Sermon
#49
Series: Matthew
Title: THE MATTER OF
CHURCH DISCIPLINE
Text: Matthew 18:15-35
Subject: Christ’s Rules for the Regulation of
His Church
Reading:
Office: Rex Bartley Auditorium: Lindsey Campbell
Date: Tuesday Evening- June 27, 1995
Tape: #51
Introduction:
I want to talk to you this evening about The Matter of Church Discipline. My
text is Matthew 18:15-35. Before we begin let me state emphatically that I am
far more concerned about getting sinners converted and into the kingdom of God
than I am about getting sinners out of it. Most pastors, elders, and churches
run to one of too extremes:
Proposition: In the passage of Scripture, our Savior
gives us a direct command for the discipline of his house and lays down general
guidelines that are to be followed.
Divisions: As we go through this passage of Scripture
together, give me your attention, as I endeavor to show you what is taught in
this portion of God’s Word.
As we go through these
verses, I am sure you will be surprised, and I hope delighted, to see how our
Lord enforces his doctrine in The
Matter of Church Discipline. There are things in this
text to which I will direct your attention.
1. The
Discipline of God’s Saints (vv. 15-18).
2. The
Delight of God’s Saints (vv. 19-20).
3. The
Difficulty for God’s Saints (vv. 21-22).
4. The
Debt of God’s Saints (vv. 23-35).
5. The
Duty of God’s Saints (vv. 23-35).
I. First, our Savior gives us a word of
instruction about The
Discipline of Saints (vv. 15-18).
Without question there are many difficulties surrounding
the whole issue of church discipline. I know that I am not going to settle
these difficulties in this message. That is not my intention. I only want to
show you that which is obvious in the passage. I will say no more than the text
says and no less. But I must show you what is taught in this passage of
Scripture. In these verses, our Lord Jesus gives us three admirable, simple
rules for the healing of differences among brethren. And the rules are
accompanied with a blessed promise.
A. The
Rules of Discipline – (vv. 15-17).
Sinners in this world, though washed in the blood of
Christ and sanctified by his spirit are sure to offend one another from time to
time.
NOTE: The offences spoken of in our text are not petty
gripes, personality clashes, and silly spats, about which it is utterly
ridiculous and totally unchristian for grown men and women to be divided. The
offences spoken of here are radical and, if left unsettled, destructive.
NOTE: All matters of insignificance are to be treated as
such (Matt. 5:38-42).
Because our Lord does not name the offences, we must look
elsewhere in the N.T. where discipline was practiced or exercised to see what
disciplinary offences are.
1. The
Disciplinary Offences set forth in the N.T. may be summarized in four ways.
a. Financial,
Business Offences (I Cor. 6:1-8).
b. Divisive,
Bickering Offences (I Cor. 3:17; Eph. 4:29-5:1).
c. Clearly
Established, Publicly Known Moral Offences – The Incestuous Man (I Cor. 5:1-5).
d. Heretical,
Doctrinal Offences. (I Tim. 1:20; II Tim. 2:17-18; Tit. 3:10).
NOTE: The reason these issues must be dealt with is they
offset the welfare of the whole church and the cause of Christ.
2. The
steps to be taken in discipline are clearly established, so that those who have
offended may be most easily won, with the least public scandal.
The
object is to win your brother, not to punish him, reproach him, or destroy him.
NOTE: “Tell it unto the church” does not necessitate a
public hearing! It forbids discipline by a church council. It is a matter for
each local church to be handled by the appointed pastors and elders of that
local assembly.
B. The
Promise of Verse 18 must be understood properly.
This
does not mean that men can bend the will of God to their own will, but that God
has a clearly revealed principle to which the church must conform.
The
text would be better translated – “Whatsoever ye shall
bind on earth shall have been bound, etc.” In other words, when the church of
God follows Christ’s instruction in this matte, it conforms in its decisions to
that which God has already done. This kind of discipline may be laughed at or
ignored by men, but it is done with God’s authority and God’s approval.
II. Secondly, our Lord
deals with that which is The
Delight of Saints in verses 19-20).
In verse 19, he shows us the blessedness of public
prayer. In verse 20, he shows us the blessedness of public worship.
A. Verse
19 gives particular encouragement to united, public prayer.
Remember, the whole context is talking about the local
church. This verse is not calling for the confusion of many voices in prayer,
but the union of believing hearts in prayer. “Besides the general regard God
has to the prayers of the saints, he is particularly pleased with their union
and communion in these prayers.” (M. Henry).
B. The
Lord Jesus promises his presence with his people whenever they come together
for worship in his name (v. 2).
III. Thirdly, Peter’s question and our Lord’s
answer shows us The
Difficulty of Saints in the matter of forgiveness – (vv. 21-22).
These two verses have nothing to do with civil law or
civil government. The welfare of society demands law and order, which cannot be
maintained without the punishment of crime.
Neither does our Lord mean that we are to tolerate
thefts, assaults, or injuries to property with impunity.
“All that he means is that, we are to study a general
spirit of mercy and forgiveness towards our brethren. We are to learn much and
put up with much rather than quarrel. We are to look over much and submit to
much, rather than have any strife.” (J.C. Ryle).
Such a spirit of mercy, forgiveness, and longsuffering is
contrary to the flesh. So we struggle with it. But it is absolutely essential
to Christianity. (Matt. 6:15).
IV. Fourthly, the parable
given in verses 23-35 compares our sins to a debt owed to God and the
forgiveness of our sins by the blood of Christ to the cancellation of The Debt of Sin.
A. Sin is A
Debt.
B. Sin is A Debt we Cannot Pay.
C. God
Almighty is Ready, Willing, and Able to Forgive Guilty Sinners of Their Debt!
1.
The
Basis of Forgiveness is Justice Satisfied.
2.
The
Cause of Forgiveness is God’s Mercy and Compassion toward Sinners.
3.
All
who sue for mercy receive forgiveness!
V. Fifthly,
this parable declares it to be The Deity of Saved Sinners to forgive the offences of
their brethren, even as we have been forgiven by our God. (vv. 23-35).
There
are few duties practiced so little as the duty of forgiveness. Yet, there are
none so strongly and constantly enforced in the N.T. And this is the one deity
which, if neglected, shuts men and women out of the kingdom of heaven! You
cannot be saved if you refuse to practice forgiveness!
·
Free
Forgiveness.
·
Sincere
Forgiveness – “From your heart.”
·
Relentless
Forgiveness.
Application:
1.
Would
you win a fallen brother! – Show him forgiveness!
2.
Would
you prove your faith? – Forgive Offenders!
3.
Would
you grow in grace? – Practice Forgiveness!
4.
Would
you be like God? – Forgive - (Eph.
4:32- 5:1).
Illus: Bishop Crammer – “If you ever did him an injury, he was sure to be
your friend.”
5. The best discipline in all the world is the discipline of
forgiveness – (II Cor. 2:7-8).