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"If Thy Brother Shall Trespass"
"If Thy Brother Shall Trespass"
 
Moreover   if your brother shall sin against you, said Jesus -- then pointing us over to the royal high- way in such a case. Read about it in Matt. 18.
 
A brother who sins! It is sad that this shall ever happen. Sin is the destruction of any people. It is sin that sends people to perdition. Then, when even a brother might sin.
 
Yes, Jesus knew that even this would take place -and He wills that someone shall help this brother, that he may be saved. First and last he wants you to do it-you whom he has sinned against.
 
You are also willing. If he only would come, humble himself and acknowledge his guilt and ask your pardon. Then nothing should hinder it from your side. Here you have gone for weeks and months and waited and waited for him to come, but he has not come. He is too stiff to humble himself.
 
But listen now: Is this the way to help the sinning brother? Do you help him by going about irritated, because he does not humble himself?
 
No, this was not the way Jesus said it.
 
He said, you shall go to him. Yes, but it is he who has done the sinning--not I, I hear you say, and then he certainly ought to come to me first and settle up.
 
This sounds very reasonable. But listen to what Jesus said: "Moreover, if your brother sin against you, you shall go and tell him his fault between you and him alone! If he shall hear you, you have won your brother."
 
This is the way Jesus spoke.
 
It does not say that you shall go and humiliate your brother, but you shall win him.
 
And it is easier for you to go to him than it is for him who has done the sinning, to come to you.
 
When you have won your brother, he will also humble himself. But you have been waiting and wondering and perhaps been a little bitter because your poor brother did not humble himself and come to you first.
 
Then you have gone stiff and proud and thought evil thoughts and overlooked what Jesus said to you-that you should go to him to win your brother.
 
Perhaps you also might have reason to humble yourself. Then you will receive grace. For God gives grace to the humble-even grace to be tender and meek toward a falling brother, and to help him out on the way.
 
The stronger shall the weaker
With help and strength supply
To aid to bear the burden
In loving fellowship.
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