Relationships are the focus.

If you’ve spent any time in a church, you’ve heard Matthew 18 thrown out. Often during a challenging situation where there has been conflict. The struggle is that rarely do Christians use Jesus’ teaching correctly, and sometimes it’s used inappropriately. This can make situations worse, and put further stress on relationships.

Over the past 7 days, we’ve unpacked Matthew 18 as it relates to relationships. For context, here’s a quick run-through of this week’s posts:

• Conflict Vs. Relationships: Changing the Way We Read Matthew 18
• How Reconciliation Begins (and Hopefully, How It Ends)
• When They Refuse Reconciliation, Restoration and Relationship
• Do Earthly Relationships Matter to God?

10 Questions to Ask

After reading through Matthew 18, and perhaps, after reading through this week’s posts, here are a series of questions to ask yourself. Alternatively, feel free to use these questions as part of a Small Group discussion.

1. Before this week, when you heard the words “Matthew 18” what would immediately come to your mind?
2. Why do Christians sometimes use Matthew 18 for personal preferences instead of real sin issues?
3. When confronting someone, why is going to that person alone so much more productive?
4. When the situation moves to the next level, what’s the difference between bringing two friends and two church members?
5. Before bringing knowledge of a sinful person to the church, what other restoration steps could be taken and why would these additional steps be productive?
6. Currently, what would it look like if a former church member had to leave our church because of sin and how would we act versus how we should act?
7. What’s your take on verse 18? In your opinion, why is this statement (also found in Matthew 16) so important that Jesus would repeat it?
8. From your standpoint, what’s the connection between Jesus’ statement in verse 18 and His following statements found in verses 19 and 20?
9. Why do you think Peter asked about forgiveness and how does Jesus’ response relate to His previous instruction?
10. This week, if someone were to come up to you and ask, “Why do our earthly relationships matter?”, how would you respond?

Join the Conversation, Leave Your Thoughts

• How have you or would you use this set of study questions?
• How are these questions helpful?
• How could these questions be improved?