Text: Galatians 6:1-2, Title: Man Overboard! Date/Place: NRBC, 7/8/07, PM
A. Opening illustration: Imagine if you would with me the Super Bowl, coming down to the last quarter and then the start running back steps on a loose clump of grass and falls way behind the line of scrimmage. All the opposing team’s players pile on for the tackle, and somewhere in the mayhem, the running back’s knee gets twisted severely. Everybody gets up but the running back. But nobody seems to notice. They just go huddle, get the play from the sidelines, line up on the ball and start the play. All the while the back is laying down in the backfield writhing in pain. They score, but lose the game, fireworks go off, fans come on the field, celebration begins. But all the while, the back is still clutching his wounded knee without anyone to help him get up and get to the sideline. The last image we see is that of the lights going off in the stadium, everyone gone home, with the running back still laying there…
B. Background to passage: After chapter five on how to live out freedom in Christ and justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, he reminds them from a pastoral perspective of their duty and responsibility to reach out to the erring brethren, warning them of the consequences of their sin, encouraging repentance, and restoring them to a Christ-honoring life. He has in mind the Matthew 18:15-18 passage, where Christ gave step by step instructions for restorative discipline. But he has been so hard on their erring theology (and with good reason) that he feels the need to remind the church that these individuals are in a perilous position if they refuse to repent, and remind them of their responsibility as a church to be their brother’s keeper and seek reconciliation and repentance. The focal point in the text is the word “restore” katartidzo which was used to speak of mending the nets on a ship, setting a broken bone or dislocated joint, and reconciling relationships. It is also translated “lead back to a right path” or “set him right” and “turn away from wrong.” It is assumed that the church is pure theologically and practically, thus the command is given by Christ through Paul, and personally in the gospels to carry out restorative discipline. It is also assumed that Christians will falter and stumble.
C. Main thought: In our text Paul instructs the church on when, who, and how to throw out the life-preserver of restorative accountability, or church discipline.
A. When to throw it (v. 1)
1. Remember here that the context is to help other believers walk in step with the Spirit in a perverse world. Addressing the brethren, Paul tells them that the time to discipline is when one is overtaken in a trespass. The word used for “trespass” usually meant something minor, or not heinous in nature. A fault or lapse in judgment, or a weakness. It meant a sin that was not willful and rebellious in nature, but rather one that someone fell into or was surprised by. This idea is also supported by the word “overtaken” which means exactly that, with the connotation of being trapped. Remember that the OT makes no provision for willful rebellious sin. However, this doesn’t remove our responsibility to help them. Paul uses the word “any,” therefore we are to confront all sin in the lives of believers. Specifically the NT mentions several things that we must discipline for, but this passage leaves a very broad stroke of “any” sin.
2. Lev 4:1, 13, 22, 27, James 5:19-20, 1 Cor 5:11, 2 Thess 3:6, 11, Titus 3:9-10, 1 Tim 1:20, Eccl 8:11,
3. Illustration: tell about Tim needing help to keep from falling into pornography, and how we thought he could handle it on his own, and it all came out right after his wife got saved, remind that it really wasn’t a church discipline issue because their was repentance, tell about the woman who was stabbed in the convenient store this week and five people walked by, one even took a picture with a cell phone, and yet no one stopped to help, charges are pending, we have to do like Andy and Barney and “nip it in the bud” so that it doesn’t snowball into bigger messes,
4. Sometimes people fall into things as believers, and they can’t get up on their own. They need accountability, help from others in the church. When other believers, church members, friends get into sin, it is the most unloving thing that we can do to ignore it, and allow it to destroy their walk or their eternity. Remind yourself that confronting sin in the lives of other believer is a loving action, and an instruction from Christ. Think of yourself not as the sin police, but as a battlefield medic. So as soon as we see Satan begin to take one of our players down, we must spring into action to help our brethren. We must act quickly before the sin gets too entrenched in their lives. Far too often people have already made up their mind to carry out the plan before the church and its members know or act.
