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Let me turn in your Bibles to 
1 Timothy chapter 5. 1 Timothy chapter 5, we find ourselves 
in the section dealing with elders in the church, specifically in 
verses 17 to 25. Last time we saw the necessity 
for the church to give double honor to those elders who rule 
well. That was verses 17 and 18. Tonight we'll look at the 
discipline of elders in verses 19 to 21. And then our final 
message from this section will be on the ordination or the installation 
of elders into the office in verses 22 to 25. But I'll just 
pick up reading in chapter 5 at verse 1 to remind ourselves that 
the Apostle is calling upon the Church to engage in their relationships 
with one another in a manner that is consistent with God's 
will. Beginning in chapter 5 verse 
1, do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father. Younger 
men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as 
sisters with all purity. Honor widows who are really widows, 
but if any widow has children or grandchildren Let them first 
learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents, for this 
is good and acceptable before God. Now, she who is really a 
widow and left alone trusts in God and continues in supplications 
and prayers night and day. But she who lives in pleasure 
is dead while she lives. And these things command that 
they may be blameless. But if anyone does not provide 
for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has 
denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Do not let 
a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and 
not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for 
good works, if she has brought up children, if she has lodged 
strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has 
relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every 
good work. But refuse the younger widows, 
for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire 
to marry, having condemnation because they have cast off their 
first faith. And besides, they learn to be 
idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle, 
but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought 
not. Therefore, I desire that the younger widows marry, bear 
children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary 
to speak reproachfully, for some have already turned aside after 
Satan. If any believing man or woman 
has widows, let them relieve them. And do not let the church 
be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows. 
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, 
especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the 
scripture says, you shall not muzzle an ox while it treads 
out the grain. And the laborer is worthy of 
his wages. Do not receive an accusation against an elder except 
from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke 
in the presence of all that the rest also may fear. I charge 
you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels, 
that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing 
with partiality. Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, 
nor share in other people's sins. Keep yourself pure. No longer 
drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake, 
and your frequent infirmities. Some men's sins are clearly evident, 
preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. 
Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those 
that are otherwise cannot be hidden. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, we pray for the mind 
of Christ to be in our hearts and our minds this evening that 
we would receive with thanksgiving the Word of God, that you would 
help us to regulate our church according to such things. May 
we be obedient and may we appreciate the regulative principle of worship. 
May we realize that we are to do nothing more, nothing less, 
and nothing else than what God has commanded to be done in his 
church. We ask that you would just guide 
us now by the power of your Holy Spirit, that you would illumine 
our minds, that you would help us to receive these things. And 
we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. As I said, the section 
that we're in right now is elders, verses 17 to 25. Their payment or honor, the discipline 
of them as we'll look at this evening, and then the ordination 
or installation of elders into office. And you might ask the 
question, why does Paul deal with these particular issues? 
Well, generally speaking, they are issues affecting local churches. But with reference to Ephesus, 
remember that Paul set Timothy, or left Timothy in Ephesus to 
wage the good warfare. One of the issues plaguing the 
church in Ephesus was a question of leadership. You see that in 
1 Timothy chapter 1 at verse 7. The false teachers, or the 
false leaders. It says that they desire to be 
teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the 
things which they affirm. When we get over to chapter 2, 
the apostle has to prohibit women from exercising authority or 
leading or teaching in the context of the local church. The apostle 
then spells out in great detail what the qualifications for elders 
and deacons are in terms of 1 Timothy 3. Then he emphasizes how Timothy 
is to conduct himself as a minister of the gospel in 1 Timothy chapter 
4. verses 6 to 16. So undoubtedly there's a problem 
with the leadership, undoubtedly there are issues to be dealt 
with, and so the Apostle takes pen to paper and he sets in order 
the things that are affecting Christ's churches. Certainly 
the churches need to be instructed in terms of honoring elders, 
disciplining elders, and installing elders into office. So that is 
what is going on. As we consider the discipline 
of elders, we'll look at it under three considerations this evening. 
