Matthew 18:11

 Matthew 18:11 says, For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.  We need never forget why Jesus came.  Jesus came to seek and to save lost mankind.  Verse twelve states, How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?  Jesus asked if a man had a hundred sheep and one went astray, would the man just ignore the one or would he leave the ninety nine and go in search of the lost one.  Once we are saved, Jesus does not need to find us any more.  We are safe in His fold.  Verse thirteen adds, And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.  Jesus said that the man would rejoice more over the one than over the ninety-nine that had not gone astray.  What we have to realize is that we were all at one time the one that had gone astray.  We have all gone astray, but when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we become a part of the ninety-nine.  We are safely in His care forever.  Verse fourteen declares, Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.  Jesus said that it is not the will of the heavenly Father that any should perish.  When someone says that they cannot worship a God Who sends people to hell, we need to tell them that He doesn't.  God has done everything possible to redeem mankind, and only requires that they accept His Son by faith in order to be saved.  Verse fifteen adds, Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  Jesus told the disciples, which applies to us as well if we are His followers, that if we have a problem with someone, that we are to go to that person and tell them the problem.  We are not to go to others and tell them about what the person has done, but we are to keep it between us and the other person.  If we can make things right, then we have gained a brother.  Verse sixteen continues, But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  Jesus then states that if we cannot make things right, then we are to take two or three others with us and attempt to do so with their help.  Once more, we are not to just complain and talk about someone that we have a problem with, but we are to attempt to make things right with them, first by our self and then with the help of fellow believers if necessary.  Verse seventeen declares, And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.  Jesus then said if the person still refused to listen, then tell it to the church, and if he still refused to listen then consider him as a heathen.  We too often first tell everyone else and never go to the person them self.  Verse eighteen adds, Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  Jesus said that Christians have a lot of power, but only if they are following the will of God.  We cannot simply say that we do not like some one or some thing and have it or him or her barred from heaven.  We must always act out of love under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse nineteen continues, Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  Again, this must be done under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and for God's glory and not just so we can get anything that we want if we simply have another Christian to agree with us.  Verse twenty declares, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  We often use this verse to support the idea of gathering together to worship, and it does, but it is more than that I believe.  In context, it means that two or three believers gathering together to solve problems with others, under the leadership of God, they can do so.