Sunday Service

Going through the series finding our place. And we're dealing with them today, is the message. And so here is a Happenstance in the Corinthian Church where they are were struggling with this issue. And so, let's read it. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you in of a kind. That even the pagans do not tolerate a man is sleeping with his father's wife and you are proud, shouldn't you rather have gone in the morning and a foot out of your fellowship? The man who has been doing this for my part, even though I'm not physically present, I am with you in spirit as one who is present with you. And this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. We'll take a look at this issue in a little bit than what the consequence of future consequences of it was. So, anyway, get your thoughts going in that direction. Our prayer list this morning is, it's a long one, as many of, you know, Leona went in for surgery this last week and she had a portion of her leg removed. And so she is in a bit of pain still. She's in the hospital and a bit of pain. Daughters Jenison. Surely are not able to be with her. And so, that's a struggle to. So, we need to keep her in prayer. I believe she gets out probably Tuesday. Many of you have heard that Joe Howard his past. He is.

What's a good man? In the, we have lots of memories about him and various forms, but we will mourn his loss as well.

Jackson has a going through a lot of training in the Army. And at present, he is involved in his parachute training. So he's going to be jumping out of airplanes this week. And so let's keep him in prayer that says those chutes do open and add some soft Landings.

Another one, young lady who graduated from Powers High School? A few years back Lacey. She's been going through, a lot of physical struggle. She's struggling from cancer treatments that she's going through. She has a family, a husband who is going through some struggles. And for the next five years. She's probably going to be going through treatment for liver cancer, and we need to be keeping her in prayer and lifting her up. We also one of those things that we really are now thinking about him, we've been praying for, but probably need to open it up for the church's to the idea of really Reviving a youth program in in church here because we do have a number of young people that are getting up to that age when there needs to be an encouragement in their walk. The Lord. And so we've been praying for youth leaders and I would pray that that will continue to pray that way. and finally, Tanya, you know, she going through the whole process and she really had a great second half of the summer after the last operation and just the clear, the doctor gave her a clear and everything else. And she's had a couple of months of really good feelings and things were going well, but it has kind of turned around a little bit and she is going up this week for a CT scan to see what's what the struggles are in terms of her health. So low. Keep her in prayer as well. Okay. So what's going on? So, let's go to the Lord in prayer and really seek his guy.

Our dear father in Heaven, how thankful we are that we can gather Before the Throne of mercy and grace. And the seek your guidance, your strength, your comfort in. So many of these issues that have Arisen lately in our lives, and the lives of our dear ones. And Lord. You're the one who does bring peace, even in the struggles and we thank you for that. And we praise your name for your The God Who covers his people with love and joy. And so, father, may you be with us this morning. As We Lay these burdens at your feet. We do want to continue to remember the people of our community of powers and we pray for your Mighty hand to be ministering and hearts and lives of the people here. That do not know you. They are friends and relatives and neighbors, and their lives over our great value and importance. That we pray, that they would come to the realization of a need in their lives, to know, you the Living. God to come to Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but father for them to know, they have to be shown that you exist in the lives of those who love you. And so, may you make up Faithful and true Witnesses of the grace that you do give in our lives. Father. We also have a number of other requests. We think of Leona. Oh Lord. She is a faithful dear believer who has walked with you for more years than most of us have lived on this Earth. And so father we do pray for her life at this time. We pray for healing upon this leg that has been operated on and pray that you would be able to give her comfort and strength and restoration. We do think of Janice and Shirley as they really desire to care for we pray that these moments that Leon has been in the hospital been moments. When they can find some rest and refreshment so that when she gets out, they will have the energy and strength to be able to care for Luna. Father, we, we grieve at the loss of Joe elephant because he just couldn't remember the things that he has done that have influenced Our Lives, whether it be involved in a Bible study or in firefighting or in youth activities, or just watching him, run his dog around town. Father. He has had an influence on why then we thank you for that. We also thank you. Deeply that he was a believer in Jesus Christ. And he loves you with all his heart and we know that he is now singing with the wrong in heaven, in your name, and we we thank you that you took him swiftly that. He did not have long to suffer, but that he is now home with you. We pray for those who are suffering that you would comfort and give peace. We also think of Jackson is he has this exciting opportunity to jump out of airplanes and field that flight down back to the Earth. We pray that you would be with him and bless him in this time, and that he would have safe jumps and that he would enjoy that. It's raining. So deeply. We do pray for Lacey. End of the struggle. She is going through it this time. I know she has a huge concern for family and we pray that you would be there to touch them and encourage them. Help them to look for you to find that strength and courage. We pray that you would be with her if she goes through the struggles, continue to lift your heart out life, and we pray that feeling would take place in a lot. We pray for the Youth of our church, in our community. Father. We have some young people that love you and are rough. And as they operate in this community that they are hard for, you would be shown and how they respond to those around them. But father, we know that they also need encouragement along the way, so we pray that you would lift them people to choose to participate in a Ministry to these young people that they would not be alone. And now, a walking through all of this, but that they would have encouragement along the way. May. You raise people up.

