Matthew 18:16-20: The Call to Discipline

Prayer of Adoration

Righteous God,

We come before You in awe, for You are holy and just in all Your ways. The heavens declare Your glory, the sea roars with praise, the fields exult, and the trees sing for joy—because You are coming to judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in Your faithfulness.

We adore You, O Lord, not only for the power of Your justice but for the perfection of Your righteousness—a righteousness that is not cold or distant, but clothed in mercy and revealed in the face of Christ.

Come, behold the wondrous mystery: that the Judge of all the earth has become our Savior. The righteous One took on flesh, stood in our place, bore our sin, and rose in glory—so that we might be clothed in His perfect righteousness and welcomed into Your presence with joy.

Great is Your faithfulness, O God. You do not change. Morning by morning new mercies we see. You are righteous in all You decree, steadfast in all You promise, and gracious in all You accomplish.

So we worship You, righteous Father—rejoicing that You rule the world with truth and grace. Let our lives reflect Your righteousness, and let our worship be filled with reverent joy, for You are worthy of all praise.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

Gracious Father,

We come before You this morning as Your redeemed people—humbled by Your holiness, dependent on Your mercy, and grateful for the gift of Your church. You have called us out of darkness and into the light of Christ. You have not left us to walk alone, but have given us a family of faith to help one another follow Jesus all the way home.

We lift before You the burdens and brokenness of this world, knowing that You are near to the suffering and attentive to our cries.

We pray for the families and communities grieving after the tragic plane crash in India. Lord, bring comfort to the mourning, healing to the injured, and peace in the midst of confusion and grief.

We lift up the 68 missionaries being commissioned through the Southern Baptist Convention. Strengthen them in their calling. Equip them to proclaim the gospel boldly and compassionately. Provide for their needs, protect their families, and bear fruit through their faithful witness among the nations. Thank you that we are able to be part of that because of our giving to the cooperative program.

On this Father’s Day, we thank You for the gift of godly fathers—men who have led their families in love, discipline, humility, and faith. We praise You for their quiet strength and faithful example. And we thank You also for those men in this church and around the world who have stepped in to be spiritual fathers—men who have mentored, encouraged, prayed for, and discipled others in the faith. Their love and guidance reflect the heart of our heavenly Father, and we ask that You would bless and sustain them in their calling.

For those who are grieving the loss of their fathers or navigating difficult relationships, be their comfort. For those longing to be fathers, or bearing the heavy weight of fatherhood, surround them with Your grace and peace.

We also grieve the violence in our nation. We lift up the two lawmakers in Minnesota and their spouses who were shot in their homes. Lord, bring healing to their bodies, peace to their families, and justice to this situation. In a time of deep division and confusion, may Your church shine as a witness to the peace of Christ.

And now, Father, we turn our hearts to Your Word. As we listen to the sermon, give us ears to hear, minds to understand, and hearts to obey. Let Your Spirit speak through the preaching, convicting where we need conviction, healing where we are wounded, and strengthening where we are weak. May the truth of Your Word shape us into a people marked by humility, holiness, and love.

Lord, let this church be one that loves discipline because we love one another. Let us speak the truth in love, restore the wandering with grace, and walk in joyful submission to Your Word. May our life together point to Jesus and reflect the beauty of His kingdom.

In the name of Christ, our King and Shepherd, Amen.

Sermon

Matthew 18:15–20 ESV

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Introduction:

Let me start with a confession: I’ve never heard a sermon on church discipline in person. Not one. Not as a child, not as a student, not even in Bible college chapels. And I’d venture to guess that many of you could say the same.

That alone should tell us something. Here is a teaching from Jesus Himself—clear, practical, and placed right at the heart of His instruction to the church—and yet for many Christians, it remains untouched, avoided, or misunderstood. For some, “church discipline” sounds like an outdated relic from a harsher time. For others, it sounds like the kind of thing that only hyper-controlling churches do—those churches you hear horror stories about online.

