Matthew_18_15-20_Manuscript_Part_1.docx

Devotional

Day 1: Christ’s Authority Demands Our Obedience in Church Life

Jesus’ instructions about church discipline are not optional guidelines, but commands given for the health and holiness of His people. When the church neglects these commands, it is not simply overlooking a minor detail, but actively resisting the authority of Christ as King. The call to practice church discipline is given to every member, not just leaders, and is meant to preserve the unity and purity of the body. Obedience in this area is a mark of a church that truly honors Christ’s lordship, even when it is uncomfortable or misunderstood.
To ignore Christ’s commands is to forfeit His blessing and presence among us. The church is called to be a distinct people, set apart for God’s purposes, and discipline is one of the means God uses to keep His people holy. When we submit to Christ’s authority in this area, we demonstrate our trust in His wisdom and our desire to see His church flourish according to His design.

“If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area where you have resisted Christ’s authority in your life or in the life of the church? What would it look like to submit to Him fully, even if it means stepping into uncomfortable obedience?

Day 2: Love Pursues Restoration, Not Punishment

Church discipline is often misunderstood as harsh or punitive, but at its heart, it is an act of deep love and care. When a believer strays into sin, the loving response is not to ignore or gossip about them, but to pursue them with the hope of restoration. This is how we fulfill the call to be our brother’s keeper—valuing each member as precious to God and to the church.
Confronting sin is never about shaming or punishing, but about seeking to bring a wandering soul back to safety. It is a tangible expression of Christ’s love, who leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one. When we lovingly confront a brother or sister, we are acting as spiritual caretakers, protecting them from further harm and inviting them back into fellowship with God and His people.

“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 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.” (James 5:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: Is there someone in your life who is wandering from the truth? How can you lovingly reach out to them this week, seeking their restoration rather than their rejection?

Day 3: Humility and Self-Examination Precede Confrontation

Before addressing sin in another’s life, Scripture calls us to examine our own hearts and motives. It is easy to confront out of pride, personal offense, or a desire to be right, but true discipline requires humility and discernment. We must be certain that what we are addressing is a clear violation of God’s Word, not simply a matter of personal preference or opinion.
Approaching a brother or sister in sin should always be done with a spirit of gentleness and self-awareness. The goal is not to win an argument or prove a point, but to win our brother or sister back to faithfulness. When we approach others with humility, we reflect the heart of Christ, who calls us to remove the log from our own eye before addressing the speck in another’s.

“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.” (Galatians 6:1, ESV)

Reflection: Before you confront someone about their sin, have you honestly examined your own heart and motives? What steps can you take today to ensure your approach is marked by humility and love?

Day 4: Restoration Is the Goal, Not Rejection

The ultimate aim of church discipline is always restoration—a heart that listens, repents, and returns to the fold. Even when the process is difficult or met with resistance, God uses discipline to keep His children from straying and to reveal those who truly belong to Him.
Our posture must be one of hope, patience, and readiness to forgive. When a wandering soul is restored, the church is called to rejoice, just as heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents. Discipline is not about exclusion, but about opening the door for reconciliation and renewed fellowship. We must be quick to welcome back those who return, reflecting the grace and mercy we have received from Christ.

“So you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.” (2 Corinthians 2:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: Is there someone you have written off or kept at a distance because of their past failures? How can you take a step toward forgiveness and restoration today?

Day 5: Faithfulness to Christ Is Worth the Cost

Obeying Christ’s commands regarding church discipline will not always make us popular. It may bring misunderstanding, criticism, or even loss of members. Yet, faithfulness to Jesus is more important than comfort or reputation. The church is called to honor Christ above all, trusting that He is pleased with our obedience and will use it for His glory and our good.
Standing firm in obedience may be costly, but it is always worth it. When we risk misunderstanding or rejection for the sake of Christ, we demonstrate that our allegiance is to Him alone. The world may not understand, but the approval of Christ is far more valuable than the applause of men.

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you tempted to seek the approval of others rather than the approval of Christ? What is one step you can take today to choose faithfulness to Jesus, even if it costs you?

Sermon Summary

of the Sermon**

In this sermon, I addressed the often-neglected topic of church discipline, focusing on Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 18. I shared personal experiences with church discipline, highlighting both the rarity of its biblical practice and the misunderstandings and abuses that surround it. Many churches avoid discipline due to fear of conflict, misunderstanding of Scripture, or a desire to be more appealing to outsiders. Yet, Jesus’ commands are clear: church discipline is not optional, but a necessary means by which God preserves the holiness and unity of His people. I emphasized that discipline is an act of love, designed to restore wandering believers and protect the purity of the church, and that every member has a responsibility to lovingly confront sin when God brings it to their attention. The process must be done with humility, discernment, and a desire for restoration, always remembering that Christ’s commands are for our good and His glory.

