WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:09.500 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:15.280 redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:22.620 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:22.620 --> 00:00:33.840 This is a reading from the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 18, verses 12 to 20. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:39.519 What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:44.140 will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go look for the one that wandered off? 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:52.140 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:58.339 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. 00:00:59.159 --> 00:01:03.780 If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their faults, just between the two of you. 00:01:04.359 --> 00:01:06.579 If they listen to you, you have won them over. 00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:10.500 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:14.900 so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 00:01:16.259 --> 00:01:18.959 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church. 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:24.799 And if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:29.639 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, 00:01:30.019 --> 00:01:32.239 and whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 00:01:33.219 --> 00:01:38.560 Again, truly I tell you, that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, 00:01:39.139 --> 00:01:41.299 it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 00:01:41.299 --> 00:01:45.780 For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:47.979 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:01:48.840 --> 00:01:50.099 Praise to you, O Christ. 00:01:50.099 --> 00:01:53.979 Well, thank you for that scripture reading, John. 00:01:54.099 --> 00:01:54.780 Good morning, everyone. 00:01:54.839 --> 00:01:56.399 My name is Andrew, one of the pastors here. 00:01:57.379 --> 00:02:01.280 I feel a little weird because I feel like every time Jonathan preaches, 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.819 the turnout the next week is a lot bigger. 00:02:04.939 --> 00:02:07.579 And then I notice when I preach, the next week it's a lot smaller. 00:02:07.699 --> 00:02:08.740 So I think that's what's happened today. 00:02:08.840 --> 00:02:11.919 Jonathan preached last week, and I get to preach to a bigger crowd today. 00:02:12.539 --> 00:02:13.819 We're super glad you're here. 00:02:14.500 --> 00:02:15.419 Sorry about that, Jonathan. 00:02:15.419 --> 00:02:17.699 I'll try hard to make people come back next week. 00:02:18.359 --> 00:02:22.679 But I don't want to cut Jonathan too much slack because what happened last week was 00:02:22.679 --> 00:02:28.599 Jonathan actually intended to preach this text that was just read to us all the way through verse 20. 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:30.560 He intended to preach that last week. 00:02:30.979 --> 00:02:35.459 And he realized, though, last week that he wasn't going to be able to squeeze it all into his sermon, 00:02:35.579 --> 00:02:39.159 so he asked me to pick up the rest starting in verse 15 today. 00:02:39.259 --> 00:02:42.459 And, you know, I'm a team player, so I typed back to him on Slack. 00:02:42.459 --> 00:02:43.719 I said, you got it, boss. 00:02:43.959 --> 00:02:44.899 Anything you need. 00:02:44.900 --> 00:02:55.480 But then when I realized the passage that he left for me to preach, I was like, yo, of course Jonathan was going to leave me with this passage. 00:02:55.900 --> 00:02:56.080 All right? 00:02:56.120 --> 00:03:02.159 I mean, the nice title of the sermon today is Becoming an Accountable Community. 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:02.620 Right? 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:06.040 But honestly, you could also title a sermon on this passage, you know, 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:09.099 Four Steps for Removing Someone from Church Membership. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:09.620 Right? 00:03:09.620 --> 00:03:13.719 Or maybe Excommunication According to Jesus. 00:03:14.620 --> 00:03:14.819 All right? 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:16.920 So thanks a lot, Jonathan St. Clair. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:18.200 And here we go. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:23.259 The sermon, I'm sure that this is why people are flocking here today, a sermon on church discipline. 00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:26.920 Something you're all itching to hear about today when you got out of bed, right? 00:03:27.939 --> 00:03:34.700 Now, I imagine that this text probably brings up a good amount of discomfort and tons of questions for a number of us. 00:03:34.699 --> 00:03:38.519 And I hope to address them throughout this sermon this morning. 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:45.699 But first, I just want to explain Jesus' teaching here on church discipline in case this is a new concept to us. 00:03:46.060 --> 00:03:46.939 Look down here. 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:48.060 We're going to go straight into it. 00:03:48.079 --> 00:03:49.959 Look down at verses 15 to 17. 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:51.099 It's actually pretty straightforward. 00:03:51.099 --> 00:03:58.740 But basically, Jesus is saying in verses 15 to 17, if someone sins, that is, if someone goes against the ways of God, 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:02.400 Jesus says that there is a three-step, four-step process. 00:04:02.699 --> 00:04:04.859 Step one, go and call them out on it. 00:04:05.259 --> 00:04:08.359 Go and personally, privately seek their repentance. 00:04:08.939 --> 00:04:11.240 Seek to get them to turn back to God. 00:04:11.859 --> 00:04:12.039 All right? 00:04:12.079 --> 00:04:13.340 So that's step number one. 00:04:13.419 --> 00:04:16.079 And if they do repent and return back, great. 00:04:16.339 --> 00:04:17.040 Mission accomplished. 00:04:17.699 --> 00:04:17.899 All right? 00:04:17.939 --> 00:04:18.920 But then there's step number two. 00:04:18.920 --> 00:04:24.340 If they don't repent, step number two, will then take two or three witnesses and confront them again. 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:25.020 All right? 00:04:25.640 --> 00:04:30.720 And if they still refuse to turn back, step three, bring this issue before the church. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:36.759 And if they still refuse to change their mind and to change their ways, then step four is, Jesus says, 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:39.920 to treat them as a pagan and a tax collector. 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:44.600 Basically, treat them as someone who is now an outsider to your church family. 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:48.340 And this process is what we call the steps of church discipline. 00:04:48.339 --> 00:04:51.479 And the final step is excommunication. 00:04:52.459 --> 00:04:55.359 Now, if you're wondering what that might look like in real life, 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:59.560 because we are a church that does practice church membership and church discipline here at Christ Church, 00:04:59.919 --> 00:05:02.139 let me just share with you what this might look like. 00:05:02.199 --> 00:05:05.620 Basically, if Jonathan St. Clair went out and he stole my car, okay? 00:05:05.739 --> 00:05:07.379 Let's say Jonathan went out and stole my car. 00:05:07.379 --> 00:05:15.139 Jesus is saying that it's actually my personal responsibility as his brother in Christ to confront him about it privately, 00:05:15.139 --> 00:05:18.680 before I go off and get the whole church to get behind me and get my car back, all right? 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:22.360 To go to him privately to confront him and seek his restoration. 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:26.899 That's step one when someone in our church commits a blatant sin, 00:05:27.399 --> 00:05:30.719 personal and private confrontation with the goal of restoration. 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:33.140 Now, I want to add a big caveat here, 00:05:33.280 --> 00:05:38.280 because these are Jesus' instructions for how to conduct ourselves in the church, 00:05:38.320 --> 00:05:39.040 in the context of the church. 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:42.240 But the scriptures also talk about how we are to conduct ourselves, 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:45.380 also in the context of civil society. 00:05:46.280 --> 00:05:51.700 And, you know, just because Jesus tells me to confront Jonathan privately for stealing my car, 00:05:52.120 --> 00:05:56.460 it doesn't mean that I can't also, you know, go contact the police. 00:05:56.459 --> 00:05:58.879 And, you know, it's sad that I have to say this, 00:05:59.159 --> 00:06:02.919 but far too many churches have tried to, you know, be their own judge and jury, 00:06:03.299 --> 00:06:04.819 trying to deal with all kinds of things. 