Three Steps To Restoration - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ consequences. You just simply can't think what you forgive me and I replied so everything is great. It is, but it's a process, not an is the relationship gets restored.

You have to make deposits into the trust that that's the way it works. Joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word meets our world the last time to the elders of the church's of the last words I ever hear from Paul was in Ephesus for three years that church amorphous personal attention in any church, any speaking and warning. He keeps saying to these elders you be on your guard you. Be alert, watch out. Savage wolves are going to commit the outside. False teachers. The medicament as soon as I leave you deal with them, but verse 31 is the one I'm most interested in pieces therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years. I did not cease to admonish Eiji three years of admonition three years, and the implication the policy. Speaking to the elders and he said each one of you for three years. When you send I rebuke you when you send I rebuke you now this is not self-righteous because we know Paul is not.

This is not punitive. In fact, causes them explain the context he says therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years. I did not cease to admonish each one with tears with tears she's edited is heartbroken and like doing this.

This is in some self-righteous thing this is a punitive. This is with tears. This is with tremendous humility using pulse assignment.

I don't enjoy this process and all who would ever enjoy rebuking and admonishing anybody who would enjoy that a self-righteous person, but the apostle Paul would not, by the way, where did that get Paul with them.

Well looked on adverse 36 and when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all and they began to weep aloud and embrace Paul repeatedly kissing grown men notice even talk about all the things he taught him. He taught them a lot. He talks about how he admonished how he rebuke them for three years. I would Paul do that because Paula Jesus Christ understands the incredible consequences of sin. Since horrible since terrible sin is not only the reason our Lord went to the cross and died, but sin is the reason we have tears in our life agony and relationships, life can become miserable because of sin, because as a principal or play God is not mocked. Whatever a man or a woman shows, so shall you reap. There are consequences of sin, and sin not only hurt you to hurt everybody about you everybody that cares for you. Think of what happens. Think of an alcoholic, abusive husband and father. When that sin. Think what happens to that marriage and those children to grow up in a household. Think of it, you see somebody has to stand up a salmon rebuke. You see, we have to deal with that. That's what Paul was saying in fact turn out a Galatians, a few pages the right chapter 6 and verse one to reinforce the point here Paul writes to the Galatians is his brother.

Even if anyone is caught in any trespass. Same thing anybody caught in a sin you who are spiritual and by the way, that means from God's point of view, not necessarily yours.

You were spiritual in nature. Walking with the Lord you you said were spiritual, restore there's a restoration such a one in the spirit of gentleness. Each one looking to yourself so that you too will not be tempted.

There is, why do I have tears. What is Bob tears. What would restore someone so gently because Paul knows his own heart. The apostle Paul said, I am the chief of sinners. I am the chief of sinners apostle Paul completely and totally understands how he stands before the Lord. We all do you see when you understand who you are and your sin. Some of us don't.

Some was rebuke with a completely different attitude, completely unaware of our own sin, then I think we fall under these words of our Lord turn with me to Luke chapter 6 back to the gospel of Luke this time.

Chapter 6 and verse 41 and 42 was interesting about this is when you read this you would be sure that he is. These words are words to Pharisee.

The Pharisees turned a single artform. They condemned everybody they love to rebuke their own point of view was hey we catch you doing anything when I give you the business does not restart into verse 20 sets up the quote and turning his gaze toward his disciples began to say, this wasn't even the crop is the 12 notice what he says in verse 41 why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, you do not notice the log that is in your own eye, he said, or how can you say to your brother brother, let me take that speck out and that is in your eye when you yourself do not see the log that is your own eye, not Jesus's assessment of us. When we do that, you hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, then you'll be able to clearly take the speck that is in your brother's eye.

In other words, if you can restore anybody. You better make yourself on the spiritual and first that's Galatians 61 take the log out of your own eye is not some of us take them little bit too far and we say will I don't I don't rebuke anybody in the real reason is because when I do afraid of something. Are you looking you and say what about you. You did this you did that you did this you did that whereby you judge me you got be spiritual. You see, you have been a sense, what would award yourself in that and how does that show up in rebuke shows up gentleness tears humility doesn't show up with arrogance and self-righteousness. See that's not a rebuke that sin in its own right.

