SPARE THE ROD AND SPOIL THE CHURCH
Text: Matthew 17:24-18:20 I. STUMBLING
AND THE CHURCH
A. Jesus paid the temple tax “so that we do not cause them to stumble.” (Matthew 17:27) B. “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble …” (Matthew 18:6) C. “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble …If your eye causes you to stumble …” (Matthew 18:8,9) D. Jesus’ payment of the temple tax is similar to Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 8-10 and Romans 14 that we should sacrifice our own freedoms and privileges in Christ for the sake of others: “Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.” (1 Cor.10:24; cf. Rom 15:2; 1 Cor 10:33; 13:5; 2 Cor 12:14; Phil 2:21) E. The Greek word for stumble is skandalon. It is from this that we get our English word “scandal.” In biblical times, a skandalon was the stick with which an animal stumbled over, causing a trap to shut. F. We are never to cause scandal in the life of another (1 Cor.8:13) and never to be ensnared by scandal in our own life (Matthew 18:8-9). 1. Just because something may cause you to stumble doesn’t mean that it is therefore sinful for every other Christian! 2. Just because something is permissible for you to do as a Christian doesn’t mean that you have to exercise that freedom! And it certainly doesn’t allow you to exercise that freedom in such a way that it alienates or causes your weaker brother to stumble. G. There
should only be one “scandal” in the church, and that is the message of the
cross! (Psalm 118:22; Isa.28:16; Zech.4:7; Matthew 11:6; Luke 20:17; 1
Corinthians 1:23; Acts 4:11-12; 1 Pet.2:4-8; cf. Matthew 16:23) II.
MATTHEW 18:12-20 OUTLINES THE METHOD THE CHURCH IS TO FOLLOW FOR RETRIEVING
SHEEP WHO HAVE STUMBLED INTO SIN (see the “Book of Discipline” in the RPCNA Constitution)
A. Church discipline (a.k.a. biblical reconciliation or peacemaking) is for the purpose of removing scandal from the church. Sadly, the practice itself is considered scandalous by many churches! B. Sin is (or at least it should be!) embarrassing. Our “natural” reaction to embarrassment is to cover up. But the way we cover our sin determines whether or not we are a Christian. (1 John 1:8-10) It is evident that a congregation or church cannot continue in the salutary doctrine and in a blameless and pious life without the proper use of discipline. Even as a city without a wall and gates, or a field without an enclosure or fence, or a house without walls and doors, so is also a church without the true apostolic exclusion. For it would be open to all deceiving spirits, all godless scorners and haughty despisers, all idolatrous and insolent transgressors, yes to all lewd debauchers and adulterers, as is the case with all the great sects of the world. In my opinion it is a vital characteristic, an honor and a means of prosperity for a true church to practice with Christian discretion the true apostolic exclusion and to observe it carefully with vigilant love according to the teaching of the holy divine Scriptures. Menno Simons (1496-1561), one of the most famous of the Anabaptists and the founder of the Mennonites C. Matthew 18:15 begins the process with the sinner being called a “brother.” But if over time that “brother” hardens his or her heart then they are no longer a brother or sister, but now compared with a “Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17; see Paul’s “so-called brother” in 1 Cor.5:11). They are no longer a part of the family of God – because what the church binds on earth is bound in heaven and what the church looses on earth is loosed in heaven. 1. Jesus is teaching a complete cutting off of fellowship for the unrepentant sinner (Matthew 18:17). 2. The teaching of Jesus is rooted in the book of Deuteronomy, especially Deuteronomy 17:9-13. 3. Jews in Jesus’ day did not have fellowship with tax collectors and Gentiles (see John 4:9; Acts 10:28). 4. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 also supports our interpretation of Matthew 18:17. a. 1 Corinthians 5:13, “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves” is a quotation from at least eight passages in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 13:5 [false prophet]; 17:7 [Idolatry], 12 [refusal to submit to verdict of priest or judge {see especially Matthew 18:17}]; 19:19 [malicious or false witness]; 21:21 [stubborn and rebellious son]; 22:21 [Harlotry; unfaithful daughter]; 22:24 [adultery]; 24:7 [man stealing/kidnapping]; cf. 1 Cor.5:2,5,7). b. The brother who does not repent and who is excommunicated should be treated as if he/she were dead and unclean. The only way this individual can be restored to any fellowship in the church is through repentance. 5. The judgment of the church is an eternal judgment, far more powerful than the judgment of any nation on earth today (Matthew 18:18). 6. Church discipline is one of the marks of a true church. Jesus promises to be in the midst of the church that faithfully practices it (Matthew 18:20). QUESTIONS FOR
SABBATH DISCUSSION & MEDITATION Take what you have learned this morning and pray, “
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious
thoughts. See if there is any
offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). What does it mean to “stumble?” What is the Greek word for “stumble?” How does the story of the two-drachma temple tax fit
into Matthew 18 and Jesus’ teaching about stumbling? What should be the only “scandal” within the
church? Do you exercise freedoms in
Christ that cause other brothers to stumble?
Do you hold to any personal convictions (e.g. television, movies,
clothing, dancing, food, alcohol, certain books, methods of education,
celebrating or not celebrating certain holidays, etc.) that put up barriers
between you and non-Christians or other Christians in the church? Is church discipline/reconciliation only the job of the
elders? Why or why not? What is the natural reaction of some people when they
are confronted about sin? What should
our reaction be when we are on the receiving end of a rebuke or
correction? (Psalm 141:5; Proverbs
17:10; 27:5,6) Does the New Testament church have less authority than
Old Testament Israel because it does not exercise the death penalty? What is the New Testament “equivalent” of
the death penalty? Do you agree with the comment, “It would be a mistake
to think that in similar circumstances this procedure [Matthew 18:15-17] can
be applied today, primarily because excommunication or ostracism today has
nowhere near the same effect as it did in the first century. That is, in
Matthew’s day to be cast out left one with no other options for Christian
community. Today a person may simply walk down the street to the next church
or next denomination. This is not to say that the church must give up on the
possibility of church discipline but simply to say that the process will take
on its own character appropriate to the present-day situation” (Hagner, Vol.
33B: Word Biblical Commentary p.534)? NOTE: The title for this sermon came from the book by Donald
Bridge, Spare the Rod and Spoil the Church
(MARC, 1985). As the saving doctrine of Christ is the soul of the Church, so discipline serves as its sinews, through which the members of the body hold together, each in its own place. Therefore, all who desire to remove discipline or hinder its restoration—whether they do this deliberately or out of ignorance—are surely contributing to the ultimate dissolution of the church” (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion 4.12.1).
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