But for most of us, the reason we avoid it is simple: we don’t know what to do with it. It feels foreign to our instincts, even if we see it right there in Scripture.

And yet—Jesus gives it to us. Not as a cruel tool for punishment, but as a loving means of restoration.

It reminds me of something you often see in children. A young boy is disciplined by his parents—he loses screen time or has to sit out while others play. And in the moment, he is angry. He says it’s not fair. He stomps his feet. Maybe he even says, “You don’t love me!” But a funny thing happens as that boy grows up. He looks back one day and says, “I’m so glad they didn’t let me get away with that.”

What seemed harsh turned out to be love. What felt like rejection was really protection.

That’s how it is with church discipline. When practiced rightly, it’s not a harsh crackdown—it’s a humble, loving pursuit. It flows straight out of everything Jesus has already been teaching in Matthew 18.

If you’ve been with us the past few weeks, you’ll remember that this chapter begins with a question from the disciples: “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus answers by putting a child in front of them and flipping their whole understanding of greatness on its head. Greatness in His kingdom isn’t about power or prestige. It’s about humility.

From there, He teaches about protecting the lowly and vulnerable, about the seriousness of sin, and about the heart of the Father who goes after even one wandering sheep.

Now we come to the next logical question: What happens when someone sins against you? What should you do when a fellow believer harms you, offends you, or drifts into sin?

Jesus doesn’t leave us guessing. He gives us a process. A patient, humble, deliberate process—not to punish, but to pursue. Not to embarrass, but to restore.

That’s what we’re going to see in Matthew 18:15–20. This is Jesus’ vision for what it means to love one another enough to confront sin—not harshly, not hastily, but with grace and clarity and care.

And if we will listen to Him today, we will discover that church discipline, far from being some harsh relic of the past, is actually one of the ways the love of Christ gets worked out among His people.

So how do we pursue one another in love when sin happens? Jesus doesn’t just tell us to “go talk it out.” He gives us a specific process—a step-by-step path to restoration. It begins with one-on-one confrontation, moving to involve others only if necessary, and always aiming for repentance and reconciliation.

Today, as we unpack Matthew 18:15–20, let’s remember that this is not a cold legalistic checklist. It’s a call to courageous love—love that says, “I care about you enough to speak the truth, even when it’s hard,” and love that says, “I want to see you restored to fullness of life in Christ.”

With that in mind, let’s look at the first step Jesus gives us.

I. The Purpose of Discipline: Restoration, Not Revenge (v. 15)

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”

At first glance, Jesus’ instruction seems straightforward: someone sins against you, and you go talk to them privately. But this command assumes something crucial—meaningful relationships within the church. It assumes a committed community where brothers and sisters know each other well enough to speak truth in love, and where such confrontation is not viewed as gossip or betrayal but as care.

People don’t understand discipline because they don’t understand membership.

Membership in a church is a congregational, covenantal relationship.

It is not created, sustained, or ended merely by the act of an individual; it is a church’s business to decide who its members are.

And we should be deciding this based on biblical, Christian standards, not cultural ones.

Without covenantal commitment to one another in the church, church discipline becomes either impossible or abusive.

The great teacher of the Early Church, Augustine of Hippo, called discipline and correction “the medicine of salvation” (Sermon 172). It’s not punishment but healing medicine that restores spiritual health.

1200 years later, during the Great Protestant Reformation that recovered the Bible and the Gospel from the Roman Catholic Church, this communal accountability was insisted upon.

They argued that church discipline is essential to the health of the church, “without which a church cannot long endure.” Discipline flows from love for the body—it “ensures that the religion we practice is not the religion of hypocrisy but of grace that leads to righteousness and life.”

So when Jesus says, “go to your brother alone,” he’s calling us to be part of a community that knows one another deeply enough to care, correct, and restore. This is not a one-off casual relationship but a covenant family.

On this Father’s Day, I want to remind fathers and all believers that just as family discipline requires commitment and perseverance, so church discipline requires a church membership where people are committed to one another—to their growth, holiness, and restoration.

