Matthew 18:15-20
Today’s Gospel gives us an outline of how we are to settle disputes in the church. First, talk in private to the person you have a problem with. If that doesn’t work, bring a couple of people together and try and work it out in a private group. Then, if things still aren’t settled, get the whole church together.
I am very thankful to God that I have not had to pull out this procedure in this parish; God has blessed us with a spirit of generosity towards one another. Let us pray that he continues to bless us in this way.
Where I do want to go in our reflections is to think about what a biblical definition of “church” might be. There are two words in the New Testament usually used: one is the word for “gathering”, and the other for “authority”. Sometimes we are described as a gathering; other times we are an authority.
In today’s lesson from our Lord, he talks about the church as a gathering – but the context is one of church authority. And so we have both.
This is important – a gathering with authority – because of the last line of this reading:
“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them” (v. 20)
We often use this line when talking about a gathering of Christians. It is somewhat comforting especially during weekday services when there are very few of us, because we can be assured that even with just two or three of us, the Lord is here too.
But look at it in context: Jesus is talking about church authority. And so let us consider what it means that the gathering of believers has authority, and in particular, in our prayers.
When we gather to pray, we have an entire part of the liturgy dedicated to prayers of intercession. We address God specifically, and ask him to change something for the better. And we believe that, if it is God’s good purpose to do so, he will make that change, and that change will happen because of our prayers.
God has gathered us together, and given us authority to pray on behalf of the world. The church is the gathering of God’s people, and God has given this gathering the authority to pray on behalf of all creation to him.
And so when we gather to pray, I would encourage you to reflect on the great privilege and responsibility we have been given by the Lord: the privilege to gather in his name, in his presence; and the authority to speak to him on behalf of the rest of his creation. It is a privilege and a responsibility we must not take for granted; and it is one that we must make use of often. Because he has promised us: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them”. So let us sit with the Lord for a little while, and ask him to respond to the needs we name before him, knowing that he cares, and he has power, and he will act.