Wednesday after the Fourth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on July 5, 2023 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 18:15-20 (NKJV)
18:15 “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.
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.”
Devotion
If an erring brother refuses to listen to even the Church, let him be as a heathen and tax collector. These words of our Lord Jesus were recorded by the Apostle and Evangelist St. Matthew, who himself was a tax collector. He knew full well what it was to be a sinner, and more importantly, what it meant to be a repentant sinner, who was granted the gift of forgiveness. Those who refuse to repent should have their sins bound on earth so that they may become like St. Matthew the tax collector; one who turned from his sin and sought the grace of the Lord God found in the works and merits of the Christ.
The good news for us poor, miserable sinners is that, just as an impenitent’s sins are bound, the sins forgiven to the repentant are loosed. Not only are they loosed on earth by the Minister, but they are loosed in heaven. Christ Himself, who is in the midst of wherever two or three are gathered in His Name, is there declaring the sentence proclaimed. To this end, that the one bound is justly bound, the Lord Jesus lays out a pattern to graciously bring the erring brother back into repentance. No one may be puffed up with pride at his sins, but rather should look with humility to the Lord Jesus who suffered and died for the sins of all.
Prayer: Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by Thy governance, that Thy Church may joyfully serve Thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