And finally, father, we do pray for Tanya. We pray for your spirit. The lifter art through these years of struggle that she's gone through and yet it's back again. Then the Lord pray for her heart of the life of the family as they go through this process. Once again, may they find your amazing strength and peace and comfort as they go through all of these things. Father, we also want to remember the unspoken request that people have that you would be with each person who has felt the needs in their life, even though they aren't Express. They are there. And there we do, pray for your Mighty strength, and power to be operational in each lot. And now, as we continue on to worship you to honor you with song with the continued prayer, with the fellowship of your word. May you bless us richly that we would draw near and find our strength and energy to walk the life. He's all this food in Jesus name. Amen.

We're going to sing a song out the red crazy book, number 28, As the deer.

Right. Well, I think it's super charge time.

All right. Well, that start with a word of Prayer. Our Father, our Mighty God, who loves and cares for each of our laws and wants us to walk in the way of Truth. You have so many things for our lives of so many desires that you want build into us. So that we truly are a child of children of the Living. God. So father, help us to recognize that through your word as we look through it. We asked for the activity of your spirit in our lives to be powerful, and mighty this day that you would be touching each of us and that we would learn and draw near to you adapt Our Lives to your desire and will for us. I do pray that your spirit would also Guide Me O Father. May you touch each and every word that comes out of my mouth is it would be touched and blessed by you or you're the one that makes any change in any wise? So may you guide interests in our past this day in Jesus name? Amen? Well, we have been looking at the whole idea of finding our place and this is the last in that series and it said called dealing with sin but there's so much more that goes along with that. And a lot of it has to do with, you know, our understanding of God's will for our lives in his desire to make a difference in how we deal with, in, not only in our own lives. But in the lives of those around us, who we see, who are struggling with us in, how do we deal with that? And how do we find the way to minister wisely in in these ways? And now I'm going to take a real quick. Look at Matthew 25 in Matthew 25. Jesus is finished talking about, you know, he's coming back and the end times series and a chapter 24 and against the 25 and he Starts to talk about how judgment will come down when we get to the end of time. And I think that is important to understand because if we understand what judgement is all about, we understand what God's expectation for our own lives is and the first thing he talks about is the whole idea of having our light shining, in the light, in our lives, is, of course, the Holy Spirit. And if we have the Holy Spirit In Our Lives, God says that it's our guarantee all rights as several times in scripture in, in second event in Ephesians chapter 1. He mentions that having the spirit in our lives is a guarantee of our Salvation in heaven. Well, the way they have the spirit in our lives is to know the work of Jesus Christ, and what he has done for our lives in saving us from sin. And when we accept that he has done this and trust in him as our Lord and savior, the spirit comes into us. And so, we have the spirit of Christ in our lives, our guarantee of eternal security in heaven. Okay, that's exciting news. So what's the other part? Why do we need that other stuff? If I'm already saved? Why do I need to worry about that other stuff? Well, that comes in the next two part portions. The second portion tells us that God has blessed our lives in numerous way. He's giving you life for one thing. He's also giving you a bilities and talents along the way and in that case, is also giving you financial means. You know, me to calls. He calls it in this chapter talents, but you can sit