00:06:04.939 --> 00:06:08.839 Sexual abuse, domestic abuse, other sins punishable by the law. 00:06:09.180 --> 00:06:11.539 And the churches have often tried to do it on their own, 00:06:11.620 --> 00:06:14.879 without notifying the proper, you know, law-enforcing authority. 00:06:15.019 --> 00:06:15.899 So I just have to say that. 00:06:15.939 --> 00:06:19.039 I want to assure you that that's not what Jesus is saying here, okay? 00:06:19.060 --> 00:06:22.639 He's talking about personal relationships in the context of the church. 00:06:22.759 --> 00:06:23.579 All right, so that's step one. 00:06:23.579 --> 00:06:26.719 Step one for dealing with sin in the context of the church family is personal, 00:06:27.159 --> 00:06:31.859 private confrontation with the hope of repentance and winning that person back to the family. 00:06:32.459 --> 00:06:36.759 But if step one doesn't lead to repentance, if Jonathan won't give me my car back, 00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:39.500 won't even admit that he's wrong, then according to Jesus, 00:06:39.979 --> 00:06:43.419 I should get two or three witnesses to come alongside me to confront him. 00:06:43.459 --> 00:06:47.860 And what I would do is I'd probably get Catherine St. Clair and Constance from our church 00:06:47.860 --> 00:06:50.720 to go with me to confront Jonathan and be like, 00:06:51.100 --> 00:06:53.780 Dad, give Pastor Andrew his car back. 00:06:53.939 --> 00:06:54.199 All right? 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:57.540 I'm hoping that that would be more convicting for Pastor Jonathan. 00:06:58.420 --> 00:07:01.960 But if Jonathan still refused to give me back my sweet ride, right, 00:07:01.960 --> 00:07:04.759 if he continued in his ways of grand theft auto, 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:10.580 what the next step would be, step three, would be to tell it to the church. 00:07:11.319 --> 00:07:11.600 Tell the church. 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:13.700 And this is kind of a scary part, right? 00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:18.920 Now, I have a friend, actually, who unfortunately went through this process of church discipline. 00:07:19.939 --> 00:07:25.860 She ended up in a romantic relationship with a man who was married to someone else in her workplace. 00:07:26.780 --> 00:07:28.620 And she was at a Baptist church. 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:33.780 And a Baptist church typically has more of a congregationalist way of governing. 00:07:33.900 --> 00:07:37.460 So they actually had her stand before the whole church in a members meeting. 00:07:37.459 --> 00:07:43.019 And they reported her sin to the whole membership, essentially trying to shame her back to God. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:46.739 And I don't at all condone what she did. 00:07:46.859 --> 00:07:50.560 But I want you to know that here at Christ Church, that's not exactly how it works, 00:07:50.579 --> 00:07:53.479 according to our book of order, according to our denomination. 00:07:53.679 --> 00:07:56.679 Step three of taking it to the church is a lot more discreet than that. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:08:00.819 And what step three would look like if Jonathan still did not give me my car back, 00:08:00.899 --> 00:08:03.439 step three would mean taking it to the elders of the church. 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:09.360 It would be me going to Tonya and Karen and Wes and Bill and Jocelyn and to our whole presbytery, 00:08:09.459 --> 00:08:12.779 our regional presbytery, who keeps me and Jonathan accountable, 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:19.240 and having all of them, this church, confront Jonathan about his stealing of my car. 00:08:20.379 --> 00:08:24.639 But then, if Jonathan still refused to repent, after step three, 00:08:25.339 --> 00:08:29.899 after the whole church came to him and asked him to turn back to God, 00:08:29.899 --> 00:08:34.199 the final step would be to treat him as an outsider to the family of faith. 00:08:34.899 --> 00:08:37.600 And no, this wouldn't mean posting bouncers outside of the church, 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:39.939 not allowing him to come into the sanctuary, 00:08:40.860 --> 00:08:44.539 but it would mean exclusion from this table right here. 00:08:45.459 --> 00:08:50.319 Exclusion from this sacrament of intimate communion with Christ and his people. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:54.659 Jonathan's refusal to repent, even after these first three steps of church discipline, 00:08:54.659 --> 00:08:59.039 would mean that all the members of Christ's church here should take a different view 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:02.500 about our fundamental relationship to him. 00:09:02.819 --> 00:09:08.559 No longer seeing him as a brother in Christ, but as someone outside the household of God. 00:09:09.539 --> 00:09:11.500 It wouldn't mean that we would love him any less, 00:09:11.559 --> 00:09:13.299 but it would mean that in our eyes, 00:09:13.779 --> 00:09:17.839 there would now be a huge distinction between who he was and who we are. 00:09:17.879 --> 00:09:21.819 A huge distinction between who he belonged to and who we belong to. 00:09:21.820 --> 00:09:24.800 And this isn't just some mind game that we try to play, 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:27.920 but church discipline is backed, it says here in verses 18 to 20, 00:09:27.980 --> 00:09:29.460 by the very authority of Christ. 00:09:29.540 --> 00:09:31.440 Look down with me at verses 18 through 20. 00:09:32.520 --> 00:09:35.540 When Jesus uses this language here of loosing and binding, 00:09:35.620 --> 00:09:38.200 it's the same language he used early in Matthew chapter 16 00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:42.540 when he gives Peter the keys to unlock and to lock the kingdom of heaven. 00:09:42.620 --> 00:09:44.820 Basically what Jesus is saying when he says, 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:49.020 whatever you bind or loose on earth will also be bound or loosened in heaven. 00:09:49.019 --> 00:09:53.159 And what he's doing is he's giving the institution of the local church 00:09:53.159 --> 00:09:56.600 the authority and the role of practicing church membership. 00:09:57.240 --> 00:10:02.419 The role of declaring who is in the kingdom and who is not in the kingdom of heaven. 00:10:03.259 --> 00:10:06.240 And like, I know a lot of times we cite this passage in our prayer meetings like, 00:10:06.500 --> 00:10:09.139 you know, where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them. 00:10:09.179 --> 00:10:11.860 But you need to know that the direct context for that passage 00:10:11.860 --> 00:10:15.139 is actually Jesus' teaching here on church discipline. 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:19.480 He's saying that wherever there is a local church gathering of his people, 00:10:19.940 --> 00:10:22.399 even if the church is but two or three people, 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:25.360 there he is with them, standing behind them 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:28.800 in their practice of church membership and church discipline. 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:30.680 Now in case you're wondering, 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:36.200 Jesus is not saying that the church is infallible or an ultimate authority. 00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:37.879 As one commentator puts it, 00:10:37.940 --> 00:10:41.060 this doesn't mean that God is bound to add his divine sanction 00:10:41.060 --> 00:10:43.120 to just whatever the church does. 00:10:43.560 --> 00:10:47.560 But when the church does faithfully live up to her calling, 00:10:48.100 --> 00:10:51.920 when we practice church membership and church discipline rightly, 00:10:52.580 --> 00:10:54.940 we are exercising the very authority 00:10:54.940 --> 00:10:58.040 and the very presence of Christ in this world. 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:02.120 So church discipline, this is serious stuff commanded to us, 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:03.600 commended to us by Christ. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:07.800 It's not just an organizational policy or an artificial construct. 00:11:08.300 --> 00:11:12.600 Church discipline is the process that God himself in Christ has given us 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:16.460 to be the body of Christ in this world in a distinctive way. 00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:18.240 And so there you go. 00:11:18.460 --> 00:11:20.800 That's my best shot at explaining the process 00:11:20.800 --> 00:11:24.100 and the purpose of church membership and church discipline 00:11:24.100 --> 00:11:27.000 according to Jesus' teaching here in Matthew chapter 18. 00:11:27.220 --> 00:11:28.740 We can close in prayer now, all right? 00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:30.720 Of course not. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:34.420 And I imagine, again, that this teaching is quite uncomfortable for a lot of us. 00:11:34.820 --> 00:11:36.840 Probably raises a bunch of questions, right? 