First, the process involved. Secondly, the public rebuke required. And then thirdly, the presence 
of the heavenly court invoked. So we have a process, we have 
the public rebuke, and then we have the presence, this charge, 
this solemn charge that Paul makes in verse 21. It really 
is amazing. We oftentimes think that God 
is only concerned about preaching. Paul charges Timothy in 2 Timothy 
4 under God and under the Lord Jesus Christ to preach the word, 
to be ready in season and out of season. But we also see how 
important it is that the business of the church be conducted in 
a manner described by God. This whole idea of disciplining 
men who are in sin is something that the Lord really takes note 
of and really demands is in place. Because if there is faulty leadership, 
if there are faulty elders, if there are men who are publicly 
sinning, men who are getting doctrine wrong, or men who by 
their own moral conduct are bringing blasphemy or reproach upon the 
cause of the gospel, then that affects the church, it affects 
the witness of the church, and Paul's remedy is to remove those 
men. Get them out. Do not allow them 
to continue to be a plague and a blight upon the Church of Christ. 
We saw in our studies in Matthew chapter 15, Jesus highlights 
this reality. If a blind man leads a blind 
man, then both will fall into a ditch. God does not want blind 
leaders in his church. He wants men who are fit and 
qualified according to his revealed will. And if those men transgress, 
if they get out of line, there is a process in place to deal 
with them. It isn't the case that, well, 
we've installed the elder and no matter what he does, we're 
stuck with him. That is absolutely not true. Paul speaks to this contingency 
and it is to this that we now turn our attention. Note first 
the process involved in verse 19. He makes a prohibition and 
then specifies a condition. Verse 19 he says, do not receive 
an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Now far from Paul trying to hide 
the sins of elders, far from Paul trying to sweep the sins 
of elders under the rug, Paul mandates that the biblical process 
be utilized. Now the process that he invokes 
is not unique and does not only apply to the elders. What Paul 
is doing is essentially taking Matthew 18 and he's applying 
it to the case of elders. In other words, in Matthew 18, 
if your brother sins against you, go to him. If he hears you, 
if he repents, then you've won your brother. If he refuses to 
hear you, if he refuses to repent, what is your next course of action? 
Bring two or three witnesses. If he doesn't listen to them, 
if he doesn't repent, then you tell it to the church. It's the 
same model that is employed here by the Apostle Paul. And the 
reason why he is dealing with elders is because, as I said, 
this was probably a problem in Ephesus. And while he's talking 
about doubly honoring those who rule well, he wants to make sure 
they understand what you do with those who are sinning. Verse 
20 indicates that Paul is not about sweeping sin under the 
rug. When you apply this process and 
it is found out that there is genuine guilt, then you are to 
publicly rebuke those elders in the presence of all. But what 
Paul is about is that we follow the procedure, that we follow 
the process. And in a real sense, leaders, 
because of the fact that they're leaders, often incur more scrutiny 
and they incur more in terms of opposition. Calvin said it 
this way, this is a necessary remedy against the malice of 
men. for none are more liable to slanders and calumnies than 
godly teachers." In fact, his section here is just beautiful. 
He points out that so often when we hear an accusation made against 
an elder, we immediately conclude it must be right. The process 
is in place so that elders can get a fair shake. The process 
is in place so that everybody in Christ Church can get a fair 
shake. George Knight says, because those 
in positions of leadership are subject to scrutiny, criticism, 
and rumors, Paul cautions Timothy not to accept or acknowledge 
as correct an accusation charge against an elder unless there 
are the requisite witnesses. I think it was Pastor Dave Merrick 
that indicated that sometimes it's common for people to go 
home after the morning sermon and have roast pastor for lunch. They like to talk about the ministers. 
They like to talk about, did you see his wife? Did you see 
his kids? Did you see him? Did you hear what he had to say? 
