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Well, good morning. If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us in
Matthew chapter 18 is where we will be. Specifically, when we look at the whole passage, we'll start
in verse 15. If you do not have a Bible, we have some free ones back here at this black table.
We'd love for you at the end of the service to come by and grab one of those. It's a gift from
us to you. We would love for you to be able to engage with us as we dive into God's Word each
week. So please make sure that you stop by and get one of those. A couple of things just kind of
going on. I found out this morning, was talking to Bobby David. Bobby is, his nephew is Daryl Cheeks,
our missionary in the Philippines. And Bobby was sharing with me that he had heard from Daryl in
the first quarter, as they count salvations, that 83 people had given their life to the Lord as a
result of that ministry. And so, yeah, absolutely. It's just fantastic and wonderful to see that all
that God is doing and how God allows us as a local church to be able to participate in different areas
all throughout the world with what he is doing. And we count that as a privilege and as an honor to do
that. Before we get into our passage this morning, it was neat. You know, sometimes when we're reading
through, and so if you're first time here, we're kind of looking at some of those commonly misunderstood
Bible verses that are found. But there's a Bible verse this weekend that's kind of landed
with just some newness and some freshness for me in my life this morning. I just want to share that
with y'all as we get going. And it's found in Genesis chapter 2, verse 18. It says,
Aaron and Emma went out of town this weekend and left with, they went with Aaron's mom. They went off
to the beach for the weekend, kind of a long girls weekend, taking off, go down there, didn't get
invited, not bitter. We're moving on past that, right? And so I call Grayson on Friday and I'm like,
hey buddy, I'm going to stop by and pick up some food. What would you like? And he was like,
could you get cereal and Chinese food? So thank you Panda Express. Large meal for a family. Let's
share it with you. All right. $35 has fed me and Grayson three different meals. Four boxes of cereal
from Dollar General has fed us three different meals. It is not good that man shall be alone.
Right? Fellas, this is what it would have been like. I'm telling you, not a good situation.
She'll be back around one o'clock today. Praise the Lord. Well, so here's our Bible verse for this
morning. We're going to look at Matthew 18, 20. God's word says, for whether two or three are gathered
in my name, there I am among them. Would you go to the Lord with me in prayer? God, we thank you for
your word. We thank you for the authoritative word that you give us. Lord, your perfect word. God,
today as we study this particular verse in context to which Christ gave it to us, God, in the areas
where we have misused or misunderstand, Lord, we thank you and we praise you that there's grace.
God, may we wrestle with the difficult sometimes things through scripture to understand the beauty
and the fullness of who you are, Lord, and what you've called us to. And may these be your words and not
mine. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. So let me read our focus verse one more time. One more time.
Matthew 18, 20. For whether two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.
It's interesting kind of going through and looking at these verses and different ones that we were
going to look at over the course of the summer. And when I landed on this verse, I would argue that of
all the verses that we have discussed, of all the verses that we will discuss, this verse has kind of
been probably the most misused. But honestly, I don't think misused in a manipulative way.
But I know that I have, and I know that you probably have misused it, or in a church context, you've
heard this verse discussed or used, and oftentimes it's actually misused. This verse came across to me as
one to kind of put out front for us to think through. Actually, this past January, I got an
email one Sunday morning actually from Daryl Cheeks, our missionary in the Philippines. And he's like,
hey man, can you help me understand this verse and use it in context? And so we talked through
email kind of working through this. So when this verse is typically misused, it's typically used in
a worship service, a Bible study, a prayer time with a group of people, right, like a community of
believers who are gathered together, right? So there's more than one of them, there's a handful,
there's several, and this verse is used as they maybe prepare to pray or prepare to open God's Word,
and it's used almost as like an invitation or an acknowledgement that because there is more than
one person there, that God is also there. So we gather together for prayer. We say things like,
God, we know as we gather together that your Word tells us we're two or three gathered in my name.
And here's the truth, this isn't a blatant lie, right? We know that whether there are two or more,
God is with them. We can see that and draw that out from Scripture, but there can also be confusing
parts of Scripture because if it's whether there are two or three are gathered, then you're there,
which is sometimes how it's understood, then does that mean where there is one that He is not?
Or where there is none that He is not? So I just want us to talk a little bit this morning about
what I'm talking about, just the presence of God, so that you and I can have a right doctrinal,
theological understanding about the presence of God, because Scripture does tell us that God is
omnipresent. God is omnipresent, and what that means is God in His entire being is present everywhere.
It's one of the many ways that He's different from you and I.
