Wednesday, April 29, 2009

"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. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 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" (Matthew18:15-20).

IDEA:  It is possible for us to overlook a teaching of the Lord because it doesn't fit our preconceived concepts.

PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that a proper interpretation of a passage often reveals to us what we might otherwise overlook.

We're concerned about our listeners. Brian often points out that we have an empty chair at the table which reminds us that you're sitting here with us.

We've been looking at Matthew 18:15-20. We've pointed out that the last three verses that seemed to deal with group prayer do not deal with prayer at all.
How do you think listeners might respond to that interpretation?

I. We might get several different responses. 

The one we would like but the one we won't get is probably, "Wonderful! I'll change my mind about those verses."

Another response we might get is that the verse doesn't refer to small group prayer meetings in this context, but can't it be a general principle that applies anyhow?

If these verses don't teach about prayer, then you must be against prayer. You've taken away a key verse and I don't know what you've done with it.

II. Let's talk about what the passage does mean.

It's teaching us how to restore a brother or sister who has sinned.

Do you think most churches or most Christians have thought much about that?

Is it because Christians today no longer sin?

Is it because we feel "it's none of our business"?

Is it because in our misinterpreting of the passage as being about prayer, we have ignored the thrust of the passage about restoring sinning Christians?