And it says, roast pastor for lunch. Well, sometimes those 
rumors start to get spread around and the man ends up hung out 
to dry because people didn't take seriously passages like 
these. Alexander Strzok, in his helpful 
book called Biblical Eldership, says when people become angry 
at their leaders, they think they have the right to strike 
out at them and say whatever they want to say. Oh no, not 
me, brother. Yes, all of us have that symptomatic 
evidence of remaining corruption in our hearts. Maybe not all 
of us, but we gravitate to these sorts of things. Consider that 
the faithful exposition of the Word of God will expose men's 
sins. And when men's sins are exposed, 
they don't always say, thank you so very much. Consider that 
the faithful exposition of the Word of God may bring opposition 
to the messenger because people know they can't oppose the message. In other words, we'll shoot the 
messenger because we don't like the message. And we will say 
things to get him thrown out. As well, consider the fallibility 
of elders. Pastors are not an angelic class. Trust me. They don't fly in behind 
pulpits and flap their wings and preach the gospel to you 
and then fly back up to heaven. God has ordained men to come 
and preach. Men are fallible. Men make mistakes. Men sin. And then consider the 
garden variety depravity of man. Sometimes, some places, people 
just aren't content to be content. There has to be drama, there 
has to be issues, there has to be something going on. Again, 
Calvin, I think, summarizes what I'm trying to get at. He says, 
not only does it arise from the difficulty of their office, this 
reality that oftentimes leaders are accused of a lot of things. 
He says, not only does it arise from the difficulty of their 
office that sometimes they either sink under it or stagger or halt 
or blunder in consequence of which wicked men seize upon many 
occasions for finding fault with them." Just look at the career 
of Moses. Look at that godly man. There 
were times when he staggered. There were times when he struggled. 
There were times when there was difficulty. And what happens? There was a class of men that 
seized upon it and exploited it to try and show that he wasn't 
fit for the job and they sought to bury that dear brother. God, 
conversely, buried the opposition. He goes on to say, But there 
is this additional vexation, that although they perform their 
duty correctly, so as not to commit any error whatever, they 
never escape a thousand censures. And this is the craftiness of 
Satan, to draw away the hearts of men from ministers that instruction 
may gradually fall into contempt. That is perceptive. If the devil 
can get between you and a faithful minister, what has he neutralized? He has neutralized the proper 
functioning of the ministry of the gospel wherein the scriptures 
are being taught to you for your growth, your maturation, and 
for your conformity unto the Lord Jesus Christ." Back to verse 
19. Do not receive an accusation 
against an elder. This is something that Paul will 
have no chalk with. He will have no compromise in 
this particular area. He goes on to give this condition 
except from two or three witnesses. This must be followed. This must be obeyed. This act of biblical discipline, 
listen to what I'm about to say, protects people. If you hear 
of a church that exercises discipline, immediately we think about people 
being excommunicated. Well, if they've sinned and they're 
not repentant, then that's what God demands. But the process 
that is put into place protects the persons. God genuinely is 
about that maxim, they are innocent until proven guilty. There needs 
to be due process. If a handful of people don't 
like a particular minister, and they start to grumble among themselves, 
the process must be in place. The man of God, according to 
the Apostle, must be protected. He does not hear, teach a new 
thing. He does not hear, say, this only 
applies to elders. It's the context in which he 
is dealing, but it is something symptomatic and typical of all 
of people in Christ's Church. Matthew 18 and here in 1 Timothy 
chapter 5. MacArthur hits it right on. He says, this demand does not 
place elders beyond successful accusation. You might hear this 
and say, oh yeah, you can't receive an elder without two or three 
witnesses. That's just to protect him and 
to protect his kingdom. It is to protect him. Just like 
in Matthew chapter 18, it's to protect you. So that someone 
cannot tarnish your reputation and bring you up on charges before 
the church without due process. Of course God is concerned to 
protect his people. MacArthur says this demand does 
not place elders beyond successful accusation, but protects them 
from frivolous evil accusers by demanding the same process 
of confirmation of sin as for all in the church. Now, not only 
does the Apostle call for two or three witnesses, Jesus calls 
for two or three witnesses in Matthew 18. But even then, Paul 
and Jesus aren't doing a new thing. They are not innovators. 
