Some Thoughts

When a person is in danger, what is the stategy to bring them back to safety? If, for example, a person is standing at the precipice of a tall building, do we come with force and the local authorities–or with one of their closest and most respected friends?

I went back to the OPC church this morning, and caught the tail end of their new members’/inquirers Sunday School Class. Today’s lesson was on Church Discipline, so naturally we went to Matthew 18 [show] At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" [2]And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them [3]and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [4]Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. [5]"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, [6]but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. [7]"Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! [8]And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. [9]And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. [10]"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. [12]What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? [13]And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. [14]So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. [15]"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. [16]But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence 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, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. [18]Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [19]Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. [20]For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." [21]Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" [22]Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. [23]"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. [24]When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. [25]And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. [26]So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' [27]And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. [28]But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' [29]So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' [30]He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. [31]When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. [32]Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. [33]And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' [34]And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. [35]So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." (ESV)
. But I went there like I’ve never done before; before I’d seen it as almost a surgical, judicial process. But Ron Pearce (the pastor) expressed that Matt. 18 [show] At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" [2]And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them [3]and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [4]Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. [5]"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, [6]but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. [7]"Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! [8]And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. [9]And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. [10]"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. [12]What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? [13]And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. [14]So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. [15]"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. [16]But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence 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, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. [18]Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [19]Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. [20]For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." [21]Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" [22]Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. [23]"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. [24]When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. [25]And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. [26]So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' [27]And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. [28]But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' [29]So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' [30]He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. [31]When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. [32]Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. [33]And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' [34]And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. [35]So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." (ESV)
is a good thing, and it’s restorative. It’s sending people out to find a lost sheep–and who then should be sent? A familiar voice, not a harsh one. This process is a plea for repentance and restoration. Only when all hope is lost, when all measures toward repentance and restoration have been tried, when enough time has passed for the Holy Spirit to bring repentance, only then is the person put out of the fold (or, “delivered unto Satan,” or cast from the kingdom, or loosed on earth”, etc.). At that point, the concern has passed from the health of the individual person, to the health of the body as a whole.

I immediately thought about our physical bodies in a time of injury or sickness. When my right hand is injured, what’s my first, involuntary reaction? I bring it in close to my body, and hide it under my left arm for protection. That’s what this process in Matthew 18 [show] At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" [2]And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them [3]and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [4]Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. [5]"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, [6]but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. [7]"Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! [8]And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. [9]And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. [10]"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. [12]What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? [13]And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. [14]So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. [15]"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. [16]But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence 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, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. [18]Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [19]Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. [20]For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." [21]Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" [22]Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. [23]"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. [24]When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. [25]And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. [26]So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' [27]And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. [28]But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' [29]So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' [30]He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. [31]When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. [32]Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. [33]And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' [34]And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. [35]So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." (ESV)
is; a bringing in close for help, healing, protection from further injury or prolonged sickness. Attention is then focused on my hand, to see if it’s getting worse, or getting better. If worse, maybe I ice it a bit. If that doesn’t seem to help, maybe I go to the hospital for increased attention. But all the while, my hand is under focused care. At some point in this process, a “turn for the better” must happen; my hand must stop getting worse and start getting better. If that happens, I slowly bring it back into the service of the rest of my body.

But if it doesn’t get better–if this is a sickness unto death, or a sin unto death–if there is no sign of a “turn for the better,” then I must, tragically, amputate. And I must do so because that sickness is not stagnant; it hasn’t slowed down, and will only spread. Cancer, or ganghrene, once diagnosed, must be dealt with. At this point–barring a(n entirely possible) miraculous change, all hope is lost for that member of the body. It’s a last resort, but for the sake of the entire body, surgical dismemberment must happen. All other means of healilng, of restoration are thoroughly tried in hopes that the hand/member will become functional once again–the means of this entire process is one of love, hope, help–because no one wants to lose a member of their own body.

I was nearly broght to tears a number of times during the class, thinking of how many times I’ve seen people feel like they’ve been treated–pun intended–differently. “You’re sick; leave so no one catches it, get your stuff together, take care of business, then come back again once your health has been restored.” A sheep won’t get better by being cast out of the fold–that only puts them into more danger. There is saftey in numbers. A lame sheep must be brought in, near the center, where she can lean up against the others until she is restored to her own strength.

What a treat to hear this understanding of church discipline in Sunday School, only to then witness a welcoming to membership (ceremony?) immediately afterward in the worship service. What a joy to see seen church health taken so seriously, so proactively, so wisely. What foolishness it has been for us to so quickly cast aside the wisdom of those who’ve gone before us!