The Greatest in the Kingdom
(Mark 9:33–41; Luke 9:46–50)
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Mrk 9:33-37Luk 9:46-48Mat 20:20-28Luk 22:24-27Php 2:3Mat 23:11Mrk 10:35-45Mrk 10:14-15
Jesus invited a little child to stand among them. Mat 19:13-141Ki 3:7Mrk 9:36-37Jer 1:7 “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Mrk 10:14-151Pe 2:2Mat 19:141Co 14:20Luk 18:16-17Psa 131:2Jhn 3:5Jhn 3:3 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jas 4:10Mrk 10:43Luk 14:11Luk 9:48Mat 20:26-27Mat 23:11-121Pe 5:5Isa 57:15 And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me. Mat 25:40Jhn 13:20Mrk 9:37Gal 4:14Luk 17:1-2Luk 9:48Mat 10:40-42Mat 25:45
Temptations and Trespasses
(Mark 9:42–48; Luke 17:1–4)
But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Mrk 9:42Luk 17:1-2Mat 18:102Th 1:6-9Mat 18:14Rom 15:1-3Psa 105:151Co 8:9-13
Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! Luk 17:11Co 11:19Mat 26:241Ti 4:1-3Jud 1:42Ti 3:1-5Jud 1:11-13Rev 2:14-15
If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. Mat 5:29-30Php 3:8-9Luk 18:22-23Rom 13:12Ezk 18:31Luk 14:26-27Mat 25:46Rev 14:10 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. 1 Act 14:22Mat 18:8Mat 5:22Mat 5:29Rev 21:27Heb 4:11Luk 9:24-25Mat 16:26
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
(Luke 15:1–7)
See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven. 2 Psa 91:11Heb 1:14Psa 34:7Luk 16:222Ki 6:16-17Act 12:7-11Mat 1:20Mat 18:14
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? Ezk 34:12Luk 15:4-7Ezk 34:16Ezk 34:28Isa 53:61Pe 2:25Ezk 34:6Jer 50:6 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Luk 15:5-10Zep 3:17Psa 147:11Jas 2:13Jhn 4:34-36Luk 15:23-24Mic 7:18Isa 53:11 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Jhn 17:122Pe 3:9Jhn 6:39-40Isa 40:11Jhn 10:27-30Zec 13:7Jhn 21:15Luk 12:32
A Brother Who Sins
(Deuteronomy 19:15–21)
If your brother sins against you, 3 go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. Lev 19:17Gal 6:1Luk 17:3-42Th 3:15Col 3:13Jas 5:19-20Pro 25:9-10Rom 12:21 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 4 Deu 19:152Co 13:1Jhn 8:171Ti 5:19Heb 10:28Deu 17:6Num 35:301Ki 21:13 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 2Th 3:61Co 5:92Th 3:14-151Co 5:3-52Jn 1:10-11Eph 5:11-123Jn 1:9-10Eph 4:17-19
Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Mat 16:192Co 2:10Jhn 20:231Co 5:4-5Rev 3:7-8Act 15:23-31
Ask in My Name
(John 16:23–33)
Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. Mat 7:71Jn 5:14-16Mrk 11:24Jhn 14:13-14Jhn 16:23Php 1:19Jas 5:14-16Mat 21:22 For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.” 1Co 5:4Rev 21:3Mat 28:20Zec 2:5Jhn 20:26Jhn 20:19Rev 2:1Exo 20:24
The Unforgiving Servant
(Romans 12:14–21)
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Luk 17:3-4Mat 18:15
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! 5 Col 3:13Mrk 11:25Eph 4:31Mat 6:14-15Gen 4:24Eph 4:26Rom 12:211Ti 2:8
Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. Mat 13:24Rom 14:12Mat 3:2Mat 13:44-45Luk 16:1-2Luk 19:12-27Mat 13:471Co 4:5 As he began the settlements, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents. 6 Psa 130:3-4Psa 38:4Ezr 9:6Luk 13:4Luk 16:5Psa 40:121Ch 29:7Luk 16:7 Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned. Neh 5:52Ki 4:1Lev 25:39Luk 7:42Neh 5:8Exo 21:2Isa 50:1
Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ Luk 7:43Mat 18:29Mat 8:2Rom 10:3
His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him. Psa 145:8Psa 86:15Hos 11:8Neh 9:17Jdg 10:16Psa 78:38Psa 86:5
But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. 7 He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ Ezk 45:9Mat 20:2Deu 15:2Isa 58:3Neh 10:31Neh 5:10-11Neh 5:7
So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’ Mat 18:26Mat 6:12Phm 1:18-19
But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt. 1Ki 21:27-291Ki 22:27
When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master. Rom 12:15Heb 13:3Mrk 3:5Gen 37:2Heb 13:17Jer 9:1Luk 14:21Luk 19:41
Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. Luk 19:22Rom 3:19Mat 25:26 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ Col 3:13Eph 4:32Mat 6:12Luk 6:35-36Mat 5:44-45 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed. Jas 2:13Mat 5:25-26Luk 12:58-592Th 1:8-9Mat 18:30Rev 14:10-11
That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Mat 6:14-15Jas 2:13Luk 6:37-38Mrk 11:25Mat 6:12Pro 21:2Pro 21:13Mat 7:1-2