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Key Takeaways

1. Church Discipline Is a Command, Not a Suggestion Jesus’ instructions regarding church discipline are not optional or reserved for “super Christians” or pastors alone. They are commands given to the entire church for the sake of the body’s health and holiness. Ignoring these commands is not a minor oversight, but a rebellion against the authority of Christ as King. A church that refuses to practice discipline cannot expect the blessing or presence of Christ among them.
2. Discipline Is an Expression of Love and Care True church discipline is not about shaming or punishing, but about loving restoration. When we confront a brother or sister in sin, we are acting as spiritual caretakers, seeking to bring them back from wandering and protect them from further harm. This is a tangible way we fulfill the call to be our brother’s keeper, valuing each member as precious to God and to the church.
3. The Process Requires Humility, Discernment, and Self-Examination Before approaching someone about their sin, we must examine our own hearts and motives, ensuring we are not acting out of pride, personal offense, or hypocrisy. We must be able to clearly identify the sin and its violation of God’s Word, not merely our preferences or opinions. The goal is not to “win” an argument, but to win our brother or sister back to fellowship and faithfulness.
4. Restoration, Not Rejection, Is the Goal The desired outcome of church discipline is always restoration—a listening, repentant heart that returns to the fold. Even when discipline is difficult or met with resistance, we must remember that God uses this process to keep His children from straying and to reveal those who truly belong to Him. Our posture should be one of hope, patience, and readiness to forgive, rejoicing when a wandering soul is restored.
5. Obedience to Christ May Bring Opposition, but Faithfulness Is Worth the Cost Practicing church discipline will not make a church popular with the world, and may even bring criticism from within. Yet, faithfulness to Christ’s commands is more important than comfort or reputation. We must be willing to risk misunderstanding, rejection, or even loss of members for the sake of honoring Christ and caring for His flock, trusting that He is pleased with our obedience and will use it for His glory and our good.

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: Church Discipline and Restoration**
*(Based on Matthew 18 and supporting passages)*

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### Bible Reading

- **Matthew 18:15-20**
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him 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. Again, truly I tell you 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.”

- **Hebrews 12:5-11**
(God disciplines those He loves, so that we may share in His holiness.)

- **James 5:19-20**
“My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”

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### Observation Questions

According to Matthew 18:15-17, what are the specific steps Jesus gives for addressing a brother or sister who is caught in sin?
In the sermon, what reasons were given for why church discipline is rarely practiced or is misunderstood in many churches today?
What does Hebrews 12 say is the purpose of God’s discipline for His children?
According to James 5:19-20, what is the result of turning a sinner from the error of their way?

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### Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus command the whole church to be involved in the process of discipline, rather than just the leaders or pastors?
The sermon says that discipline is an act of love, not punishment. How does this understanding change the way we might approach someone who is straying?
What dangers might arise if church discipline is ignored or done in an unbiblical way, as described in the sermon?
How does the process of self-examination and humility, as described in the sermon, protect both the person confronting and the one being confronted?

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### Application Questions

The sermon emphasized that church discipline is a command for all believers, not just pastors. Have you ever witnessed or been part of a situation where you saw a fellow believer straying? How did you respond, and how might you respond differently in light of Jesus’ instructions?
The first step in church discipline is to go privately to your brother or sister. What fears or hesitations might keep you from doing this? How can you overcome them?
The goal of discipline is restoration, not rejection. Can you think of a time when you saw someone restored through loving confrontation? What made that process effective or ineffective?
The sermon warns against confronting others out of pride or personal offense. What are some practical ways you can examine your own heart and motives before approaching someone about their sin?
Sometimes, obeying Christ’s commands in this area can lead to misunderstanding or even rejection by others. How can you prepare yourself to be faithful to Christ even if it costs you comfort or relationships?
The sermon mentioned that discipline is often misunderstood as being judgmental or unloving. How can you communicate love and care when you need to confront someone about sin?
Is there someone in your life right now whom God might be calling you to lovingly confront or encourage back to faithfulness? What is one step you can take this week to move toward that conversation, with humility and hope for restoration?

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Sermon Quotes

"Church discipline is not something that is practiced in the majority of churches. It is a rare church that actually practices church discipline, and even rarer to find one that does it in a Biblical manner."

"How can a people claim to love Christ, and look at these commands He gives and say, 'No thank You, Jesus, we will just ignore those words'? How can His church, His body, be commanded by their Head to practice such things, and His body say, we will not?"

"God is interested in a blameless and holy church. Christ deserves a pure and spotless bride, that is the church. He is worthy of our holiness, worthy of a pure bride."

"Discipline keeps us from continually straying. One of the primary means God uses to bring His straying sheep back in is through the work of His church in this process."

"This process is not applied to disagreement over interpretation of Scripture or preferences. It is reserved for sin that violates God. The kickoff to this process is sin, your brother has sinned, you’ve seen it, you are aware of it."

"There is no call here for us to be private investigators of one another’s lives, scrutinizing people and seeking out where we can find some sin. Rather, we see our brother or sister sinning, and God in His providence brings it to our attention."

"If we value one another, and don’t despise each other, then for the sake of one another, we will go and expose the sin to one another in our lives."

"The ones who want to be more like Christ will love you, recognizing that faithful are the wounds of a friend. I have also known that some will hate you, some will revile you, but is that a reason for you to be rebellious against the command of our Lord?"

"When someone comes to us privately, we ought to rejoice. They love us so much that they are willing to risk relationship with us, and come to us without slander or gossip, and care for our souls. How wonderful."

"Church discipline is a care for one another, a care for the body of Christ. It is being each other’s keeper. This is what God’s design is for His church, what our Lord gives us in His commands."

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