Introduction

  • Why do we pray together with other Christians?
  • Let’s take a look at a classic passage about praying together
  • ““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 that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”” (Matthew 18:18–20 NIV11)
  • In this passage, Jesus teaches about the power of agreement in prayer and the importance of gathering together as believers.

Context

  • Jesus is addressing His disciples and teaching them about what it means to be part of the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • He starts off by warning them about causing others to stumble and then goes on to talk about the importance of reconciliation and forgiveness.
  • In verses 15-17, Jesus gives instructions on how to handle conflict within the church.

Explanation

  • “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.” (v. 18)
  • This verse emphasises the authority that believers have in prayer. We have the power to bind and loose things on earth, but only if we are aligned with God’s will.
  • “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” (v. 19)
  • Here, Jesus emphasises the importance of agreement in prayer. When two or more believers come together and pray in agreement, God promises to answer their prayers.
  • “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (v. 20)
  • This verse highlights the importance of gathering together as believers. When we come together in Jesus’ name, He promises to be present with us.

Application

  • As believers, we have been given the authority to pray and ask God for things. However, our prayers must be aligned with God’s will, and we must be in agreement with other believers.
  • When we come together in Jesus’ name, whether it’s in a small group or a large church gathering, we can expect Jesus to be present with us.
  • Let’s make it a priority to gather together with other believers and pray in agreement. As we do, we can work towards reconciliation and forgiveness, even in the face of conflict.

Conclusion

  • Jesus teaches us that when we come together in agreement and in His name, we have the power to bind and loose things on earth, and God promises to answer our prayers. Let’s make it a priority to gather together with other believers and pray in agreement, knowing that Jesus is with us and that He will help us work towards unity and reconciliation within the church.

Two final questions for this week:

  1. Do you find praying together unifying?
  2. If you are not praying with other Christians is it because you have relationship challenges?

“Prayer is the oxygen of the soul. It is what connects us to the power source of God. When we pray together, we are breathing in the same oxygen, and it creates a sense of unity and oneness among us. Prayer brings us into the presence of God, and in that presence, our differences and disagreements seem small and insignificant. We become united in our pursuit of God and His will for our lives.”

Tony Evans, Prayers for Victory in Your Marriage, 2018

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.

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“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm