Matthew 18:15-35 The stages and purposes of discipline are related to discipleship and aimed at redemption
“Discipleship and Discipline”
Matthew 18:15-35
“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. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Matthew 18:19–20
Intro:
Discipleship and Discipline: same root
- Challenge and Change: Almost no change in this life comes without challenge – intellectual, spiritual, physical, etc.
- Taking a person from as they were to as they wish to be.
- The idea of discipline contains a Command and a Caution.
- The Pattern
If/Then/If pattern implied in each step
We’ll look at the pattern in verse 15, and then impose it over verses 16 and 17
“If your brother [Adelphos - fellow Christian: member of a defined group] or sister sins,
- [some mss. “Sins against you,” this distinction between private and public can be important]
[Then] go [Hypago – Lead under yolk, move along] 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,
[Then] take one or two others along,
so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
[If they listen to you, you have won them over.] implied
“One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Deuteronomy 19:15
- It’s getting serious
- Who? “Those who live by the spirit.”
17 If they still refuse to listen,
[then] tell it to the church;
[If they listen to you, you have won them over.] implied
and if they refuse to listen even to the church,
[then] treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
[If they listen to you, you have won them over.] implied
[command to restore in one of Paul’s writings
Matthew 18:15–17
- Most likely reserved Public Sin [in the church]
“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister a but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:9–13
- Who claims to be a Christian
- Or grievous sin
- Specifically one warning
- Expands it to others
- public
- The Purpose
Personal reasons:
- If they listen to you, you have won them over.
“My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
James 5:19–20
- Save them from death.
- Cover a multitude of sins.
“ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.
- Avoid sharing in the guilt.
18 “ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”
Leviticus 19:17–18
- At almost any point, forgiveness is an option when it comes to a personal sin, or a “sin against you”
Corporate [group/church/congregational] reasons:
Tarnishes the reputation or testimony of Christ. Requires further steps.
- Avoid sharing in the guilt. Bad teaching, bad behavior, etc. spreads
“Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
1 Timothy 1:18–20
- Eliminate Blasphemy.
- Leads astray.
Previous passage: Jesus called His followers to be as little children and voiced His desire that none be led astray.
“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.”
Titus 3:9–11
- Eliminate divisiveness.
What kind of people?
- Warped and Sinful
- Self-condemned
17 “I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.”
Romans 16:17–19
- Remove Obstacles
Advocate for teaching and behavior contrary to what has been taught.
What kind of people are these?
- Not serving Christ
- Serving their own appetites
How do they function?
- By smooth talk and flattery
- Deceiving the naive
- The Power
“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
“If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!”
1 Corinthians 6:1–3
“This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” 2 I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.”
2 Corinthians 13:1–4
- How it is done?
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone,”
Galatians 6:1–4
- By the Spirit
- For Restoration……….where possible: the result is not up to us
- Careful of our own spiritual condition:
- Cautious about how: process
- Cautious about what it brings out in us
- The Caution:
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
- When someone shows repentance
- When it is personal and not important for the health of the church/others
- You can even wait on the first step, to let the Holy Spirit have room to move
[When I am wrong, I appreciate it]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Matthew 18:21–35
- “Against me” – distinction is for the health of the church and weaker believers
- Forgiveness is tremendously important.
Practical -
- Forgiveness is not forgetfulness.
- Boundaries are important.
Risks and rewards:
Unity/Purity/Spiritual Growth
- Not nice – kind, full of mercy and grace
- Those who are spiritual: a lot of unspiritual people will have opinions [Church who confronted adulterous youth minister. Ended in church split]
- Most people leave at “two or three.” [Patti at PIBC]
The modern church is mobile and can avoid accountability. People inherit the former problems of other churches [lots of legitimate reasons for moves, but……charge not to be ignorant or naive]
Conclusion:
- A command: Usually gentle discipleship
- God’s Power is in the middle of it:
- His mercy and grace for those who are willing
[ex. I have not always done perfectly. He is still in the middle of it]
- His mercy and grace for those who receive correction
- His Judgement for those who would subvert the Kingdom
- His goal is Mercy and Grace
- A Caution: consider and prepare when it is serious. It can be intense in the middle of it.
- God’s Power is in the middle of it.
