Ought You Not Rather Mourn

†CALL TO WORSHIP based on Hebrews 4:14-16

Minister: We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens: Jesus, the Son of God.

Congregation: We will hold fast our confession.

Minister: For he is not unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, he, in every respect, has been tempted as we are. Yet he lived without sin.

Congregation: Let us then, with confidence, draw near to the throne of grace! Here we will receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

†PRAYER OF ADORATION AND INVOCATION

Glory be to thee, O Father everlasting, who didst send Thine only-begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. Glory be to thee O Jesus Christ, who hast brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Glory be to thee O Holy Spirit, who dost quicken us together with Christ, and does shed abroad his love in our hearts. Come to us now thou Blessed Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Blessed be thy glorious name now and forevermore.

†OPENING HYMN OF PRAISE #299

“Joy to the World! The Lord is Come”

†CORPORATE CONFESSION OF SIN

based on 1 John 1:8; Isa. 1:18

Minister: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Let us confess our sins to the Lord our God.

Congregation: Almighty and most merciful Father; we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. There is no health in us.

Have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent, according to your promises, which were declared unto us in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O merciful Father, for his sake, that we may live a godly, righteous, and sober life; to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Minister: Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Congregation: Thanks be to God! Amen.

CONTINUAL READING OF SCRIPTURE Exodus 2

Steven Hoffer, Elder

THE OFFERING OF TITHES AND OUR GIFTS

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

†HYMN OF PREPARATION #322

“Once In Royal David’s City”

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

Guide us, O God, by your word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in you truth find freedom, and in your will discover your peace through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

SERMON 1 Corinthians 5 Ought You Not Rather Mourn Pastor Austin Prince

1 Corinthians 5 ESV

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

AFTER SCRIPTURE:

Teach me your way, O Lord and I will walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Intro:

A rather pompous-looking deacon was endeavoring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment's pause, one youngster said, "Maybe it's because they don't know you."

In 1 Cor. 5 Paul is dealing with an explicit example of Corinthian hypocrisy. In ch. 4 we saw how they prided themselves in their riches, power, and wisdom, leveraging the gospel to make them entitled “kings and rulers” of those around them rather than servants and stewards of the kingdom of God.

So Paul picks this one example of flagrant sexual immorality to demonstrate how hypocritical, foolish, and powerless their congregation had become. Their “boasting was not good” he tells them in v.6. Instead admiring themselves, they ought rather to mourn, no amount of cream-cheese frosting was fooling him, he knew that the Corinthian party cake was rotten underneath.

And so this chapter is about how to be faithful, how to love those who are in error. This chapter is about church discipline and what we can learn about it in practice.

Paul’s aim is always loving correction. They were to live a new life under grace, but the Corinthians were getting grace wrong, accepting sin without correction (we do this!).

Being approving where we should exercise judgement and being judgmental where we should exercise grace.

In the times we live in (sexuality, homosexuality, pride, trans, adultery, etc.) this text is an excellent summary and reference of how we are to navigate the world around us as Christians and not as hypocrites.

A helpful way to organize the text today for following along, a whole but short chapter, is to ask who, what, when, where, and why. As a guide to what church discipline is, I believe this is very helpful approach.

Who (who is church discipline for?)

1 Corinthians 5:9–13 (ESV) — 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

Discipline is for Christians, those who bear the name of brother.

The bible teaches us to spank our own children, not any child.

If we want to avoid sin in this world and sinful people, then Paul says that we would need to leave the world. We would need to hook up with Elon Musk and head to mars. But if you’ve read C.S. Lewis’s Out of The Silent Planet, then you know we would only be bringing our sin with us.

Church discipline (we will learn what it is in just a moment), is for those who bear the name of brother but refuse to repent.

Discipline is not for the unbeliever. The whole reason for the gospel commission is to rescue those in sin. Discipline isn’t for them — in a way, they are already under discipline as they are separated from the Lord. And once sinners are in the church, guess what? They still sin. Christians, though, should be wrestling with it, walking with the Lord and with their congregation, repenting and believing. If a brother is struggling but humble, then there is no need for discipline. Discipline is for those who bear the name of Christ, but refuse to obey Him. Those who claim to love God, but are living a committed life in love with their sin.

Disciplining the brother is a way to not be a hypocrite. We cannot be severe towards outsiders and passive towards those who align with us (He’s a terrible man but he is a deacon…)

What does this say about our disposition towards those outside the church who are in sin? Christ’s reputation was for going to them, a physician for the sick, a friend of tax collectors and sinners, with the reputation of a drunkard.

What (What is does the discipline look like & What is it supposed to do?)

1 Corinthians 5:3–5 (ESV) — 3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Paul mentions the congregation speaking as an assembly in the name of the Lord Jesus. They were to deliver this man to Satan.

That is, if the person will not repent, then you should affirm to them who it is that they are truly following. It isn’t Christ.

Have you ever wanted to take a spoon outside and scoop up for yourselves a big helping on dog vomit? Me either. But that’s what we are told sin is like. And if you have, like most people, examined the sin in your life and in the world, it’s an accurate description of the pain and suffering and filth that it is. But it never seems that disgusting when we’re presented with it. The same enemy who charms us with the illusion of happiness (the chocolate covered razor blade) is the same enemy who right after we partake stands to mock us, accuse us, and remind us how unfaithful and weak we are. Christians are those who have an advocate with the Father (1 John 2), but when we are handed over to Satan, all we have is the accuser with no advocate. This pressure should be unbearable.