God is not limited by space, by time, or by circumstance.
That everywhere there is, there is God. That's why David writes in Psalm 139, verses 7 through 10,
where shall I go from your spirit, or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Shiloh, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
So where is God? He is everywhere. He is everywhere at all times, in all cases, and we can praise Him for that.
He's here now. He's with you when you leave.
We also see, and we see this in Scripture, and this is a little bit unique and special that we see when we talk about the presence of God, is that we see it in the incarnation of Christ.
John 1, verse 14,
And the word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
And that what we know, Jesus, the Son of God, took on flesh. We see in Jesus, that fully God and fully man, that this is who He is.
In John 14, 9, Jesus says, when you've seen me, you've seen the Father.
So God is everywhere.
We see God in His presence in the person of Christ.
But then there's, and this is probably the way that you and I are most familiar with, of what we talk about, what we speak to in our Christian language, is in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6, 19 through 20,
Or do you not know that your body, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?
You are not your own, for you were bought with a price, so glorify God with your body.
So God is everywhere.
God is Jesus.
And then God indwells us.
In Acts 1-8, it's the fulfillment of the promise that Jesus gives you, the coming of the Holy Spirit, that He will fall on us as believers.
As believers.
And then we see the fulfillment of this in Acts 2 of the early church,
And then it's the continual indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the lives of every man, woman, and child who puts their faith and hope in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
It's the promise of what we have.
So this indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it's a permanent action taken by God to live in the body of believers.
This is how new birth happens, this is how we are confirmed within us that we belong to God, this is how we receive our spiritual gifts, this is how we understand Scripture, this is how we are convicted of our sins, right?
And the list goes on and on and on.
It's not because we're some great moral creatures who have come to enlightenment.
It's the very presence of God, the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
So let's look at this passage.
So if God is omnipresent everywhere,
if God is in the person of Christ, fully God, fully man,
and dwells in the body
of every believer,
this isn't trying to explain
a concept
that's not real.
This is a real tangible piece of who we are.
Then what do we do
with Matthew 18, 20?
What do we do with this?
These are the words of Jesus.
These are red letter words
in our gospel of Jesus
for where two or three
are gathered in my name,
there
I am
among them.
So what we want to do this morning
is understand these pieces
of God, but understand
the fullness of what
these words mean by asking
in ourself,
in what context,
in what setting,
for what purpose
did Jesus give this promise?
It's a promise that he gives
to his followers.
It's a promise that he gives to us
that we can cling to,
that we can hold to,
that we can use
so that we live in the confidence
of who we are
and who he's called us
to be.
When I was talking to someone
this morning
and they were,
we were talking about something
kind of sitting back in the office
and they asked about this
and so I was telling them,
I was like,
well,
here's the context of this verse.
It's a verse that we've mostly,
all of us have heard probably.
And I said the context
and then they go,
huh,
really?
So maybe you have that
with us this morning,
right?
Let's read Matthew 18
starting in verse 15.
If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault
between you and him alone.
If he listens to you,
you have gained your brother.
But if he does not listen,
take one or two others
along with you
that every charge
may be established
by the evidence
of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them,
tell it to the church.
And if he refuses to listen
even to the church,
let him be to you
as a Gentile
and a tax collector.
Truly I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven
and whatever you loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven.
Again I say to you,
if two of you agree on earth
about anything,
they ask it,
it will be done for them
by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three
are gathered in my name,
there I am among them.
So let's look at this context.
The context for this verse
that Jesus gives
is church discipline.
It's church discipline.
Now, I'll be honest with you,
church discipline
is probably not the hot topic
that gets everybody excited, right?
Like, let's run some low attendance,
we're going to talk about
church discipline and tithing.
And everybody's like,
ah, I got somewhere I got to be.
You know what I mean?
Like, this is one of those
that's like, ah.
But I think it can be unfairly criticized
as harsh.
But I think what we'll see
in this passage of Scripture
is that the goal
is not an attack of the person,
but attack on sin.
And Jesus striving to hold us,
the church,
accountable to a standard
when it comes to sin.
Right before this,
Jesus is teaching.
Jesus is in one of those
teaching modes that he has.
And right before he goes
into church discipline,
Jesus talks about
the parable of the lost sheep
and the emphasis on that
of restoring someone,
of bringing someone back.
Like, praise the Lord,
hallelujah,
this is what happens.
The parable right after this
is Jesus sharing the parable
of the unforgiving servant,
of how to forgive someone.
These are two things
that you and I see
and we're drawn to.
