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Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Praise
Lord of heaven and earth,
as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer,
give us patience and courage never to lose hope,
but always to bring our prayers before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Psalm 66.14-18
Come and listen, all you who fear God,
and I will tell you what he has done for my soul.
I called out to him with my mouth
and his praise was on my tongue.
If I had nursed evil in my heart,
the Lord would not have heard me,
But in truth God has heard me;
he has heeded the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer,
nor withheld his loving mercy from me.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Reading
Matthew 18.15-20
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’
Reflection
What does the word ‘church’ mean to you? Do you think of a beautiful building, or do you think of a community of like-minded people? Do you think of a place of peace, or do you think of a place of conflict? Do you think of a refuge from the challenges and distractions of daily life, or do you think of a hotbed of gossip and self-righteous judgement? As you ponder on what the word ‘church’ means to you, you might like to consider whether your first answer had anything to do with a place where you can be close to God, where you can be fed by God, and where you can be inspired by God to further his mission in the world.
‘Church’, of course, is not really about the buildings in which people gather. ‘Church’ is about the people themselves. ‘Church’ is about all people being able to congregate in one place to worship God, to pray to God and to be inspired by God. But … there is a snag! The problem lies in that phrase ‘all people’. ‘All people’ are different. In that individuality lies the cause of much conflict and disagreement. It is a sad fact that, even in church communities, there is dissension and distress. This is being addressed in today’s reading.
Those who profess a faith in Jesus Christ are often perceived as being weak. Our calling to be self-sacrificial, loving and forgiving is seen as the definition of one who is incapable of flourishing in a self-serving and self-indulgent world. As Christians are called to live a faithful life of generosity and service, many turn their backs on such a feeble agenda. The Christian way of life is viewed as one of worldly failure. But, of course, there are those who come into our communities of faith who seek to change things. Even those in positions of leadership use the language of dominance and success in the way they seek to manipulate the way in which we live out our lives as disciples and apostles. It is when confronted with such worldliness that the church needs to show its strength … it needs to challenge and hold firm to the teachings of Jesus.
Jesus’ words that open today’s reading: If another member of the church sins against you, is a rallying call for the faithful. There does come a time when the faithful have to stand firm in their commitment to following Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life. There does come a time when those who would commercialise the church have to be challenged. There does come a time when those who turn their backs on the teachings of Jesus Christ have to be shown, in love, the error of their ways. To take on such a judgemental role is not easy, and it should never fall on the shoulders of one person … read again what Jesus says on this point.
The church exists for the glorification and the worship of God. It does not exist as a money-making organisation or as a tourist attraction. It is the duty of every Christian to pray for strength of faith in order that they may remain ready to be loyal and faithful disciples and apostles, true to their divine calling as custodians of the legacy founded by Jesus and set upon the firm foundations of his disciple Peter.
Let us all pray for our churches and for their honouring of Christ’s call.
Prayers of intercession
For the spirit of peace in the Church and in the world, let us pray to the Lord.
Give to the Church perfect harmony among all her members, and let her witness never be hindered by the scandal of dissension. As we come together for worship, may our hearts be so filled with love for one another that we shall be as lights to the world.
Bring agreement between nations which are in dispute and distrust. Heal the anger of litigation and give a new spirit to those who profit from the disagreements of others.
If there is tension in our families, with our neighbours or with any we know, give us grace to confess our faults and to seek reconciliation. Bring harmony to all in this community who are held apart by anger and resentment.
Bless and relieve all who have been ruined by litigation or broken by disputes that have turned to bitterness. Restore those who suffer inwardly from their refusal to be reconciled. Have mercy on all in prison, granting them acknowledgement of faults and new hope for the future.
We give thanks for those who were gathered together in the name of the Lord when they were in this world, and are gathered into the great company of the blessed in heaven. May the peace they now enjoy rest upon all who are still on their way.
We pray that our prayers may be accepted in Christ, in whose name we are gathered together.
Prayer for the week
Almighty God,
in whose service lies perfect freedom:
teach us to obey you
with loving hearts and steadfast wills;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Grace
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore. Amen.