There is Coming a Day That God Will Regather Israel

The Regathering of Israel

Book of Jeremiah Chapter 23

Before we get started in our lesson we should see to whom the Lord is directing these words. We only have to back up one chapter to chapter 22 verse 29.

Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

We should know that all these things that went on in the time of Jeremiah took place during his lifetime, but these things have a great meaning for the nation of Israel today and further still in the future and we as Gentiles and the Body of Christ need to listen and learn from all these things.

If we had read these things we would realize that King Coniah or Jeconiah, both are the same. Coniah was of King David’s line through King Solomon and the rights to this throne was cut off by the Lord. Joseph the husband of Mary would be of this same line and God said the Messiah could come from the line of David which the Lord had just ended.

Had Jesus been born the natural way instead of the Super natural way, He would have no claim to the throne in the line of King David.

Had Joseph chosen someone besides Mary to be His wife, it would have broken the chain to the Messiah.

Since the plan of God cannot be altered, Mary was also of the line of David thorough his son Nathan who was the first born of David and Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, being conceived by the Holy Spirit holds the royal title to the throne of David, which He will possess when He returns.

Since the Lord cannot die then His throne is eternal!

Chapter 23 verse 1

*****Jer 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the LORD.

Things had gotten so bad that Jeremiah had decided to quit on God, but he found that he could not.

Jer 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name but his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

God had rejected this generation and He would be their enemy!

Jer 21:5 And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.

Jer 21:10 For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

Jer 22:6 For thus saith the LORD unto the king's house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.

Jer 22:9 Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.

It will never be good for those who have rejected the Lord God Jehovah!

*****Jer 23:2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

These shepherds included the spiritual leaders of this nation but also the political leaders of this nation!

We see right off that it is the job of the Pastor to feed his flock and that food was to be the Word of God!

The job of the Pastor has not changed today, they are to be shepherds to the flock that the Lord has given to them.

These had caused the people of God to be scattered rather than to be gathered together as one people.

**Do we not see this thing today as many so-called Christians have joined with the evils of our nation and the Church is scattered in its beliefs.

We are to gather in one accord with the truth of God!

We simply do not see righteousness and true justice in our society of today.

What had God promised? Peace, security, and prosperity if, God's people would obey Him.

Joh_8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

When those behind the pulpits of today fail to do their duty, the children of God will be confused. This confusion would go away if they would study the Word of God themselves and remove all those who teach lies rather than the truth of God!

What do we know? Those who scatter God's people are the same ones who increase their personal wealth, their positions, and sometimes even power, while they condemn God's people!

God says it is He who will repay them for the evil that they have done!

Psa 62:9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

Psa 62:10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

Psa 62:11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

Psa 62:12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

We should clearly understand God will eventually punish everyone who oppress God's people.

It is necessary at this time for these things to take place, so all humans can have an opportunity to repent.

How many will remain true to the Lord?

*****Jer 23:3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

Some say this is what is going on now and it is but most of these today are not Christian. When the Lord gathers after or even during the Tribulation Period they will truly be His people.

God expects every government to take care of its people. In fact if the people at home are not cared for then our government should not provide our resources to other governments, especially to those that mistreat their people!

Jer 25:32 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

Jer 25:33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

Jer 25:34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

Those that believe that there is a power greater than the Lord are trusting in vanity!

And for all the naysayers, Israel will one day occupy all the land that was given to Abraham!

Even today with the leaders Israel has, the people of Israel are not very afraid of all those larger enemies that surround them, but must never let pride enter into their politics ever again!

What has God promised?

*****Jer 23:4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.

Jer 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

What is the sign of the true Pastor? They are called of God!

God gives us all a job to do but God calls His Pastor in another way, so they can know they have been called. All others who claim to be a Pastor but are not called of God, are imposters!

The true Pastor will not fear what the government can do to him and he will instill this into the flock of God.

