Matthew 18 – A Study in Conflict Transformation

In this short video, Tom Porter gives a summary of Matthew 18, a Gospel that is a book of instruction to the early church.   Here is where the scripture puts flesh and blood on the bones of the Great Commandment and on our calling to be reconcilers.

Matthew 18 provides us with a brilliant analysis as to why we have destructive conflict and violence – the problems created by trying to be greater than another:

• an understanding that God is present with us in the midst of conflict
• an understanding of why Jesus calls us to be “like a child,” or what it means to say peacemakers are children of God,
• practical advice on how to deal with conflict and harm:  the journey of reconciliation, the journey of restorative justice,
• the story of the lost sheep with its vision of non one being lost, and the celebration that occurs when restoration of relationship takes place,
• the radical breaking of cycles of woundedness, retribution, and violence through the act of forgiveness, and
• an understanding of the deep reality of creation, seeing the consequence of not following the path of reconciliation and restorative justice, being told that if we do not forgive we will not be able to experience forgiveness, and if we do not follow the journey of responding to those we have harmed, we will not be able to experience the kingdom.