By roots , he emphasized prayer , fellowship , and Scripture . Often it is easier to focus on the vertical part of the equation . Scripture can speak to us in incredible ways through the Ruach living within us . Prayer can also be a source of solace , rejuvenation , and petition . The third piece , fellowship , can be the most difficult because of two words : other people . People are messy , and often our sin towards each other can lead to broken relationships , even within our congregation and family life . This is the hard work part of our call to worship !
Yeshua in Matthew 18 : 15-20 lays out a powerful teaching on the reconciliation process between believers in the Body of Messiah :
Now if your brother sins against you , go and show him his fault while you ’ re with him alone . If he listens to you , you have won your brother . But if he does not listen , take with you one or two more , so that ‘ by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand .’ But if he refuses to listen to them , tell it to Messiah ’ s community . And if he refuses to listen even to Messiah ’ s community , let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector . ( TLV )
This section is well known yet not easily applied . We are commanded to seek reconciliation and forgiveness by going to our brother or sister directly and showing them their sin , alone . Yeshua says later in the passage that we are to be constantly forgiving , even 70 x 7 times . ( Matt . 18:22 )
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