It's Not About Worship

That verse...it's not about worship.

Happy Sunday to you. It’s the 9th Sunday after Pentecost.

I hope you are able to worship with a segment of the Church today. Gathering to worship is so important for a variety of reasons. And it’s true that where people are gathered together, God is present. And where we come to the Table of Christ, Jesus is present in a spectacular and special way.

But here’s something we might miss: when Jesus says, …where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them, he isn’t talking about worship services at all. He’s saying it in the context of agreement and reconciliation.

This is not an attempt at curmudgeonism, or biblical gotchya-ing, or even nitpicking. It’s remembering just how crucial reconciliation was to Jesus. Earlier in Matthew, he said we shouldn’t even come to the altar without first being reconciled to our brother or sister. In today’s terms, it might sound like: Don’t come and sing your songs until you’ve made things right.

If Jesus puts reconciliation that high on the list, maybe we should too, especially in a time when division is often more visible than unity. Imagine what our worship would be like if every song, every prayer, every offering was brought by people fully at peace with one another.

Matthew 18:15-20

[Jesus speaking]

“If your brother or sister sins against you, go and correct them when you are alone together. If they listen to you, then you’ve won over your brother or sister. But if they won’t listen, take with you one or two others so that every word may be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. But if they still won’t pay attention, report it to the church. If they won’t pay attention even to the church, treat them as you would a Gentile and tax collector. I assure you that whatever you fasten on earth will be fastened in heaven. And whatever you loosen on earth will be loosened in heaven. Again I assure you that if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, then my Father who is in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them.”

Psalm 133

Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one!
It is like expensive oil poured over the head, running down onto the beard—Aaron’s beard!—which extended over the collar of his robes. It is like the dew on Mount Hermon streaming down onto the mountains of Zion, because it is there that the Lord has commanded the blessing: everlasting life.

Prayer

God,

Christ’s disciples argued about who would be greatest in your kingdom. Many still do. Help us to be confident in the love you have for us, so that we feel no need to compete for your attention.

As your Church gathers this day, meet us in power, God. Melt our hearts, knock us in our rigid knees. Break our heels so deeply dug in.

Make us one with you. Make us one with each other.

By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.