The Basic Protection
Back to the Basics: A First Century Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Opening Comments:
Opening Comments:
Please meet me in your copy of God’s word in Matthew 18:15-20. Page # 773 in our church provided Bibles.
Over the last six weeks, we’ve been building a biblical structure for the church—comparing it to a house. Jesus is the foundation (Matthew 16). Unity frames the walls (Ephesians 4). Elders form the truss that holds things together (Acts 20), and their character (1 Timothy 3) is like the strength of that truss. They must be positioned rightly to shepherd well (1 Peter 5). Then last week, Hunter presented to us from Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3:8-10 the role that deacons play in the church. Their service is like the floor joists. Quietly supporting the daily weight of ministry under the surface.
But what happens when something goes wrong? What do we do when sin begins to damage the life of a brother or sister in Christ and threatens to health of the church?
The answer to that is something called “Church Discipline.”
This is one of the least-practiced and most misunderstood aspects of church life. Many churches completely avoid it.
Why? Fear.
We’re afraid of offending.
We’re afraid people will leave.
We’re afraid of being called judgmental or harsh.
We’re afraid of confrontation.
But listen: avoidance isn’t love and cowardice isn’t biblical. When we avoid practicing church-discipline because it makes us uncomfortable, what we actually do is leave the house unprotected.
Following along the metaphor of building a house, church-discipline it like the ongoing maintenance that if we ignore, will eventually cause the house to crumble.
So, with all of that in mind, lets read our passage together this morning.
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:
Introduction:
Matthew 18 is one of the most practical chapters in the New Testament for church life. It begins with a call to childlike humility, warns against leading others into sin, emphasizes the need to rescue wandering sheep, and then lands squarely on what to do when someone in the church refuses to repent. This isn’t about cancel culture or control. It’s not a cold legal process, it’s a rescue mission aimed at restoration. But, it’s also a matter of protecting the purity of Christ’s body. And it’s not just the elders’ job. Jesus gives this process to the whole church.
If you’re taking notes, and encourage you to do that today, we’ll notice:
The Process of Restoration. (v.15-17)
The Authority of the Church and The Presence of Christ (v.18-20)
1.) The Process of Restoration. (v.15-17)
1.) The Process of Restoration. (v.15-17)
Here in v.15-17 the Lord Jesus lays out a three step process for how sin is to be addressed in the church—remember, this process is not about anything pother than restoration and protection.
A.) Go to the offender alone. (v.15)
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.
This is where 90% of the process should take place. The sinned against lovingly confronting the sinner.
Their is both a narrow and a broad sense here of what it means to be sinned against: Narrowly this means someone has caused you a personal offense. Broadly speaking, when a believer commits visible unrepentant sin, the whole body is sinned against.
Every sin by a believer stains the entire fellowship of believers. Whether it is slander, stealing, gossip, sexual immorality, dishonesty, doctrinal error, lack of submission, cruelty, blasphemy, profanity, drunkenness, or anything else, every sin not dealt with by the offending child of God must be dealt with by the church.
John F. MacArthur Jr., Matthew, vol. 3, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985–1989), 127.
But notice how the confrontation is to take place:
Tell him his fault-
to bring to light, expose,… convict, convince, reprove or correct.
This isn’t about shame, it’s about lovingly helping them to see what they may not see.
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
This is where we get it wrong so many times. Either we say nothing to do in silence, and let bitterness grow up in our hearts. Or, we go around telling everyone else what someone did to us because that’s easier than going to the person directly. Both are sinful actions.
Jesus says “Go to him” not
“Wait for him to figure it out” or
“ignore them so they know you’re upset”.
Not, “Make a passive aggressive posts on social media” or
“Vent to three other people”.
But, Go. Personally, humbly, and gently. There is a chance, the person may not have even known they caused the offense. By you telling them, you are giving them the opportunity to make it right and in so doing, increase the bond of friendship.
If you saw water damage on the ceiling of your living room, would you ignore it? No, you’d go upstairs and trace the source of the leak and fix it. Once you did that, then you’d set out to repair the drywall.
Personal Story: In the church I pastored previously, we had an issue arise, just like this. A woman in our church was upset over the decision to remove her from teaching children, because she no longer had the patience and demeanor needed for that ministry. She began calling friends of hers in the church and airing her grievances with everyone but me about being removed from her role. I caught wind of it and in the spirit of this fast, I went to her one on one, and expressed my concern. We talked, she seemed apologetic, we prayed together, and I believed it was resolved. But the calls didn’t stop, they increased and she began to actively sow discord.
