Dear Christian friends:

Jesus has commanded us to reach out and win others for His kingdom. In doing that mission work and evangelism work we may overlook our own needs and the needs of others in our church family here at Pilgrim. We also have duties and responsibilities to each other, to help each other remain strong Christians. If we ourselves do not remain strong Christians we will be unable to do mission work and evangelism work.

Therefore, in our text Jesus reminds us of our duties to one another.


What are these duties?

One is to give a good example to others. We should give a good example to other Christians, especially to children, young people and weak Christians. If we give a bad example, we "offend" them. Jesus says, "Offenses will happen, but woe to the person who gives offense. Better for him if someone ties a mill stone around his neck and throws him into the sea, than that he offend a child." (verses 1-2) When a parent, or teacher or church officer does wrong he or she gives a bad example to children, youth, and other weak Christians. And by that bad example he or she may lead a child or other weak Christian to sin or to stray away from Jesus' way.

Have you in the past given a bad example to someone? Have you come to church regularly? Or do you come only once in a while? Do you give regularly for the support of the church as God's Word teaches? Or do you complain about that? Do you encourage others to give the tithe? Do you show patience and kindness to the children, youth and weak members? Or do you quickly become upset and angry? Our Christian duty is to give a good example to others, inspire them to do right, to love and serve God and their neighbor. We often fail in this duty and because of our failure we deserve God's anger and punishment. (verse 2)

The second duty which we have to each other is to warn our brother or sister when we see them doing wrong, and then to forgive them when they are sorry. Jesus says,"If your brother sins, warn him; and if he is sorry, forgive him." (verse 3)

We have the duty to be our brother's keeper. If we see him doing wrong or straying away from God's way, we have the responsibility to go and warn him. But often we fail to do that. We don't want any trouble and so we look the other way and let our brother continue in his wrong way. We often are the same as Cain. After Cain killed his brother, God asked him, "Where is Abel, your brother?" Cain answered to God and lied, "I know not; am I my brother's keeper?" Liars and killers like Cain feel no duty or responsibility to help keep their brother. We are the same, bad as Cain if we fail to love our brother and fail to warn him when he or she does wrong.

Do you warn your brothers and sisters here at Pilgrim when you see them do wrong? Then when your brother or sister is sorry, do you forgive him or her? Jesus says, "If your brother is sorry, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in one day and seven times says he is sorry, you must forgive him." (verses 3-4) It is our Christian duty to forgive our brothers and sisters daily and often, even seven times a day. But often when a brother or sister sins against us we say nothing to them and feel angry and bitterness and let hate grow in our heart. Then we have much bad feelings between one church member and the other, and we can't cooperate to do the mission work and the evangelism work.

These are very difficult duties which our Lord gives to us, and by ourselves alone we cannot do them, as you know from your own experience. Jesus disciples felt the same way. They said to Jesus, "Lord, increase our faith." (verse 5) They really did not need more faith, but they needed to use the faith they already had. Jesus corrected them and said, "If you have faith the same as a tiny mustard seed, you could command this mulberry tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea, and that would happen." (verse 6)

Faith itself is not the power. The power is Jesus, our Savior. Faith is the same as an electric wire. Same as the wire joins the power house with the electric motor, same faith joins the Christian with Jesus. Jesus is "the power house" or "power giver". His love, His mercy to you, a sinner, that gives your heart to love your brother and be your brother's keeper. Therefore, even a little faith, weak faith, can bring Jesus’ great and wonderful power to your heart. Then you will not be proud and think yourself better than others. You will have love, kindness, patience, mercy and forgiveness for your brother. You will want to be your brother's keeper and helper.

And when we do our Christian duties to one another, we will not expect praise and thanks from anyone. Jesus says in our text, "When you have done all things God commands you must say,'We are servants that deserve no praise. We have done our duty, nothing more."(verse 10) We will realize that it is only by God's grace that we have been able to do our duties to one another. Without His grace we can do nothing good. But with His grace we can do wonderful, beautiful things: we can give good examples to one another; we can warn those who sin and forgive them when they are sorry; we can be our brother's keeper.

And remember, God's grace comes to us through the Word.

Amen.