As Christians we must never fear what this world can do to us because at death we go to the glory land!

And a greater promise of them all, the Lord Jesus Christ will return and this time He will claim the throne of David!

There are many lessons and many prophesies of the Second coming of the Messiah and this is just one of them.

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Jeremiah and Isaiah both knew these things were to be in the future then and still are today, but the time draws very near that the Lord will soon return.

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

He will have a name much grander than them all:

*****Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

To the Jews His name would be "Jehovah-Tsidkenu".

To each Christian, since we have no righteousness of our own, He is called The Lord Our Righteousness.

It is because Our Lord spent a sinless life upon this earth that He could take our place on the Cross on Mount Calvary!

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When we place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, God applies the Righteousness of His Dear Son to us and it is because of this that we can become acceptable to Him.

So who is the Messiah? The Messiah is none other than the righteous Son of God, The Lord Jesus Christ!

The truth is we did not have the ability to become "righteous" on our own.

Isa_64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

In fact there has never lived one person upon the face of this earth that has lived a righteous life beside the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom_3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

The days we live in now are the days of the Church but the soon coming Age will be the days of the restored nation of Israel.

*****Jer 23:7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

Jer 23:8 But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

This prophesy will not see it's fulfillment while the Church is still upon the face of this earth! The Church will already be in Heaven and then return with the Lord when He returns!

When the Lord sits upon the throne of David, then He will gather His people from all the countries of the world and lead them back to the Promised Land.

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The Promised land of the Jews is not heaven, but it is a symbol of Heaven.

What we see going on in Israel today is just a partial filling of this prophesy of Jeremiah!

There is a big difference between the Prophet Jeremiah and the false prophets of his days.

*****Jer 23:9 Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness.

What is the truth of those false prophets?

Jer 14:14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

This same thing is true of those false preachers of today in the Church.

Jeremiah had thoughts like many today. Just how could a loving God allow the destruction of His people.

First, we need to describe God's people.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

If cannot fit yourself into these words of the Lord, then you are not God's people. It is just that simple!

These false prophets will cause many to go astray but only if they reject the truth of God!

It breaks the heart of God for these things to take place, but He can never go against His Word in any case!

What is one of our greatest problems? We cannot always realize the truth of today until it becomes our past.

It seems we always want more truth when we have the greatest of all truths in the Scriptures preserved for us in the Word of God!

We must know God well enough to know that He never does things because of anger. He does things because these are the things that He said he would do.

The Lord never does things because of a lack of love, He does these things because this is what He said he would do and He will never go against His Word.

It is because of the Holiness of His Words.

Holy words are those words that lead us to obey the will of God!

The Word of God is Holy! The Word of God is set apart as the complete truth in a world full of lies and deceit!

*****Jer 23:10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.

Jer 23:11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.

We should know that most false worship in the adjacent nations involved sexual sin. Adultery here refers to sexual adultery and more important "Spiritual Adultery" which is idolatry.

The false prophets and the false ministers can commit no greater sin than immorality, sexual or Spiritual.

The Prophets of God are held to a higher standard just as those who preach the Word of God today are!

When a so-called prophet of God turns away from the Lord they have committed apostasy!

It is the same as running away from the Lord as did Jonah. Jonah returned but these had rejected the Lord and the Word of God refusing to repent.

These men had broken the heart of God and God was already bringing drought and famine.

The land was mourning and refused to provide for these people.

The land of Israel never regained the power to provide for Israel, until the children of Israel began to return as Israel was "Born Again" on May 14, 1948. Israel has since blossomed into a truly pleasant land.

This was a sign to them all, that they would certainly face the judgment of God!

The prophets and the priests had chosen wickedness for their model of right and wrong.

Sounds more and more like the America we live in today!

Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

How many today have forgotten this simple verse of Scripture?

This is just the opposite of what God has called us all to do!

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

It is for this reason their life would be made miserable.

