Jesus' Words to the Future Church

Jesus’ answer wasn’t who would be the greatest, but instead showed the an example of the only person who would enter the Kingdom and that was the person who would show the humility of a child.

He said “unless your turn and become like children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 18:3)

THIS IS IMPORTANT! When you prayed to receive Christ, did you turn? Did your turn from your own way, your own thoughts, your own desires? It’s like we talked about on Tuesday, whose Kingdom do you live in? Your own? Or are you subject to His kingdom?

Then Jesus moved to the importance of believers not leading other believers to sin. He said in verse 6 (Matt 18:6) that it would be better for a big stone to be tied around his neck and be thrown into the river, rather than lead another brother to sin.

In Matt 18:7-9 Jesus warns his disciples of the temptations that would come. He says in verse 7 that they are “necessary.” No doubt, temptations to sin will exist until Jesus returns, but he warns of the importance of resisting temptations.

But then in Matth 18:10-14, there is this beautiful picture of the care God has for his children. Those who follow him. The parable explains that the shepherd who had 100 sheep, would leave 99 of them to find the one, and bring it back.

So as we turn now to verse 15, Jesus switches from the subject of humility to a teaching of forgiveness.

Now forgiveness is one of the most popular devotional topics on Sunday Night. But the subject of forgiveness as Jesus speaks is to a specific person. Let’s look at it together.

READ Matthew 18:15-20

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.”

Something I want you to notice here is a word that Jesus uses two times. You can see it in verse 17. The word is “church”

Matthew 18:17 (ESV)

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.

Why do I point this out? Because the church had not been established at this time. It wouldn’t be until the Day of Pentecost that the church would begin. Remember the church is not a building, but a group of believers. So after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, as the gospel is preached, people begin to believe, and become what we know as “the church”

But here, before his death, before his resurrection, before his ascension, before the day of Pentecost, Jesus speaks of “the church.”

Why? Some think that it’s because he is looking at the beginning of the church standing before him…the disciples. Others believe this is all part of their training and understanding for what is coming…the church. But whichever it is, what is important here, is how the church should deal with sin from one of it’s members....someone who professes Jesus Christ as Lord.

Jesus lays out a four step plan. But before we look into the four steps, I want your to understand

1. The person that Jesus is talking about is a Christian, believer, member of the church.

2. The sin that Jesus is talking about is one that is happening again and again.

3. The attitude that Jesus is talking about is one of not caring about their sin. It continues and there is no remorse.

So as I highlight the four steps that Jesus mentions, I want you to see the goal…the end…what Jesus ultimately wants to happen with this person. Look at Matthew 18:15

Matthew 18:15 (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.

That’s the goal! That once again, he or she would stand beside you as you serve God and make him known together.

Look at the first step:

Step 1: One-on-One Correction (Matthew 18:15)

Matt 18:15 “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.”

Notice what it says....GO AND TELL HIM...BETWEEN YOU AND HIM ALONE.

Jesus was specific here for a reason. He knows that we, as sinners, like to talk…to other people…gossip. Part of helping this person turn from their sin and refocus back on God and what he expects is to keep the conversation between you and the person who has strayed away.

Paul wrote of the danger of gossip:

Ephesians 4:29–32 ESV

29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

If your goal is to truly help....build up this person and help them step away from the sin that is consuming them, Jesus says let’s keep everything close. A close conversation without anyone else knowing.

Now while Jesus says go to that person with no one else, there is a point where you may have to include other people. Look at the second step.

Step 2: Small Group Correction (Matthew 18:16)

Matthew 18:16 ESV

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 is when it is ok to take someone with you and again urge this person to step away from the sin that is pulling them away from God. Jesus points back to how two witnesses are important.

Deuteronomy 19:15 ESV

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.

Now this wasn’t a “charge” for a criminal act, but Jesus shows the importance of more than one person, if needed, to help bring this person back.

++++++MY JOB OFFER

STEP 1: One-on-One Correction

STEP 2: Small Group Correction

STEP 3: Bring Before The Church (Matthew 18:17a)

Matthew 18:17 (ESV)

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

This one is hard to see. Can you imagine that if one of our church members, every night, was off getting drunk and watching blue films. And every Sunday morning they were here singing, praising Jesus, and shouting Amen, preach it!

So a fellow member knew this was happening, and went to that person, and told him what he was doing does not represent Christ. The person didn’t listen. So then two or three people went back to that person and told him the same. Still nothing. Every night, getting drunk and watching blue films. Still in the church and acting like nothing.

Then on Sunday morning, I stand here and tell the whole people what this person is doing.

