Please take your Bibles, turn to the book of Matthew, chapter 18, looking at verses 15 through verse 20. Matthew 18, verses 15 through verse 20, and this is found on page 1,133 of the Bibles provided there in your rows. Jesus tells his disciples, moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen. and a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them. Thus far the reading of God's holy word, remember the grass withers and the flower falls, but God's word abides forever. And as I've been thinking through this text, I believe we're going to end up spending two weeks in this text. This morning it will be more a matter of preparing us for then what lies next week as it relates to our series. You recall we've been working through the idea of taking scripture passages that have been twisted or have been taken out of context and then people run with particular ideas based on that. And our passage here has that same thought present in it. We see it in the idea where people note that you know, where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them. And so they will then make certain arguments about what this actually means. And yet what we miss out on is if we focus simply on that idea or that piece is really what Jesus is affirming as it pertains to this passage. And so this morning, I want us to just simply consider the process of discipline, the process of discipline. Now, when we think about discipline, discipline is not pleasant, it's not enjoyable, it isn't an experience that we all want to sign up for in order to have occur on our life. discipline we think in the context of when we're kids and we do something wrong and then we're found out and we have to interact with our parents and then that means that either we have to, you know, go sit in a corner or we have to end up getting a spanking or if we're older do we get grounded or we lose privileges and so we go through a hard experience that is not enjoyable, and yet even with it, it is useful. In fact, it's necessary. In the context of Jesus noting the call for discipline, he tells us that it's a reality that must be present in the church. Discipline isn't something that should be absent from the context of God's people. Instead, it should be something that is present. It must be present because we're told in the book of Hebrews chapter 12 that it's the one who is not a child that is not disciplined. The one who is lacking discipline present in their life is a testimony that they're not then loved by the particular father. For example, I will discipline my kids when it's necessary, but I'm not going to then go and discipline someone else's kids. It would be odd that I would then interject myself into one of your homes when one of your children have done something wrong in order to speak to that one and say, now, as a result of what you've done, this then is what I have to do for you. I don't have the authority, I don't have the right. Furthermore, I don't have the same type of love or affection that a biological parent would have for their children. And the author of Hebrews makes the same argument. The display or demonstration of discipline in the life of one of God's children is the manifestation that they are a child of God. For God chastises or disciplines his children out of love. So discipline is a reality in the church, even as Jesus manifests it here through this process that he mentions in verses 15 through verse 17. He notes that the steps of discipline involve approaching an individual one-on-one, and then if that person will not hear, then taking a couple more with them in order to go talk, and then furthermore, if they still won't hear, to be told to the church, and if they won't listen to the church, to then be put out of the church and treated like a heathen or a tax collector. Now, in terms of this process of discipline, it's important for us to recognize the context in which this whole thing was written. Because if you initially read these verses about brothers going to one another and saying certain things to each other, that could be somewhat off-putting. We don't necessarily like to be in one another's business, right? We don't necessarily like individuals coming to us and talking to us about things or addressing certain things with us, especially if the subject is uncomfortable or it's uneasy or it's even a fault of ours. And so consequently, we'll take the approach that says, well, you know what? I'll mind my business and you mind your business and ne'er shall the two meet. And as long as you stay in your corner of the sandbox and I stay in my corner of the sandbox, then everything is gonna be okay. But Jesus notes something far different in order to allow us to come together. Throughout this entire chapter in Matthew 18, he affirms this one principle. It's the principle of humility. In this call for humility, we see at the beginning of chapter 18 that the disciples come and they say, well, who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Who has identity? Who has standing? Who has clout? Who's the one who's going to be at the top and supreme? And Jesus then brings a child before them and he says, look, unless you're converted and become as a little child, you'll by no means enter the kingdom. whoever therefore humbles himself as this child is the greatest in the kingdom and whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me." Jesus is noting that there is this place that is in his kingdom and yet it's a position that isn't one that seeks to rule over all others or seeks to be supreme. But the greatest is the one who is least and who is humble. To look at a child, you wouldn't think much of that little one. Yes, they're cute. Yes, they can be cuddly. Yes, you can enjoy at times spending time with them and so forth, but there's nothing significant about them. There's nothing that would commend them to stand out or to be noticed by our society or by the world. And Jesus is noting that position of dependence and that placement of insignificance to be that which then directs those in the kingdom. And as he then sets this position of humility, he says it