*****Jer 23:12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.

We know that the persecution of Christians has increased many times over, but we can also be sure that those who preach a false message will be persecuted by God Himself, when the time is right.

It is a terrible thing to walk into a place we do not know when it is too dark to see. When we find that the walkway is also slippery it just adds to our fright.

These priests in the day of Jeremiah would walk in the daylight as if it was total darkness and stumble about until they fell for good.

They would be banished from ever serving God again!

Psa 35:1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

Psa 35:2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

Psa 35:3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

Psa 35:4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

Psa 35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

Psa 35:6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

Psa 35:7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

Psa 35:8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

We sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that God will continue to allow these things to take place, but the Scriptures prove to us the God will cause these things to end and those that do these things to come to a wicked end themselves!

They had Blasphemed themselves as they had committed blasphemy in the Temple of Solomon!

As we live day by day as Christians we have the responsibility of keeping ourselves clean without even having the appearance of evil.

The message of the false prophets has not changed much from the time of Jeremiah till the day we live in!

In fact the world keeps telling us that things are better than they ever have been, which is just one of the lies of today!

Spiritual leaders are saying as long as you do things in moderation God will forgive, which is another lie. God may forgive but that forgiveness will not come without repentance. God does not change His ways!

When we reject the truth, we are believing a lie, it’s just that simple!

There is not one nation upon this earth that is immune to the truth of God!

God will gather all the Jews one day and I believe He has started now but most of that fulfillment comes after the Church is taken out of this world.

God always does what He says He will do!

Amen

Let’s Pray!

Blessings Through Forgiveness

2 Corinthians 2


We know our Churches face the challenges of this world just to survive and that is bad enough, but when there is internal turmoil and divisiveness inside the Church body, then that is even worse.

Satan will try His best to make the power of the Church go away in this world and he has in many places already.

In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul had addressed many issues that had divided the Church in Corinth.

By ignoring blatant sin among its members, the Corinthian church was further contributing to division and weakness in the members of this Church.

The Apostle Paul had given practical instructions from the Word of God on for how to deal with immorality in the church.

Today we are reading why Paul could not return to this Church at this time and why he wrote the second epistle to this Church at Corinth.

The biggest reason the Church faces so many challenges is because even though we are a saved people, we are still human and we still live in these sinful bodies of flesh!

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

The Apostle Paul understood these things better than most other Church leaders.

One lesson we should learn is, that our Pastor should not be the cause of pain in Church discipline, this is the responsibility of the church body.

It is the "Body of Christ", the Church members that should bear the pain of Church discipline, guided by the Pastor and sticking to the Word of God in every step!

*****2Co 2:1  But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
2Co 2:2  For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

We can actually see the love that Paul had for this church.

We need to clearly understand the purpose of Church discipline!

The purpose of Church discipline is:
(1) To bring glory to God and enhance the testimony of the "body of Christ".
(2) To restore, heal, and build up sinning believers.
(3) To show the need for sound doctrine.
(4) To win a soul to Christ, if the sinning person is only a professing Christian.
(5) To silence false teachers and their influence in the church.
(6) To set an example for the rest of the body of Christ and promote godly fear.
(7) To protect the church against the destructive consequences that occur when churches fail to carry out church discipline.

Until the Church in Corinth had done these things it was not so important that Paul made another appearance to this Church.

It is never so important for a Pastor to pour his heart out to people who reject the Word of God, his time is better spent on those with receptive ears and open hearts!

Paul was committed to the purity of the Church and he would have been even more severe if he had come and none of his directions had been followed.

Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

These things had brought much ridicule to the Apostle Paul and it would be best if if he was not attacked again.

Our Pastors do not deserve to be attacked for preaching the whole council of God!

AND, The "Body of Christ" must stand up and insist on the truth of God coming from the pulpits.

*****2Co 2:3  And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

Paul's reason for writing was that if those in sin would repent, then there could be joy to all when he returned instead of more sadness on the part of Paul himself.

