I. RESPONSIBILITY IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS
A. PROHIBITION – DO NOT DESPISE OTHER BELIEVERS
Matthew 18:10a “See that you do not despise one of these little ones.”
B. PROBLEM – HOW WE DESPISE OTHER BELIEVERS
ABUSING PERSONAL LIBERTY
BELITTLING THOSE WHO STUMBLE
CRITICIZING OTHERS
DELAYING HELP/ASSISTANCE
ESTEEMING OUR OWN IMPORTANCE
FAVORING SOME WITH PARTIALITY
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II. RATIONALE BEHIND THE RELATIONSHIP
A. OUR RELATIONSHIP IN THE FATHER
1. THE FATHER GIVES HIS ANGELS TO CARE FOR EACH OF US Matthew 18:10b “For I tell you that in heaven their angels continually see the face of My Father Who is in heaven.”
2. THE FATHER GIVES ETERNAL LIFE TO EACH OF US Matthew 18:14 “So it is not the will of My Father Who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
B. OUR RELATIONSHIP IN THE SON
1. THE SON CAME TO SAVE EACH OF US Matthew 18:11 “[For the Son of Man came to save the lost]”
2. THE SON’S CARE FOR US ILLUSTRATED Matthew 18:12-13 “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? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.”