These are those goosebump passages
that we get
as the Holy Spirit
is working in us
to draw us,
to convict us.
We're going to restore someone.
We're going to forgive someone.
We're going to see this happening.
But sandwich right there
in the middle.
Jesus talks about
this is what
church discipline looks like.
This is the necessity of it.
So let's look at what Jesus says
for us as we find this.
Here's the setting.
A brother or,
that's the term that is used
as brothers,
but this could be any believer.
A brother or sister in Christ
has committed a sin
and very specifically
committed a sin against you.
And I think this is something
that we can probably
all relate to, right?
I don't know about you,
but I know
that I have sinned
against others
and I've also,
unfortunately,
sat in the other seat
and felt that
sin against me.
And what Jesus walks through
is when this happens
and we acknowledge
that this will happen,
when this happens,
how do we handle
conflict?
How do we handle
conflict in light
of the gospel?
How do we handle
conflict in a way
that brings glory to God?
And how do we handle
conflict
in a way that
unifies the church
and not,
doesn't divide the church?
So he gives three steps.
Three steps that are
kind of build
in severity
of what this looks like.
Step number one,
he says,
go to them
in private.
Verse 15,
if your brother
sins against you,
go and tell him
his fault
between you
and him alone.
if he listens
to you,
you have
gained
your brother.
Hmm.
I lost count
in how many times
I've failed at this.
Our tendency
can be
when someone
does this
to not do
what Christ
has called us to,
but to ignore
or to gossip.
Can I tell you
what happened
to me?
Let me tell you
what someone's done.
Or,
I see their sin,
I'm going to ignore it.
I see their sin,
I'm going to dismiss it.
Both of these
is what Christ
points us to
are not
essential
when he's
calling us
to be committed
to maintaining
healthy,
gospel-centered
relationships
within
the body
of Christ.
Aaron and I
celebrated
21 years
of marriage
this past
June 19th.
I was thinking
about
the
difficulties
early on
in marriage.
I mean,
you're learning
how to live
with someone
that you've
never lived
with before.
You're learning
how to share
things like
finances.
You're learning
how to put
others' needs
ahead of your
own.
And these
aren't things
that we're
necessarily
great at.
One of the
things that I
found and
that I remember
back in mine
and Aaron's
relationship
early on
is someone
would do
something
against the
other one.
right?
And maybe
this wasn't
like a sinful
attack
but it was
something where
you felt
hurt.
You felt
bothered.
You felt
offended.
And then
we would just
kind of
swallow it
down and
suck it up
and think
we'll just
or I'll just
move on
past this.
and the
next thing
you know
three weeks
later one
of you
leaves the
empty carton
of milk
in the
refrigerator
and one
person blows
up at the
other.
Right?
It's what
happens.
Instead of
saying like
hey can we
talk about
this we
say hey
can we
ignore
this?
And then
it builds
and builds
and builds.
And so
Christ has
given us a
picture of
the church
as much as
something like
not putting
your dishes
in the dishwasher
or not
getting the
mail as
you come
in or
putting an
empty milk
carton back
into the
refrigerator.
While these
things are
small and
petty within
the context
of a
marriage
much more
so is the
sinfulness
of one
another
within the
body of
Christ
exceedingly
building and
that you and
I are called
not to commit
further sins
of gossip
but not to
commit further
sins of
ignoring.
That God
calls us
to engage
within this
and your
thought could
honestly be
a lot like
my thinking
sometimes with
this.
Well that's
just going to
create more
conflict.
That's just
going to
create more
drama.
That's just
going to
create unnecessary
conflict between
me and another
person and it
could destroy
the relationship.
But what's
more important
your relationship
or their soul.
And so
Jesus is
calling us
in this
first step
to a
personal
private
conversation
where the
goal
there's a
goal to
these
is not
let me get
something off
my chest
where the
goal isn't
well let me
call you out
on something
right.
This kind of
plays back
to a few
weeks ago
where we
talked about
judge not
lest you
be judged.
It's not
ignore.
It's the
heart in
which we
confront.
It's the
heart in
which we
sit down
with one
another and
so the
goal for
this of
what we
see in
Matthew 18
is forgiveness
restoration and
reconciliation.
That's the
goal.
It's not the
airing of
grievances.
It's not how
I'm right and
you're wrong.
It's not the
gotcha.
It's not let me
cut you with
my words because
you cut me
with yours.
It's
forgiveness.
It's
restoration.
It's
reconciliation.
And that's
always the
goal.