Why would this happen? To embarrass this person. To humiliate them? No. The purpose, again to gain that brother back, and to let them know that God loves them so much that he would send an entire army of believers to fight for him on their knees.

But if that doesn’t work, there is one final step.

STEP 4: REMOVE THEM FROM THE CHURCH (Matt 18:17b)

Matthew 18:17 (ESV)

let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

As a Jewish man, these two people were the worst: an unbeliever and a tax collector.

A Gentile was someone outside of God’s chosen people. They were a not part of God’s covenant people through God’s promise to Abraham. But when Jesus died and rose again, we know that salvation was for everyone, the Jew first, then the Gentile. BUt remember, Matthew is writing the account and teachings of Jesus to a JEWISH audience, so when he says “let them be to you as a Gentile,” they understood that at that time those people were outside of the covenant of God.

And as far as a tax collector. These were Jewish men working for the Roman government to take money from the Jewish people. They were criminals in disguise. They were hated. And Matthew knew about his because , before Jesus called him, he was a tax collector.

Jesus is telling them if they are going too continue to sin, over and over and over, without repentance, then they need to be removed from the church.

Doesn’t this go against all we know about wanting everyone to come to church. We want the sinner, the unsaved, the unbeliever…all of them to come to church, to hear the gospel, and receive the grace of salvation, so why would we tell someone to go?

This is different. This is someone who claims to be a Christian, is continually following a path to sin with no repentance, and simply does not care about it.

The Apostle Paul addressed a situation like this in Corinth. Look at his letter he wrote there:

1 Corinthians 5:1–2 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. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

So why would Jesus say to remove someone? Ultimately, he wants the church to remain pure. When something is pure, and then something is added, it changes what is pure. It deloutes it. It’s like having a Fanta mixed with water. When you add the water, it doesn’t taste like a Fanta anymore.

Jesus talked about something like this back in Chapter 16. He said to be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees. They were adding things to the Law that were not given my God. So in adding, they were changing the Law.

So here, when God wants to keep his church pure, allowing someone in the church to continually sin without repentance and see nothing wrong with it, removes the purity of the church that Christ intended it to be.

Four Steps:

1. One-On-One Correction (Matt. 18:15)

2. Small Group Correction (Matt. 18:16)

3. Bring Before The Church (Matt 18:17a)

4. Remove From The Church (Matt 18:17b)

Look at verse 18.

Matthew 18:18 ESV

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.

When the church, the body of Christ, correctly carries out the steps which Jesus says here, and abide by this instruction, and the way he says to do it… God the Father will back you up. He has given the church the authority to do this.

But this authority does not happen on our own. We as the church are acting under his authority. And that authority on earth reflects his authority inn heaven.

Then there is this last verse, 19.

Matthew 18:19–20 ESV

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.”

What a great promise for the church. Jesus guarantees us his presence. As we see this last verse, we need to remember something. This verse does not stand alone. This verse is not one idea that we can pull out and use by itself.

Why?? because this verse is attached to the complete idea and duty that the church, a body of believers has towards the purity of the people who have gathered to worship.

Many people will pull this verse and use it in the wrong context. Some may say well lets get two or three people together and pray, and we know that God will hear us and answer our prayer. But what if there is only one? Should we wait around for someone else before we pray so that God will hear us and answer us? No.

This would go against what Jesus said earlier in Matthew 6 Matthew 6:6

Matthew 6:6 ESV

6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

God hears the prayer of one.

But this verse about two or three gathered in his name and agreeing on something points to the what Jesus has been talking about here. When we, as a church, care for our other members, and help to make sure they are walking in Him, then as we gather to pray for those who may be straying away, God will hear our prayers and he will be glorified.

But this morning, lets be careful in seeing these steps that we don’t see the heart of God, and that is his grace.

Just as God extends his grace to us, loving us, forgiving us, and giving up his son for us, the goal with a brother or sister that is moving away from God is to love them back.

Jesus never said, turn your back on them. He never said keep them out and never think about them again. He did say remove them from the church, but he never said remove them from your hearts and mind.

While he wants to keep his church pure, that doesn’t mean he has turned his back on anyone. 2 Peter 3:9

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Ultimately he wants them to return to him and return to the church.

As long as we have breath on this earth we should strive see that those who do not believe will believe, and those who do believe continue to walk with the Lord daily. It’s our duty as members of the church

When we do that, when we have a love for God so much that we don’t want anyone to leave this world without Jesus… we have fulfilled the most important things that the bible teaches...

Matthew 22:37–39 (ESV)

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.