June 7, 2023 – Our Daily Bread Devotional, Wednesday ODB Message
June 7, 2023 – Our Daily Bread Devotional, ODB Devotional Message for Wednesday written by Marvin Williams
TOPIC: A Loving Warning
BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Chronicles 28–29; John 17
KEY VERSE: “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. Matthew 18:15
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Matthew 18:15–20 (NIV)
15 “If your brother or sister[a] sins,[b] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.
19 “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. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
INSIGHT FOR OUR DAILY BREAD 6TH JUNE 2023 BY J.R HUDBERG
Matthew 18:15–20 contains three ideas that are sometimes treated individually with no relationship to each other. However, the context of verses 15–17 determines the interpretation of verses 18–20.
Verses 15–17 discuss the process of forgiveness and restoration for a believer in Jesus who sins. They outline the responsibility that fellow believers have to one another to confront sin when it’s identified and to restore when it’s confessed. In this context, the statements about binding on earth and heaven (suggesting that the forgiveness and restoration offered by the church is done in the authority of God) and receiving what two agree on (a protection against the potential abuse of singular authority) are directly related to the forgiveness and restoration of a believer in Jesus.
OUR DAILY BREAD DEVOTIONAL 7TH JUNE 2023 MESSAGE:
In 2010, a tsunami struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra, killing more than four hundred people. But the deaths could have been prevented or minimized had the tsunami warning system been working properly. The tsunami detection networks (buoys) had become detached and drifted away.
Jesus said His disciples had a responsibility to warn fellow disciples of things that could harm them spiritually—including unrepentant sin. He outlined a process in which a believer who’s been sinned against by another can humbly, privately, and prayerfully “point out” the sin to the offending believer (Matthew 18:15). If the person repents, then the conflict can be resolved and relationship restored. If the believer refuses to repent, then “one or two others” can help resolve the conflict (v. 16). If the sinning person still doesn’t repent, then the issue is to be brought before “the church” (v. 17). If the offender still won’t repent, the individual is to be removed from assembly fellowship, but he or she can certainly still be prayed for and shown Christ’s love.
As believers in Jesus, let’s pray for the wisdom and courage we need to care enough to lovingly warn one another of the dangers of unrepentant sin and of the joys of restoration to our heavenly Father and other believers. Jesus will be “there . . . with [us]” as we do (v. 20).
REFLECTION: How can you humbly and lovingly confront someone regarding a sin issue? What are the dangers of unrepentant sin?
PRAYER: Dear God, help me to love others enough to lovingly warn them when I see them falling into sin.
Our Daily Bread Devotional 7 June 2023 || ODB for Wednesday Message . Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet.
READ MORE TOPICS: OPEN HEAVENS, OUR DAILY BREAD, IN TOUCH, SEEDS OF DESTINY, STREAMS OF JOY, JOEL OSTEEN, MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE, DCLM DAILY MANNA, UCB WORD FOR TODAY