B. Who should throw it (v. 1)
1. Paul instructs those who are “spiritual.” This means that they are led by the Spirit, under the control of the Spirit, walking in step with the Spirit, living in obedience to the Word, producing the fruit of the Spirit, and empowered by the Spirit. This is not only a feeling, but a demonstration of a life that looks like constant obedience. All believers, not only leadership in the church, are commanded to walk in the Spirit, and thus help restore sinning believers. In fact, if you have a church full of spiritual of people, and they are constantly warning, confronting, helping other believers, the leadership rarely has to throw out the lifeline of discipline.
2. Eph 5:18, Rom 15:1, 1 Thess 5:14, Matt 7:5, John 7:24,
3. Illustration: "Spirit filled souls are ablaze for God. They love with a love that glows. They serve with a faith that kindles. They serve with a devotion that consumes. They hate sin with fierceness that burns. They rejoice with a joy that radiates. Love is perfected in the fire of God." at weddings I always charge the congregation that they have a responsibility to the couple to help them be married well, to pick out problems while they are molehills, before they become mountains “…what you really worry about is the fleshly people trying to straighten out fleshly people. Then you have a war.” –MacArthur,
4. Perfection is not the standard. You often hear that we should not judge. But we are constantly called upon to make judgment upon doctrine, sin, etc. We are warned against being judgmental or hypercritical. But Jesus does say that after you have removed the beam from your eye, you can see clearly to help out a brother. So, you who are spiritual are constantly confessing, repenting, keeping your own life close to Christ so that you can see clearly to help others. However, if you are fleshly, immature, disobedient to the spirit (by the way, there is no middle ground) you are not to have a part in discipline. Are you spiritual? If you are, you have the responsibility to help others overcome sin. Are you confronting sin in the lives of others? Remember too that these are actions of the church as the body of Christ, not simply rogue individuals. And when a church acts, it is as though Christ Himself is acting. There is strength in the body, not in isolation.
C. How should it be thrown (v. 1-2)
1. With gentleness, humility, and compassion. Humility allows the believer to avoid self-righteousness, by saying “if not for the grace of God, there I would be.” This word means to carefully observe your own weakness. Brokenness over sin is a good indicator of humility. Understanding is helpful too. Believers should have compassion upon those that are overtaken, because they are blinded by self, sin, and Satan, and therefore need our help. Verse 2 says that we must, seeing their heavy burden, help them carry it, fulfilling the law of Christ, which is the Law of love. And this love is enduring, implying continuing care and accountability. And the reason that they stumbled is because they were overcome with temptation, and thus the church and its members are to help the fallen one bear up under his or her particular temptation. It should be carried out with a Spirit of restoration, not punishment. Excommunicating someone is a last resort, only for the sake of the purity and protection of the body. Humiliation is not the goal, but reconciliation to God—restoration to the fullness of joy, and to the honor of Christ.
2. Isa 42:3, 2 Cor 2:6-8, 2 Thess 3:15, Heb 12:6, Matt 18:15-18
3. Illustration: Gentleness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control, being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere, emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves, and possessing tact and gracious courtesy that causes others to retain their self-esteem and dignity –Swindoll, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men angels.” –St. Augustine, “Nothing sets a person so much out of the Devil’s reach as humility” –Edwards, Go to them face to face. Have them out to lunch or take them to a ball game and just say, “___________ there’s been something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about.” Then, very gently lay out what you’ve seen or heard and be honest with them. Help them see the circumstances a little clearer, remind them of the consequences, tell about the accountability for George and Maddie,
4. You should never be self-righteous in discipline. You should never be harsh, unkind, unloving. Of course, if you are, then there is a good likelihood that you are not Spirit-filled, and thus shouldn’t be participating in discipline. We must maintain humility. You job is not simply to confront, but to reach out a hand and help the fallen believer to stand. Then you may have to hold them up for a while. We always follow biblical guidelines and stand firm in convictions of sin. But that doesn’t require authoritarianism or a dictatorial attitude. Accountability is always helpful.
A. Closing illustration: read about the church in Texas that was sued, and the Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of the church, the pastor.
B. Recap
C. Questions and Answers
