Matthew 18:15-20

Pentecost +17 – Year A

Matthew 18:15-20

If another member of the church sins against you – work it out by outnumbering them and putting them in a bad PR position. Where you are working this plan your "two or three greater than that one" will have Jesus among you.

Consider for a moment those times when it isn't a member of the church sinning against you, but the whole of the church. What then?

This is the position many find themselves in on one identity issue after another. First it was the Jerusalem part of the church against gentiles. All too quickly it began focusing on gender and social position (slavery) and race and currently includes sexual orientation.

In this instance the only part of this Ann Landers / Miss Manners advice that holds up is the identity part of it – let your "yes" be "yes".