5/04/03 Easter 2 INI Matt. 18:15-20

Dear Fellow Redeemed by the blood of our risen Savior,

Some things are for sure as long as this world stands, and we try to be prepared for them. For sure the grass is going to grow this spring and summer, so the lawn mower must be prepared for it. If we are sure that we need to be found in the faith of Christ when we die or when He comes in glory, we will prepare ourselves by strengthening our faith through Word and Sacrament. It's a good thing to be prepared for what we believe is sure to take place, especially if the event is important.

In our text this morning the Lord Jesus places a sure thing before us. We will, at some time, know of a brother or sister in the faith who has fallen into sin. This is for sure. It's an event of such great importance that our Lord Himself would prepare for it.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD GOES AFTER THE LOST SHEEP OF THE FLOCK TO SAVE IT, AND HE EXPECTS US TO DO THE SAME.

Before we do anything we should have a purpose for doing it. What is to be the purpose of our dealing with the brother or sister who is sinning? For some people the words of Jesus are a divine prescription for maintaining "justice" in the congregation. They view the whole matter of "church discipline" as a way of punishing the sinner for his sins. Perhaps this is because of the words "against you" in v. 15.

But the words "against you" are not even found in the older Greek manuscripts of Matthew's gospel. The real point

here is that a brother is sinning and YOU have become aware of it. By his continuing in sin without repentance he is in danger of eternal death! He has lapsed into a state of unbelief by a denial of his need for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. He has become to you, not an enemy, or a person to be despised, but a lost sheep, who must be returned to his Savior by repentance and faith.

Notice the word, "moreover." The Lord has just described His Shepherd-love and the love of His Father. He told the parable of the "Lost Sheep." "The son of Man has come to save that which was lost" He said. If He has one hundred sheep and loses one, He leaves the ninety nine and goes off to seek the one that has strayed lest it perish. How can we who are followers of Jesus do less for our sinning brother? That's why James writes: "Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:19, 20)

Our purpose then, in dealing with the sinning brother is not cold justice, but as Christ says, that we might "gain" our brother who has become lost in his sin.

Now such a saving purpose is what must determine our procedure or course of action. If my brother sins, I am to "GO to him and tell him his fault" privately. I may know that he has slandered someone in the congregation or the community, or that he is gambling, committing adultery, or is a drunkard. Perhaps he has fallen into a pattern of neglecting the Lord's Word and Supper -- thus despising the Means of Grace. Whatever the sin may be, I must GO to him. And whatever it is that causes you or me to wait and wait, putting off our going to him, it is NOT LOVE.

Again, we are to go to HIM, not to anyone else. For our purpose is not to expose the sin of our fallen brother to anyone, but to return him to the Savior that his sins may be covered by Savior-love. And when we go to him we are to discuss his fault. This discussion will include some heart-to heart convincing. The brother must be convinced that his sin is causing him to stray from his Savior into eternal death. But more than this, we must seek to convince him that especially now in his great need, he is loved and sought out by his Savior who still desires to give him rest from his sin by repentance and faith. This we are to do for one another, in love and with a "a spirit of meekness" remembering that each of us is also capable of falling away through sin. (Galatians 6:1)

But what if the brother will not listen to your pleadings, or makes excuse for his sin? "Take with you one or two more," Jesus says, "so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." One or two other Christians are chosen at this point to take part in the attempt to restore the lost. These witnesses will testify to the truth of the sin committed and of the sincere attempts to gain the brother. They too are to speak in love to their brother. At this point, the matter is still semi-private.

Only if "he refuses to hear them," are we to make the matter public by telling it "to the church." The church is an "assembly" of Christians. The salvation of this lost soul is so important that at this point -- when private and semi-private admonition have failed -- we must bring all the influence of the "assembly" to bear. The pastor, the elders, or the church council may not have known about this matter. But now they too must become involved in the attempt to save the soul.

If the sinning brother "refuses even to hear the church," then he is to be regarded by you, by me, and by all the church as "an heathen and a tax collector" -- as an unbeliever and a sinner who rejects his Savior. Here we find the authority by which Paul commanded the Corinthian congregation to "deliver to Satan" the man who living in incest. (1 Cor. 5) If a person, for the sake of continuing in his sins, cuts himself off from fellowship with his Savior, the church must officially make it plain to him that he has done exactly that -- taken up with the devil rather than with Christ, and is without the forgiveness of sins, life, or salvation, for as long as he remains impenitent.

Now this is strong stuff! By what authority do we take such action for the sake of our brother? This is the power or authority of the MINISTRY OF THE KEYS, which Christ has given to His Christian Church on earth. It's the power to forgive or "loose" the sins of the penitent believer, and to retain or "bind" the sins of the impenitent as long as he does not repent. What Jesus said to Peter a few days before (recorded in Matthew 16), He now repeats in v. 18 of our text.

We exercise this authority as Christ's disciples whenever we preach the gospel of forgiveness, publicly or privately. That was no symbolic announcement I made to you earlier today when I forgave your sins in the name of your Savior. Your sins were also "loosed" and forgiven in heaven! The same is true when we privately forgive the sins of another, or retain them -- they are also forgiven or retained in heaven!

Is this too much to believe? Jesus adds this assurance: "I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in MY NAME, I am there in the midst of them." (V. 19,20)

Those gathered together because of Christ, according to His teaching, and desiring to serve Him in the advance of His kingdom, have Christ in their midst! He is with them. Therefore the Father in heaven will hear their requests and carry out their decisions. It's Christ's presence among His believing brethren which gives the authority of heaven to all their decisions made in His name and according to His will. Notice also that the size of the assembly is not important. A church of 2 or 3 Christians possesses the same power to forgive or retain sins as a congregation of thousands.

Dear friends, true repentance and faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest need of us all. Without sincere repentance of one's sins, there can be no faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. But "he who believes not shall be damned!" Jesus says that in Mark 16. As a Christian congregation we share the hope, the joy, and the peace of Christ, our Lord. God grant that we may also share the Savior's LOVE, especially when a brother has sinned, so that he may be restored to faith and life in our Savior. Lord, what a privilege is ours! Give us the grace to carry out your saving will! Amen.