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:39.580 Like maybe you see Jesus' teaching here, 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:43.180 these four steps leading to the removal of someone from church membership, 00:11:43.180 --> 00:11:44.279 and you're wondering, 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:49.080 how can Jesus teach his church to be so exclusive 00:11:49.080 --> 00:11:52.240 and so methodically exclusive, right? 00:11:52.980 --> 00:11:55.940 I mean, for our modern Western Bay Area sensibilities, 00:11:55.940 --> 00:11:59.880 this doesn't exactly fit with our value of radical inclusion, does it? 00:12:00.900 --> 00:12:02.760 Jesus, what's up with these boundaries? 00:12:02.900 --> 00:12:03.720 What's up with these lines? 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:05.100 What's up with these distinctions, 00:12:05.260 --> 00:12:07.820 this distinction between insiders and outsiders? 00:12:08.780 --> 00:12:12.260 Jesus, are you really suggesting that we label other people, 00:12:12.580 --> 00:12:17.640 that we other certain people who believe and who live differently than us? 00:12:17.639 --> 00:12:23.299 And this teaching is not just hard to stomach as inclusive Bay Area progresses, 00:12:23.460 --> 00:12:25.659 but even for those of us who don't necessarily, you know, 00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:29.159 uphold the secular orthodoxy of the Bay Area, 00:12:29.259 --> 00:12:32.500 even for those of us whose primary allegiance is to Jesus, 00:12:33.220 --> 00:12:37.539 this teaching on church discipline can still seem hard to square, right? 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:39.899 With the Jesus we thought we knew. 00:12:40.779 --> 00:12:41.639 I mean, just last week, 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:44.319 just a few verses prior here in chapter 18, 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:48.500 Jesus was just talking about welcoming children and the least and the lowly 00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:49.680 into his kingdom of heaven. 00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:52.080 This is the guy who preached the Sermon on the Mount, right? 00:12:52.680 --> 00:12:54.800 Love your enemies, turn the other cheek, 00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:57.060 judge not lest you be judged. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:59.020 But here he's saying that there is a point 00:12:59.020 --> 00:13:04.040 where we should actually treat certain people as outsiders to his kingdom. 00:13:04.760 --> 00:13:08.820 Even like idolatrous pagans and turncoat tax collectors. 00:13:08.820 --> 00:13:15.360 So like, what are we to make of Jesus' teaching on church membership 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:18.440 and on church discipline when they seem so much intention 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:23.580 with the inclusivity and the open-hearted love that we all value 00:13:23.580 --> 00:13:26.740 and even that we recognize in Jesus himself and his other teachings? 00:13:27.540 --> 00:13:29.340 And that's what the rest of this sermon is going to be about, 00:13:29.420 --> 00:13:32.760 considering whether Jesus' teaching on church discipline 00:13:32.760 --> 00:13:37.600 is actually opposed to his teaching on inclusion and love. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:38.659 All right? 00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:40.580 Are they truly opposed? 00:13:40.700 --> 00:13:43.340 Is church discipline truly outside of the way of Jesus? 00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:46.399 Or is there something more nuanced, more profound 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:48.460 for us to see in God's word this morning? 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:51.680 Now the first thing that I want to say is, 00:13:51.800 --> 00:13:52.899 hey, we've got to be honest though. 00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:57.379 Every institution, even the most inclusive by its very nature 00:13:57.379 --> 00:14:02.420 as an institution, it's got to be exclusive at least to some degree, right? 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:06.420 Every institution has to have some standard for inclusion and exclusion, 00:14:06.419 --> 00:14:10.240 whether it's an Islamic mosque or a Jewish synagogue or a church like ours 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:13.259 or even like a sports team, a club, a gym, 00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:16.099 a big global publicly traded business like Google. 00:14:16.199 --> 00:14:18.179 I don't think we could name a single institution, 00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:21.979 even the most woke, progressive, radically inclusive institution 00:14:21.979 --> 00:14:26.620 that doesn't have some criteria for inclusion and exclusion. 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:29.699 It's absolutely just unavoidable if we're going to be honest. 00:14:29.700 --> 00:14:32.720 So if we're going to be intellectually honest, 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:37.820 it's not so much a matter of being or not being exclusive or inclusive. 00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:40.460 But the more important question is, 00:14:40.680 --> 00:14:41.660 what is the criteria? 00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:45.280 What is the criteria for inclusion and exclusion? 00:14:46.140 --> 00:14:47.520 See, in Jesus' teaching right here, 00:14:47.580 --> 00:14:50.420 he's keeping it real about the criteria of the kingdom. 00:14:51.060 --> 00:14:51.700 And it's really simple. 00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:53.980 It's simple, it's just, it's fair, 00:14:53.980 --> 00:14:56.480 and it's truly an equalizing criteria 00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:58.500 that doesn't specifically discriminate 00:14:58.500 --> 00:15:01.360 against any particular kind of people or people group. 00:15:01.500 --> 00:15:05.180 In his kingdom, sin and waywardness from God 00:15:05.180 --> 00:15:07.379 constitute the grounds for exclusion. 00:15:08.340 --> 00:15:10.300 And repentance and faith in Christ 00:15:10.300 --> 00:15:12.680 constitute the grounds for inclusion. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:13.820 And that's it. 00:15:14.139 --> 00:15:15.340 The same standard for everyone. 00:15:15.420 --> 00:15:17.980 A standard that neither advantages nor disadvantages 00:15:18.500 --> 00:15:20.320 any kinds of people. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:24.300 Jesus isn't trying to be any more exclusive than anyone else. 00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:26.440 He's just trying to be clear and real 00:15:26.440 --> 00:15:30.640 about his fair criteria for inclusion and exclusion. 00:15:30.820 --> 00:15:32.660 And besides, let's also not forget 00:15:32.660 --> 00:15:35.520 where exclusion originally came from in the first place, right? 00:15:36.340 --> 00:15:38.400 Who was the first person to draw lines 00:15:38.400 --> 00:15:40.020 and boundaries and distinctions? 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:41.660 It was us. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:44.760 It was humankind when we drew the first line, 00:15:44.760 --> 00:15:47.220 when we chose a different way than God's way. 00:15:47.620 --> 00:15:50.100 And when we ran away from God and hid from him 00:15:50.100 --> 00:15:50.960 and each other, 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:52.340 from that point on, 00:15:52.420 --> 00:15:53.820 there were two different ways to live. 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:55.180 Two different teams. 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:56.700 God's and ours. 00:15:57.740 --> 00:16:00.420 God's original intention was never to exclude, 00:16:00.540 --> 00:16:03.700 but exclusion was born out of our sin. 00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:05.279 And you know what? 00:16:05.300 --> 00:16:07.800 The rest of the story of history is actually Jesus. 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:09.920 According to Jesus, the rest of the story, 00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:12.120 according to his prophets, according to his apostles, 00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:15.560 is God's plan to actually include those 00:16:15.560 --> 00:16:17.660 who excluded themselves from him. 00:16:17.659 --> 00:16:19.899 And not with some kind of compromised 00:16:19.899 --> 00:16:22.039 or relativistic inclusivity 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:24.120 that just accepts everyone no matter what 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:25.120 and without cost, 00:16:25.199 --> 00:16:28.279 but with a principled, inclusive love 00:16:28.279 --> 00:16:31.839 that costs the exclusion of his own son. 00:16:32.839 --> 00:16:34.959 On the cross, Christ was excluded 00:16:34.959 --> 00:16:37.159 so that we might be included. 00:16:37.319 --> 00:16:39.600 On Good Friday, Christ became an outsider 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:41.579 so that we might become insiders. 