Fathers, you understand this well. The commitment you show in lovingly disciplining your children is not based on convenience or surface affection, but on covenant promises and enduring responsibility. The same is true in the church.

Jesus calls us to courage and humility here. It’s not easy to say to a brother or sister, “You’ve hurt me,” especially privately and gently. But this is not a harsh, tyrannical discipline that destroys rather than heals. He insisted discipline is “not coercive but pastoral,” a means of proclaiming God’s truth to help a wandering sheep come back.

And when your brother listens, Jesus says, “you have gained your brother.” This is the goal—restoration, unity, and growth in Christ.

Application:

Fathers, reflect on how your loving, covenantal discipline shapes your children for life. Thank God for the privilege and responsibility to shepherd your family with patient love.

For all believers, examine your commitment to the local church. Are you living in such a way that you can lovingly hold one another accountable? Meaningful church membership is foundational for healthy discipline.

Pray for humility and courage to lovingly confront when necessary—and to receive such confrontation with grace.

Public Sphere: In a culture of canceling and shame, the church demonstrates true accountability wrapped in grace, showing the world the beauty of gospel restoration.

Transition

So far, we’ve seen that the heart of church discipline is restoration, not revenge. It’s a loving, humble pursuit of a brother or sister caught in sin. But how exactly do we do that? How does Jesus instruct us to walk through this process practically? That’s what He answers next in verses 15 through 17.

II. The Process of Discipline: Patient and Clear (vv. 15–17)

Jesus lays out a step-by-step process for discipline. It’s deliberate, patient, and clearly defined.

Step 1: Private confrontation (v. 15) —

This is private confrontation. One-on-one. Direct. Personal. Not gossip. Not a cold shoulder. Not venting to a friend. Jesus says: Go. Why? Because the goal is to gain your brother. Not to win the argument. Not to prove your point. But to win your brother.

Martin Luther once said, “When a brother sins, admonish him in love and in truth, so that he may repent and be restored.”

The first and best outcome is that the conversation stays small and restoration happens quietly.

But what if he doesn’t listen?

Verse 16: “Take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”

Step 2: Small group confirmation (v. 16) — If the person refuses to listen, you take one or two more witnesses along, so that “every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” This isn’t about piling on, but about establishing clarity and fairness.

It brings accountability and protection. It keeps the situation from becoming “he said, she said.” It protects the one being confronted and the ones confronting. It’s not a trial. It’s a loving appeal.

Step 3: Church-wide confrontation (v. 17) — If the person still refuses to repent, the matter is brought before the whole church community. This is the last and most serious step before removal from the church.

Then, Jesus says, “If he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (v. 17b)

This is the final step of discipline. The person is no longer treated as a brother or sister in Christ, but as someone who needs to be evangelized.

This does not mean we hate them, cut them off, or slam the door. Jesus loved Gentiles and tax collectors. He died for them. But it does mean that the church no longer affirms their profession of faith. We speak the truth: “Your life does not reflect someone who is walking with Christ.”

So what does this formal church discipline actually look like?

First, it means they are removed from membership. They’re no longer under the church’s watchful care as a fellow believer.

Second, and most significantly, they are withheld from the Lord’s Table.

Why? Because the Table is for those who are visibly walking with Christ. The Lord’s Supper is not just a personal moment of spiritual reflection—it is a public act of covenant renewal with Christ and His people. To come to the Table is to say, “I am in Christ, and I am walking in repentance and faith with His people.”

But when someone persists in serious, unrepentant sin—especially after loving, patient confrontation—the church can no longer affirm that person's profession of faith. And since the church holds the “keys of the kingdom” (Matthew 16:19), it has the responsibility to guard the Table and speak truthfully about who belongs to Christ.

To continue allowing that person to take the Supper would be to lie—to affirm a fellowship that no longer exists in reality. It would confuse the church and dishonor Christ.

The church cannot affirm their profession of faith in good conscience.

As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:17, “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”

To share in the Table is to say, “We are one in Christ.”