And the
beauty of
that is
what we
find is
that's the
path and
the plan
of the
gospel.
It's
forgiveness.
The release
of wrongdoing
that someone
has committed
against you.
Let me
share this
with you
as I
forgive you
and prepare
to release
this.
Well,
here's the
thing also
about forgiveness
even if they
reject that you
and I are still
called to
forgive.
But it's
forgiveness.
I'm going to
release.
I'm going to
let go.
I'm not going
to hold
this against
you.
But there's
also the
restoration.
Because of
what has
happened,
there is
something that
is broken.
There's a
brokenness in
the relationship
but there's
also a
brokenness
within you.
There's a
brokenness
within me.
And so
restoration invites
within to the
process
accountability
between one
another
so that we
can work
through what
God has
for us.
You see the
process that
begins to
happen.
So that
reconciliation
might be
possible which
is the
fullness of
the
restoration
of the
relationship
so that we
are not
brothers and
sisters in
Christ with
the divide
between us
that we're
a brother
and sister
in Christ.
unified
under the
authority of
God
living for
the gospel.
So this
would be
great if
Jesus says
hey here's
step one
this is the
only step
that's needed
because it's
going to happen
this way every
single time
but that's not
the case.
So he gives
us step two.
He says
take one or
two others
with you
if they
reject what
you say
to discuss
it more.
Verse 16
but if he
does not
listen
if he does
not listen
take one or
two others
along with
you
that every
charge
may be
established
by the
evidence
of two
or three
witnesses.
Here is why
other believers
need to be
invited into
the process
because hurt
people tend
to want
to lash
out and
hurt people.
Misunderstandings
could take
place.
What someone
thought was
intentional could
have been a
complete and
total accidents.
People see
things differently.
People understand
things differently
and so the
guidance of
God's word
is to invite
godly men
and women
of faith
into the
process for
accountability
for both
sides.
It's not
rallying the
troops on
your side.
It is getting
fellow brothers
and sisters
in Christ
to come
alongside
who understand
the important
part of this
that we will
emphasize and
repeat over
and over
again
what is
the goal.
Forgiveness,
restoration,
reconciliation.
That's what
we're moving
toward.
That's what
we're pursuing.
He does not
listen, take
one or two
others along
with you that
every charge
may be
established by
the evidence
of two
or three
witnesses.
Then there's
another step.
And this
third step
is not
a step
that you
take lightly.
It's not
a step
that a
church
considers
on a whim.
it's not
a step
that as
a pastor
that you
don't struggle
with a great
burden
for what
God's Word
says.
Let's look
back at
verse 17.
If he
refuses
to listen
to them
tell it
to the
church.
If he
refuses
to listen
even to
the church
let him
be to
you
as a
Gentile
and a
tax
collector.
These
are big
powerful
words
by Jesus.
Jesus
commands
that when
the problem
of sin
of
unrepentant
sin
refuses
to be
dealt
with.
That you
bring it
before
the
church.
That the
church
processes
the weight
of the
condition
of the
unrepentant
sin
with the
individual.
And then
in culturally
speaking
Jesus
says
treat
them
like a
Gentile
or a
tax
collector.
Those
who at
the time
would be
labeled
as
those
who
were the
most
resistant
and
against
the work
of God
in their
life.
about
15
years
ago
before
I
came
here
to be
the
senior
pastor
of
this
church.
We
had to
walk
through
this
situation
with an
individual
at the
church
that I
was
serving
at.
unwilling
unrepentant
to see
the sin
the blatant
the horrific
sin
that was
in their
life.
Unwilling
to repent
before God
and in
the hardest
decision
but in
a unified
decision
we made
the choice
to play
out
what
Jesus
had
commanded
us
to.
It's
hard
but it's
essential.
Why?
We all
sin.
We all
sin.
There's not
a person
here today
me included
that hasn't
sinned
over and
over again
already
today.
we all
sin
but the
unwillingness
to acknowledge
that you're
a sinner
the unwillingness
to repent
of the sin
that's the
issue
while sin
yes is a
heart issue
unrepentant
sin
is a
darker
deeper
issue
of the
heart
that begins
to consume
and destroy
the life
of the
person.
Here's
what's
crazy
about
step
three.
Step
three
has the
same
goal.
Wait a
minute.
We're
talking
about
removal.
We're
talking
about
a level
of
discipline.
We're
talking
about
treating
someone
as a
Gentile
or a
tax
collector.
It's
just going
to create
bitterness
and anger
and strife.
It's going
to divide
but it's
the same
goal.
