If we had Bibles in the pews I would ask you to open them up now. Something remarkable is going on in Matthew 18. I'll give you a brief summary.

• Chapter 18 begins with the disciples asking Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus puts a child in their midst and says that anyone who becomes as humble as the child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

• Second, Jesus tells the story of the shepherd who risks everything to save one lost sheep.

• Third, Jesus offers a formula for handling conflict in the church.

The common element here is that they all call upon us to throw away the calculator when dealing with relationships. No care is too great when dealing with the little ones (people who are vulnerable). No risk is too great when seeking after a lost sheep. No ef…