In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus uttered the following words:
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”Matthew 18:20 KJV
From many other texts in the Bible, we know that God’s ability to be with us is not limited to a packed stadium or an empty room. He can be present regardless of whether more or less than 2-3 people have gathered.
So what exactly did Jesus mean in this particular case?
If you look at the context, Jesus is actually explaining to his disciples how to correct a believer who has sinned against them. He encourages them:
- First, talk to this person alone.
- Secondly, if she doesn’t want to listen the first time, take one or two more people with you.
- Thirdly, if she still does not want to listen, bring this issue to the consideration of the church.
- Fourth, if she still refuses to listen to the wisdom and advice of the church, treat her as an unbeliever.
Therefore, when Jesus says: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them!”, he is reminding them that when they deal with church discipline with humility, mercy and love, he will be with them in this process.
Throughout God’s Word, we are given instructions on how to deal with various situations—whether it’s money, relationships, sin, health problems, and more. And even when the situation does not seem clear, we can listen to the Holy Spirit and turn to the leaders He has appointed.
Jesus knew that conflicts and problems would inevitably arise, so He taught His disciples to ask for whatever they needed (see verse 19) and promised to be with them along the way.
