Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:20
Growing up in a small church, it was common to hear Matthew 18:20 quoted as a sort of consolation for poor attendance at Wednesday prayer meeting. "We might be small in number," the Pastor would lament, "but remember that 'where two or three are gathered together' the Lord is there."
Though no one ever questioned this interpretation, the thought must have crossed someone's mind, "Is not one enough for the Lord to be there?" Of course, it is! Paul reminds us in Ephesians 3:17 that Christ dwells in our very hearts by faith. Why, then, does the Lord tell His disciples when "two or three are gathered" in His name, then He will be in the midst of them?
The answer to this question is the context in which it was spoken. In Matthew eighteen, the twelve apostles are instructed concerning church discipline in the kingdom. (Confer with Matthew 16:19 & 18:15-18.) In matters of judgment, the law required at least two or three witnesses for a matter to be established (Deuteronomy 19:15). Therefore, as the twelve apostles exercise judgment in the kingdom, they will have to abide by the legal requirement of two or three witnesses. When two or three agree together on any matter of judgment, the Lord will execute it according to their request (Matthew 18:19). Then, to officially seal the matter, Christ the King will personally attend the trial and sentencing (verse 20).
We can thank the Lord that even if we must stand alone, the Lord is with us, as He was with Paul: "At my first answer no man stood with me .. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me" (II Timothy 4:16, 17).
My Country ‘Tis of Thee
The following are Samuel Smith’s original lyrics for “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” (“America’):
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My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring!
My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills,
Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom's holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God our King.
Daily Smile:
As a mother said goodbye to her son who was returning to school after spring vacation, she reminded him to write often. Another woman standing nearby heard the plea and gave this advice: "The surest way to get your son to write home is to send him a letter saying, 'Here's 50 dollars. Spend it any way you like.'"
"And that will make my son write home?"
"Yes, indeed! You simply forget to enclose the money."
In The News:
Chicago Board of Education OKs Kindergarten Sex Ed
The Chicago Public Schools district plans to start teaching children sex education in kindergarten, CBN News reports. Its Board of Education passed the new policy Wednesday, which mandates that teachers spend a set amount of time on sex education lessons at every grade level. Across the country, most public schools begin teaching sex ed in fifth grade, but under Chicago's new policy, kindergartners will learn about basic anatomy, reproduction, healthy relationships and personal safety. "It is important that we provide students of all ages with accurate and appropriate information so they can make healthy choices in regards to their social interactions, behaviors and relationships," said Barbara Byrd-Bennett, CEO of the Chicago Public Schools system, which is the third-largest in the country. "By implementing a new sexual health education policy, we will be helping them to build a foundation of knowledge that can guide them not just in the preadolescent and adolescent years, but throughout their lives." Parents will be able to opt their children out of the program.
Crackdown on Christians Moves Sudan Closer to '100 Percent' Muslim
Sudan's president has pledged to preserve religious freedom in his proposed "100-percent" Islamic constitution, but Christians doubt the prospect in light of increasing persecution, Christianity Today reports. A government-led crackdown is forcing Christians to flee south into the Nuba Mountains, a region that borders the newly established nation of South Sudan, and ethnic Nuba Christians believe Sudan's central government is attempting to eradicate Christianity from the region. Though the government of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has denied that it is discriminating against Christians, many recent reports have documented increasing attacks.
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