We can be sure that Paul was following the lead of the Holy Spirit in this case and had not done this thing on his own.

It is also best that the Church put the Lord first, for He is the foundation of the Church and put an end to all controversy.

We would be foolish to believe that everyone in the Church is saved but we cannot allow our Pastor to be the center of any controversy by undisciplined members!

*****2Co 2:4  For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

Paul had shed many tears over the things that were going on in this Church.

SO, Paul was writing this time to show his love for them all.

The purpose of the Pastor is to reach out to this lost world, lead the lost to Christ and then disciple them to give them strength!

This must be the goal for every Pastor!

This must be the exact same purpose for all the "Body of Christ"!

Just as Paul wanted no part of controversy, the same then should go for the Church.

Paul had only one desire for his children in the Lord.

Rom 1:11  For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, "to the end ye may be established";
Rom 1:12  That is, that I may be comforted together with you "by the mutual faith" both of you and me.

We must realize that it only takes one person to stir up trouble in any Church.

*****2Co 2:5  But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
2Co 2:6  Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

We must never forget, Church discipline has only one goal and that is to restore that one who has fell from "Grace".

Church discipline is not to run people off that we simply do not like!

There was a single person who had caused grief for this whole church.

It could have been that one who been so immoral but we also know that there were those in this church who had become opposed to the Apostle Paul and there is always a ring leader and some think this is the one because immorality is not mentioned in these Scriptures.

The truth is there was some one in this Church that was attacking God's man and causing much grief and pain and bringing this Church near to collapse.

**This thing had to be dealt with.

1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

**This man had to be stopped so God's man (Paul) could do what he was called to do.

Rom 14:4  Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

We are not called to judge a man called of God to preach.

Many today are Mama called and Daddy sent!

If God is his master, then God will cause him to stand or he will fall.

**This Church at Corinth had many problems like all Churches do but this controversy could cause this Church to fail.

Php 1:27  Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Php 1:28  And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

We know we have a good Pastor here at Gethsemane and we simply cannot allow anyone here in our church to stir up any controversy because of the message he preaches.

But we also must be willing to forgive everyone who repents of their evil doings!

Remember it is not the Pastor who disciplines, it is the Church, the "Body Of Christ".

Paul had insisted this Church deal with this problem before he would return and they had.

But it was just as important that if this person repent that he also be forgiven and welcomed back into the family of God.

BUT, Some now felt that this should not happen and this person never be allowed back into the church.

We must first understand that church discipline is never to be about legal matters because church discipline is to only be about the will of God for His Church. The Church belongs to God!

The government disciplines those who break those laws

There will always be different opinions about church discipline and just like everything else we must depend on the Word of God to know what to do in these things.

What we know:

1) There was a man causing controversy in this church, in fact so much controversy that the Pastor had to ask this church to deal with it.

2) This church followed the advice of the Pastor and dealt with this problem.

3) Not everyone agreed that discipline was needed.

Not everyone agreed with the amount of discipline.

Some even believed that it was never to responsibility of the Church to do such things.

The pure fact is, that church discipline should have taken place before this controversy was allowed to fester and divide this church but also according to the Word of God.

AND, If this church had not done the right thing then the Apostle Paul would have stepped in and remember Paul had all the powers of the Apostles just as Peter and John and the other 9.

We know that the 11 Apostles had chosen a 12th and this is no slight on another good man but Jesus chose His own Apostles.

Paul cautioned this church:

2Co 13:2  I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, "I will not spare":

2Co 13:10  Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present "I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification", and not to destruction.

This church had forgotten the purpose of church discipline as most have today!

*****2Co 2:7  So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
2Co 2:8  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

The Lord Jesus made these things pretty simple for us all:

Mat 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

First: any believer who attacks God's church and God's preachers must be corrected most of all, for his own sake.

Second: this person must be restored to a point that he loves God and all the people of God.

