Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Out of all the scriptures that have mishandled through the years, Matthew 18 is one that has stood out to me.
If it takes 2 or 3 people gathered together to experience the presence of God, does this mean that if we are alone in prayer God’s presence is absent?
We know from scripture and from experience this is just not true. The Lord doesn’t wait for believers to come together before people can have a meaningful encounter with Him.
Psalm 145:18 “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
So if it doesn’t take a group of people for God to be present, what is the scripture really saying?
God’s Pattern
To understand a scripture accurately, we have to look at it from a perspective the original listeners heard. Understanding the context is critical in grasping the intent of a portion of scripture when the larger picture means something entirely different.
When Jesus was addressing the disciples, He was instructing them in matters of pride and how to deal with a sinning brother. The disciples came to Jesus concerned about who would be considered greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus recognized the sin within them and led them down a path they might not have expected.
Matthew 18:2-5 “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.”
Jesus seems to be saying that the first step towards holiness is humility, a key character quality in God’s Kingdom.
Children who recognize authority, listen to instruction.
One of my joys of life is watching my granddaughters little minds work as they experience life. I can play with them, teach them, and guide them all day long, unless I do something that conflicts with their parents teaching. You would think their parents hung the moon, the investment of time they have placed into their lives is bearing fruit. Just like my granddaughters listen to their parents instruction, we too should listen to our Father’s instruction and receive it.
If someone in the church disregards God’s instruction and acts in disobedience, what should the body of Christ do about it?
I may be getting a little ahead of myself but the pattern Jesus expressed is one worth looking at closer. We first need to understand the church from God’s perspective.
God Loves People
If God loves people, we should love them as well.
It’s easy to forget the measure of God’s love we can therefore forget the ferocity by which He guards them.
Matthew 18:6-7 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!”
The image of the little boy who was sitting on Jesus’ lap is the image of a new believer. The simple faith by which someone comes to Christ is vulnerable and subject to influence. We must handle those who are new in their faith with tenderness and care, knowing the Lord will build them into the people He has so chosen.
We know Jesus wasn’t just talking of children here because of what He says soon thereafter:
vs. 11 “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.”
Yes, children have a fallen nature and that nature will lead them into sin one day, but the innocence of children isn’t what is at play here….it’s people in general. If we want to affect people for Christ, we have to learn how to live lives that exemplify Christ.
It is far too easy to cause others to stumble by our sin.
The next progression of thought Jesus described was the necessity to rid ourselves of all sin.
Matthew 18:8-9 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.”
Jesus isn’t telling us to literally cut off our limbs, He is demonstrating the determination we must have to be holy. Whether it is by what we do or what we see, the members of our body must be brought under subjection to God’s righteousness.
How much emphasis do we really take in guarding our lives from sin?
If Jesus said it was important, we should regard it as important. We can ruin others if we don’t get a handle on our own propensity to sin.
The Wandering Sheep
For example, say you blew it and drove someone off because of pride, or through callousness and neglect for another you offended them and caused God’s name to be blasphemed by your life.
Do you know what the Lord does at that moment?
He goes and finds them. He calls them back to restore them.
If we sin against someone and drive them away from God, maybe we should also go out of our way to rectify the situation.
Matthew 18:12-14 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
You might be saying at the moment….”what, I thought it was up to God to search them out and find them?”
Part of the mystery of God’s works is how He uses His people to glorify His name.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Believers are God’s hands and feet in the world. If Jesus humbled Himself and washed the disciples feet, His people should humble themselves as well. If we offend someone by our sin, shouldn’t we take responsibility to rectify the situation as best we can?
The people in the Kingdom of God have a greater responsibility.
Handling Conflict
Now we get to the the crux of the matter; Without the foundation of context, the message would take on a completely different meaning.
Matthew 18:15-17 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”
Whether we find ourselves offending another or others are offending us, we can get lost in the offense and miss the message; it is a pattern of sin that must be addressed.
The encouragement is for restoration, and not to destroy one another. The approach Jesus outlines is to maintain communication and gently lead the wayward sinner back to Christ…after we have addressed sin in our own lives.
Conflict resolution is to restore a brother in Christ.
We would do well to remember the grace that God has shown us and consider the same grace to each other.
When people refuse to stop sinning, a correct application of God’s truth leaves them removed from the body of believers and considered an unbeliever. The Truth of God’s Word is given to God’s people to exercise correctly, in love, and when done to honor the Lord, it brings Him glory.
Now we get to the original scripture to see how we can now apply it.
Matthew 18:19-20 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
The agreement of God’s people regarding the correct understanding and application of God’s Truth is sealed by God Himself.
The joining together in agreement is meant to address sin within the church, knowing that God approves the unity of His Body–the Church.
The management of God’s household is an endeavor that calls for strict adherence to God’s Word.
When we act in love, the way Jesus loved, we find the church growing and being strengthening as God intended. We will then see the church being a light to the nations and hopefully those walking in darkness will come to the light.
U.T. 