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:42.899 The son became the scapegoat 00:16:42.899 --> 00:16:44.860 sent outside the camp, 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:47.139 crucified outside the city walls 00:16:47.139 --> 00:16:48.639 so that we might become citizens 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:50.240 in the new Jerusalem, 00:16:50.419 --> 00:16:51.659 members of God's household. 00:16:51.779 --> 00:16:54.279 This is the free gift of God's inclusive grace 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:56.579 that's offered to anyone and everyone. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:00.459 So you see, even with the real exclusivity 00:17:00.459 --> 00:17:02.639 that exists and characterizes 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:05.180 the kingdom of Christ, 00:17:05.879 --> 00:17:08.139 there is no other kingdom in history, actually. 00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:11.700 No other institution that has actually been more inclusive 00:17:11.700 --> 00:17:14.340 than the church of Jesus Christ. 00:17:15.060 --> 00:17:16.460 That the household of God 00:17:16.460 --> 00:17:19.280 that's united in him and in him alone. 00:17:19.380 --> 00:17:20.740 It is the most inclusive 00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:23.860 precisely because of the way that it is exclusive. 00:17:24.900 --> 00:17:28.100 See, Jesus is an equal opportunity offender here. 00:17:28.680 --> 00:17:29.920 He excludes all people 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:32.360 according to the same single standard of sin. 00:17:33.140 --> 00:17:34.420 But at the same time, 00:17:34.420 --> 00:17:36.060 literally anyone, 00:17:36.320 --> 00:17:37.880 any kind of person can enter 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:39.440 into the kingdom of heaven 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:42.019 according to the same single standard of faith 00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:42.759 and repentance. 00:17:43.860 --> 00:17:45.060 And so a second and related thing 00:17:45.060 --> 00:17:45.840 I might add to this 00:17:45.840 --> 00:17:46.279 is that, you know, 00:17:46.320 --> 00:17:48.980 the very notion of radical inclusion 00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:50.200 that we so often celebrate 00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:52.360 and so often use to condemn Christianity 00:17:52.360 --> 00:17:53.360 and the church, 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:54.860 honestly, apart from historic 00:17:54.860 --> 00:17:56.539 and orthodox Christianity, 00:17:57.240 --> 00:17:58.940 honestly, we wouldn't even be able 00:17:58.940 --> 00:18:00.340 to celebrate radical inclusion 00:18:00.340 --> 00:18:02.920 like we do today in the secular West. 00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:05.420 This notion of radical inclusion 00:18:05.420 --> 00:18:07.400 that the secular West so often uses 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:08.600 to bash the church, 00:18:09.300 --> 00:18:10.920 it got this from the church 00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:12.300 in the first place. 00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:14.400 If you're interested in reading more about this, 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:16.100 I suggest Rodney Stark. 00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:17.440 He did his PhD here at Cal. 00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:19.019 He taught at UW and Baylor. 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:20.019 Or there's Tom Holland. 00:18:20.180 --> 00:18:21.660 He's an alumnus of Cambridge. 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:22.560 He's another historian. 00:18:22.740 --> 00:18:25.100 Jerry Sitzer or Larry Hurtado. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.440 I recommend all these people 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:28.560 who've done a lot of work on this. 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:30.279 And, you know, even with this, 00:18:30.600 --> 00:18:31.840 even with the history of the church, 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:33.199 the history of its oppression, 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:35.000 even after all the times 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:36.299 the church has failed to live up 00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:38.000 to our own standards, 00:18:38.259 --> 00:18:38.939 Christ's standards, 00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:40.980 and Christ's purposes for us, 00:18:41.659 --> 00:18:43.139 still, I think you can make 00:18:43.139 --> 00:18:44.000 a strong argument 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:45.139 that there's never been 00:18:45.139 --> 00:18:46.379 a more diverse, 00:18:46.740 --> 00:18:48.559 more inclusive institution 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:50.399 than the Christian church. 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:52.759 As the great African theologian, 00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:53.319 St. Augustine, 00:18:53.379 --> 00:18:54.639 observed in the 5th century, 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:56.200 all are astonished to see 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:57.420 the entire human race 00:18:57.420 --> 00:18:59.480 converging on the crucified one 00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:02.020 from emperors down to beggars 00:19:02.020 --> 00:19:03.259 in their rags. 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:04.300 And, you know, 00:19:04.340 --> 00:19:05.660 the growth of world Christianity 00:19:05.660 --> 00:19:06.700 and the, you know, 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:08.280 truly global complexion 00:19:08.280 --> 00:19:08.780 of the church 00:19:08.780 --> 00:19:10.200 has only continued to today. 00:19:10.780 --> 00:19:11.440 Like, did you know 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:12.340 that Christianity 00:19:12.340 --> 00:19:15.720 is the most evenly dispersed religion 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:17.140 across the continents? 00:19:17.140 --> 00:19:19.160 As of 2010, 00:19:19.320 --> 00:19:20.360 according to Pew Research, 00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:22.520 25% of Christians 00:19:22.520 --> 00:19:23.160 were in Europe, 00:19:23.600 --> 00:19:25.380 24% were in Africa, 00:19:26.080 --> 00:19:28.160 24% were in South America, 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:30.140 12% in North America, 00:19:30.540 --> 00:19:32.480 and 13% in Asia. 00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:34.840 So to say that Christ 00:19:34.840 --> 00:19:35.680 and His church 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:37.080 are not inclusive 00:19:37.080 --> 00:19:39.320 is simply just contrary 00:19:39.320 --> 00:19:40.660 to the facts. 00:19:41.560 --> 00:19:42.500 But now the third thing 00:19:42.500 --> 00:19:43.120 that I want to say 00:19:43.120 --> 00:19:44.480 in regard to this alleged 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:46.740 exclusivity of Jesus' teaching 00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:47.620 on church discipline, 00:19:48.059 --> 00:19:48.279 you know, 00:19:48.579 --> 00:19:49.480 is this. 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:50.319 What I want to say is, 00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:52.420 what if Jesus' teaching here 00:19:52.420 --> 00:19:53.420 on church discipline 00:19:53.420 --> 00:19:55.960 is actually way more inclusive 00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:58.400 than we originally realized? 00:19:59.099 --> 00:19:59.839 I want to show you 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:00.339 that it's actually 00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:01.500 way more inclusive 00:20:01.500 --> 00:20:02.980 than we actually realized. 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:04.039 Now look down with me here 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:05.740 at verses 12 through 14. 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:07.559 Because it's really important 00:20:07.559 --> 00:20:09.039 to see these verses 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:10.120 as the context 00:20:10.120 --> 00:20:11.279 for what follows 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:13.120 in verses 15 through 20 00:20:13.120 --> 00:20:14.039 when Jesus talks 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:14.779 about church discipline. 00:20:15.579 --> 00:20:15.980 Because, like, 00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:17.000 Jesus doesn't just, 00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:17.440 you know, 00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:18.279 out of the blue 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:20.039 launch into giving instructions 00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:21.000 for how to kick people 00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:21.480 out of church. 00:20:21.559 --> 00:20:22.759 That's not what He's doing here 00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:24.400 in Matthew chapter 18. 