But unrepentant sin breaks that visible unity. The church must must have the courage to speak truth about that by withholding the sign of fellowship.

1 Peter 4:17 ESV

17it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God...

So to continue allowing that person to take the Supper would be to lie—to proclaim a fellowship that no longer exists. It would confuse the church and dishonor Christ.

Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 11 that those who eat and drink “in an unworthy manner” eat and drink judgment on themselves. So withholding the Table is not punitive—it’s pastoral. It’s a final plea: “Turn back before it’s too late.”

Cyprian once wrote, “We must not be afraid to correct the sinner, for by correction we make him better.” And Tertullian added, “Those who are excluded from the body of the Church must be turned back by repentance.”

Even the final step of discipline is not about vengeance—it’s a call to grace.

Correction, done in love, builds up and makes better.

This process safeguards the church from rash judgment or gossip.

Formal discipline is reserved for outward, serious, unrepentant sin—not the inner motives that only God fully knows, nor minor personal faults.

And what act can be taken that immediately rolls the discipline process back away? Repentance

A Word About Repentance

At any point in this process—whether in the private conversation, the small group appeal, or even after the church has been told—true repentance stops the discipline.

The goal is not to move through all the steps, but to bring a brother or sister back to Christ. If they turn from their sin, the church doesn’t move forward in judgment—it rejoices in grace.

As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:7, regarding a disciplined brother who repented:

“So you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.”

The process doesn’t end in shame—it ends in welcome. Repentance is always met with restoration. Always.

Because at the heart of church discipline is not law, but gospel love—the same love Christ showed us when He bore our sins and called us home.

Application

And fathers, just as you patiently teach and correct your children step by step, so the church moves patiently through this process. It’s slow, intentional, and loving.

Don’t skip the steps. Jesus built patience and slowness into this process to protect both the offender and the church.

If we want to be a biblical church, we must follow His steps—no more, no less.

Ask yourself: What kind of culture are we creating here? A culture of gossip, pride, and quick judgment? Or a culture marked by careful, patient restoration grounded in humility and grace?

Transition into Authority:

We’ve seen that Jesus gives us a patient, step-by-step process for church discipline, always aiming for restoration and never rushing to judgment. But there’s an even deeper foundation to this process — a spiritual authority behind it all. This leads us to the final section, where Jesus reveals the authority behind church discipline, grounding it not in human opinion but in heaven itself.

III. The Authority of Discipline: Heaven Speaks Through the Church (vv. 18–20)

Jesus’ words in verse 18 are foundational: “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” This is the divine authority given to the church for binding and loosing—that is, for making judgments about sin and restoration within the community of believers — declaring who is rightly in or out of fellowship based on their response to sin and calls for repentance.

1. Authority Rooted in Christ’s Sovereignty and Word

This authority is not human power or opinion but the exercise of Christ’s sovereign rule through His church. The church’s discipline is an extension of Christ’s lordship over His people. As Calvin explains in Institutes (4.11.2):

“They cannot err or disagree with God’s judgment, for they judge solely according to God’s law, and not by human reasoning or opinion... This is why the church’s judgment is called ‘binding’ and ‘loosing,’ because the church acts by God’s command, not its own will.”

This means the church’s authority is always bound to Scripture. Without faithful submission to the Word, any exercise of discipline becomes usurped authority and potentially abuse.

2. Connection to Matthew 16: The Keys of the Kingdom

In Matthew 16:18–19, Jesus gave Peter the “keys of the kingdom,” symbolizing authority to admit or exclude from the kingdom. Matthew 18 shows this authority expanded corporately to the gathered church:

In Matthew 16: Peter alone receives the keys — a symbol of foundational apostolic authority.

But in Matthew 18, we see Jesus extend that authority to the gathered church, indicating that decisions regarding sin and restoration are now entrusted corporately, not individually.

This corporate aspect protects against authoritarian misuse by requiring community participation and accountability.