think of talents as being anything. God has blessed you with, and there are several people mentioned in it. There are those who have taken those talents and use, those talents don't have a great deal of talents and they're supposed to use those talents greatly. Others, have limited number of talents, but they're still supposed to use those talents for God. And the big question is, well. The question is one of them doesn't have talents and our has talents, but he doesn't use them for the Lord. Okay. So there's a separation. There. Am I using? What God has given me for his glory? Okay. So that's one question. The next issue comes with the whole idea of our character and how we are willing to A blessing. Do other people and he talks about the owner of the different ways that we can blast other people. And it has to do with the development of the character of Jesus Christ in our lives. And as we develop that character and build it up, we have opportunity to use that to minister to others. And so the big question is are you ministering to others? Well, how does that connect with? Okay. I already have the spirit of God in Me. Right. Do you? That's the huge question when you get to the other two parts. Do I really have the spirit of God in Me? How do I know? The spirit of God is in me? Well, if I'm using the skills and talents, God has given me. If I'm using the character of Christ. He's placed in me in my life. Then I have the spirit of God in Me because he's the one that's me. String in my heart to make me use those skills in my life. So, we gain confidence in our Salvation, when we actually display price, like, character in our lives and the use of all that he has given us in this life for others. Okay. So you get that idea that our involvement in other people's lives, has to do with truly, our walk with the Living God. And this has to do with how we deal with judging other, because if we don't judge others with a concern for the eternity, then our judgment doesn't make any difference. And in fact, if I'm not certain of the spirit of the Living God in Me. I have no right to judge anybody. All right. Well, with all that intro. Let's get on, with the, the message here is taken from Matthew chapter 18, and in Matthew chapter 18. Jesus has been kind of working with the disciples try to help them understand the steps and talking with others, about their life, and their struggles. And sometimes we look around and we see struggles in people's lives and we have to deal with it. The church is supposed to deal with that. You can't say, well, I'm not supposed to judge anybody. Because scripture says, don't judge lest, we be judge. Right? Well, God points out that. Yes, there are times when we are called the judge and it most of the time are all of the time. It usually deals at almost always deals with scuse. Me with the people that are in the church, in his kind of wandered away from the truth. And if started to act in a worldly sense and we recognized send developing in their lives and we're called the deal with that Sim. Okay, so we're going to it now. From Matthew chapter 18, this read this verse 15. These are sometimes very teaching that Jesus is going through. If your brother or sister sends go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. Okay, if they listen to you, when you see a fault, you've won them over. We are supposed to be observing those around us, and if we see a struggle, we're supposed to help them out when it says we won them over. In other words, we have helped them find a more perfect relationship with Jesus Christ because they understand the struggles that they are involved in. All right, it's speaking to brothers and sisters. Okay, that's really important. We're not supposed to judge those outside. The body of Christ was supposed to judge those inside the body of Christ. If we see such a struggle that is there.

James 5 19 and 20 says my brother brothers and sisters. If one of you should Wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back. Remember this. Whoever turns a sinner from the errors of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

