Be Accountabile
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Introduction:
Remember when in the days before the internet when our favorite show would come on TV and the first minute was a recap of the last episode. That was usually helpful, because it’s been a week and a refresher was helpful.
Today, we don’t really need that. We don’t need to be reminded of what we just watched. Disney is trying to bring this back, but I’m not going to let them. I’ll just wait until all the episodes are aired…then watch them all in one night.
Now for the month of January, we’ve been talking about Authentic Relationships in an authentic church.
If you haven’t figured out, this month has just been one long sermon that builds off of what came before.
Week 1 we emphasized how we need to be vulnerable. We need to do all we can to make things right in our relationships because our relationships with others affects our relationships with God.
That led into the need to be transparent last week. We talked about how we need to be transparent because there may be someone who will be strengthened in knowing that they aren’t alone in their burden. We ended last week with the admonition that we are lead those who have wandered back to God and HIs Church.
And that leads directly into what we are going to talk about today.
But before we get there. A quick reminder of something I may not have emphasized well.
We don’t have to be vulnerable with everyone you come in contact with. You don’t have to be transparent with that stranger in line at Starbucks.
But you ought to be able to vulnerable and transparent with those you are committed to. Your family, close friends, and your church that you belong to.
Transition to the Text: Turn with me in your Bible to Galatians 2:11-14. Now again, sometimes we idolize the early church as being perfect. We can even idolize leaders. But what happens when a leader makes a mistake? Sins publically?
The same thing you should do with any Christian you are committed to as part of your church…accountability.
What we are going to witness in Scripture today, I believe, if the church did a better job practicing, we wouldn’t deal with as many people walking away from the church. If Christians were held accountable for their actions…not to tear down or destroy, but as an act of love meant to restore, the church would be healthier, and be seen in a better light in our community and world.
Introduce: Before we read our text today.
Authentic Principle: Authentic Relationships invite mutual accountability.
Authentic Principle: Authentic Relationships invite mutual accountability.
Read:
Galatians 2:11–14 (ESV)
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Authentic Principle: Authentic Relationships invite mutual accountability.
Authentic Principle: Authentic Relationships invite mutual accountability.
Transition: I don’t know about you, but when I read that, I begin to sweat a little. How many of us would have the courage Paul displayed here? I bet being stoned by the Jews at Lystra (Acts 14:19)
But, in the church, it’s so important....
1. If you see something say something. (Galatians 2:11-12)
1. If you see something say something. (Galatians 2:11-12)
Explanation: Paul writes about a story that only appears here. Peter was the defacto leader of the disciples. He was part of the inner circle of Jesus.
He preached the first evangelistic on the first pentecost. He was larger then life.
Now we know that Peter was not perfect. He had denied Jesus 3 times. But Jesus restored him in John 21. But still for the average everyday Christian, if Peter did something, right or wrong, others would follow.
It would have been very difficult for anyone to have accused Peter of any wrongdoing.
So what happens when someone like Peter does something wrong? Who’s going to hold him accountable?
Well that responsibility fell to Paul…someone who already struggled with his own past.
However, Paul saw Peter acting in a way that had the potential to destroy the church.
Now notice something. Paul talked directly to Peter. He didn’t talk to anyone else. He confronted Peter because that’s who the issue was with.
Illustration: Now what gave Paul the right to hold Peter accountable?
We are not accountable to everyone. We actually get to choose who can hold us accountable.
Peter and Paul was in mutually accountable relationships in an Authentic Church setting. To be a part of church means that you are covenanting with those people. And you agree to let them hold you accountable while you hold them accountable.
This is where church memberships comes into play. Some want to say church membership isn’t in the New Testament. But it is implied every time it mentions accountability.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
How do you know which leaders you are submit to unless church memberships is a thing.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
How do you know who to submit to if not for church membership.
But perhaps the clearest picture is in the passage that directly addresses how to hold someone accountable.
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.”
First, what defines the church if not for the concept of church membership.
Church membership is a mutually covenant we make with one another agreeing that we are in this together and we will hold each other accountable.
