You were created for team
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule … 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule!” … And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
(Genesis 1:26-31)
18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be 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.
18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be 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.
(Matthew 18:18-20)
Some people object to what we learned together from the Bible yesterday. They point out that Jesus gave the housekeys of heaven to Peter in Matthew 16, and they insist that Peter was a special case. He was an apostle, whereas we are just everyday men and women.
Jesus predicted their reaction. That’s why he makes the exact same promise much more generally two chapters later. He points out that this is not a promise just for Peter or for any other lone individual. It is a promise for all God’s people that they are to enjoy together.
Don’t miss the parallels between Matthew 18 and Genesis 1. The Lord creates humanity as male and female, then invites them to rule together as a team. Having restored his rule back to humanity, the Lord insists that his plan is still the same for us. We are not to try to minister as lone rangers in the Kingdom of God. We are to embrace the fact that we are part of the Church, the new human family that Jesus is creating. It is as we pray together as a church, in twos or threes or more, that we experience the full unleashing of the Kingdom rule of heaven on the earth.
Jesus predicted their reaction. That’s why he makes the exact same promise much more generally two chapters later. He points out that this is not a promise just for Peter or for any other lone individual. It is a promise for all God’s people that they are to enjoy together.
Don’t miss the parallels between Matthew 18 and Genesis 1. The Lord creates humanity as male and female, then invites them to rule together as a team. Having restored his rule back to humanity, the Lord insists that his plan is still the same for us. We are not to try to minister as lone rangers in the Kingdom of God. We are to embrace the fact that we are part of the Church, the new human family that Jesus is creating. It is as we pray together as a church, in twos or threes or more, that we experience the full unleashing of the Kingdom rule of heaven on the earth.
1) Who are the ‘team members’ that the Lord has given to you? Clue: If you are married to a believer, or if you live with other Christians, then it is likely to be them.
2) How often do you ‘team’ with those people in prayer? The devil trembles when families and flatmates begin to pray together, so how might you be able to promote more prayer together in very practical ways?
3) How much does the truth of these verses shape your interactions with your Life Group? What would it look like for your Life Group to lay hold of this truth together? How would those around you be affected?
2) How often do you ‘team’ with those people in prayer? The devil trembles when families and flatmates begin to pray together, so how might you be able to promote more prayer together in very practical ways?
3) How much does the truth of these verses shape your interactions with your Life Group? What would it look like for your Life Group to lay hold of this truth together? How would those around you be affected?
Father God, I thank you that you have not left me to rule on my own. You have filled me with your Holy Spirit and you have surrounded me other Spirit-filled believers so that we can team together. Help me to foster a culture of Kingdom prayer within my home and within my Life Group, that we might rule as kings and priests together. Amen.
If you have time, consider carrying on your conversation with God using one of our helpful Prayer Pathways.
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.