They are not being creative. They are simply reaching back 
into the Old Testament law and saying, this is still abiding 
for us today. Note Paul's respect for the authority 
of God's Holy Word. Pay your elders, honor them doubly. Why? For the scripture says. When he says do not receive an 
accusation against an elder, why? Because the scripture says. Deuteronomy chapter 19 verse 
15, one witness shall not rise against a man concerning any 
iniquity or any sin that he commits. By the mouth of two or three 
witnesses the matter shall be established. In the case of a 
capital crime, Deuteronomy 17, 6, whoever is deserving of death 
shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses. He shall not be put to death 
on the testimony of one witness. Have you ever told anybody, I 
actually think that biblical law should be applicable today? 
They say, horror of horrors, that's terrible. The gutters 
would run with blood because everybody would be executed for 
every violation that is known to man. No! The Old Testament 
specified two or three witnesses. You didn't execute somebody on 
the basis of one person's testimony. Paul says you don't remove an 
elder from office or publicly rebuke that office on the basis 
of one person's testimony. That person may have some issues. 
They may not like them. There may be prejudice. There 
may be some personal issue that is involved. You are to make 
sure that you do not receive an accusation against an elder 
except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Again, George 
Knight says, in effect, Paul is urging Timothy to follow Matthew 
18 and the Old Testament before the church accepts or acknowledges 
as correct an accusation against an elder. The process may consist 
of two or three witnesses bringing an accusation, but normally it 
would consist of two or three witnesses verifying an accusation 
that may come from only one individual before it is considered further. 
We will look at that more God-willing when we get to Matthew 18. When 
you bring these two or three witnesses, are they persons that 
necessarily witness the offense? Not necessarily. At that point, 
these two or three witnesses come and seek to help the process." 
Again, we'll look at that in more detail in Matthew 18. The 
statement, according to Mounts, is designed to protect elders 
from malicious and unsubstantiated accusations. Praise God that 
he's installed this in the church. Praise God that he doesn't just 
say it ought to be preference, it ought to be feeling, it ought 
to be emotion, it ought to be whatever you want with reference 
to these very serious issues. No, it's got to be principle, 
it's got to be law, it's got to be biblical stipulation that 
the church follows with reference to this particular process. And may I suggest as well, when 
this process is not followed, what ends up happening is that 
the person or persons that go to the elder engage in harassment. to not invoke and to not utilize 
what God has afforded for the well-ordering of His Church becomes 
vigilanteism, a band of faithful brethren that want to derail 
the unfaithful minister. If he's unfaithful, two or three 
witnesses and due process will make it known. Do not become 
a vigilante in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's 
the process. Notice, secondly, the public 
rebuke required. Those who are sinning rebuke 
in the presence of all that the rest also may fear. He's not 
about sweeping sin under the rug, is he? He's not about saying, 
well, you know, just look the other way when an elder has found 
out sinning. No, the accusation is confirmed. That's what the process yields. The two or three witnesses, the 
due process in both, it applied, yields this guilty verdict. And notice, the process is applied, 
guilt is confirmed, it is a sin, it's not a mistake, it is a sin. The sin was public, so the rebuke 
must be public. Calvin again says this, let it 
be understood that Paul speaks of crimes or glaring transgressions 
which are attended by public scandal. For if any of the elders 
shall have committed a fault, not of a public nature, it is 
certain that he ought to be privately admonished and not openly reproved. The man sins privately and you 
call him on it and he repents, you don't publicly rebuke him 
at that particular time. Now it could be the case as well, 
or in addition to these things, that he didn't repent. So then 
a public rebuke is actually necessary according to Matthew 18. If he 
refuses them, then tell it to the church. And if he still does 
not hear the church, then let him be unto you as a tax collector 
and a heathen. So the sin is confirmed, the 
elders are rebuked, or the sinning elder is rebuked. Notice, it 
is in the presence of all. And I don't think it means all 
the elders. I think it means the entirety 
of the church. When a public man sins, he is publicly rebuked 
in the presence of the public congregation whom he serves. 