00:20:25.299 --> 00:20:27.460 If we look at verses 12 through 14, 00:20:27.579 --> 00:20:29.079 we see that Jesus' instructions 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:30.140 for removing people 00:20:30.140 --> 00:20:31.880 from the church membership, 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:33.599 it actually flows 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:35.220 out of His exhortation 00:20:35.220 --> 00:20:35.860 to the church 00:20:35.860 --> 00:20:39.039 to be a pursuing people of God. 00:20:40.259 --> 00:20:41.120 In verse 12, 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:41.799 Jesus says, 00:20:42.299 --> 00:20:43.160 He says this first, 00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:44.000 What do you think? 00:20:44.420 --> 00:20:45.759 If a man owns a hundred sheep 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.820 and one of them wanders away, 00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:47.660 will he not leave 00:20:47.660 --> 00:20:49.180 the 99 on the hills 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:50.740 and go to look for the one 00:20:50.740 --> 00:20:51.680 that wandered off? 00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:52.580 And if he finds it, 00:20:52.980 --> 00:20:53.720 truly I tell you, 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:54.500 he is happier 00:20:54.500 --> 00:20:56.080 about that one sheep 00:20:56.080 --> 00:20:57.300 than about the 99 00:20:57.300 --> 00:20:59.180 that did not wander off 00:20:59.180 --> 00:21:00.019 in the same way 00:21:00.019 --> 00:21:01.120 your Father in heaven 00:21:01.120 --> 00:21:02.259 is not willing 00:21:02.259 --> 00:21:03.720 that any of these little ones 00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:04.680 should perish. 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:05.960 And to just, 00:21:06.100 --> 00:21:07.019 to give some context 00:21:07.019 --> 00:21:09.500 for Jesus' original hearers 00:21:09.500 --> 00:21:11.040 in the ancient Near East, 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.779 this would have been 00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:14.319 absolutely ludicrous, 00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:14.659 alright? 00:21:15.299 --> 00:21:16.180 Like what wise, 00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:17.480 what responsible shepherd 00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:19.379 would leave 99 of his sheep 00:21:19.379 --> 00:21:19.680 on a hill, 00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:21.740 put 99% of his wealth 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.559 at risk 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.680 to go after 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:25.339 one wayward sheep, 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:25.839 to preserve 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:27.159 that tiny 1% 00:21:27.159 --> 00:21:28.339 of his wealth 00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:29.059 that is a particular 00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:29.839 headache to him, 00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:30.619 prone to wander 00:21:30.619 --> 00:21:31.879 again and again and again, 00:21:32.139 --> 00:21:32.859 and that might not 00:21:32.859 --> 00:21:34.579 even return with him. 00:21:35.539 --> 00:21:36.960 The original hearers 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:37.899 of Jesus' teaching 00:21:37.899 --> 00:21:38.700 probably would have 00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.359 thought to themselves, 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:41.039 maybe just leave that one 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:41.679 to the wolves. 00:21:41.779 --> 00:21:44.639 99% is still pretty good. 00:21:45.679 --> 00:21:45.959 But see, 00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:47.099 what Jesus is saying here 00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:47.879 is that no matter 00:21:47.879 --> 00:21:48.659 how small, 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:50.599 no matter how insignificant, 00:21:50.939 --> 00:21:51.379 and no matter 00:21:51.379 --> 00:21:53.240 how full his sheep fold, 00:21:53.839 --> 00:21:55.819 even at 99% capacity, 00:21:55.979 --> 00:21:56.719 God's heart 00:21:56.719 --> 00:21:58.099 is to pursue 00:21:58.099 --> 00:21:58.979 the one 00:21:58.979 --> 00:22:00.039 who is lost 00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:01.500 and far from home. 00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:03.500 And Jesus is saying 00:22:03.500 --> 00:22:04.399 that this should be 00:22:04.399 --> 00:22:05.399 the heart of God's people 00:22:05.399 --> 00:22:06.159 as well, 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:07.139 the church. 00:22:07.140 --> 00:22:08.000 Like, 00:22:08.040 --> 00:22:08.740 we must never be 00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:10.080 so preoccupied 00:22:10.080 --> 00:22:11.440 with the faithful 99 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:12.440 that we neglect 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:13.120 to pursue 00:22:13.120 --> 00:22:14.540 the wayward one. 00:22:15.320 --> 00:22:17.080 And it is out of this context 00:22:17.080 --> 00:22:18.160 that we come 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:19.220 to verse 15 00:22:19.220 --> 00:22:20.840 and Jesus' instructions 00:22:20.840 --> 00:22:23.300 not on just 00:22:23.300 --> 00:22:24.060 how to get someone 00:22:24.060 --> 00:22:24.740 out of the church, 00:22:25.280 --> 00:22:25.560 but really, 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:27.560 these are Jesus' instructions 00:22:27.560 --> 00:22:29.400 for how to win someone back 00:22:29.400 --> 00:22:30.720 into the fold. 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:32.420 That's what church discipline 00:22:32.420 --> 00:22:33.140 is about. 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:34.060 Look at verse 15. 00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:36.179 If your brother or sister, 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:37.460 if someone in your church family, 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:37.899 he's saying, 00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:38.919 if someone who you are 00:22:38.919 --> 00:22:39.960 personally bound to 00:22:39.960 --> 00:22:41.240 and responsible for 00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:42.419 in your covenant community, 00:22:42.539 --> 00:22:43.279 if they sin, 00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:44.980 go, Jesus says. 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:47.679 Be that pursuing people of God 00:22:47.679 --> 00:22:48.559 that you're supposed to be 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:49.539 to that one person. 00:22:50.339 --> 00:22:51.220 Go in the name 00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:52.500 of your good shepherd 00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.940 after that straying sheep 00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:55.379 and point out their fault. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:56.659 And not to shame them publicly, 00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:58.139 but out of love 00:22:58.139 --> 00:22:59.599 and out of compassion 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:00.700 and in privacy 00:23:00.700 --> 00:23:01.859 just between the two of you, 00:23:01.919 --> 00:23:02.460 Jesus says. 00:23:03.019 --> 00:23:03.839 And I love this part. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:05.099 If they listen to you, 00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:06.139 this is the goal. 00:23:06.619 --> 00:23:08.240 You have won them over. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:10.319 You have won them over. 00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:11.919 Like, pay attention to that. 00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:13.019 This is, you know, 00:23:13.079 --> 00:23:14.659 this supposedly super exclusive 00:23:14.659 --> 00:23:15.879 teaching of Jesus 00:23:15.879 --> 00:23:17.240 is not primarily 00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:18.500 about excluding people. 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:20.139 It's about winning them. 00:23:20.659 --> 00:23:21.359 Winning them back 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:22.220 by the means 00:23:22.220 --> 00:23:23.639 of church discipline. 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:26.179 Even when they've sinned 00:23:26.179 --> 00:23:27.079 and turned their backs 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:27.740 on the family 00:23:27.740 --> 00:23:28.399 and the community 00:23:28.399 --> 00:23:30.220 and wandered far from God, 00:23:30.299 --> 00:23:30.720 Jesus says, 00:23:31.179 --> 00:23:32.159 don't forget about them. 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:33.620 Don't just focus 00:23:33.620 --> 00:23:35.160 on the easy remaining 99. 