**There must be "forgiveness", if this person repented!

Luk 17:4  And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

**There must be comfort and encouragement given to this person, if he repented!

It would be shame and embarrassment to be told to repent or to leave the church.

1Th 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Th 5:12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
1Th 5:13  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
1Th 5:15  See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

**There must be repentance from that offender! Once he had repented and demonstrated godly sorrow then the purpose of the discipline had been achieved!

If this person is not accepted back into the fold, these things could be more destructive instead of correcting, if "he be swallowed up in much sorrow".

Act 20:35  I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

**The church must go out of it's way to assure this person of the love of the church!

One of the greatest testimonies of the church is love. This is always notable to visitors. If we cannot show that same love for each other we are failing as a church.

If the mess has been straightened out, its time to get back to the work of God, the quicker the better.

Eph 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Joh 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

It is this love that shows the proof of each and every church!

*****2Co 2:9  For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

Most of us when we think about Church discipline, we always forget the purpose of the Church.

As long as any church knowingly compromises with those who commit the sins of the world, then the church cannot focus on it's mission and it's ministry.

Any church that is being disobedient to the Word of God will allow controversy and division to rule in the church rather than God.

Remember the Church was purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ our Savior!

Rev_1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and "washed us from our sins in his own blood",

Eph_1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

These things being true, if that person or persons repent of their evil ways, then that same merciful love of God is to be shown to them!

The same condition of pardon and life that we have been given from the Lord, is that we believe that person or persons and offer that same mercy and love to them.

The Church is to be obedient in all things!

The Bible says: Let our conversation be as it becometh the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

We are always to love one another!

We associate sin with the soul but we are to hate the sin but never show hatred to the soul which is of great value to the Lord!

The Church is in the business of saving souls!

We can only be the fishers of men and only the Lord can save!

*****2Co 2:10  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

**Notice the Apostle Paul forgave this man in order to help this church but also to help himself.

The entire nature of the Lord's Church is based upon forgiveness!

The Church exists only because God has forgiven our sins because of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ!

When the Church is unforgiving it is denying it's purpose of existing!

The church that does not forgive and restore after repentance, needs to close the doors because it has no reason to exist!

This is when the true Pastor of that church should take the lead, as did Paul.

**Paul also forgave this person for the sake of Jesus Christ ("in the person of Christ").

We must remember that Our Lord is so displeased with an unforgiving spirit that He will refuse to forgive anyone who is not forgiving themselves!

Jesus Christ expects us all to be just as forgiving as He is!

**Paul also forgave this man for another great reason, to keep Satan from taking advantage.

1) Satan would take advantage with that man if the church had not forgiven him and he would become a witness against the church and remain out in the world.

He may also have fallen into depression and despair and be swallowed up in sorrow.

2) Satan would take advantage on the Pastor. The ministry of that Pastor or church leader would have become ineffective. God would no longer bless the ministry of such an unforgiving man of God!

3) Satan would get a foothold in the church for the same reason. God will never bless the ministry of an unforgiving church!

Just as Paul states we must always be aware of Satan's techniques!

We should always consider that Satan has never had to change the way he does things, because his ways have worked for several thousand years, because we fall into his traps so easily.

Satan's mission is to tempt and destroy people and we must never help him because we will be betraying the reason Jesus Christ went to the cross, which was to save people!

We must remember the Word of God, our enemy is never our fellow man.

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Satan is always determined to cause the church to fail in it's mission!

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

AND, We should never question Paul's love for this church nor any church.

As men we can only be at one place at a time. Paul was lead by the Holy Spirit as it should be!

Besides, if Paul had spent all his time running from church to church at every little problem, his own ministry would have failed!

For this reason, God chose to give us these wonderful epistles to teach us the truths of God!

We need to listen as Paul describes what God had called him to do and in these things we can learn about our own Pastor.