At North Hills we have a membership covenant. We covenant in 4 ways that require accountability:
1. I WILL PROTECT THE UNITY OF MY CHURCH
... By acting in love toward other members
... By refusing to gossip
... By following the leaders
2. I WILL SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MY CHURCH
... By praying for its growth
... By inviting the unchurched to attend
... By warmly welcoming those who visit
3. I WILL SERVE THE MINISTRY OF MY CHURCH
... By discovering my gifts and talents
... By being equipped to serve by my pastors
... By developing a servant’s heart
4. I WILL SUPPORT THE TESTIMONY OF MY CHURCH
... By attending faithfully
... By living a godly life
... By giving regularly
If anyone fails in any of these areas, we must hold one another accountable.
Now how do we hold each other accountable? We look to Matthew 18.
Go to them first. Handle your business with them first. If they listen. Accountability has ended.
If they don’t listen, you take one or 2 others with you, preferably others who have witnessed the same thing you have.
If they refuse to listen to them, then get the church involved. And if he doesn’t listen to the church, it is fully appropriate to separate him from the fellowship.
You might think, that doesn’t seem loving. But the opposite is true. Accountability is not a negative word. Most people welcome accountability. We need support in living our lives.
There are times as a pastor when people come to me to let me know what someone else is doing.
My first question should always be, did you talk to them. If not, that’s where they need to start.
Application: The Bible is not ambiguous on how to hold people in the church accountable.
We just practice accountability. We must give accountability and we must receive accountability.
And the story of Paul and Peter is so important because it shows that no one is above this. We are all, leaders included, in covenant with the church.
But Why is accountability so important for an authentic relationship in an authentic church?
Because...
2. True hypocrisy poisons the whole church. (Galatians 2:13)
2. True hypocrisy poisons the whole church. (Galatians 2:13)
Explanation: At this point, many of us will begin guessing motives on Peter’s part.
While the issue certainly involves fear, we are not sure what he was afraid of.
Some might say it’s racism against gentiles.
But we can’t do this. And neither did Paul.
Paul confronted the action, not the attitude.
You will not always have the privilege of knowing why someone does something. And the truth is going after the motive gets in the way of restoring the relationship.
If Paul were to run in and start attacking attitudes based on pure speculation, he would not be able to win over his brother.
The way to correct the attitude is to focus on the action.
Paul notes that their conduct was not in step with the gospel.
In all cases, especially with the Christians, we must assume positive intent. Now, Peter was likely not aiming to be sinful in his behavior.
This will go a long way to maintaining healthy relationships.
Most people are not trying to hurt others. If we assume positive intent that will go a long way to helping to correct someone.
I don’t think that Peter was being Malicious. Perhaps he was trying to win over the jews. Or perhaps he was practicing the weaker brother rule.
20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.
By the way, this rule is widely abused to make things out to be sin that aren’t sin just because someone gets offended.
However, despite, Peter’s assumed good intentions, he was still dead wrong and needed to be held accountable.
His actions had the potential to destroy the church. Favor one group of people over another can destroy fellowship and community.
Illustration: What you tolerate ultimately becomes law.
Overlook sin, it becomes acceptable for everyone.
And a leader sinning is doubly bad, because people naturally look at a leader and say, if they are doing it, it must be ok.
And look what happens when Peter sins?
13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
Barnabas was one of Paul’s closest friends. And Paul calls him out as well. But the responsibility lies with Peter, someone everyone should have been able to trust to make the right call.
Application:
Now again, when we talk about accountability, it’s an agreement we make with one another. And I would venture to say that it is an expectation.
If someone is venturing too close to a cliff edge that they can’t see it would be loving to warn them.
But think about this.
If you go to someone who is sinning to warn them and they tell you to mind your own business that’s one thing.
If you go to others and they are like, I don’t agree with you that there is sin. Perhaps you should let it go. But if we get beyond stage 2 where you take 2 or 3 witnesses and they still won’t listen, we’re dealing with a hard heart. If you have multiple people trying to warn you of your sin and still you stubbornly refuse to acknowledge it, what are you thinking?
If it gets to the point of the church, you must disfellowship that person.
And we think this unloving. But it’s the most loving thing we can do...
3. Accountability is an act of love for the offender, the church and God. (Galatians 2:14)
3. Accountability is an act of love for the offender, the church and God. (Galatians 2:14)
Explanation: Think back to last week.
20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
This is what accountability is all about. Its about maintaining and restoring authentic relationships.