00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:35.940 No, you go 00:23:35.940 --> 00:23:37.920 and you have the hard 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:39.820 and often awkward conversation 00:23:39.820 --> 00:23:40.580 of pointing out 00:23:40.580 --> 00:23:41.820 that person's sin. 00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:43.320 And you call them 00:23:43.320 --> 00:23:44.040 to repentance. 00:23:44.740 --> 00:23:45.360 And you fight. 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:46.980 You fight the costly fight 00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:48.040 for their inclusion 00:23:48.040 --> 00:23:49.720 back into the fold. 00:23:50.700 --> 00:23:51.500 And see, this, 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:53.700 this is the heart 00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:55.180 of Jesus' teaching 00:23:55.180 --> 00:23:56.340 on church discipline. 00:23:56.339 --> 00:23:57.759 It's actually 00:23:57.759 --> 00:23:58.439 for the sake 00:23:58.439 --> 00:23:59.079 of inclusion. 00:23:59.740 --> 00:24:00.319 Its goal 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:01.599 is to win people 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:02.959 and that no one 00:24:02.959 --> 00:24:04.259 be left behind. 00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:06.259 So my question, 00:24:06.619 --> 00:24:07.639 my question is, 00:24:08.459 --> 00:24:09.559 are you down for this? 00:24:10.539 --> 00:24:10.879 Christ Church, 00:24:10.959 --> 00:24:12.019 are we down for this? 00:24:12.679 --> 00:24:13.299 To practice 00:24:13.299 --> 00:24:14.179 church membership 00:24:14.179 --> 00:24:15.500 and church discipline 00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:16.619 with intentionality 00:24:16.619 --> 00:24:18.059 in the way of Jesus. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:19.839 Are we down 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:21.240 to hold others accountable? 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:23.099 To pursue them? 00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:24.220 To confront them 00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:25.019 in their sin? 00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:26.200 And even if you are down, 00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:27.940 do you even have 00:24:27.940 --> 00:24:29.000 a close enough relationship 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:30.359 with people in this church 00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:31.400 to do that? 00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:32.940 To know what people 00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:33.700 are struggling with? 00:24:34.079 --> 00:24:34.859 To know how you might 00:24:34.859 --> 00:24:35.859 call others out 00:24:35.859 --> 00:24:37.440 and back into relationship 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:38.460 with Christ? 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:40.119 To engage in the hard 00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:40.879 and messy 00:24:40.879 --> 00:24:41.619 and complicated 00:24:41.619 --> 00:24:43.519 but truly loving work 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:44.960 of church discipline 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.700 together 00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:47.680 as a family in Christ. 00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:49.400 You know, 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:50.240 earlier this week, 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:51.319 I got a really 00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:52.180 discouraging text 00:24:52.180 --> 00:24:53.200 from a member 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:53.639 in our church 00:24:53.639 --> 00:24:54.240 who's been away 00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:55.759 for almost six months. 00:24:56.380 --> 00:24:57.099 I've been reaching out 00:24:57.099 --> 00:24:57.500 to this person 00:24:57.500 --> 00:24:58.680 every few weeks 00:24:58.680 --> 00:24:59.740 and they texted me 00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:00.599 back this week 00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:01.620 and told me that 00:25:01.620 --> 00:25:02.740 apart from my texts, 00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:03.900 they've been really 00:25:03.900 --> 00:25:04.400 disappointed 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:06.339 that no one's really 00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:07.120 reached out 00:25:07.120 --> 00:25:08.220 and no one's really 00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:09.259 pursued them. 00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:11.299 And I don't say that 00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:12.240 to make anyone here 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:12.880 guilty, 00:25:13.099 --> 00:25:14.339 but it did break my heart. 00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:16.240 It broke my heart. 00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:17.099 And sure, 00:25:17.160 --> 00:25:17.960 this person has 00:25:17.960 --> 00:25:18.779 their own responsibility 00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:19.839 in their connection 00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:20.680 to this church, 00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:21.500 but it broke my heart 00:25:21.500 --> 00:25:22.819 to read that text. 00:25:22.940 --> 00:25:24.559 And I so pray 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:26.279 for such a revival 00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:27.380 in this church 00:25:27.380 --> 00:25:28.500 that we would be 00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:29.740 a people who love 00:25:29.740 --> 00:25:31.359 and pursue one another, 00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:32.299 that we would be 00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:33.059 a church that is 00:25:33.059 --> 00:25:33.940 discontent 00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:34.880 to let people 00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:36.619 wander far away 00:25:36.619 --> 00:25:37.380 from a deeper 00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:38.539 relationship with Christ 00:25:38.539 --> 00:25:39.619 and His church. 00:25:40.740 --> 00:25:40.980 You know, 00:25:41.019 --> 00:25:42.140 I don't just pray 00:25:42.140 --> 00:25:42.640 for us to be 00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:43.460 a pursuing church, 00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:44.380 but to be a truly 00:25:44.380 --> 00:25:45.380 communing, 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:47.059 life-on-life church. 00:25:47.940 --> 00:25:48.420 This week, 00:25:48.420 --> 00:25:49.279 I had coffee 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:51.380 with a new couple 00:25:51.380 --> 00:25:52.680 who's visiting 00:25:52.680 --> 00:25:53.279 Christ Church. 00:25:53.380 --> 00:25:53.759 They're deciding 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:54.580 between our church 00:25:54.580 --> 00:25:55.320 and another church 00:25:55.320 --> 00:25:55.980 and they asked me 00:25:55.980 --> 00:25:56.519 straight up, 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:58.140 how deep is the 00:25:58.140 --> 00:25:59.340 community here 00:25:59.340 --> 00:25:59.920 at Christ Church? 00:26:00.860 --> 00:26:01.160 They said, 00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:01.860 is this the kind 00:26:01.860 --> 00:26:02.500 of church where 00:26:02.500 --> 00:26:03.160 people are really 00:26:03.160 --> 00:26:04.480 invested in each 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:05.300 other's lives, 00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:06.940 in the thick 00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:07.680 of each other's 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:08.279 messes? 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:09.340 Is this the kind 00:26:09.340 --> 00:26:09.759 of church where 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:10.740 people are confessing 00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.960 sins to each other 00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:13.779 regularly and holding 00:26:13.779 --> 00:26:14.840 each other accountable? 