We are supposed to watch out for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ. So they don't falter and they don't struggle with that. And if we seized a struggle going on, we First of all, need to pray about it. We'll talk about that a little bit. But we also need to be willing to step out and go to them and talk to them. It doesn't always make it right, but it can make it right. If we are willing to talk with our brother or sister about an issue in their life that they need to look at and sometimes they just don't know and all of and if you can point out a truth to them about what they're going through, it can help them understand. Okay. I like I was doing that. I did something wrong and I need to change my life. I need to repent of my sin and get my life back together with God. Because really if we are operating the power of Jesus Christ in the desire, that's what we ought to want. We should want our Brothers and Sisters in Christ to be more christ-like and more like him to turn away from sin and turn voice righteousness. Those are the things that we are home to. Now, here's another that maybe is a bit of a struggle for all of us. If we see somebody who we know is in sin, and we need to talk to them. We are actually called to talk to them. And if we don't, we can find ourselves in struggle way back and Leviticus chapter 19, verse 17. It says, do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart, rebuke your neighbor, frankly, so that you will not share in their guilt.

Essentially what it's saying is somehow a guilty person kind of spreads that guilt around and if we don't stop it. Stop that deal from spreading or at least, stand in the way of it. It can spread that guilt can spread the other? You know, it's like bleeding. If you're pulsing blood out that wound has to be stopped. And if it's not stop, it's going to affect that person and perhaps others along the way. So we need to be willing to step up and take care of that issue. By speaking to the person about what we see in their lives.

That's a really tough one. This is probably one of the toughest issues that God calls us to in this in the churches is facing somebody who is actually sitting in their life and helping them. See that since it's not an easy way to go and yet it is something that God has called us to and to do it in a fry slide Manor in. And when we think about a price like men, or we think of those issues that John has given us to build into our lives. We need to be continually building those structures in our lives. The idea of love, and joy, and peace and kindness and gentleness. All of those things are things that need to be in our lives. So that when we do to confront somebody over sin, we don't do it, you know, you just ranting and raving at them, but gently bringing them to the understanding of where they are and what they're doing and how it offends the Living God. Gentleman, Galatians, 6:1 brothers and sisters. If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the spirit should restore that person? Gently but watch yourselves. Are you also may be tempted? In other words, if we don't operate in the power and the strength of Jesus fight, we may be drawn away from what we ought to do. We need to truly live as price and that's why. When you, when you begin the process of going to somebody and talking to them, about send you need to be centered around the Living. God. We need to pray for them. And for yourself, that you would actually approach this in a manner that allows them to feel confident. And now your ministry that they are lost. And remember when you see somebody and send the goal isn't to stop the SIM. The goal is to bring them to the point where they return to a relationship with Jesus cross. Did they see that? Oh, yeah, you're right. I have gone astray from God's word and I am doing something wrong and I need to see God and find forgiveness. Luke 17, 3, it says, so watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you rebuke them and if they repent or give them you see the biggest desire of our hearts and our lives is to bring people to repentance of their sin. Not get angry and upset with him, but then help them see the truth of their relationship with the Living God. And that relationship is broken when they're involved in. Since they've walked away from God and they're not doing his will. And God isn't ministering in there hard because there's that barrier. This been raised up between themselves and God because they've chosen a pathway. That is I'm gone and sinful. It's a struggle with many of our churches today, as they've chosen the pathway to sinful and they brought in teaching that are not godly teaching that are distained by scripture. And yet they're doing it that way and they fall in a way and