Again, this is not something that we see typically fleshed 
out before our eyes in our generation. Those who are sinning rebuke. 
The language means to bring to light, to expose, to demonstrate, 
to convict, to reprove or correct. So when you confirm that this 
man has sinned, when you confirm that this man needs to be rebuked, 
you assemble the church and you rebuke him before all. Note the 
remedial purpose in view in all of this. Is it simply to embarrass 
the man? Is it so that everybody can say, 
wow, I knew he'd finally get his comeuppance. I knew he'd 
finally get his. No, look at the particular purpose 
in view at the end of verse 20. Those who are sinning rebuke 
in the presence of all that the rest also may fear. Because if you are sitting in 
the church on the Lord's Day, and there is a business meeting 
invoked or called, and the elder or elders are publicly rebuked 
in the presence of all, instead of you saying, wow, he got what 
was coming to him. Boy, is he really in bad shape 
now. You ought to realize that if 
he can be publicly rebuked for his sin, then I can be publicly 
rebuked for my sin, and fear permeates the congregation. The 
exposure and the rebuke of sin isn't simply to highlight that 
this man is a wretch. It is to inform the congregation 
that in God's house we put God's law into practice and we mean 
business. Again, as Paul does throughout 
this section, the Old Testament is in his head. It is in his 
mind. It's in his blood. If you took 
a knife and you poked the Apostle Paul, he would bleed the law 
of God. Deuteronomy 13. There is instruction 
with reference to the solicitation to apostasy. If a false prophet 
comes, resist him and kill him. If your own family entices you 
to commit apostasy, the wife of your bosom, and it is found 
out that she is in error or in sin, kill her. Again, I'm not 
advocating you go do that tonight. But in the context, with reference 
to this particular issue, verse 11 of chapter 13 says, "...so 
all Israel shall hear and fear, and not again do such wickedness 
as this among you." Deuteronomy 17.13, with reference to the 
function of the higher court in Israel, "...and all the people 
shall hear and fear, and no longer act presumptuously." Deuteronomy 
19.20, the law concerning witnesses, and those who remain shall hear 
and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil 
among you." What happened when God directly exercised church 
discipline in the case of Ananias and Sapphira? It was a bit of 
a different process. The procedure differed in a great 
bit of detail. But after God has or kills Ananias 
and Sapphira, what does it tell us? There was fear in the hearts 
of the people. You come to church and you see 
that a liar is struck down dead by the living and true God, hopefully 
that afternoon you'll think twice before you lie. You see, this 
is the remedial purpose for church discipline. It is to purify the 
house of God. It is to regulate it according 
to God's holy word. But it is also to instill in 
people that God means business. And if an elder will be publicly 
rebuked for his sin, then I can be publicly rebuked for my sin, 
and I'm going to fear God, and I'm going to toe the line the 
way I ought to toe it. And then thirdly and finally, 
notice the presence of the heavenly court invoked in verse 21. Verse 
21, I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the 
elect angels. Paul means business here. So 
this isn't incidental. This isn't up for grabs. This 
isn't a choice so that you can be a little bit of a better church. 