Paul talks about this very thing in his second letter to the Corinthians, when he references the “punishment by the majority” in a case of church discipline. (2 Cor 2:6)

3. The Purpose of Binding and Loosing: Protecting the Church’s Purity and Unity

Tertullian writes in On Modesty:

“Let the Church exercise discipline in all cases of sin, for in this way the whole body is kept pure.”

Church discipline preserves both holiness and unity in the body. By “binding,” the church restrains sin’s spread; by “loosing,” it restores repentant sinners. It is a balance of justice and mercy (John 1:14), both necessary to reflect the character of Christ.

4. The Presence of Christ Among the Church in Discipline

Verse 20 says, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

This verse is often applied to small prayer gatherings or any gathering of the church, but in context, it specifically speaks of Christ’s authoritative presence with His church in matters of discipline.

In the hard work of discipline — confronting sin, restoring relationships — Christ’s presence assures us that this authority is empowered by Him and guided by His Spirit.

It reminds the church that discipline is not cold enforcement but ministry done under Christ’s watchful, loving eye.

5. Pastoral Implications: Authority as Servanthood, Not Domination

The authority the church wields is to be exercised with humility, gentleness, and love:

Luther paraphrased Paul in Galatians 6:1, when he said “When a brother sins, admonish him in love and in truth, so that he may repent and be restored.”

Cyprian (one of the church fathers) reminds us, “We must not be afraid to correct the sinner, for by correction we make him better.”

This authority is never about vengeance, power, or control, but about shepherding the flock as under-shepherds of Christ (1 Peter 5:2–3).

6. The Necessity of Committed Membership for Exercising Authority

This authority only functions properly within a covenantal, committed church membership:

Without a clear understanding of church membership, discipline becomes chaotic or impossible. In 1 Corinthians 5 there is an assumed membership that is defined.

Members must recognize their mutual responsibility to submit to the discipline of the church and to pursue one another’s restoration.

Membership is corporate and not just individualistic — it is the church’s business to know and determine who its members are.

Now, I’m about to say something strong, but it is true so prepare your heart to hear it in love.

This is why, if you have never put in the effort to understand what it actually means to be a member in a church—what your biblical responsibilities are as a part of the family of God—

If you’re content to attend without committing, or content to be a member as long as no one ever confronts you, or as long as the pastor does everything you want him to,

Then I say this gently but truthfully: you do not yet understand what it means to be a Christian, and you do not understand what it means to be the church.

That kind of mindset is not shaped by Christ, but by your own internal comfort and feelings.

And to be honest, if that’s you, I don’t blame you. I blame pastors who have abdicated their duty to proclaim God’s Word in its rightful context with it’s rightful meaning, choosing instead to preach whatever they feel like preaching that week and adding some Bible verses to it.

If your pastor never taught on church membership or discipline—if this is your first time hearing it—then you’ve been underserved. And that is pastoral malpractice.

This passage—Matthew 18—is one of the most practical and clear instructions in the New Testament. Jesus lays out exactly how we’re to deal with sin in the church, step by step. And yet, many churches ignore it entirely, because it feels uncomfortable or confrontational.

But friends, healthy churches are made of committed members who understand their role in the body—who covenant together in love, submit to the Word, and care enough to restore one another when we fall.

Church discipline can only work where meaningful membership exists. And meaningful membership only exists when the church teaches it and the people embrace it.

This isn’t about power. It’s about love. It’s not about punishment. It’s about family.

We need to cultivate a culture where discipline is not seen as harsh or authoritarian, but as an expression of covenant love—a family that refuses to give up on one another.

Authority and Accountability for Fathers (Eph 6:4, Heb 12:6-11)

Fathers, consider the authority God has entrusted to you in your household:

Like the church, your authority is under Christ and should be exercised in love to protect and nurture.

You teach your children submission to God’s Word and discipline for their good—modeling the very kind of authority the church exercises corporately.

When the church exercises discipline, it reflects the God-ordained family dynamic extended to spiritual family.

Application:

Individuals: Are you willing to submit to the loving authority of Christ expressed through His Word and His church? Do you resist or embrace accountability? Discipline is not human judgment but heaven’s authority.

