David Bahn – Reflections

A life of balance is a beauty to behold. We would call balanced people graceful, together, or solid. We define balance in many ways: physically, emotionally, spiritually, or socially. Recently I’ve been looking more deeply considering the life of Christian discipleship as a matter of balance: UP-IN-OUT.

Matthew 18:15-20

“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. ¹⁶But 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. ¹⁷If 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. ¹⁸Truly, 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. ¹⁹Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

The “UP” in this brief teaching of Jesus is the relationship with the Father through Jesus that makes our prayers possible, and our worship of Him powerful. The “IN” here is the concern for the sister or brother who sins against you, and the process of seeking to gain that brother or sister. The out, however, is difficult to identify. It’s not obvious that this has to do with the mission of God to save the world. The expressed activity of going outside the body of believers is not mentioned here.

But Jesus’ whole life was a life of “OUT”. He came to seek and save the lost. He laid down his life for the sheep, and gave us life by means of his death and resurrection. And there is the clue for this passage. It’s right there in the text. Do you see it? He tells the disciples to treat one who refuses to repent as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Think for a moment: How did Jesus treat sinners, Gentiles, and tax collectors? He ate with them. He called one out of the tree, let another wash his feet with her tears, told another that he did not condemn her, and still another that he was the Messiah, having taught her that God desires and is seeking people who will worship him in Spirit and in truth.

How do you deal with the sinners and tax collectors in your life? What is your heart toward them? Where is your “OUT”? He may be in the next cubicle. She may be on the PTA at school. Jesus’ desire is that we gain these people as brothers and sisters in Christ. Oh, and one more thing: you need not attempt this alone. Take two or three others in that pursuit. Seek the support of the whole church in this godly effort!