is a place in which we ought to have towards others even as we would not seek to cause them to stumble or to lose faith or understanding. It's a position that is to be seen even in the fact of the way in which God values each and every individual in his kingdom. So Jesus then notes that we ought not to seek to lead another astray. And furthermore, even as there are those who stray, God notes a value in them like the shepherd who would leave the 99 in order to go and seek after the one who has pulled away. And so the call through all of this, this passage, leading into this interaction of offenses between Christians is one where pride is broken and diminished, where we all recognize that we only have a place and a position in God's kingdom because of his love for us and his willingness to condescend to us, to pull us out of our situation and identify us as his children. by overcoming our sin through the sacrifice of His Son, and cause us accordingly to have a secure standing. And so this humble position before the living God causes us then to note this as we deal with one another. This humility recognizes that even as we interact with one another, there are still going to continue to be offenses that are present. Notice what Jesus says in verse 15. If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. He's saying this not because there's a possibility that it won't ever happen, but instead to recognize that this is a reality that will take place. We must always be ready for the failings of others. ready in the sense that not that we want it or desire it, but yet to note that it will happen so that we won't then be caught off guard or surprised or somehow have this false expectation or idea of who Christians are. We still deal with the issues of the presence of the world and the flesh and the devil. We give in at times to our pride and our own wants and we consequently will do things that dishonor God or dishonor our neighbor, that are unloving or unkind to them. And so even in a household of faith, sin will intrude with all of its hurts and pains and cause there to be a break in the fellowship of the family of God. It's a true reality. It's present. It's here. And yet even when these offenses occur, it's not time to retract or to retreat, but instead it's a time and occasion to then seek the interests of others. When your brother sins against you, Go and tell him his faults between you and him alone. There's a varying idea as to whether or not this just means if your brother sins or if it's necessary that it be against you. I believe it is in relation to being against you for two reasons. The first one is, notice what Peter says in verse 21. He says, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? And then secondly, in the parallel passage in Luke chapter 17, we do see the inclusion or the reference of this. And so as then situations occur in the household of faith, where we then find that there is separation because of sin, We ought to go to the one who has offended us. We must address those individuals individually. This is a challenge to us in terms of our culture. The last thing that we want to do is actually go and talk to another person regarding this. We want to pretend that it didn't happen. We want to leave things left unsaid. We want to allow our time to stew or to ruminate about what has happened. And so consequently, we can build up our justification for being upset or mad or angry as to the situation that has happened. We want to go tell everyone else but the one who has acted in this manner. But Jesus says we're supposed to go. Remember the call to humility. It's not done in a spirit of pride. It's not done in a place of arrogance. It's not a position of superiority, but a mindfulness of the gentleness that we display as the people of God. because God has only allowed us to be in his kingdom by his grace and the manifestation of his grace worked out through us is through a status of humbleness. When we go, we don't go simply to get things off of our chest. Hey, you really upset me, and I need to let you know this, and this is all the ways in which you upset me. How dare you do all these things, and I'm just here to make sure that I feel better about myself, because Jesus said I should come, so I'm coming, and so here it is. Think about the way in which a fire hydrant shoots water out of it. It's not a trickle. It's not some little thing. It just shoots forth. And there are some times in which people want to do that as they, I've got a list of things that I need to say to you and here's what it is. And consequently then it's to beat the person up or to satisfy personal grievances. Jesus says we go in order to show our concern and our help and our support for this one. It's for the interest of the manifestation of repentance in their life and so that the relationship that was broken apart can now be repaired and restored. It's for the desire that forgiveness could be extended and resolution could be had to the conflict. The relationship can be righted once again. Issues in the context of the church. that are private in nature are not to be left alone. They're to be addressed. And so I ask you this morning, especially as we come to partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, showing our unity, our togetherness, our oneness, eating from the same bread, drinking from the same cup, gathered around the same table, Are there offenses that have occurred to you that you haven't resolved, that you haven't addressed? Do you have enough concern for your church family, for individuals that are members of this church? Do you have enough concern for their spiritual welfare? And are you motivated by love that you might then put aside your hurts and your griefs and your pains in order to see that restoration may occur so that there can be true oneness between you and them? But Jesus doesn't just simply leave it at, well, talk to them and if they don't hear you, well, that's the end of the matter. Jesus notes that there is then a process. If they won't hear you, you take others with you. Jesus commends the work of this in the book of