Missed it by that much

Married women have a talent.

Turn a complement into an argument.

“You look nice today”

“So I don’t look nice most days?”

We have a standing rule in out house:

If I say something, and it can be interpreted two ways, and one of those ways hurts your feelings, I meant it the other way.

Here’ the rub. We don’t get to interpret the bible that way.

If the Word hurts your feelings and steps on your toes, you don’t get say, we that’s not what it really means.

Definition

Usage

Context

Historical Background

Revelation 19:7 NASB95

7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

Definition

Usage

Context

Historical Background

Revelation 19:7 NASB95

7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

Logic

Precedent

Unity

Inference

Logic

Precedent

Unity

Inference

Of these: Context is the easiest to research. Read what comes before and after.

I am guilty

When we get ready to gather around someone a pray, which is biblical, I have been guilty of praying this verse:

Matthew 18:20 NASB95

20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

The implication is this: That somehow when more than one Christian are gathered that Christ’s presence is more prominent than when you are alone…..…

That implication becomes stronger when you look at the two previous verses with it.

Matthew 18:18–20 NASB95

18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

The idea that Christ’s presence is stronger when more than one person is present, is just wrong.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:6 to go to your inner room and pray.

Matthew 6:6 NASB95

6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

James tells us in chapter 5 to gather the elders to pray over the sick, but then adds

James 5:15 NASB95

15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

Then goes on to cite Elijah’s prayer for it to not rain and then to rain.

So if everywhere you go, Christ’s presence is there, what’s this business of two or three?

Church Discipline

No paragraphs in the bible:

NIV , NASB, NKJ

Matthew 18:15–20 NASB95

15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

1. The goal is restoration.

2. Witnesses to the sin.

Deuteronomy 19:15 NASB95

15 “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.

Church Discipline is scary and awkward, but necessary.

We have never had to take a matter to the entire church as described in this this passage.

Practically: What happens most of the time, is that when there is a confrontation about sin, one party just leaves and goes an finds another church.

Treat them as a Gentile or tax collector.

Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors…..…

So this verse means we should let them stay in the fellowship……

Treat them how YOU treat Gentiles and Tax Collectors.

OUTSIDER

The day we quite letting Sinners come to Freedom, is the day these doors shut for good.

Habitual, unrepentant sin.

Stressful…………”Are we doing the right thing?”

Binding and Loosing

Matthew 16:19 NASB95

19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

NIV

NKJV

KJV Whatever you bound on earth will be bound in heaven.

Matthew 18:18 NASB95

18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

LOOK at the NASB

It is a verse of reassurance. It is saying, if you as a group of believers approach sin in the spirit of Galatians 6:1

Galatians 6:1 NASB95

1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

That Christ will not let us do anything that is not ordained by God. He will keep us within the bound of God’s will.

This reassurance with repeated in 19

Matthew 18:19 NASB95

19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

and verse 20 it is the ultimate reassurance, the presence of God the Son.

TRUST FALL.