Timothy is told that sinning elders are to be rebuked in the 
presence of all the church. When Paul comes to command Timothy 
on putting this practice into business, he invokes the Father, 
the Son, and the elect angels. Paul means business in this process, 
and so ought we. The Apostle uses this sort of 
language of charge in 2 Timothy 2.14. Remind them of these things, 
charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to 
no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 2 Timothy 4.1, I charge 
you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will 
judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, 
preach the word, be ready in season and out of season. Towner 
says, whereas Timothy's administration of discipline was to take place 
before the congregation, Paul's admonition to Timothy is witnessed 
by the heavenly entourage. Serious business, isn't it? He 
probably came here this afternoon, hot, tired, full. What's the 
message going to be? I say, disciplining elders. And 
you say, wow, that's not the most exciting subject. I'm going 
to have to pluck some of those eyelashes out while I sit here 
just to keep awake or grab that piece of flesh in my leg and 
give it a good pinch so I stay awake. It was serious business 
for Paul. I charge you before God. and 
before the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels, that you 
observe these things." You see, when we speak about the Protestant 
Reformation, when we look at those particular brethren that 
God used in a very powerful way to do good things in the life 
of the Church, the Protestant Reformers identified three marks 
of a true Church. Those marks are preaching, faithful 
preaching of God's Word. Second mark is sacraments, the 
exercise or the administration of the Lord's Supper and of baptism. You know what the third one was? 
Discipline. Not church growth, not entertainment, 
not social programs, not how do we reach everybody in our 
particular neighborhood, but the people in the congregation 
need to submit and subject themselves to the Word of God, and you need 
to mean business with Matthew 18 and with 1 Timothy chapter 
5. It ought not to be the case that anything goes in the house 
of the living God. God is a God of order. God is 
a God of discipline. Again, jump back into the Old 
Covenant. He had rules and specifications 
for where you deposited your waste. And yet today we have 
no concern whatsoever about the waste that is sin and what we 
do with it in terms of God's Word. He says, you need to observe 
these things. The discipline of elders is not 
optional. Timothy is solemnly charged by 
Paul in the presence of the heavenly court to obey these instructions 
concerning church life, which at times go neglected through 
either A, laziness, or B, a desire to maintain peace over and above 
truth and proper order. Timothy, you need to do this. 
And Timothy, you need to do it in a specific manner. Again, 
Old Testament comes to bear on the apostles' instruction. He 
says, observe these things without prejudice. Doing nothing with 
partiality. Church leaders are to exercise 
discipline on other church leaders without prejudice. It can't be 
personal. I don't like that guy. I don't 
like the way he sounds. I don't like the way he says 
things. I don't like the way he lives and matters indifferent. That can't be a part of it. When 
a man comes and says, I don't like the way you do this. If 
it's not a violation of the law, don't worry about it. Who got 
hung up on all those details that weren't violations of the 
law? The Pharisees. And church leaders are to exercise 
discipline over other church leaders without partiality. There is not to be respecter 
of persons. Imagine if you had a very gifted 
pastor, a man who could preach very well. And the argument ran 
this way. Well, we know that he's got these 
issues. We know that he has these sins. 
And we also know that he's not dealing with them. Again, every 
pastor has sin. The issue is, is he dealing with 
it? And are they really grave? Are 
they something that would bring reproach upon the name of Christ? 
But he's such a good preacher. He's so gifted. He's so skilled. He's so winsome. People get saved 
under his ministry. He's led thousands to the Lord 
Jesus Christ. Do you think Paul would say, 
well then, let him continue in his rebellion and his sin and 
his lawlessness? No, he would agree with Robert 
Murray McShane who said that a holy minister is an awful weapon 
in the hand of God. We do not put gift over grace. We do not elevate ability over 
morality. We do not justify sin because 
he's being used. We deal biblically, we deal faithfully, 
we deal the way that God tells us to deal. Timothy observed 
these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. If he preaches like C.H. Spurgeon, but he is not dealing 
with his sin, publicly rebuke him in the presence of all, so 
that all may fear. That's what Paul would say. And 
then notice, I already mentioned the Old Testament background. 