it's very important for us to understand the truth and to walk in there. But we need to do it with gentleness and peace. And that's one reason why when you see somebody in sin. You pray about it. You see God's Will and then you go to them and gently try to lead them back to the truth of God's word. You know, that's the number one is dying. To restore them to our relationship with the Living God. Holy well, let's continue on the next section is vs16, but also 19 and 20. So we're going to jump over a 17 and 18. Real quick here will come back to them a little bit later and Matthew 18 says, but if they will not, listen, take one or two others along so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three Witnesses again, truly. I tell you that, if 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? The whole idea is restoration that desire to restore and do you want to help people find the truth? Okay. So how do you do that? How do you go about helping others find the truth? And yet, maybe you're the only one that actually sees the sin. You know, I think that here is where Austin is very important that you need to really understand what they're doing and be able to identify specifically where the person is struggling with and then be able to identify someone who can truly have a Compassionate Heart. The lead them back to the truth as well and discuss with them. Okay. This is what I see. This is what I've seen in this person and I realize that they need to return and understand their scent. And then and then, of course, pray about it and see God's will. But it says, take to understand that there's two people that recognizes sin and are willing to step forward and help the person identify. Okay, Y 2 and this is very important on God's part. He wants us to realize that are thinking of what's in might be, might not be the truth. So we've all our approaches. We may have to approach this and gone astray on these things. And he gives it a little scenario way back and Deuteronomy about how this might happen. And it says in Deuteronomy 19 5. For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood. Okay. Would and I were using an axe. They didn't have chainsaws back then, use the next. I've got wood and if he swings the axe to fell a tree, they had may fly off and hit his neighbor and feeling. Okay. So happened that, man. They flee to one of these cities and save his life. God set apart, I think six different cities where people could flee, whether they are on the west side or the east side of the Jordan, to save their lives, if they had an accident like this, where nobody else was there to identify it. Okay, and people were to recognize the person that that person was out there, and he somehow this man died and family members might want to go after him and kill him, but these cities save their lives. And what is talking about is that there needs to be two witnesses to an accident. You know, if there was somebody else with them out in the woods and that flew off and the guy died. Somebody could say, it was just a It wasn't, it wasn't that caused by anger, but it requires two people. And that's why you take two people if there is a struggle or a misunderstanding on this, if two people identify it as Sin, and God says, I recognize that and it is, and we need to remember that. But first, of all, as I said before, we need to be willing to go to the Lord and seek his guidance in these things. So that when we approach the person who is struggling in sin, we do so in a way that can help them see the truth. Just going up in pointing fingers at somebody, probably drives them further away than just then just letting it go. So, We need to understand how to use the character of the Living. God, some say the truth. So pray nephew 544 but I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. In other words. The struggle here is a battle somebody's in send and in some way, you're being persecuted a little bit because you can see this then and you want to change that. And so, you go to the Lord and pray for this person. And then you approach this person. Hopefully, with the wisdom of the Living God as you've given it over to him. Seek the Lord, the Lord wants us to rest in him for the lie upon him. In these struggles of seeking to restore or somebody to bring them through the desire to seek God's forgiveness and find the repentance that they need grass. Received. The one who seeks finds into the one who knocks the door will be open. So when you go to the Lord and you seek your guidance recognize that he wants to answer your prayer and help you understand it and give you the way of Truth and other portions of scripture. It says, I will give you the word. Just trust me trust and I'll give you the words to approach a struggle like this.

