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SERMON NOTES:

Psalm 56:13 | For you rescued me from death, even my feet from stumbling, to walk before God (coram deo in the latin vulgate) in the light of life.

We live public lives before God. There is no private life. There is no separation of Christian and “other”. There is nothing in us that does not belong to God or that God can’t see.
Based on that fact, Paul instructs Timothy regarding the public matters of the faith.

1. Public Praise
1 Timothy 5:17-18 | The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”
• “Pastor” is near the bottom of the survey for trusted people, just above car salesman.
• 72% of pastors work between 55 – 75 hours per week.
• 66% give, but do not have counseling for themselves or their families.
• 71% churches have no plan for their pastor to have a period of Sabbatical.
• 1,500 pastors leave ministry yearly, 1300 fired by their church without biblical cause

3 Ways to Care for Other Christians
1. Spiritually – pray for them, share Scripture with them, get them Bible study tools.
2. Emotionally – ask how it’s going, understand they are sinners like us, let them open up.
3. Practically – clothing, food, finances, allow room for rest.
James 2:14-16 | What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?

2. Correct Church Discipline
1 Timothy 5:19-23 | Don’t accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. 20 Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will be afraid. 21 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism. 22 Don’t be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder, and don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 23 Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

3 Objections: 1. It is unloving 2. It’s none of our business 3. We shouldn’t judge
What it is: Process of Biblical restoration to fellowship with God and the Church.
What it is not: Abusive leaders exerting unbiblical authority over The Church. Vengeance.

Pre-Requisites to Church Discipline
Matthew 7:1-5 | “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use. 3 Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye. 6 Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

NOTE: Don’t share in the same sin. Church Discipline is not for unbelievers. No favoritism.
Jesus instructions for Church Discipline – See 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 for example of it.
Matthew 18:12-22 | Leave the 99 to go get the 1 astray

3 Steps: 1. One on One. 2. Two or Three Witnesses. 3. In front of the Church. 4. Exclusion
What if we don’t practice it? : 1. Not a Biblical Church. 2. Sin will prevail and spread. 3. We don’t love our brothers and sisters. 4. A low-view of God and holiness.

3. Secret Sin
1 Timothy 5:24 | Some people’s sins are obvious, preceding them to judgment, but the sins of others surface later.
5 Ways to Walk in The Light
1. Real confession to God. 2. Confession to trustworthy brothers. 3. Call sin what it is. 4. Make no provision for the flesh. 5. Be filled with The Word, and obey it.
4. Good Works
1 Timothy 5:25 | Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden.

1 John 1:5-10

Public praise of those who do good work, and proper church discipline ensure that God’s Church is holy, hard-working, obedient, growing, and pleasing to God.