That leads us to the next step:
B.) Take one or two others. (v.16)
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.
This principle comes from Deuteronomy 19:15
15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
And it serves several purposes,
It protects everyone involved. It keeps the offended person from exaggerating, or manipulating. It also keeps the offender from falsely, claiming they were mistreated as well.
It also reinforces the seriousness of the situation. When two or three people come in love and the power of the Holy Spirit, it becomes harder to ignore.
Back to our metaphor, what happens when you thought you repaired the drywall but didn’t? Mold sets in and begins to spread. This is when you get a contractor involved, open up the wall and attack the mold in order that it doesn't spread and damage the whole house.
Personal Story Continued:
When it was discovered this woman had not truly repented but instead had ramped up her sinful behavior, we moved on to the second step. I approached her again, but this time with one of our deacons in tow. She asked her son-in-law (who was also a deacon) to sit in on the meeting as well. Once again I mentioned that when we had met one on one, that I was under the impression based on what she had said that our issue with each other had been resolved; but that it was apparent based on her escalation of discord that was not the case. Evidence was presented and we called her to repentance for her behavior. She once again apologized, seemingly was repentant, but said she was going to take a few weeks away from church to reflect. We honored that decision, had prayer together thanking the Lord for bringing reconciliation. But, sadly once again that was not the case. Over the next few weeks, her sinful behavior escalated to the point of lies about what had been said in our second meeting. I was so glad that there were witnesses in the room.
Which brings us to the third step in this process.
C.) Tell it to the church. (v.17a)
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church…
This is really the point at which this process becomes difficult and quite frankly where most churches tap out, but, if we skip this step, we are actually inflicting more harm.
To be clear, this isn’t about having a public gossip session or inflicting punishment. When someone refuses repeated opportunities to repent, the gathered assembly, not just the elders, corporately and lovingly now calls the person to repentance.
With humility, clarity and compassion.
Not rushed, but time should be extended with grace.
It should be soaked in prayer.
And all of this should be guided by elders.
Once we knew that repentance was not genuine it became apparent it was time for us to call the congregation together to hear the matter. The situation was presented, along with evidence and testimony from the deacons who were present in the room. We asked that any interaction with this woman needed to include a call to repentance for her sinful behavior. We also corporately agreed to have a letter drafted from the congregation and sent by the church via certified mail giving her a date to respond that was several weeks in the future. We then all prayed for her repentance and restoration. But she dug her heals in and still continued escalating her behavior.
Now what do we do when the situation has been brought before the church and there has been no repentance?
D.) Treat as an outsider. (v.17b)
…And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
In Jewish context, Gentiles and tax collectors were considered outsiders and unclean, they were not a part of God’s covenant people. Jesus isn’t prescribing cruelty, but separation. They are no longer to be treated as a faithful believer, but as someone who needs repentance and restoration. In church discipline, this means removing someone from membership and fellowship, while still praying for and pursuing their restoration; just like Jesus pursued Gentiles and tax collectors.
This reflects Jesus teaching in a larger context of Matthew 18, particularly the parable of the lost sheep. The shepherd goes after the one lost sheep, and the church is to mirror that same concern and pursuit for the one who has strayed. But, when all attempts at restoration have failed, this final step is a stark warning. It’s a spiritual boundary intended to jolt the unrepentant individual into recognizing the seriousness of their sin. It’s a loving act, because it holds out hope of repentance. In doing this, we don’t treat them with hatred, but we do recognize they are now outside the fellowship.
Removing someone from church fellowship is painful. But it’s also biblical. Paul teaches this clearly in 1 Corinthians 5, where a man was involved in gross immorality. Paul doesn’t say, “Just love him and let it go.”
…“Purge the evil person from among you.”
That sounds harsh to modern ears, but it’s actually loving.
Why? Because sin is contagious.
Like mold in a house, if you ignore it, it spreads.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
Personal Story Continued:
After several weeks of no response and continued sinful behavior, we convened the congregation again. This time not to call her to repentance, but to put her out of the fellowship because her behavior was that of a lost person, not a genuine believer. This wasn’t a moment of triumph but of heartbreak and tears.
Friends, let me be clear: church discipline is loving. It is an act of spiritual protection. Hebrews 12 says that the Lord disciplines those he loves. So do faithful churches.
