oldparliment

One of the things you have in the lectionary is this:

Matthew 18:15-20

¹⁵“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. ¹⁶But 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. ¹⁷If 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. ¹⁸Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹Again, 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. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Some comments.

1. Bazza preached and reminded us that the man writing this (Matthew) WAS a tax collector. If you are a gentile or tax collector, one is to evangelize, not reject: Rejection occurs when the person who is not accepting feedback rejects us.
2. We are human. We will continue to make the same errors, and will need forgiveness.
3. We are human. We are frequently wrong. On many things — politics for example — no side holds the whole truth, and it is foolish to argue that there is one right way.
4. Confrontation is hard and painful. We tend to avoid it and let things fester. We should not do this.
5. We need to be faithful to scripture: Bazza reminded us that when two or three are together the bible (law and prophets) would have been open