It's
the same
goal.
Forgiveness,
restoration,
and
reconciliation.
The most,
well, a lot
of the churches
in the Bible
were dysfunctional
in a lot
of the things
that are
happening.
But the
church at
Corinth had
a lot of
problems.
I want to
read, if you
want to turn
there with
me, I
apologize.
It's not on
the screen.
I decided to
add this.
this morning.
But if you
want to turn
to 1 Corinthians
chapter 5
in your
Bible, I
want to
read the
first five
verses.
As the
apostle Paul
deals
specifically
with a
matter
within the
church
of taking
how do
you apply
these hard
difficult
truths
of Jesus
to a
very specific
situation.
1 Corinthians
5
starting
in
verse
1.
It is
actually
reported
that there
is sexual
immorality
among you
and of a
kind that
is not
tolerated
even among
pagans
for a man
has his
father's
wife.
and you
were
arrogant
ought
you
not
rather
to
mourn?
Let
him
who has
done
this
be
removed
from
among
you.
For
though
absent
in
body
I
am
present
in
spirit
and
as
if
present
I
have
already
pronounced
judgment
on the
one
who
did
such
a
thing.
When
you
are
assembled
in
the
name
of
the
Lord
Jesus
and
my
spirit
is
present
with
the
power
of
our
Lord
Jesus.
Verse
five
this
is
tough.
You
are
to
deliver
this
man
to
Satan
for
the
destruction
of
the
flesh
so
that
his
spirit
may
be
saved
in
the
day
of
the
Lord.
So
Paul
says
there's
this
despicable
grotesque
level
of
sexual
immorality
that
has
been
allowed
to
infiltrate
the
church.
Paul
says
it's
so
bad
that
it's
not
tolerated
amongst
pagans
who
have
temples
for
prostitutes.
And
he said
and you
are being
silent
about it.
You're
not
dealing
with
this.
And
this
sin
infects
and it
spreads
and it's
unrepentant
sin
by someone
who claims
to be a
believer.
So what
you've got
to do
treat them
like that
pagan
like that
tax collector
and let
them go.
Well
Bo
well Paul
but we
want them
to come
to know
Jesus.
Yes.
yes
the goal
for Paul
is still
forgiveness
restoration
and
reconciliation
but here's
what's got to
happen
it's their
flesh.
You see
for I have
been crucified
with Christ
it is no longer
I who live
but he who
lives in me.
It's
crucifying
of the flesh
it's a
destruction
of the sin
it's knowing
that I do
it
and I do
it often
and it is
offensive
to a holy
God.
So turn
him over.
Turn
him over
so that
in the
consequences
of his
actions
maybe the
destruction
of his
flesh
would happen
in a
phrase that
you and I
refer to
let him
hit
rock
bottom.
for most
of my
unsaved
life
for most
of my
unsaved
life
those
around
me
try to
ignore
and
dismiss
the
sinfulness
of my
flesh.
They
talked
about it
everybody
knew
about it
but they
wanted to
ignore it
when it
came in
the
conversations
with me.
They
want to
dismiss it
when it
came in
the
conversations
with me
and I'll
never forget
this.
I'll never
forget the
day after
my 22nd
birthday
sitting at
my dinner
table
with my
mom eating
breakfast that
morning
and her
coming to
me and
saying listen
I've
watched your
destruction
I've
watched
your
pain
I've
watched
the
sin
of your
life
and no
more
no more
not for
me
not for
your dad
not for
your sister
we're
releasing
you
and she
let me
hit
rock bottom
the most
loving
action
my mom
ever gave
me
was get
out
was get
out
so that
my spirit
might be
saved
you were
to deliver
this man
to Satan
for the
destruction
of his
flesh
so that
his spirit
might be
saved
in the
day of
the Lord
two days
later
two days
later
rock
bottom
literally
and
spiritually
reeking
of the
smell
of my
sin
knowing
that
there's
no
step
that I
can figure
out
there's
no
manipulation
that I
can
create
there's
no
lie
that I
can
share
to get
me
out
of the
hole
that I'm
in
when I
heard
the
soft
powerful
voice
of God
and
in that
moment
what I
knew
that I
was a
sinner
who
desperately
needed
Jesus
and
nothing
and no
one else
could
fix
where I
found
myself
and on
that
day
God
saved
me
and on
that day
not only
did I
experience
forgiveness
and
restoration
and
reconciliation
from a
holy
God
but I
experienced
forgiveness
restoration
and
reconciliation
from a
godly
mother
praise