*****2Co 2:12  Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
2Co 2:13  I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

A true pastor will always be gripped with passion to answer God's call!

Every man called to preach, is called to preach "Christ's Gospel"!

We see Paul as a pastor who was gripped by passion to preach the full council of God.

We see that Paul still had a deep concern for a troubled church but Paul also had to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit!

Paul had planned to go to Corinth but God had other plans and those attacks on Paul's person had also made it an unwise thing to do.

Paul instead had sent his first epistle by Titus to this church but Paul's passion to preach could not be quenched and he answered what we know of as the Macedonian call, but Paul was saddened because he had not heard back form Titus.

Notice Paul could not sit still while waiting on Titus!

We know that our own Pastor simply cannot sit still when he knows that there is another soul that could be reached for the Lord!

Notice when God's called men are faithful to follow His lead, God will always open up another door for them.

What had God said?

Mar 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

How did Paul feel about his calling?

1Co 9:16  For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
1Co 9:17  For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
1Co 9:18  What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

No matter what Paul was doing or where he was preaching or what church he was staring, he still had a great concern for troubled churches and we know for certain that every church has it's own problems.

Paul said "he had no rest for his spirit".

Here again we can see our own Pastor and see that no matter what he is doing or how busy he is, he has a great concern for his church!

Paul also had great "faith" in the Word of God as does our own Pastor!

*****2Co 2:14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

You see no matter what the world brings to hinder the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" if we follow in the will of God, and go through the doors that He opens there will always be victory!

The thing we need to remember is, just as Paul said the triumph was Christ's, Paul may not have felt a great victory for himself in Corinth but he knew Christ was victorious in Macedonia!

When Jesus Christ has triumphed over us, we will certainly have victory in our lives. Paul felt this victory even in his sadness for Corinth.

We can all be apart of this same victory of Paul when we yield to the calling of the Lord Jesus Christ!

You see no matter who that Pastor or that missionary is, there can be no triumph without the Lord Jesus Christ!

Our one job is to make known the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ wherever Christ has placed us. This is our missionary field until God opens some other door!

As ambassadors for Christ, we must believe in Christ, trust in Christ, be called of Christ, serve in Christ, minister in Christ, live in Christ, move in Christ, and be in Christ!

It is never about us because it must always be about Christ!

When we do these things then we become a sweet savour to Christ.

*****2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
2Co 2:16  To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

It is obvious that not everyone will respond to the "Gospel" but that is not our calling. Our calling is to make known the "Gospel" to all people.

We are not to pick and choose who we witness to!

Everyone who is a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ is very precious to Him!

The message of the "Gospel" is either life or death to that one that hears it!

The the unsaved lost,"those who perish", the "Gospel" we will then be the minister of death.

This is why the Christian is so hated!

The fact that they do not believe the Word of God is there own death sentence and all those who are dead to Christ now will remain dead to Christ throughout eternity!

This is another reason Christians are hated so, it is this message, but it is the Word of God.

AND, this is also the reason the world is trying to silence our true Pastors!

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

All those who accept the truth of God and believe, will pass from life to life. These can live now and then live eternity with God!

Joh 3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

The Pastor who holds to the complete Word of God without compromise, is being sincere to his calling.

*****2Co 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

Without a doubt even in Paul's day, he knew that there were many more who corrupted the Word of God than who preach the truth.

The true Pastor and the true Christian will always speak in communion and fellowship with the Lord!

The true Pastor and the true Christian will always have motives that are pure!

Our ministry is to serve God and help people.

Tit 2:7  In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Tit 2:8  Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

The true Pastor always speaks in the power of God and the presence of Christ Jesus and is therefore able to share that fellowship with others!

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Was Paul perfect absolutely not.

Is our Pastor perfect, he cannot be.

Are there any perfect pastors, preachers, missionaries? No

Our job is not to be perfect, our only job is to be true to the Word of God as best we can!

Questions?

Let's Pray!