Someone needs a rebuke that you see that's what he is saying ideal forgiveness begins with doing was synonymously I go. Forgiveness confront sin courageously. It takes tremendous courage to do this. Now this go back to Luke 17 and this is a very important part of restoration effect without there never be restoration ideal forgiveness and restoration requires the offender to own the sin we patently ideal forgiveness and restoration requires the offender to own the sin we patently viewing a guard if your brother sins rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him that I need to say one thing about that because where he been in the series, you cannot say why don't have to forgive if they don't repent. That's not what Jesus talking about here Jesus here is talking about restoration okay and other places where we've already looked. I am to forgive. As soon as I am aware someone is sin against me, why not for them, not even for the relationship but for me, what happens if I don't forgive. I begin a seed of bitterness and I become bitter for that person and bitterness is a terrible sin because, like cancer, it just grows boy you have an unforgiving spirit about something or someone in your life. It just grows and you become bitter about everything I can handle bitterness. I have to forgive for my sake. But if were going to have a restoration relationship, then something is very important has to happen here and what has to happen is if he repents. If he repents.

Now some of you are not sure you know what repentance means.

So this is sort of break it down first.

The word again is compound meta-know I owe know I owe is a form of the word news the word news means mind your thinking that's what it means in Greek the notes the mind thinking meta-means the change. So, meta-Noel change her mind, change your thinking, change the direction of your life change the way you act.

That's what repentance is.

John MacArthur writes this he says the Greek word meta-Noel behind repent means more than regret or sorrow. It means to turn around the change direction to change the mind and the will, it is not the note just any change either, but always a change form wrong to write away from sin and toward righteousness. That's what makes a repent, she remains is not so. I'm really sorry that might be the first step in repentance. But that might just be worked by the way some of you will probably live with someone who is sinned against you they will say they're sorry and then they never repent. Start a process, but it never finishes see Jesus talking about just talk he's talking about repentance member John the Baptist.

They came out the Pharisees and the Sadducees came up and John really was upset with him and he said show me the fruit of repentance, don't go my dear and asked me to baptize you in Seo. I've repented show me the fruit that you've changed your way, you change your thinking you've changed your direction. That's what repentance is and by the way we repent sometimes and still felt sure that's why Jesus says something amazing and astounding.

In verse four and if he sins against you seven times a day and returns to your seven-time saying, I repent, forgive him I like the idea. For me once shame on you for me twice shame on me.

That's a culture in which we live. Jesus is not the culture which I operate. That's not me. By the way, aren't you glad it's not him. How many times you and of all that is sending you so Lord I'm so sprayed you did that and I'm just in a repent and start on the process and then what happens tomorrow or next week or next month. Our just imagine Jesus a that's been that's too many times I'm done with seafood Christians love to be the beneficiary of forgiveness but we are very reluctant to give it we really struggle with giving it. We justify withholding forgiveness. See, I can't believe you done this to me while I'm not saying that about you but when I compare you to the Lord Jesus Christ. You come up short, really, really short and he's forgiving is a very, very forgiving God so he says this is what you do.

It's very difficult for us. It means that we clean the ledger now have that one of the thing here.

If we stay say they repent and begin a process and they really begin a process of changing the way and we forget, does that negate the consequences of the sin, not necessarily those consequences see that something is so tragic about sin you think you can do what you think and get away with it, which can't see even when you do get away with it changes your character on the inside and no worse off than we were before and only time will tell. There always consequences to the sin.

Just because someone for debuting repentance and whereabouts all over know it isn't a giving example let's not what is a relationship: trust, by the way, my relationship with God.

My trust in God. Trust is a great English word for faith. I trust think of someone who's been a friend of yours for years and years and years. Why are some people better friends of yours and other people trust or you got a good friend as I trust I know what that's like ahead of running to say anything to my trust. Trust.

