Gathering in Christ's Name

Rebecca Sheridan
Sunday, September 6, 2020
Matthew 18:15-20

    There’s an old joke about a man who was finally rescued after living for years on a deserted island by himself. Before he got on the rescue boat, he gave his rescuers a tour of all he had built on the island over the years. “Over here is my house, and this is my church,” he said.  “What about that third building over there?” someone asked.  “Oh, that’s my previous church, “he said.  “I got angry and left that one.”  I’ve often heard someone quote Matthew 18:20 when they show up to a church event, Bible study or worship and attendance is pretty thin.  “Where two or three are gathered!” they cheerfully say.  And it is assuring to know especially as we think about worshipping from our homes, possibly with no one else physically with us or only our spouse or immediate family with us that Christ is among us even in a small group, two or three, of praying disciples.  Yet today’s gospel reading opens up this passage for us to the larger context, which is Jesus’ instructions to church members on how to try to get along.  All joking aside about the man on a deserted island who had to build two churches for himself, it seems that actually Jesus is saying that when two or three Christians get together, there are bound to be disagreements.  Jesus is not just setting the minimum standard for the church to be the church with two or three people gathered in his name, he is setting a high expectation for how people will show godly love for one another even when we as the church, the body of Christ, disagree.
    As we well know, people in any church are comprised of incredibly different, varied people.  It’s not so surprising that there are conflicts in church, in fact, it may be more miraculous when we DO agree with one another.  When we think about what makes people uncomfortable, we often might think about public speaking as a common fear, or talking about politics or religion in mixed company, or contemplating our own mortality.  But I find that conflict is something that MANY people really try hard to avoid.  Most people do not like conflict.  I would include myself in that category, but I have learned the hard way that addressing a smaller conflict directly before it becomes a bigger one can be extremely helpful in the long run, even though I don’t like it.  Sometimes Christian churches promote a misconception that everyone needs to get along all of the time for us to be considered a “nice, welcoming congregation.”  In actuality, just like individuals in family or friend relationships, churches that address conflicts directly, regardless of how difficult and painful, learn how to be in healthy relationships that allow them to be welcoming and nice to newcomers.  Rather than a new person feeling like they have to walk on eggshells in talking about certain topics, or that someone is talking about them behind their backs, welcoming churches encourage honest conversation about difficult issues and recognize that respectful, healthy dialogue where we agree to disagree is good and Christ-like.
I know many of you have experience either growing up in the Catholic church or of course having many friends and family who are Catholic.  Lutherans do not consider the rite of reconciliation or individual confession a sacrament.  There are no confessional booths in this sanctuary.  That doesn’t mean you can’t still come to me as your pastor and ask for a time of confidential confession and forgiveness individually.  But in our worship service, Lutherans almost always begin worship with a time of confession and forgiveness not only for ourselves as individuals but for our community to practice working through conflict healthily.  Jesus doesn’t pretend to think that any of us are without sin.  He KNOWS conflicts will arise where two or three are gathered, even in his name. Here in Matthew 18, he gives some pretty practical, healthy communication advice, which is along the lines of what any psychologist or family therapist would recommend today:  if someone has wronged you, you talk to them about why you feel hurt directly, privately. And if you can’t resolve it by yourselves, you invite one or two others to mediate.  And if the situation still isn’t resolved, in the case of the church, bring it to the church.  “I’m sorry,” and “I forgive you,” are simple phrases in the sense that even my small children know what they mean.  But they are incredibly difficult to say when we’ve truly been hurt, or when we find it difficult to admit that we’ve done something wrong.  Confession and forgiveness done regularly in worship as a community of faith teaches us weekly to be honest with ourselves and others about what we may have done to offend any other member of the body of Christ, and how we can move forward with God’s forgiveness to heal relationships.  We ask God for help to heal our personal relationships and our congregation so that we can be Christ’s witnesses to a hurting world in need of healing!  Christ’s healing mission starts with us.
Here’s some good news: the Gentiles and tax collectors Jesus is talking about who are unrepentant are the very people Christ calls to be disciples. He eats and drinks with Gentiles and tax collectors.  Christ doesn’t give up on extending his grace, forgiveness and healing to a broken world with broken people in it.  Similarly, we can look back on the last six months and see how yes! Even while we were gathered for worship in our homes with two or three, online or in-person, Christ was there among us.  It is the name of Christ who gives us the strength and the ability to forgive and to see others as members of the body of Christ as well. It is Christ’s presence that allows us to see Christ in our neighbor, who may be on the complete opposite end of the political spectrum, who may love contemporary praise music when I prefer traditional hymns, who may be living a very different life than I am, yet it is Christ who still unites us, brings us together, and our faith in him that by his body and blood, we are forgiven, restored, and saved – young and old, rich and poor, you name it, we are one in the body of Christ.  Be assured today of Christ’s forgiveness for you, and his desire for you to extend humility and forgiveness to others.  He is here among us, even now. Thanks be to God!  Amen.