The Power to Bind and Loose

Intro

Text - Matthew 18.18-20

Matthew 18:18–20 NKJV

18 “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. 19 “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. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Title - The Power to Bind and to Loose

Main Point

God has given us the authority to bind and loose, an authority that will greatly benefit the body when properly used

bind means to permit or allow

loose means to not permit or disallow

How Jesus introduced this power

gospel proclamation

Matthew 16:18–19 NKJV

18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

reception of sinners

John 20:21–23 NKJV

21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Matthew 18:15–17 NKJV

15 “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. 16 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.’ 17 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.

The conditions of this authority

agreement - grk SYMPHONEO (to be in harmony)

Matthew 18:19 NKJV

19 “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.

Note - in Jewish tradition of the elders, judgments are passed in synagogues, which required at lerast 10 persons

Jesus brought back the minimum to 2 or 3

gathering together - grk. SYNAGO (to assemble in one place)

Matthew 18:20 NKJV

20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

the gathering must be in Jesus’ name, to be bound/loosed in heaven

Jesus emphasized the importance of gathering

Israel refused to be gathered

Matthew 23:37–39 NKJV

37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

The eagles’ gathering

Luke 17:37 NKJV

37 And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”

The Corinthian problem

they were gathering together, but they were not in agreement

1 Corinthians 11:17–19 NKJV

17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.

Communion

1 Corinthians 11:20 NKJV

20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:34 NKJV

34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

For edification

1 Corinthians 14:26–33 NKJV

26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Exercising the power to bind and loose

agree together

Amos 3:3 NKJV

3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

1 Corinthians 1:10 NKJV

10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

pray together

Romans 12.30

1 Peter 3:7 NKJV

7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

strive together

Philippians 1:27 NKJV

27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

Conclusion

We need to come together, and agree together, with regards to our urgent need today - a place to build a house of worship