Paul doesn’t give us the end of the scenario involving Peter, but history is better at telling us what happened.
Peter acknowledged that he was wrong and the church was strengthened not only because of accountability, but also because of the vulnerability and transparency of Peter and Paul.
Later on in Peter’s life, he would acknowledge the great gift that Paul had been to the church.
15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
Accountability was an act of love by Paul towards Peter. It was an act of love by Paul towards God. And it was an act of love by Paul to the church.
Illustration: I was talking to one of my professors who is a pastor in southern california. He’s been at his church for 20 years. We were talking about church discipline and how many times his church had to follow Matthew 18 to the end in his 20 years.
In 20 years, he said it was around 15 times.
What was remarkable to him that over half the people eventually came back and acknowledged their sin and repented. In some cases it took years.
This is what God’s word commands us to do. We must do this.
Application: Now, for some of us, our application for this might seem to be we need to go and start holding people accountable.
We have to keep our eyes open to other people’s sin.
Let’s put a pin in that for now.
Instead of immediately looking outward. Let’s look inward.
Let’s start with self accountability.
Let’s take the log out of our own eye first.
Let’s invite other into our lives and ask them to hold us accountable.
You aren’t the church police.
Response: How are you with holding other’s accountable? How are you when others hold you accountable?
Response: How are you with holding other’s accountable? How are you when others hold you accountable?
Summation:
Authentic Principle: Authentic Relationships invite mutual accountability.
1. If you see something say something. (Galatians 2:11-12)
2. A little hypocrisy poisons the whole church. (Galatians 2:13)
3. Accountability is an act of love for the offender, the church and God. (Galatians 2:14)
Response: How are you with holding other’s accountable? How are you when others hold you accountable?
Closing Illustration:
Not all accountability is about discipline.
Sometimes it’s inviting someone to ask you the tough questions. Which by answering will keep you from ever getting to the point where discipline is neccesary.
Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
Can I be trusted?
Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
Did the Bible live in me today?
Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?
Am I enjoying prayer?
When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
Do I pray about the money I spend?
Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
Do I disobey God in anything?
Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
Am I defeated in any part of my life?
Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
How do I spend my spare time?
Am I proud?
Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
Do I grumble or complain constantly?
Is Christ real to me?
I love this list of questions because it causes you to do a deep dive into your own life before going into someone else’s life.
This list has been used with great benefit to many in the church over the years since Wesley.
Perhaps the greatest addition to this list has been a 23rd question that simply asks.
In any of the questions you just answered, did you lie?
Lest I leave you with the wrong impression, we are all sinners who have fallen short of God’s glory. None of us is perfect. We all need the cross of christ who took the penalty of our sins so that we can have a restored relationship with God.
So let’s not mistake accountability as something to gain acceptance. We are accepted by faith in the work of Christ.
But at the same time, let us keep pursuing holiness. Let us fight sin.
But let us never do it alone. Let us invite mutual accountability into our authentic relationships in an authentic church.
Let’s pray.
Week 26 of 2021-2022 Sermon Series: Authentic Relationships
Authentic Principle: Authentic RELATIONSHIPS invite mutual ACCOUNTABILITY.
1. If you SEE something SAY something. (Galatians 2:11-12)
2. True HYPOCRISY poisons the whole CHURCH. (Galatians 2:13)
3. ACCOUNTABILITY is an act of LOVE for the offender, the church, and God. (Galatians 2:14)
Response: How are you with holding other’s ACCOUNTABLE? How are you when others hold you ACCOUNTABLE?
Opening Discussion: Who are the people in your life that hold you accountability? Have you ever asked someone for accountability?
Sermon:
Why did Paul feel the need to hold Peter accountable for his actions?
Why do Peter’s actions represent true hypocrisy?
What effect did Peter’s actions have on people around him?
What could have happened had Paul not courageously held Peter accountable?
Application:
Put yourself in Paul’s shoes. How do you think he felt at the idea of standing up to Peter? What reputation did Peter have in the church? What reputation did Paul have in the church?
Why is accountability so difficult for many people?
What part does humility play in accountability?
How can accountability help build a more healthy, life changing community?
What’s the difference between holding someone accountable and being a busybody? What is this distinction so important in the church?
What steps can you take to invite accountability into in your relationships?