Jesus empowers his church to practice reconciliation in order to be whole. At first glance, it is hard to see how yesterday’s blog on verses 15-18 (about teaching reconciliation) go with today's verses 19-20 (about the church's supernatural empowerment). But because the conversation continues about reconciliation in verse 21, they are obviously linked.
Matthew 18:15-20 15 "If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." 21 Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times...
After Jesus teaches three steps to reconciliation (verses 15-17) that his followers are to follow, he now says something very important about the church's role in reconciling believers (verse 18-20).
The first thing Jesus says about the church's empowerment is in verse 18. The church acts as agents of Christ's kingdom. In this context - speaking of reconciliation - binding and loosing refer to the church caring for its own body. A member of the body who will not participate in the reconciliation process or will not repent of a sin against another member of the body is not committed to living as a member of the Messiah's community. Therefore the church is empowered to loosen that person from the fellowship. But members of the body who participate and reconcile - the church is empowered to bind them to the body, healing the body where there had been discord.
The second thing Jesus says about the church's empowerment is in verses 19-20. Jesus indicates that when the two at conflict gather to resolve their differences in private - the Father is there - and if they pray for reconciliation, it will happen. Likewise, when others are brought into the mix to facilitate reconciliation - if all hearts involved seek reconciliation, the Father will be in the midst and facilitate it. Reconciliation is such an important part of the Christian community - so much so - that Jesus' promises that the Father himself will be there in the middle of it.
Jesus' process of reconciliation is key to the community of God flourishing.
Do we ignore Jesus' teaching that the church has both the responsibility and the power to practice his process of reconciliation? Do we follow Jesus' process or make up our own that is more of a compromise than true reconciliation? Do we ignore Jesus' process so we can manipulate what we want instead of what God wants?
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