Leviticus 19.15, you shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the 
poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness 
you shall judge your neighbor. Deuteronomy 16.19, you shall 
not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, 
nor take a bribe. For a bribe blinds the eyes of 
the wise and twists the words of the righteous. And is this 
not descriptive of the character of God? Deuteronomy 10.17, Acts 
10.34, Ephesians 6.9 tell us that God is not a respecter of 
person. Again, Towner says the human 
agent of God is clearly to emulate the divine objectivity in the 
administration of church discipline without jumping to conclusions 
before the evidence has been heard and without discrimination 
based on personal relationships. That is excellent counsel. How many times do we jump to 
conclusions? I don't know why it is that way. 
There's just this gravitational pull to bad news. There's just something that secretly 
delights, at least some, with reference to these particular 
issues. You know, as I thought through 
this particular passage, as I considered what Paul says in verse 21, I'm 
not saying like, I, I, I, just an observation that's kind of 
intriguing, at least it was to me. Verse 21, I charge you before 
God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you 
observe these things without prejudice. 2 Timothy 4.1. Timothy is charged under God 
to preach. 1 Timothy 5.21, Timothy is charged 
under God to exercise church discipline. It made me think 
about that place in Matthew 18, a passage, incidentally, that 
is oftentimes pulled out of its context. After Jesus instructs 
His disciples, in fact you can turn there, Matthew 18, after 
He instructs His disciples concerning this particular process in terms 
of disciplining sinning members of the Church, He then gives 
them this statement. And again, I think it has to 
do with the whole issue of discipline. Verses 18 and 19. Assuredly, 
I say to you, Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, 
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, 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." Now, again, this 
is context. This is discipline. This is when 
we are dealing with erring brethren. We pray to God. We ask for wisdom. We pray that we'll be obedient 
to the process that is involved so that we don't railroad somebody 
and sabotage an otherwise good man. And then note what Christ 
says in verse 24, where two or three are gathered together in 
my name. I am there in the midst of that. 
How many times have you applied that to a small prayer meeting? How many times have you applied 
that to your living room when two or three of you have gathered 
together? And in fact, at times, we even say this in our prayer. 
We thank you, God, that wherever two or three are gathered together, 
Jesus is there in the midst. Now, I argue that that's a true 
statement, that when we come to pray, it doesn't matter how 
many people are present, God is there in the midst of His 
people. But the context! What is Christ saying? When the 
church is successfully executing obedience to God, with reference 
to discipline, then Christ, the sovereign Lord of all, and the 
judge who does all things right, is there in the midst of them, 
making sure that the process works, making sure that the bad 
guys are exposed, making sure that the public rebukes are applied, 
and making sure that the whole congregation hears and fears. 
Christ is present in preaching. Christ is present in the administration 
of the sacraments. Christ is present when we sing 
our praises. Christ is present when we exercise 
faithful church discipline. It is as much pleasing to Him 
as these other activities. And so the Apostle again invokes 
the presence of this Holy Court with reference to Timothy that 
he ought to obey and observe these things. In conclusion, 
we ought to remember first the due process afforded to elders, 
because we're dealing with elders. When we get to Matthew 18, I 
will preach due process afforded to every member in Christ's Church. 
The requirement for two to three witnesses helps to ensure that 
justice and righteousness and purity are sought and not a vendetta. It's not a personal thing. It's 
not an axe to grind against a man or men, and we want to derail 
them. Secondly, the persons involved 
must confirm that sin is the issue, not a preference or a 
mistake. I think in so many of these instances, 
people assume that someone has sinned. People have concluded 
that someone did this horrific misdeed, when very often it could 
have been a mistake, It could have been unintentional. I mean, 
let's cut somebody some slack from time to time, brethren. 