2.) The Authority of the church and the presence of Christ (v.18-20)
2.) The Authority of the church and the presence of Christ (v.18-20)
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.
This statement is often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean the church wields ultimate power or has some magical authority to control heaven’s decisions. Rather, it means that when the church acts in obedience to Christ’s commands and in unity with one another, it reflects what has already been declared in heaven.
The verb tenses used in this passage imply that the action on earth is a response to a prior divine judgment.
In other words, when a church faithfully applies God's Word in matters of discipline, heaven affirms what the church rightly affirms. That’s how seriously God takes the purity and unity of His church—He allows the local body, when aligned with His will, to echo His own judgment.
Now look at v.19-20
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.
This isn’t a blanket promise that God will grant any request. It’s a promise tied directly to the context of church discipline.
It’s not a blank check for any wish, but a promise that God will answer prayers when his people are united in confronting sin, and seeking repentance, in alignment with his well. And when we do this, he gives us the promise of his presence,
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
You’ve probably heard this verse quoted when attendace is low or at a prayer meeting; but, its true context is church discipline. Jesus is promising that when we do the hard work of addressing sin as a congregation, He is with us. We do not go into confrontation alone. We do not make decisions in our own strength. We operate under his lordship and with his presence.
It’s his presence that guarantees not only the spiritual validity of the churches, decision and discipline, but also the spiritual efficacy of our prayers. His presence transforms, a difficult, uncomfortable task into a sacred one. It assures us that in the midst of pain, conflict, and separation, Jesus himself is overseeing the process, guiding his church, and working for the ultimate good of all who are involved in the process of restoring an erring bother/sister in Chirst, protecting the putity of the church, and ultimately the glory of God.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Church discipline is not about control, it’s about care. It’s not retribution, it’s restoration. It’s not the church “getting rid of people”, it’s the church doing the hard, grace-filled work of calling them back.
Done rightly, church discipline is never about power, it’s about love. Love that tells the truth. Love that protects the body. Love that guards the name of Christ. It is grace and truth working together to preserve purity, promote unity, and—by God’s mercy—pursue restoration.
Like pulling back drywall and finding mold. You don’t cover it back up. You expose it so it can be cleaned.
Because the only thing worse than addressing the problem is letting it fester in silence. Real love doesn’t ignore sin; it addresses it with truth, humility, and grace.
Discipline, when practiced biblically, doesn’t fracture a healthy church—it preserves it.
I’ve seen it firsthand.
In that little country church in Ohio, surrounded by soybean fields, we had to remove a woman from our membership. But we didn’t do it gleefully. The night we removed her, our whole congregation gathered around the altar and prayed for her repentance. We even wrote in the letter we sent her: “We long to welcome you back, if you repent.” Because the goal was never punishment—it was restoration. And if she had turned, we would have embraced her like the father embraced the prodigal. What was a deeply painful moment in the life of our church was also a beautiful moment of unity.
So what do we do with all of this?
Final Applications:
Don’t fear church discipline, fear what happens when we ignore it. A church that avoids hard conversations is a church that will eventually rot from the inside.
Pursue Peace Quickly. If someone has sinned against you don’t gossip or let bitterness fester, go to them inn grace, speak the truth, and seek reconciliation before the infection spreads.
Value Witnesses. This isn’t about ganging up, it’s about loving accountability. It ensures clarity, protects against false accusations, and gives credibility to the process.
Pray for Humility and Courage. Church discipline requires both. Cowardice and Cruelty both ruin churches. We must be bold enough to confront and gentle enough to restore.
Keep Restoration as the Goal. Even if someone is removed, the door stays open. We discipline in hope, not in hate. We long to see repentance, not retribution.
Trust the Chief Shepherd. This is His flock. He’s the one who laid down His life for the sheep. Trust Him, even when obedience is hard.
Gospel Invitation:
Gospel Invitation:
Maybe today, you realize you’ve never entered the fold. Jesus came not just to confront sin—but to carry it. He lived a perfect life, died for you, and rose again. If you turn from your sin and trust Him, He will welcome you—not with a cold rebuke, but with open arms.
Prayer:
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Your grace that confronts and restores. For those straying from Your Word, bring conviction, repentance, and renewal. For those who have never trusted Christ, draw them today by Your mercy—may they see their sin, turn, and find life in Jesus. Make us a church that pursues holiness and loves boldly. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