And so, to be removed is to be excommunicated — literally ex communicatio (no communion)

But discipline is for the potential restoration of the rebellious

When (When is the time for discipline?)

1 Corinthians 5:1–2 (ESV) — 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

The situation here in Corinth was well know, instead of boasting they should be in mourning. This sin was ongoing and had gained a reputation. What was it saying about their testimony?

As we have already noted, discipline is for the unrepentant, not for the struggling or for the one who sinned, past tense.

It’s also not for every little trifle. Discipline is for soul-damning sins,

Taking our cues here from Matthew 18, if a person is in sin and confronted but refuses to repent, then take others to confront him. If he doesn not repent, then take it to the church. If they refuse to repent at the pleading of the church, then let that person be to you as an unbeliever and no longer a brother.

The unrepentant brother here had taken his father’s wife, and apparently no one did anything about that.

We ought not to be eager to discipline, either to the outside world where we have no jurisdiction (1 Cor. 5:12), or to those within the church. Discipline is solemn and eternally serious,

Where

1 Corinthians 5:11 (ESV) — 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

First, our separation from this person is at the communion table, not in the pews or in the street or in the cafe

Are we to cross the street if we come upon them on the sidewalk?

Not our enemies

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (2 Thessalonians 3:13–15, ESV)

We are free to associate with this person, but it must be on the terms of “sincerity and truth”(v.8), dealing with them consistently according to their profession of faith or of rebellion.

There can be an obvious hypocrisy here. If we won’t fellowship with those outside the church who behave this way but will fellowship with those inside the church who behave this way speaks volumes who watch our testimony.

Discipline is always happening: we either act truthfully and consistently with discipline — and that either restores or separates (either way effective), or we discipline those in our congregation by neglecting discipline for sin, allowing sin and hypocrisy to break our fellowship and counterfeit our testimony.

Why

1 Corinthians 5:6–8 (ESV) — 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Paul alludes to the feast of Passover and of Unleavened bread.

After the Passover, the Hebrews were to search out any leavening agents (fermenting agents) in the house and get rid of them. It symbolized the corrupting influence of the Egyptians. Leaven, even in small amounts, has an oversized influence on the dough. It was a symbol of what sin can do. Unleavened bread was eaten for seven days while the Hebrews celebrated the feast of the Passover.

In the same way, Paul calls the Corinthians to search the house and get rid of the old leaven of “malice and evil”, but to keep the feast with the unleavened bread of “sincerity and truth”.

We are God’s temple (1 Cor. 3), demonstrating to the world who God is and what he has done. We are stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4), whose testimony must be in truth. We cannot say,

We are committed to God but also committed to our sin

That Jesus has made us holy like Him, and we also can do what we like, hurting others

That Jesus died because of the weight of our sin, and we also don’t take sin very lightly

We cannot be hypocrites.

Walking as a hypocrite is to walk in miserable, soul-tearing judgement, the illusion of security under the false comfort of lies and a weak church.

Love rejoices in the truth, has an ambition of restoration, and upholds

Which is more awkward, confronting someone over their sin, or letting them race towards hell unimpeded?

If someone is driving towards a cliff do you care if they call you unloving or do you take whatever caution necessary to pull them from death?

We are to remove the leaven of sin where we see it — it is imperative.

And we are to be those who keep the feast. What is that? The feast is the revelry and great joy of having an advocate with Christ. He is our passover lamb who has taken away the sin of the world, has given us His righteousness, and entrusted with us a ministry of reconciliation.

Walking in sincerity keeps an eye to the passover lamb on the cross, rejoicing at the love with which we have been loved, fruitfully walking and leaning on Christ for life and repentance and joy.

†HYMN OF RESPONSE #300

“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”

THE MINISTRY OF THE LORD’S SUPPER Minister: Lift up your hearts!

Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord.

Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

Congregation: It is right for us to give thanks and praise!

CONFESSION OF FAITH* Based on Matt 16:16; Mk. 16:9; Jn. 20:28; I Cor. 15:1-6; Rev. 22:13

Minister: Christian, what do you believe?

Congregation: This is the good news that we have received, in which we stand, and by which we are saved, if we hold it fast: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day, and that He appeared first to the women, then to Peter, and to the Twelve, and then to many faithful witnesses. We believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus Christ is the first and the last, the beginning and the end; he is our Lord and our God.

THE INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

The Lord invites you to this table if you love him and trust in him alone for salvation. It is for those who belong to Christ through repentance, faith, baptism, and continuing union with his church. If you are truly sorry for your sins, sincerely believe in Jesus as your Savior, and desire to live in obedience to him as Lord, you are invited to come with gladness to the table of the Lord. “O taste and see that the LORD is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.”

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Congregation is seated.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS

THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION AND THE SHARING OF THE SUPPER

Minister: Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.”

Congregation: By your divine presence, by the holy sacraments, by all the merits of your life, sufferings, death, and resurrection, bless and comfort us, gracious Lord and God. Amen.

Minister: Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Drink from this, all of you. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Congregation: Whenever we eat this bread and drink this cup together, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Minister: Christ, the Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;

Congregation: Grant to us your peace. Amen.

BENEDICTION

Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV) — 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Grace Notes Reflection

The fifth chapter in First Corinthians is all about discipline and how to do it well. By way of reflection, go back through our outline without looking at the text. Could you give an answer to these questions:

Who is church discipline for?

What is church discipline?

When should we engage in church discipline?

Where does the discipline take place?

Why does church discipline matter?

Now go back through the text, can you find a verse to support your answers?