I. Text: Matthew 18:15-20
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
II. Getting Rid of Dead Weight
III. Sermon Body
We not only carry the weight of guilt in our lives, and the weight of unforgiveness, but we also carry the weight of unresolved problems.
Mark 11:25
25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
NIV
The WORD of God gives us instructions for how we are to live.
It is when we choose to go about living our lives according to us, that we tend to add more stress, depression, disappointments and difficulties to our plates.
In the area of problem solving, we add our own take on what our perceptions and strategies for getting to the bottom of the problem.
The truth is that many choose to avoid resolving problems in many different ways:
1] the Complainer:
2] the Chameleon:
3] the Denier:
4] the Delegater:
Regardless of these methods, the only way to resolve a problem is to engage the person or person(s) you have the issue with.
The truth of the matter is, until this method is used 1] problems never will go away, 2] you can and will become a destructive agent in your relationships, home, work or church, and 3] you can become weighted down with unnecessary issues..
Some of you ought to be interested in getting rid of dead weight.
I want you to understand some people never intend to resolve problems..
Their intentions are to sow discord....
The WORD of God in scripture, lays out instructions for those who have been the brunt of an injury.
And He also gives those who realize they have injured a responsibility:
Matt 5:23-24
23 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
NIV
God gives us procedures, an outline to show the injured party how to respond.
Injuries are problems when they are not healed. And they are not healed when the problem is not resolved.
And the more problems you have the more weight you take on.
The more weight you take on the more unhealthy your living becomes.
The more unhealthy you live the more dangerous you come to living with no peace or worst, losing your life. I hope we know that even though God gives us life, we can cut short our life span before time.
Therefore, I have come this morning to tell you, you need to get rid of that dead weight.
Yet, we must understand there are two kinds of injuries:
1] An injury that is intentionally given by the giver and
2] An injury unintentionally caused.
And although both have the same power to cause problems, the an unintentional injury is most easily rectified by using Gods prescriptive plan.
For a person who unintentionally injures has no way of knowing he or she has done something to cause you pain, injury or hurt unless you have come directly to them communicate to them you have a problem with them.
Too many times we readily run to others who may or may not direct you appropriately to get the issue resolved.
They may choose to spread it around.
They may choose to feed into your perceived problem, although real to you.
They may choose to enter into situation unnecessarily.
Here the WORD of the Lord says:
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
If thy brother trespass against thee, by grieving thy soul (1 Cor 8:12), by affronting thee, or putting contempt or abuse upon thee; if he blemish thy good name by false reports or tale-bearing; if he encroach on thy rights, or be any way injurious to thee.
Remember these directions are intended for the preserving of the peace of the individual, your home, at work and the church; or of public scandals.
Especially for the Kingdom, they are intended for the preserving of the purity and beauty of the church.
If you are unable to resolve problems that come through the church, how are you able to resolve problems anywhere else.
What we do is attempt to use our same skill of evasiveness here as we do in our relationships and that’s why we are in such terrible shape in our homes, at work and at school.
The WORD of God says:
Lev 19:17
17 "`Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.
NIV
If you have conceived a vexation, a displeasure, an injury, a problem with or from your brother or sister, do not suffer resentments to smolder into something larger, but address it with them.”
If someone has indeed done something considerably wrong,
1] Endeavor to make them aware of it,
2] Let it come in private, between you and them alone.
If you intend for the problem to be resolved, if you are attempting to engage a person to resolve an issue, do it as to not exasterbate the problem.
Do not seek revenge in your addressing the issue.
Once you have brought it in the manner in which God has laid out,
Once you have brought it correct......
It is up to the person to respond in the appropriate manner:
Luke 17:3
3 So watch yourselves.
"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
NIV
Col 3:13-14
13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
NIV
16 But if he will not listen,
If they are determined for you to hold on to this weight,
take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
2 Cor 13:1
13:1 This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."
NIV
1 Tim 5:19-20
19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
NIV
Not for them to become involved.
Note it said witnesses, not advocates. Witnesses not instigators.
Not for them to become involved in defense of you, but to be a witness.....
martus WITNESS (NOUN AND VERB)
interpreters of God’s counsels and to bear witness with.
‘every matter may be established by the testimony
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church;
2 Cor 2:6-9
6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.
NIV
and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Rom 16:17-18
17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
NIV
1 Cor 5:4-5
4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
NIV
2 Thess 3:6
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.
NIV
Eph 5:11-14
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
NIV
CLOSING:
Eph 5:21
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
NIV
Too many of Christians are carrying dead weight....
And if we have been changed, If we have a new life....
All of those old ways of dealing with injuries, difficulties with folk, and problems should be gone too.
We ought to be moving into a space of blessings...
Some are in the church, but not saved....
Some are saved, but not delivered....
If you are in Christ, there is nothing beyond Gods doing....
But you must decide if you want the weight off....[Get the weight off]
You must unload this stuff, that thing, that troubled spirit about a situation...
God says if your brother or sister has injured you in any way, you should step to them and get it out.{Get it out]
And if they are so foolish to not do what God expects, then they put themselves in jeopardy of losing what God has for them...
Col 3:12-13
13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.
NIV
1 John 1:9
he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
NIV
And if you are still without Christ in your life, you need to know that when you get tired of being tired....
When you are ready to try God in a more excellent way...
When you are moved to do something about your misery,
I have an answer for you, His name is Jesus ....
