The Church: Holy

Introduction

We have been going through a series on the church and how we live as the church - not church service, but a community of believers who gather together locally to worship and as we leave this space we are the church in the places that we live, work, and play.

Today Paul is going to share with us through his letter to the Corinthians about church discipline.

Now that we have lost anyone online, hear me out.

I know there are churches and church leaders who have misused and abused the idea of church discipline.

I know there are some people in the church who have been hurt precisely because the church and church leaders did NOT practice a healthy church discipline.

I believe it is good for us to explore this not only because it is in the book we are studying, but I believe it has very good and practical promises for us today.

In fact, I believe some of reason people say, “I don’t feel very close to God (or vice versa).” or “My spiritual life feels so dry and empty.” can be cured through the process we are going to talk about today.

If that’s you stay tuned. If it’s not, well, stay tuned.

Outline:

The Problem of Sin

The Process of Church Discipline

The Purpose of the Process

The Promise Applied

Three tough questions.

The Problem of Sin

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.

If you are a visitor, I apologize!

We are not going to get into the exact nature of this man’s sin, but it will serve as the backdrop to the larger issue of addressing sin within the church.

Sexual immorality . . . of a kind not tolerated even among the pagans.

Man has his father’s wife

likely not his own mother - probably his stepmom - still bad!

“has” - tense indicates a present and ongoing action

ILLUST - Kimmels, pt. 1

Before I was in ministry - before seminary

working with youth and moving up in leadership of church.

Began to hear stories of things done among church leadership “of a kind not tolerated even among the pagans.”

looking forward to baptism of new believers in youth group.

Young lady would not be baptized because of sin in the church.

How did Paul say the Corinthian church responded?

v 2 2 And you are arrogant!

Paul says it was reported to him - seems like people knew

Possible but not probable that the church was proud of what this man is doing

Likely that Paul is calling out their overall sense of pride and elitism in believing that they are ok, that their clamoring to be the best within the church with division has left them blind to the serious sin they are unwilling to take care of.

Person was prominent? Rich?

Whatever the reason, they are not dealing with the sin.

Raises the question, Why do churches not act with church discipline (perhaps they had some of the same reasons)?

Couldn’t Do It

Don’t want to “cause a problem” - easier to ignore - person will cause trouble if confronted

ILLUST - I was reminded all that the people involved with sin at Kimmel’s did for the church (bought the stained glass window).

easier to ignore - what that person does affects them and not me - that’s their issue. It’s between God and them.

Shouldn’t Do It

Real reason we haven’t done it:

Wouldn’t Do It.

When was the last time anyone has spoken about, preached, or practiced church discipline? Is that because there is no more sin in the church?

This doesn’t mean:

we begin to interrogate everyone looking for sin.

Ought you not rather to mourn?

grieve!

Sin is serious!

Sin is OUR problem.

It’s a corporate issue

Notice the main issue Paul is dealing with here is not the man’s sin. More time is spent discussing the responsibility of the church to deal with the sin. But that is not how we usually think.

Sometimes we may think we are dealing with the sin in the church:

Prayer request for him.

The opposite is complacency

Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

Wow! Isn’t the church supposed to be loving and accepting, though?

This is the extreme end of the process. Paul surely has in mind the process Jesus laid out for church discipline.

1 Corinthians (Exegesis and Exposition)

“Applied to this case, the metaphor conveys that this man’s sin brings greater harm than simply being a bad example for others or generating bad publicity; it likens his sin to a toxin that will infect and ruin the whole community.”

The Process of Church Discipline

** Note, the process of church discipline is not a hunt, not making a spectacle out of someone’s struggles.

** Note, ALWAYS to be done in light of the gospel.

Always to be redemptive and restorative.

Matthew 18:15–17 (ESV)

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.

1. Have a private discussion

Go privately.

Don’t wait until the person comes to you.

The principle laid out here is that the process should involve as few people as possible and continue as long as necessary.

If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

2. Go with a few for clarification

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.

If the person doesn’t listen to just you, take along a few people from this person’s circle - perhaps a small group.

this is to help the person see how serious it is but also to make sure you are seeing things clearly

3. Involve church leadership

7 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.

This is where the wisdom of mature and godly leadership needs to be involved.

What, How, Where, and When should be decided by the church leaders as they balance protecting the church from sin while pastorally seeking a brother or sister’s restoration.

This is not an announcement of sins on a Sunday.

4. Exclude from fellowship

And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Not necessarily cut out of our lives, but excluded from fellowship.

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.”

Eating together meant you were close friends.

How should we as the church view the Gentile and tax collector (unbelievers)?

Pray that their heart’s become softened and open to the Spirit’s work

Accept them into the church upon their repentance of sin and confession of Christ.

The Purpose of the Process

For the good of the sinning brother (5)

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.

Allow the unrepentant brother to come out from under the spiritual protection of the church so they might sense the effects and consequences of their sin and repent.

Destruction of flesh - experience the natural consequences of the sin

Spirit saved - when repentance happens and the brother turns back to God

The purpose of the process is a LOVING one

Hebrews 12:5–17 (ESV)

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. . . . he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12

For the health of the church (6)

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.

Example today: cancer cells - just a few infect the whole body.

ILLUST - Remember the story of Achan?

Do we really think God will bless a community of believers who are not dealing with the sin in the camp?

Could sin in the camp be keeping the church from accomplishing its mission and experiencing the presence of God?

For the glory of Christ (7-8)

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.

As a witness to the world (9-10)

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.

The Promise Applied

Matthew 18:20 (ESV)

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

not a verse for low attendance.

it is set in the context of church discipline.

It is a promise of the presence and help of Christ in restoring the church to holiness.

REVIVAL.

ILLUST - Kimmel’s pt 2 - the restoration of the youth.

Matthew 18:21–22 (ESV)

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

The Personal Questions

Is sin serious to you? Do you mourn over the sin in our community?

Is there a sin of which you need to repent?

Is there someone you need to have a private conversation with?

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,