00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:17.240 You know, 00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:18.420 I don't say this 00:26:18.420 --> 00:26:18.680 at all, 00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:18.940 again, 00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:19.480 to make us feel 00:26:19.480 --> 00:26:19.680 guilty, 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:20.299 but my honest 00:26:20.299 --> 00:26:21.319 answer and my 00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:22.079 honest assessment 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:23.859 was that that was 00:26:23.859 --> 00:26:24.759 more the exception 00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:26.059 than the norm here. 00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:27.940 And I told them 00:26:27.940 --> 00:26:28.740 that I see glimmers, 00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:29.940 I see pockets, 00:26:30.180 --> 00:26:30.799 I see a slowly 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.660 emerging culture 00:26:31.660 --> 00:26:32.819 of real discipleship 00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:33.660 and accountability, 00:26:34.019 --> 00:26:34.859 but ultimately I told 00:26:34.859 --> 00:26:35.920 them that we are 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:37.559 far, far from where 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:38.559 we ought to be 00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:39.579 as a church. 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:41.819 And so my question 00:26:41.819 --> 00:26:42.240 for us, 00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:42.700 Christ Church, 00:26:42.779 --> 00:26:43.900 is will we be 00:26:43.900 --> 00:26:45.859 a pursuing people 00:26:45.859 --> 00:26:46.640 of God? 00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:48.980 Will we be a family 00:26:48.980 --> 00:26:50.279 that takes spiritual 00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:51.000 responsibility? 00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:51.620 And I think that's 00:26:51.620 --> 00:26:52.779 the key word of the 00:26:52.779 --> 00:26:53.539 year for our church. 00:26:53.740 --> 00:26:54.519 Will we be a people 00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:55.420 that takes spiritual 00:26:55.420 --> 00:26:57.420 responsibility for 00:26:57.420 --> 00:26:58.259 one another? 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:00.240 And if so, 00:27:01.259 --> 00:27:01.819 then who are the 00:27:01.819 --> 00:27:02.900 two or three people 00:27:02.900 --> 00:27:03.839 that God might be 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:04.559 calling you to, 00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:06.620 to pursue and to 00:27:06.620 --> 00:27:07.319 invest in, 00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:08.680 in this church 00:27:08.680 --> 00:27:09.759 this year? 00:27:10.779 --> 00:27:11.859 Who are the two 00:27:11.859 --> 00:27:12.599 or three people 00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:13.440 in this church 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:14.599 who you think 00:27:14.599 --> 00:27:15.680 might pursue you 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:17.220 and invest in you? 00:27:17.320 --> 00:27:18.019 Are you even down 00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:18.980 to be vulnerable 00:27:18.980 --> 00:27:20.259 and held accountable 00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:21.640 in this church? 00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:24.460 Like maybe your next 00:27:24.460 --> 00:27:25.080 step is simply 00:27:25.080 --> 00:27:25.799 becoming a member. 00:27:26.539 --> 00:27:27.100 Sure, maybe you've 00:27:27.100 --> 00:27:27.560 been a faithful 00:27:27.560 --> 00:27:28.220 attender for a long 00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:29.700 time, but are you 00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:31.180 ready to let the 00:27:31.180 --> 00:27:32.420 church be the church 00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:33.860 in your life? 00:27:34.360 --> 00:27:35.980 To officially keep 00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:36.900 you accountable? 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:38.880 The scriptures say 00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:39.400 that the Lord 00:27:39.400 --> 00:27:40.580 disciplines those 00:27:40.580 --> 00:27:41.340 he loves. 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:42.019 And it's the same 00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:42.600 way with the church. 00:27:42.599 --> 00:27:43.119 The church, 00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:43.919 we discipline 00:27:43.919 --> 00:27:45.139 those whom we 00:27:45.139 --> 00:27:45.879 love. 00:27:46.959 --> 00:27:47.500 But we cannot 00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:48.339 love you fully 00:27:48.339 --> 00:27:49.339 as your church 00:27:49.339 --> 00:27:49.939 unless you're an 00:27:49.939 --> 00:27:51.059 accountable member 00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:51.619 here. 00:27:52.299 --> 00:27:53.259 That's subject to 00:27:53.259 --> 00:27:54.279 the discipline of 00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:54.559 the church. 00:27:54.599 --> 00:27:55.059 And I know that 00:27:55.059 --> 00:27:56.139 sounds crazy, right? 00:27:56.679 --> 00:27:57.759 So countercultural, 00:27:57.879 --> 00:27:58.819 so counterintuitive, 00:27:58.939 --> 00:27:59.379 like why would 00:27:59.379 --> 00:28:00.219 anyone put themselves 00:28:00.219 --> 00:28:01.279 in a situation 00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:02.559 to be disciplined 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:04.219 by the church? 00:28:05.179 --> 00:28:05.799 And I fully 00:28:05.799 --> 00:28:06.500 acknowledge the 00:28:06.500 --> 00:28:07.339 countless cases 00:28:07.339 --> 00:28:08.719 of spiritual abuse 00:28:08.719 --> 00:28:09.359 that the church 00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:10.419 has inflicted. 00:28:11.019 --> 00:28:11.659 The crusades 00:28:11.660 --> 00:28:12.120 were real. 00:28:12.560 --> 00:28:13.240 The inquisition 00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:13.820 was real. 00:28:14.200 --> 00:28:14.680 Colonization 00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:15.100 was real. 00:28:15.400 --> 00:28:16.420 Story after story 00:28:16.420 --> 00:28:17.220 of abusive 00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:18.700 authoritarian shepherds 00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.300 who used their 00:28:19.300 --> 00:28:19.900 rods not to 00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:21.440 comfort and protect 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:22.220 their flock but to 00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:23.140 threaten and punish. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:24.060 I know that's real. 00:28:25.519 --> 00:28:26.300 But friends, I'm not 00:28:26.300 --> 00:28:27.440 ultimately asking you 00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:28.660 to trust the church. 00:28:29.640 --> 00:28:30.580 I'm asking you to 00:28:30.580 --> 00:28:33.540 trust Christ and the 00:28:33.540 --> 00:28:34.300 process that he has 00:28:34.300 --> 00:28:35.100 given to us, the 00:28:35.100 --> 00:28:35.759 process that he has 00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:37.120 instituted in the 00:28:37.120 --> 00:28:38.660 church for our good 00:28:38.660 --> 00:28:39.700 and for his glory 00:28:39.700 --> 00:28:40.840 and for our witness 00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:41.659 to the world. 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:43.740 And I get it. 00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:45.699 Binding oneself as a 00:28:45.699 --> 00:28:46.759 member of a church 00:28:46.759 --> 00:28:47.779 to be held accountable 00:28:47.779 --> 00:28:49.399 by a community of 00:28:49.399 --> 00:28:50.459 fallible people 00:28:50.459 --> 00:28:51.199 seems so 00:28:51.199 --> 00:28:52.259 counterintuitive. 00:28:53.299 --> 00:28:54.259 I get it. 00:28:55.319 --> 00:28:56.039 But what if church 00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:57.039 membership was like, 00:28:57.099 --> 00:28:57.919 what if it was like 00:28:57.919 --> 00:28:58.799 Odysseus, right? 00:28:59.299 --> 00:29:00.639 Odysseus tying himself 00:29:00.639 --> 00:29:02.259 to the mast of the 00:29:02.259 --> 00:29:03.959 ship, knowing that 00:29:03.959 --> 00:29:04.939 he would be enticed 00:29:04.939 --> 00:29:05.779 by the ultimately 00:29:05.779 --> 00:29:07.179 destructive siren 00:29:07.179 --> 00:29:07.740 songs. 00:29:07.740 --> 00:29:09.259 And what if 00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:10.299 membership was like 00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:11.559 his shipmates with 00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:12.500 beeswax in their 00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:13.980 ears, rowing hard to 00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:15.299 get him away from 00:29:15.299 --> 00:29:17.000 danger, ignoring his 00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:18.480 pleas for freedom, 00:29:19.420 --> 00:29:20.559 freedom to jump and 00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:21.819 swim toward his doom, 00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:23.539 even as he tore his 00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:24.380 own flesh trying to 00:29:24.380 --> 00:29:25.740 break free from the 00:29:25.740 --> 00:29:26.200 mast. 00:29:27.339 --> 00:29:28.359 As the psalmist says, 00:29:28.359 --> 00:29:29.419 let a righteous person 00:29:29.419 --> 00:29:30.259 strike me, it is 00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:30.619 kindness. 