Do You Care Enough to Confront?

N.T.#218 

Jan. 8, 2024 "Do You Care Enough to Confront?" 

Matthew 18-Part 8

LET IT GLOW

It is amazing that my Aunt Mary is 96 years old today. Oh, she has had her battles-heart surgery, diabetes, a husband in the air Force during WWII, lost a daughter and husband. But her mind is sharp for her age. What a joy it is to be with her. Last year the family celebrated her 95th with her. I would like to ask her how she handled relationships throughout her life, but that would be personal.

 Already, we learned how to handle it whenever a person offends us. We are to go talk with them privately, go tell them what made you mad or hurt your feelings. If you can work it out among you two, then you gain a friend.

What if they did not want to talk about the situation? If they don't think they were in the wrong (fault), now what?

SCENERO #2

Jesus has the answer for that too. Take two witnesses and discuss the matter, so they know what is going on. (verse 16) Then everything you say may be confirmed by the witnesses.

SCENERO #3

 If the person refuses to mend the broken Christian fellowship, what is next? Take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. (NLT, verse 17)

LET IT GROW 

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trepass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. (Ga. 6:1)

If a believer is living in sin, damaging the witness of the church, we are to follow the same procedure. 

Swindoll gives us 5 principles to follow:

1. Confronting serious sin is loving. We are to love Jesus and each other. Our love for the offender is to help them be restored to a Christian lifestyle.
2. Confronting serious sin requires us to have the fortitude to do what's right.. We need to study God's standards and carefully and prayerfully apply them. We are to take seriously the witness of our church, stand for what is right, bring sinners to repentance.
3. Confronting serious sin is not optional. Meditate on the guidelines of Matthew 18:15-20. 
4. Confronting serious sin is not penal but remedial. We aren't to irritate the wandering saint, but show them their error of their ways, shepherd them back to repentance and fellowship. 
5. confronting serious sin is not for outsiders but for insiders. Church discipline is to be carried out by believers and for believers. If the person will not repent, then we are to remove the person from among ourselves. (1 Cor. 5:12-13)

Our response is to be in love, not putting the person on the defensive., not ignoring the matter either, praying for them is not enough. We are to exhibit a caring, compassionate, gentle attitude, so the straying believer will listen. If they repent, donfess the sin, seek forgiveness, they we are to forgive.(a brother has been gained.)

A personal confrontation may be inconvenient, in that it takes planning, time, energy, and possibly money. It will be worth it, especially if our brother or sister in Christ is convicted and takes steps toward restoration.

LET IT GO

Fill us with Your loving Spirit, Lord.

Show us the right words to say so fellowship can be restored between me and them, me and Thee.

Help us forgive and go on.