Church: Do we take seriously the weighty trust Christ has given? Are we careful to exercise this authority according to Scripture, humbly, lovingly, and patiently? Are we cultivating meaningful membership so this authority functions rightly?

Fathers: Reflect on how you exercise authority at home. Let your leadership and discipline mirror Christ’s loving authority in the church. You are shaping your children for God’s kingdom as the church does for the body.

Culture: In a world rife with arbitrary judgment or cancel culture, the church’s biblical discipline testifies to a higher, gracious authority — one that seeks restoration, purity, and unity for God’s glory.

As we consider the authority and process of church discipline, it’s crucial that we never lose sight of the Spirit behind it—the heart of Christ Himself. Discipline is not a tool for harsh judgment or domination. It is a gospel-driven ministry of love, designed to restore and renew. Without this gospel-saturated love, discipline risks becoming nothing more than a cold legalism or, worse, a destructive weapon.

IV. The Spirit of Discipline: Gospel-Saturated Love

We are regularly warned throughout church history against disciplining with a “pharisaical rigor” that “hurries on the miserable offender to ruin” (on 2 Corinthians 2:11). Discipline without mercy and patience betrays the very gospel it aims to uphold. Instead, church discipline must reflect the heart of the Good Shepherd who came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10), who calls sinners back with patient, loving arms.

Discipline is never primarily punishment for failure. It is a loving invitation to repentance and restoration. Faithful Christians throughout history have reminded us that “Discipline is not an expression of political power but of spiritual power... it is not coercive but rather pastoral.” (Calvin)

And Tertullian highlights that even excommunication is not permanent rejection, but a call to return through repentance.

“Those who are excluded from the body of the Church must be turned back by repentance.” (On Exhortation to Chastity)

Application:

Ask yourself: Are you more eager to expose someone’s sin, or to help them find their way out of it?

Is your heart aligned with Christ’s, longing to see sinners restored rather than merely condemned?

When church discipline is done rightly, it exalts the grace of God and leads to abundant life—not shame, but freedom; not isolation, but restoration.

A Church Worth Belonging To

Ultimately, church discipline is not about control or power—it’s about care. It is what happens when a spiritual family refuses to give up on one another, even when that requires hard love. Discipline protects the Lord’s Table (1 Cor 11:27-32), safeguards the holiness of God’s people, and pursues the wandering with the relentless love of Christ.

“Discipline ensures that the religion we practice is not the religion of hypocrisy but of grace that leads to righteousness and life.” (Calvin)

This is the King’s call—not just to confront sin, but to be a community that helps one another follow Jesus all the way home.

May we, by God’s grace, be that kind of church: humble, loving, committed, and gospel-saturated, walking together in faithful obedience to Christ’s call.

Let’s pray

Confession

Father in heaven, Thank You for the love and wisdom You’ve shown us through Your Word. Help us to walk in humility, to pursue holiness, and to love one another enough to restore and forgive. Make us a church that reflects the heart of Christ—a people committed to truth, grace, and patient restoration. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to follow You faithfully, and to care well for Your flock.

And Gracious Father as we respond to Your Word in repentance and confession, We confess that we have sinned against You— in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We have not loved You with all our heart, and we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves. Too often we resist Your loving correction and harden our hearts to the discipline You bring for our good. We have ignored the sin in our own lives and failed to speak the truth in love to others.

Yet we come to You not in fear, but in faith— because You have not left us in our sin. You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lived in perfect obedience, died in our place on the cross, and rose again to restore us to You.

Through His blood, we are forgiven. Through His wounds, we are healed.

So, Lord, discipline us in Your love, restore us by Your grace, and renew in us the joy of our salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Assurance

Church, when we repent—when we turn from our sin and return to the Lord—we do so not with fear of rejection but with confidence in His compassion. God delights to show mercy. Hear this assurance of pardon from the prophet Micah.

Scriptural Assurance of Pardon – Micah 7:18–19 (ESV) “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”

Benediction

Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21)