Key Thought

Several key understandings are implicit in this passage.
First, because the Lord is present when 2 or 3 of his disciples are gathered together, his power and authority are present, too.
Second, the power of 2 or 3 to agree is not a general statement -- in other words, this is not a blanket promise that if two Christians agree about something, God will have to carry it out. It is in the context of church discipline, sin, and fellowship that this applies.
Third, because the power and the authority of the Lord are present, the agreement between these Christians is a reflection of what has already happened in heaven, not vice versa! (This is a key grammatical issue that most conservative scholarly commentaries can help us understand.)
The Lord is present when his people gather together. The fellowship they share is vital. The decisions that are made under the Lord's guidance by those gathered reflect those in heaven. To put it succinctly: Jesus wants his disciples to be a redemptive community of character.

Today's Prayer

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Holy God, make our churches more like you want them to be. Draw us into deeper fellowship. Give us a deeper commitment to your holiness. Give us a revulsion against sin and yet a deep love for those struggling to move from it in their lives. We want to be your family that reflects the grace and character of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

"If your brother or sister does something wrong to you, go and tell that person what he did wrong. Do this alone with that person. If that person listens to you, then you have helped that person to be your brother again. But if that person refuses to listen, then go to him again and bring one or two people with you. Then there will be two or three other people that will be able to tell all that happened. If that person refuses to listen to them, then tell the church (group of believers). If that person refuses to listen to the church, then treat him like he is a person that does not believe in God. Treat him like he is a tax collector. "I tell you the truth. When you speak judgment here on earth, that judgment will be God's judgment. When you promise forgiveness here on earth, that forgiveness will be God's forgiveness. "Also, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about something, then you can pray for it. And the thing you ask for will be done for you by my Father in heaven. This is true, because if two or three people are together believing in me, I am there with them."

— Matthew 18:15-20 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.