Deuteronomy when God commended Israel that when there was a matter to be heard by the courts, that there would then be witnesses provided in order to give validity to the testimony of what happened. Nothing was accepted into the court that did not have two or three witnesses. And Jesus then taking this principle further applies it in order to confirm the validity of what is brought forth in the lives of what has occurred. If the one won't hear you, you ask others to come with you. You take them so that as you would speak to the one who's involved in the situation, that they may then confirm the things that have been stated. They may also be able to serve as those who might be able to listen, and they in turn might be able to address certain situations as to the way you're seeing it, and if you're seeing it wrongly, or they might be able to hear the issue and provide advice and guidance and clarity so that further resolution can be had. But if not, the call then is that this matter is to be taken to the church. And telling it to the church, it ultimately comes before the elders who are the elected leaders of the local institution. It's not to be viewed as a matter in which we then would somehow come publicly before the entirety of the church as step two has occurred so that we might then just set it before the body and the body in turn might be able to hear it and deliberate and make a decision on it. Christ has equipped his officers, the elders with the authority to be able to act in his name. Similar language is used in Matthew chapter 16 when he notes the authority of Peter and the apostles and actions there. And so we see then it is a body that represents the church that then hears and decides the matter as is set in this particular issue. In all of this, if the work of humble repentance occurs, then the one has been gained, they've been received, they've been brought in, and there's restoration that occurs, and there's much rejoicing. But if not, the steps then lead to eventually that individual being put out. Why? It's not because the church is seeking to secure its pound of flesh. It's not done for the matter of embarrassment. It's not done for the matter of parading individuals regarding their situation. All of this is for the sake of restoration. This whole process, as Jesus noted, is in the manifestation of humility and displayed with the greatest of examples, which is love. The motivation in all of this is the love of God for the sinner, the love of God through his people, the love of his people for these individuals, that there would be no division, that there would be no discord, that there would be no separation. It's to restore. It's to connect. It's to repair. It's to go forward with the display of grace and mercy as offenses then are overcome. There's two things that we should note as it pertains to discipline. Discipline is done for the goal of restoration in the reflection of love. It's a very key thing to hear and to understand. No true, genuine discipline ought to be enacted without love and restoration. The conversation and leading to it is always done lovingly and gently. It's always done with the good of the individual in mind as it relates to their relationship before God. And when officers don't recognize that, or when churches don't acknowledge it, or when they act in a different manner, they're not manifesting the call that Jesus has noted here or the intention, which is loving restoration. Secondly, we do see the importance of this is for the sake of the purity of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 5 that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, and so consequently, if indulgences are allowed to remain without being addressed or without there being any consequence, the issue can spread to others. If a church member who is known to be a cheat is allowed to remain in that position and no one seeks to address them and the church doesn't resolve it, then others may be able to begin to say, well, then I guess cheating is acceptable. Or we could put it in the context of lying or theft or infidelity or whatever it may be. Hence, for the sake of all of us, discipline occurs. so that we then might be kept by the power of God through His church, so that we then may reflect His work in us." Well, we see this call for discipline to occur. And as we would close and come to the time in which we would celebrate the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, I would ask, even as discipline is difficult, do you ultimately treasure it? Do you see the manifestation of the love of God for you as He then would convict, as He would challenge, as He would help to hold you accountable? And consequently, do you give Him thanks for it? Secondly, do you value your church members enough to utilize this means in order to come and talk with them about the things that have resulted in your relationship with them? And thirdly, do you love Christ's church enough that you're willing to talk with one another in order to walk through these things? Christ has given this to us. Next week, we'll then see the authority that underlies all of this so that we might then rightly see it in the context of the process. But the process has been laid out for us, and accordingly, may we treasure it, may we value it, and may we give thanks to the Lord that he cares enough for us, not to leave us to ourselves, but he would then work through us by his word, by his spirit, by others. as they would come and address us accordingly. Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, as you set this matter of discipline before us this morning, we pray that we would rightly reflect on it, that we would not set it aside, for it is one of the marks of the church, that we would see the manner in which it is to be brought forward, not in pride or in arrogance, but instead in a spirit of humility. May we appreciate the manner of this that is set before us, and consequently, may you cause us to learn from it, that we would grow, and in our growth, that we would reflect the image of the Lord Jesus Christ more and more. And we ask this in his name, amen.