In this important chapter, the Lord Jesus makes clear to his newly announced church that every member matters. The disciples needed to know that then and to keep it mind as the church grew. So do we. In this fundamental passage for the local church, we are instructed about the value and vulnerability of each member and our responsibility to take this seriously. We will follow this outline:

1. The Context in Which We Fail (v. 1)

2. The Correction We Need (vv. 2–4)

3. The Caution We Must Hear (vv. 5–11)

4. The Concern We Must Have (vv. 12–20)

5. The Characteristic We Must Practice (vv. 21–35)