Church
Discipline
Matthew 7:1-5
Introduction
· Opening Illustration
o
There’s
a guy in church, he seems nice enough
o
But
after his dad got remarried, something’s a little off with his relationship
with his step-mom, ya know, it seemed a little cozy
o
Over
time, it becomes so obvious the whole church knows.
o
Yet,
no one wants want to judge, in fact no one seems to mind.
o
So,
this guy’s adopted an, “I’ve got game” attitude
o
Can
this happen? Yes it can
o
This
is the situation Paul addresses in 1 Cor. 5, and we’ll get there later
o
What
should the church do?
· I’m preaching today on Church
discipline
· Why preach on this? Because we’re not in a time of crisis
· Points – well I’ve got lots today
(that’s why the handout)
· You may be thinking: “Why start in
Matthew 7?”
o
We
need right hearts
o
Discipline
is always a matter of the heart
o
And
always has the same goal – repentance and restoration
Message
· What is Church discipline?
o
Two
things: positive and negative
§ Positive is Bible reading, prayer,
etc.
§ Negative is enacting measures to
bring repentance and restoration
o
It
is natural to the Church, what I mean by that is if a church never proceeds
with discipline, either they’re perfect, or, they’re ignoring the commands of
Scripture
o
If
a church refuses to practice discipline, it’s not a church
o
This
is IMPORTANT: there is no “one size fits all”
· What constitutes a church?
o
The
reformers, (3) things:
§ Faithful preaching of the Word
§ Regular celebration of the sacraments
(or ordinances)
§ Discipline
o
Church
at Ephesus
o
(Revelation
2:5) “Remember therefore from where you
have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to
you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”
o
(Rev.
1:20) tells us it’s the church
o
In
other words, “You don’t get to be a church anymore.”
· Why does a Church do discipline?
(when we do judge)
o
There
are several reasons, here are some
o
Protect
the Bride of Christ
§ As unbeliever’s are confronted they
either leave, or come to faith!
o
Protect
people from themselves (may not have seen)
§ Spiritual growth of God’s people
o
Helps
deter others from sin
§ i.e. a new Christian finds the church
takes sin seriously
§ Acts 5!
§ What happened?
§ (Acts 5:11) “And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of
these things.”
o
It
is loving. We love God, and it is loving to care for the souls of His children
o
For
example, as a parent, it is unloving to fail to discipline your children
§ But the same principle applies
§ Restoration, not vindictive
· What kinds of things may result in discipline?
o
When a Christian sins against another Christian,
and it cannot be overlooked in love. (Proverbs 19:11; Matthew 18:15-22)
o
When a Christian who professes faith lives in
sin without repentance. (Galatians 6:1-5; 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians
2:5-11)
o
When someone encourages or promotes false doctrine. (Acts 20:25-31; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Timothy 1:4-7; 1
Timothy 4:1-8)
o
When a Christian is sincere but deceived. (2
Corinthians 11:3-4;13-15)
o
When a Christian has repeatedly rejected counsel by a church elder. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; 2
Thessalonians 3:14-15; Hebrews 13:17)
· Who is subject? – Everyone who
attends a church
o
Membership
at LEFC gives you certain privileges
§ Vote
§ Serve as a committee chair
§ Be an Elder
o
Being
in Christ makes you a part of THE church (universal), and so everyone is under the authority
of Scripture
o
(Romans
12:4-5) “For as in one body we have many
members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many,
are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
o
(Colossians
1:18a) “And he is the head of the body,
the church.”
· Starting Point
o
Getting
the heart ready
· Matthew 7:1-5
o
TURN
o
(v:2)
“…the measure you use it will be measured
to you.”
§ What’s your heart like when you
judge?
§ In other words, how would I like to
be treated if things were reversed?
§ What is you motive?
§ Rabbinical tradition believed God had
two measures, mercy and justice.
o
(v:3)
“Why do you see the speck that is in your
brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
§ Do you see what sin is like clearly?
§ Your own sin is looming large
§ (Matt. 18) parable of the 10,000
talents
o
(v:5)
“…then you will see clearly to take the
speck out of your brother’s eye.”
§ Go ahead
§ Set aside personal goals and
ambitions
§ Be merciful and generous in what you
do (W/O being outside of Scripture
§ We should grieve having to do any
kind of correction
· Matt 18:15-17
o
TURN/READ
o
There
is no “one size fits all!”
o
(v:15)
brother (or sister)
§ PRAY!
§ Remember, they’re a brother or sister
§ Just you and them
§ Don’t tell others beforehand
§ Goal: win them over
o
(v:16)
two or three witnesses
§ PRAY!
§ Martyr: one who could testify in
court
§ NOT someone who agrees they don’t
like the other
§ The ought to be no gossip in this
§ What if they don’t believe it was an
offence?
ð Was it really offensive?
ð (We do this as Elders)
§ If there are no witnesses you may
have to let the matter drop
§ If not, it should be brought to the
Elders for arbitration (1 Cor.6)
§ Goal: to win them over
o
(v:17)
bring it to the church (assembly/congregation)
§ We insert a step (as there was no
church) add the Elders
ð Arbitrate
ð Weigh/discern
§ PRAY!
§ Notice, the sense here is the WHOLE
congregation will help shepherd them
§ Goal: to win them over
o
I
had a situation years ago (won’t say what church) when someone had slandered
the Sr. pastor and the witnesses to it confronted in love…repentance happened
· 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
o
TURN
o
Two
acts of sin
§ Corporate sin of tolerating, thus
condoning the sin
ð (v:2) arrogant
ð (v:6) boasting
§ Individual sin of immorality
ð The same is implied to this man
ð Arrogant and boastful
o
Is
it punishment? – in one form, yes (2 Cor. 2:6)
o
Remember
the goal – reconciliation and restoration done with a heavy heart
o
What
are Paul’s concerns?
§ God’s glory – our mission
§ “The church exists to glorify God in
all things, resulting in mature Christ-centered disciples.”
o
Notice
Paul’s response is not that of the (Matt. 18) process
o
It
is immediate expulsion from the church
o
Why?
(v:5) Concern for the man’s soul and the integrity of the Bride of Christ
o
God
is more concerned with His glory than how I feel
· Difference between gross, unrepentant
public sin, and single issue sin which may be public or private (hence
witnesses)
o
We
all want our sin kept private, but was it private
§ Rude in a Bible study is actually
public
§ SS class
o
In
what context was the sin?
o
See
Elders before others
Conclusion
· Goal in both passages?
o
Repentance
and restoration
o
If
you don’t have a heavy heart stop!
o
Go
back to (Matt.7) and assess your motives
· Repentance
o
Godly
grief vs. worldly sorrow
o
Worldly
sorrow means I’m sorry I got caught
o
Godly
grief mean I understand the largeness of my sin and how it taints god’s glory
o
Believe
the gospel – you’re forgiven, loved of God, BUT, your consequences may follow
· Restoration
o
Welcome
them back
o
We
lean toward “conditional forgiveness”
o
If
we can’t approach it the right way, we can’t go through it the right way
o
(2
Corinthians 5:18-19) “All this is from
God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of
reconciliation; 19 that
is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their
trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
o
Not
only the message, but living in a way that validates the truths of Scripture
o
God
loves to reconcile sinners to Himself, we ought to as well
o
Let’s
Pray
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