And I'm not saying that we're not. It's reminding us. The persons 
involved should guard against prejudice and partiality. I think Proverbs 18 has two principles 
that every one of us should internalize. Proverbs chapter 18. And yes, 
please turn there. So you can see them with your 
own eyes and you don't think this is the Jim Butler revised 
standard version. I actually believe, my brothers 
and sisters, that if you internalize these two verses, it will go 
a long way to helping you in all of your interpersonal relationships, 
be they church level, be they family, be they spousal, be they 
with children, be they with parents. Verse 13, he who hears or he 
who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame 
to him. I'm sure you've heard about people 
that do this, right? They give their judgment, they 
give their opinion, they've got somebody, you know, nailed to 
the wall and they haven't heard the matter. He who answers a matter before 
he hears it. Again, what is Solomon invoking? Due process. Pay attention. Give somebody the respect to 
at least hear their side of it. Just because you see someone 
walking out of a store with a smoking gun doesn't necessarily mean 
they just knocked over that store. Maybe they're the hero. Maybe 
they knocked over the guy that knocked over the store. You don't 
know until you listen. And then verse 17 is that other 
principle I think everyone would do well to internalize. Much 
like verse 13. The first one to plead his cause 
seems right until his neighbor comes and examines him. Have 
you ever been in that scenario? You've got friends. Somebody 
says, oh, this person, this, that, and the other. And you 
go, how could they ever do that? And then you talk to that person 
and say, well, here's why. Oh. Is it just me that's had 
to go, oh? Has anybody else had any problems 
in these areas? You're all looking at me like, 
we know this. Of course, we would never render an unjust verdict. 
Brethren, this is where we live and move and have our being. 
Do you know how many issues arise in the context of the church? 
Because we don't follow Proverbs 18, 17. The first to plead his 
cause seems right. Boom! That's it! Until his neighbor 
comes and examines him. Where's due process? Where's 
fairness? Where's equity? Where's justice? 
We need to do these things without prejudice and without partiality. We need to understand as well 
the necessity of church discipline. It's not optional. It's not there, 
suggestive. It is rather invoked under the 
sovereignty of God and the presence of God the Father, God the Son, 
and the elect angels. As well, we need to understand 
the necessity of public rebuke of sinning elders. Public rebuke 
of sinning elders. Not just curtailing some of their 
speaking engagements. Not just keeping them from some 
particular areas, but public rebuke of sinning elders. That's what the text says. That's 
what God demands, and that's how the church progresses. And then I've already mentioned 
this, we just allude to it again, the abiding authority of God's 
law. Paul commands that elders be 
honored and then cites the Old Testament. He then commands how 
the elders are to be disciplined and then he cites the Old Testament. What is it with Paul? He adheres 
to the authority of God's Word. And that's wherein the church 
must find themselves. Following the Lord seeking his 
word, understanding his truth, and praying for the grace and 
the courage to apply it. And then in terms of gospel, 
you might wonder, what in the world does the discipline of 
sinning elders have to do with the gospel? It shows us something 
about the mind of God with reference to the salvation of sinners. 
He wants a ministry that is faithful. He wants a ministry that is accurate. He wants a ministry that is ethically 
sound. And he wants that for his glory, 
to be sure. He wants that for the strengthening 
of his bride, to be sure. But he wants that so that when 
sinners wander into a church, they can hear the gospel from 
faithful men, filled with the Spirit, and be saved." This is 
another expression of God's heart in terms of His desire to save 
sinners. If there is an elder getting 
in the way, publicly rebuke him and move him, so that the faithful 
preaching of God's Word can continue, so that sinners may come to the 
Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. That is beautiful. Let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for 
the word and we thank you for its clarity. And God, we do pray 
for courage. We pray for faithfulness. We 
pray that we would put these things into practice, that we 
would obey what you say in each of these areas. We thank you 
for the Sabbath day. We thank you for the opportunity 
to gather together to worship in spirit and truth our Our hearts 
are full. It's been a good day. We just 
pray that in all of this you would have been glorified and 
honored. Go with us now. Cause your face to shine upon 
us. May your peace flood each of our hearts. And we pray these 
things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.