And then finally, the the charge for making sure it's it's a recognized sin is that you need to have those two witnesses. So if you can't find somebody that will recognize that spins and you have to let it rather than go forward with it. First Timothy, 519 do not entertain an accusation against an elder and left. It is brought by two or three Witnesses. In other words, somebody in the church you recognize OK, that person is sitting but if nobody else agrees with you, you're going to drop it and let it go. Because you're accusing by yourself. It needs to be a record.

Finally, judge Matthew 18 verses 17 and 18. If they still refuse to listen, tell him to the church. And if they refuse to listen, even to the church, treat them, as you would a pagan or a tax collector, 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. In other words, you know, if the church agrees with yes, that's a sin and we need to approach this person and help them lined up an understanding of their sin. Then the church needs to bring them on in and talk to them and help them, see the error of their ways. And the way to get back to the truth of God's word at the idea of her attempt and through repentance finding Restoration in their locks. This is really, really important for us to remember. Now, you remember back to that first scenario that I told you about the man that was

Add a relations with his father's wife. Evidently. It was somebody that second marriage or something. But having relationships with not, right? And you have chosen to allow this man to live among you and celebrated and that's totally wrong. And you are wrong and you need to make the adjustment. Well, evidently they did make the adjustment they said, okay, we're wrong, they repented and they stick the first name of the church. So we'll read about that a little bit, but the whole idea is You need to find proof. And if somebody is doing it wrong, then they need to be relieved of, are asked to leave the church in 1st Corinthians. 5:12. All in this scenario with this guy says, what business of mine to judge? Those outside the church, are you now the judge those inside? And yes, we are to judge those inside the church. If we see them wandering and sent. And the whole idea is that judgment that we make against the person is a desire to restore them, to bring them to the truth. And the truth is this. Remember what I, what, why God touched your lawn in my life. It was to bring us back to the truth. You and I were wondering, and since we were lost, we were Bound for hell and going absolutely the wrong way. Before we came to know Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, not one of us is innocent in this lie of of since we've all been there, we've all sinned. And we all needed restoration by God. The truth is John wants to restore Center. So the whole idea is to help you understand that you've sinned against God, and you need repentance.

So, the truth, John 20:23, if you forgive, anyone, sends their sins are forgiven. If you do not forgive them. They are not forgiven looking back. The God. He took your sins and he forgave them. And it's our desire at all, to be our desire in our heart when somebody sends against us to go to them, to show them what they have done. And if they say, I didn't realize our forgive me. I, I don't want to be sending against you to forgive me our desires to forgive. And then we we ought to come to forgive me. And I'll sometimes we say well I forgive them but I'm still going to watch them closely. But the desire is really God's. Desire is forgiveness. However else, you take that further, the desire is to find forgiveness. But if there is no forgiveness there, if there's no acceptance of the truth Roman cell. Romans 16:17, who says, I heard you brothers and sisters to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teachings. You have learned keep away from them. And other words, if somebody is teaching or something, contrary to scripture their sinning, if they are doing something contrary to scripture, they are sending and they are to be rejected. That's what the word of God tells us. They are to be rejected back to 1st Corinthians. The church finally came to a point where they rejected this stuff. This fella that was in sense. Okay. Well, let's look at the rest of story because the rest of the story is very important to all of us in 2nd Corinthians. We have Paul going back to the situation and talking about it a little bit. And what the church did is they took this man and they kicked him out of the church? And this man repented, he got his life straight and he came back to the church and he said, you know, forgive me, I was wrong and I have now made it right. Can I get back into the church and it's your dad now and you blew it. So you're out and Paul says, instead of that in 2nd Corinthians 2 to 7 and 8, now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I aren't you there for it to reaffirm your love for him. In other words, the reason I kicked him out was because he chose to do something that was wrong and sinful. And yet once again,

He came back and he sought forgiveness. He repented of his scent. When we repent of our sins, God always with you. He never says, that's not good enough. I need more. Well, we as people often say I need more but if somebody comes to us, he says I forget I I Repent of my sins and I want to be forgiven. We need to forget, we need to forget and That's what scripture is done. Dealing with Sim. First of all, it is.

It is best to keep it between you and me and the other person did not let it go any further than that. Then if it can't be resolved, then you find one other person that will agree with you and watch. You have seen this person's life, go to him them. And if not, you bring it to the church and the church is this pain is responsible for making sure to attend to that Duty? Because of the church allows sin to Ferman in the body of try, it will overflow and it will struggle.

So we are responsible. Yeah, you're not supposed to judge the world. But you are supposed to be willing to judge those in the church if they are involved in soon. And this is a really tough lesson for all of us because most of us aren't really judgmental people and yet God has called us to remember that. We are so part of our walk with the Lord and our desire to grow in him is that we understand some of those parameters and some of them.

Grace's father how we thank you that we have Scriptures. It really helps us walk through some of these. Tough situations like them, like the Judgment of others. All we want things to run smoothly. We don't want to cause ripples in the life of ourselves or the body of Christ. And yet, there are times when with all of that. Father may we be walking close enough to you that we recognize our responsibilities and what we need to do and our desire to see that the body of Christ is operating in its most effective manner. So help us to stay close to you and close to one enough that we can walk with us.