the
Lord
for that
day
here
is
why
Matthew
18
matters
I
know
I've
sat
in the
seat
I've
had the
conversation
I've
had the
conversation
back toward
me
when it
comes
to this
level
of
discipline
when it
comes
to this
level
of what
God has
called us
to
what is
needed
amongst
the church
is unity
and not
division
what is
needed
amongst
brothers
and sisters
in Christ
is clarity
of where
God is
going
and clarity
of what
God is
doing
and so
Jesus
says
this is
what I'm
calling you
to do
and if
this is
the point
that it
gets to
treat
him like
a
Gentile
treat
him like
a tax
collector
and in
the unity
I've
commanded
you to
what
you do
holds
what you
ask
for
shall
be
done
because
for
where
the
two
or
three
are
gathered
in
my
name
and
let me
add
this
not
because
Christ's
words
are
insufficient
but
because
we
need
understanding
in
the
work
in
unity
and
movement
of
the
gospel
there
I
am
among
them
the
goal
what's
the
goal
of
kids
camp
what's
the
goal
of
mission
trips
what's
the
goal
of
small
groups
they've
all
got
different
aspects
of
things
that
they
play
out
and
things
that
they
do
but
what
is
it
overarching
it's
forgiveness
from
God
because
of
the
condition
of
our
heart
of
restoration
to
take
that
which
was
broken
and
mend
it
to
be
used
to
bring
glory
to
reconcile
to
take
that
which
was
separated
and
bring
back
together
again
because
church
we
serve
a
God
of
reconciliation
it's
the point
of the
cross
it's
the hope
that we
have
that all
of us
the Bible
says
are sinners
and deserve
death
but
through
the
work
of
Christ
we've
been
forgiven
we've
been
made
new
and
we've
been
brought
into
a
relationship
with
all
we
got
I
hope
this
wasn't
a
hard
passage
message
to
listen
to
it
was
a
hard
passage
to
preach
it's
a
hard
passage
to
work
through
if
you're
here
right
now
and
what
settles
in
your
heart
is
this
seems
unloving
I
would
challenge
you
to
think
through
what
love
is
to
see
and to
understand
and to
know
the heart
of God
not a
God who
enables
but a
God who
forgives
who
restores
and
reconciles
and
this
is
the
ministry
that
he's
called
us
to
would
you
pray
with
me
God
I
come
to
you
this
morning
Lord
so
many
times
your
word
is
not
easy
and
simple
it
challenges
us
it's
difficult
and
it's
just
the
reminder
Lord
that
we
in
our
limitations
need
your
spirit
to
teach
us
to
shape
us
to
train
us
into
who
you've
called
us
to
be
Lord
and
what
you've
called
us
to
do
to
who
you've
called
us
to
become
God
I
thank
you
that
the
goal
of
church
discipline
is
not
how
do
we
get
rid
of
people
how
do
we
call
out
people
but
the
goal
of
church
discipline
is
how
do
we
bring
people
back
how
do
we
restore
that
which
was
broken
how
do
we
reconcile
with
one
another
but
also
Lord
with
a
holy
God
I
pray
I
pray
Lord
that
if
there's
anyone
here
today
maybe
they
find
themselves
at
that
rock
bottom
God
and
they've
been
reaching
and
trying
to
grasp
and
trying
to
pull
themselves
up
through
other
means
and
through
other
ways
things
that
are
found
within
themselves
of
who
they
are
that
God
today
they would
just
reach
up
and
grab
a hold
of
Jesus
that
I
pray
that
if
there's
someone
here
in
Lord
this
resonates
with
them
there's
a
discussion
that
they
need
to
have
there's
someone
they need
to sit
across
from
whether
it's
that
they've
sinned
against
them
or
that
they've
been
sinned
against
God
I pray
that the
heart
of
Christ
would
resonate
within
them
working
toward
forgiveness
working
toward
restoration
praying
for
reconciliation
God
we all
walked in
here this
morning
coming
from
somewhere
a little
different
a little
unique
but what
we all
need
is a
little bit
more of
Jesus
a little
bit
more
of
the
working
of
your
hand
so
God
do
what
you
do
in
us
do
what
you
do
through
us
and
let's
in
Jesus
them
pray
amen
that's
it
for
this
week's
message
be
sure
to
check
back
next
week
for
a
new
episode
and
in
the
meantime
you
can
visit
us
online
at
willowridgechurch.org
or by
searching for
Willow Ridge Church
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and YouTube
thanks again
for listening
and YouTube