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens.” The way in the church life is for us to be humble by humbling ourselves. Sometimes we are so proud; we think we know things and we start despising the others. “Oh, this sister doesn’t know how to speak anything! She speaks everything in a wrong way!” This kind of speaking is outside of the kingdom! The realm of the kingdom is the realm of love, it is to receive all whom the Lord received until we all arrive. Verse 6 says, “And whoever stumbles one of these little ones who believe into Me, it is more profitable for him that a great millstone be hung around his neck and he be drowned in the open sea.”
Verse 10 begins, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones…” What is the theme of this conference? “See that you do not despise one of these little ones.” Whether we have one talent, two talents, or five talents, the Lord wants to take all of us on until we all arrive. This is the realm of the church life and what causes us to take care of and encourage everyone. Verse 11 says, “For the Son of Man has come to save that which is lost.” Does it say that He came to save the perfect ones? No! The Lord came to save those with no hope until we all arrive! The Lord wants to gain all of us.
Does verse 15 say, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, kick him away from the church”? No, it says, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go, reprove him between you and him alone. If he hears you...” what is this? This is the gift of love! In this way you can gain a brother or a sister! Hallelujah! So in Matthew chapter 18 the Lord shows us that the most excellent way is love! Forgive the saints, have mercy on the saints, and do not think that you are better than the saints!
Verses 21-22 say, “Then Peter came and said to Him, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy times seven.” What makes you to forgive seventy times seven times? Love does! Love is the most excellent way; it is the supreme gift! Verse 35 warns us, “So also will My heavenly Father do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts.” Oh Lord Jesus! This is the realm of the church life! Do not despise, do not boast, but have mercy, forgive! Oh Lord Jesus! Gain the brother or the sister through forgiveness.
In chapter 19, the Lord speaks about divorce. Why do couples divorce nowadays? Why do marriages fall apart nowadays? It is because they lack love. First Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never falls away…” What love never falls away? It is the love of God and where is this love? This love is within us! And where can this life grow? It is in the church life. Do we have divorce in the church life? Maybe you haven’t seen a couple divorcing in the church life, but I have! It is very sad for us. Do you know why? It was because the heart was too hard. Sometimes we are constricted in our inward parts, but the Lord gave as a principle in chapter 18: Forgive the saints, have mercy on the saints, and do not think that you yourself are better than the others. If we live this way, there will be no divorce.
Young people, today you are here, but later on you will be married. When you get married, how are you going to be? Someone who despises the Lord will have a high risk of losing their marriage. But if you live for the Lord, not only for your marriage but the Lord’s things, then the Lord will preserve you, the Lord will preserve your marriage, the Lord will preserve your family, and the Lord will preserve your church life! The love of God is the most excellent way. Someone who loves the Lord knows how to take care of riches. A person who loves other things more than the Lord, will not be able to follow the Lord! If we love the Lord in the first place, we will not have problems in our marriage and we will not have problems with money, because our heart will be absolute for the Lord.
Matthew 20 begins, “For the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, who is a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard.” Hallelujah! Love is the most excellent way. Love is the supreme gift! The Lord wants to raise workmen for His vineyard. Love is the motive for us to work for the Lord. So today let us renew our consecration.
The Lord’s love is wonderful. The love of God is immeasurable. We cannot describe the love of God! So what can we do now? We can consecrate our love to the Lord just like that woman who broke the flask of alabaster to pour it on the Lord’s feet. She gave to the Lord the best treasure that she had. Let us pray to the Lord and consecrate our love to the Lord! Let each one of us open our hearts to the Lord. Enlarge your heart. Do not be constricted in your inward parts but consecrate your being and your whole life to the Lord.
Oh Lord Jesus! Lord we praise You for your great love! You became a man and you accomplished redemption for us. You bought us back to yourself! Oh Lord Jesus! Your love is incomparable. Your love is greater than ours. In this moment we want to consecrate our whole being to You! We want to consecrate our hearts to you. Oh Lord Jesus! We don’t want to be constricted in our inward parts but we want to enlarge our hearts. We want to love You above all things. Lord, honor our hearts! Gain our hearts, free us from the world and the things of the world. Free us from sin, free us from pride, and fee us from boasting. Oh Lord Jesus! In this moment set us free. Free every young one here! Gain in this generation those who want to give their lives to you! Gain young people in every city, in every church! In every country! You know our condition, You know our hearts, and our needs! Lord in this moment; accept our consecration. Oh Lord Jesus! Jesus is Lord! Hallelujah!
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