00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:32.679 Let him rebuke me, it 00:29:32.679 --> 00:29:34.119 is oil for my head. 00:29:34.339 --> 00:29:35.459 Let my head not 00:29:35.459 --> 00:29:36.339 refuse it. 00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:38.259 Christchurch, we must 00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:40.099 not choose niceness 00:29:40.099 --> 00:29:41.119 over holiness. 00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:43.659 We must not confuse 00:29:43.659 --> 00:29:45.199 niceness for love. 00:29:46.219 --> 00:29:47.259 In his classic book, 00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:47.799 Life Together, 00:29:47.919 --> 00:29:48.579 Dietrich Bonhoeffer 00:29:48.579 --> 00:29:49.119 wrote this, 00:29:49.799 --> 00:29:51.099 nothing can be more 00:29:51.099 --> 00:29:52.419 cruel than the 00:29:52.419 --> 00:29:53.399 leniency which 00:29:53.399 --> 00:29:54.759 abandons others to 00:29:54.759 --> 00:29:55.259 their sin. 00:29:56.219 --> 00:29:57.119 And nothing can be 00:29:57.119 --> 00:29:58.000 more compassionate 00:29:58.000 --> 00:29:59.480 than the severe 00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:01.259 reprimand which 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:01.859 calls another 00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:02.799 Christian in one's 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:04.339 community back from 00:30:04.339 --> 00:30:05.660 the path of sin. 00:30:06.859 --> 00:30:08.200 So again, this is not 00:30:08.200 --> 00:30:09.480 about kicking people 00:30:09.480 --> 00:30:10.380 out of the church. 00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:13.519 Or even about the 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:14.700 preservation of our 00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:16.140 self-righteous purity 00:30:16.140 --> 00:30:16.900 in this church. 00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:18.779 What church membership, 00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:20.039 what church discipline 00:30:20.039 --> 00:30:20.599 is about? 00:30:20.700 --> 00:30:21.539 It's about displaying 00:30:21.539 --> 00:30:23.160 the good news of 00:30:23.160 --> 00:30:24.079 God's love. 00:30:24.240 --> 00:30:24.900 And not just his 00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:26.559 bare love like any 00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:27.140 other kind of love, 00:30:27.140 --> 00:30:28.320 but his holy love. 00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:30.160 Church discipline is 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:31.000 how the church displays 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:33.200 God's costly love to 00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:33.720 the world. 00:30:34.580 --> 00:30:35.780 By practicing church 00:30:35.780 --> 00:30:36.940 membership, the 00:30:36.940 --> 00:30:39.340 exclusivity of church 00:30:39.340 --> 00:30:40.500 membership, not 00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:42.140 tolerating sin, but 00:30:42.140 --> 00:30:42.660 holding people 00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:43.620 accountable and 00:30:43.620 --> 00:30:44.660 demanding faith and 00:30:44.660 --> 00:30:45.660 repentance for entrance 00:30:45.660 --> 00:30:46.640 into our community, 00:30:47.580 --> 00:30:48.920 we bear witness to 00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:49.680 what is ultimately 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:50.900 and rightly 00:30:50.900 --> 00:30:52.660 exclusive, the 00:30:52.660 --> 00:30:54.020 holiness of God. 00:30:54.019 --> 00:30:56.039 God's holy 00:30:56.039 --> 00:30:57.680 incompatibility with 00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.639 God's holy presence. 00:30:58.960 --> 00:30:59.879 And at the same time, 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:00.900 by practicing church 00:31:00.900 --> 00:31:02.319 discipline and pursuing 00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:03.740 people just like our 00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:05.059 good shepherd pursued us, 00:31:05.559 --> 00:31:06.759 inviting back anyone who 00:31:06.759 --> 00:31:07.879 is willing to turn to 00:31:07.879 --> 00:31:09.379 him, even when it's hard 00:31:09.379 --> 00:31:10.480 and costly and 00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:11.740 inconvenient and awkward, 00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:14.519 we pursue them and we 00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:15.920 get them to come home. 00:31:16.279 --> 00:31:17.079 The stray sheep. 00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:18.799 When we lovingly practice 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:20.379 church discipline and 00:31:20.379 --> 00:31:21.599 pursue our brothers and 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:22.559 sisters in Christ, we 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:24.359 bear witness not just to 00:31:24.359 --> 00:31:25.500 the exclusivity of church 00:31:25.500 --> 00:31:27.220 membership, but the 00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:29.220 inclusivity, the ultimate 00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:31.220 inclusivity of our 00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:32.940 exclusively holy God, 00:31:33.419 --> 00:31:34.399 who paid the greatest 00:31:34.399 --> 00:31:36.559 cost to win us back 00:31:36.559 --> 00:31:38.579 into the family of God. 00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:40.859 Church discipline is our 00:31:40.859 --> 00:31:42.000 illustration to the 00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:44.159 world of the Son of God 00:31:44.159 --> 00:31:46.019 who is treated like a 00:31:46.019 --> 00:31:46.799 pagan and a tax 00:31:46.799 --> 00:31:48.379 collector in order that 00:31:48.379 --> 00:31:50.279 we might be treated as 00:31:50.279 --> 00:31:52.500 sons and daughters in the 00:31:52.500 --> 00:31:53.579 family of our Father in 00:31:53.579 --> 00:31:53.799 heaven. 00:31:54.900 --> 00:31:55.599 That's what I want to 00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:56.400 commend to us this 00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:56.660 morning. 00:31:57.640 --> 00:31:58.640 Nothing that Jesus has 00:31:58.640 --> 00:32:00.680 not asked us to do, but 00:32:00.680 --> 00:32:02.059 to enter into this 00:32:02.059 --> 00:32:03.680 church with a heart for 00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:05.160 this church membership and 00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:05.880 church discipline, 00:32:06.859 --> 00:32:08.339 manifesting not just the 00:32:08.339 --> 00:32:09.240 exclusivity of the 00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:10.519 church, but God's 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:12.799 radical inclusivity in 00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:13.200 Christ. 00:32:13.960 --> 00:32:14.779 Will you pray with me? 00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:25.839 Lord, our understandings of 00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:29.000 freedom and inclusion and 00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:31.879 exclusion and bondage and 00:32:31.879 --> 00:32:33.899 oppression can be so 00:32:33.899 --> 00:32:34.359 distorted. 00:32:36.139 --> 00:32:37.440 So Holy Spirit, would you 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:39.579 open our eyes to the 00:32:39.579 --> 00:32:41.039 liberty of being slaves to 00:32:41.039 --> 00:32:43.379 Christ, to the liberty of 00:32:43.380 --> 00:32:45.480 being covenanted, committed 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:49.700 to the church, even as 00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:50.880 fallible as we are. 00:32:52.320 --> 00:32:54.420 Help us, O God, to be the 00:32:54.420 --> 00:32:55.260 church that you want us to 00:32:55.260 --> 00:32:55.500 be. 00:32:56.280 --> 00:32:57.260 And we thank you that you 00:32:57.260 --> 00:32:58.500 promised that you would 00:32:58.500 --> 00:33:00.060 build your church, that the 00:33:00.060 --> 00:33:01.620 gates of Hades would not 00:33:01.620 --> 00:33:02.540 prevail against it. 00:33:02.600 --> 00:33:03.320 We want to be that. 00:33:03.400 --> 00:33:04.000 We want to see that. 00:33:04.040 --> 00:33:05.080 We want to experience that, 00:33:05.120 --> 00:33:05.460 O God. 00:33:06.040 --> 00:33:07.300 So fill us with your spirit 00:33:07.300 --> 00:33:09.860 and fix our eyes on Jesus, 00:33:10.920 --> 00:33:12.040 the author and perfecter of 00:33:12.039 --> 00:33:13.579 our faith, the rock, our 00:33:13.579 --> 00:33:14.940 cornerstone, O God. 00:33:15.899 --> 00:33:17.079 Thank you for hearing us 00:33:17.079 --> 00:33:17.819 and thank you for what 00:33:17.819 --> 00:33:18.940 you're doing here at 00:33:18.940 --> 00:33:19.680 Christ Church. 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:21.700 Lord, would you multiply it 00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:23.440 a thousandfold, we pray, 00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:25.159 in Jesus' name. 00:33:25.960 --> 00:33:26.200 Amen.