Second Sunday of Easter (GA)

Matthew 18:10-20
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Mt 18:10–20). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

What does the Lost coin do to be saved or rescued? What does the lost sheep do in order to be found? What does the brother do to be won back? Most of us would recognize the coin can not do anything. A coin does not have power or ability to do anything but follow the rules of nature.

The Sheep we might venture to think has the ability to cry out. So the Shepherd might hear the sheep crying out for help so he can find him. I could be wrong in thinking this, but generally the sheep may cry out yet run from the Shepherd that comes after him. The lost sheep is not like the coin because it could even get itself lost further.

The brother could be very similar to the sheep. When you go to your brother who is trapped in a sin, he most likely will turn away from you. He will not listen. This is why Jesus does not describe the address of a brothers sins like the coin where once they are found everything is great. But it is once they listen to you or listen to witnesses.

Yet all three of these are very similar. Whether you have lost a coin, a sheep, or a brother, you need to go look for them. You need to leave the ninety-nine behind and search out your brother. You need to help him to see his need for a savior and tell him about his savior. If your brother listens to you then you have won a brother. If your brother does not listen, then you run away screaming and leave them alone because you love them.

I think Jesus says even from a stance of love for brother or neighbor, you need to address their sins. You need to address them as a sinner. You do not claim anything of yourself but the word of God should be your guide. You point out what God has commanded and how we fall short. This is where we can save our brother from hell and damnation.

Jesus Christ has died for the forgiveness of all your sins. He has delivered us from death to life. Even though we are dead and can do nothing for our salvation, Jesus Christ dies for our sins. The Holy Spirit establishes faith in our hearts. And God the Father gives us life just as he raised Christ from the dead.