So what happens in a marriage well basically missed him before.

Efficient what your two of you are saying is we take a vow that we will now begin to trust each other and by the way you trust each other that day you trust each other more in the next year you married five years, you should trust each other more and more and more what happens in a marriage when one of the parties commits adultery the way I use in counseling.

Is there is a trust bank and you made a lot of deposits, and over all the years and one withdrawal when the person committed adultery. They took it all out all the bank vault is not empty, but the person said, I repent and the other person said I forgive but now is the process of repentance. The fruit repentance I have to start making deposits of trust back into the vault and by the way sometimes it takes quite a while to regain restore the relationship the way it was shortly does their consequences example that I would use this if I would commit a horrific sin and I'm capable. Was anyone else of doing something sin, embezzlement, adultery, something immediately. I would be fired and that's a good thing. Hopefully I would ask for forgiveness and get it. That's a good thing and I would dedicate myself the repenting, but from my perspective, I would never be a senior pastor again ever. How can that be well when I read the pastoral epistles. It says that one of the one of the qualifications for me as I have to be above reproach.

Now I know that's subjective but it's above reproach.

In other words, you inherently trust me because you don't have any reason not to, but if I stole your money and womanizing with people in the church I got a believe I will be above reproach in your eyes and if I ever was. It would take a long time.

Some pastors believe that the process goes long enough, and they have done it three, four, five, seven, eight years and get restored and I think that's a good perspective. My perspective is I can never be above reproach of my own eyes the consequences. The sin is either consequences. You just simply can't think what you forgive me and I repent. So everything back to Evans great it is but it's a process now and as the relationship gets restored. You have to make deposits into the trust bank. That's the way works well.

The apostles they get it they truly get it. You gotta love them. He says that seven times by way and by that I didn't say this but he does it for you noble people. He didn't say seven times in the time you don't have to. The same thing is 70×7. It's a perfect number. It doesn't mean what is the a time today and you're out now.

It doesn't mean that the decision keep on doing it the apostles. They get it they say Lord increase our faith. In other words, I can never do that.

I just couldn't seven-time the day come on along the human that's true but also new creatures in Christ is either something different in our lives.

The Spirit of God dwells inside of us. They make a fundamental mistake.

They think in order to do this, they need bigger faith. I need a bigger faith cheeses like miss the point. Notice what he says and the Lord said if you had faith like a mustard seed small seed in his culture. Tiny little seed. He said he would say to this mulberry tree be uprooted and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you not believe me people.

He is not talking about people that have faith mulberry trees into the ocean that is not what is Jesus talking but if you have real faith. The Bible says that you just walk up the mulberry tree using the ocean and it'll go there and cost is not what Jesus means. Jesus knows by way since he's the creator of all things that the oceans are saltwater okay in a mulberry tree doesn't do well in saltwater. He understands that even if you got it. There when he is saying is this that's impossible to miss God is he Jesus said you don't need more faith in the New Testament.

It's not a matter of how much faith you have. It's a matter of what do you put your faith and trust in the merit of faith is what do you believe in.

Where is your faith. Everybody has faith in APS has faith.

He has faith in his own judgment.

There is no God never will be in him great. You know, so that's all there is.

That's faith, he can't prove that he just believes it, but for us, we believe it's the Lord. What are the limitations of the Lord will the Lord take a mulberry tree and put it in the sea, yes please speak amount into existence, sink an island yes he spoke all creation just by speaking created to do anything. Jesus is telling them look can do this but I can I do it every day with you how many times is Christ forgive you every day how many times so you have this capacity in Christ think the apostle Paul. It was a great example. Paul says you know what I think about a lot. I think a lot about the cross.

That's what I think about remember said in Galatians Galatians 220. I'm crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me. He told the Corinthians. Your new creature in Christ all believe that Paul also believe that he was a sinner.

I am the chief of sinners.

I've done terrible things you see Paul also said in Romans seven. Sometimes the things I want to do. I don't doing everything I don't want to do. I find myself doing. Paul also said to a whole group was men who were really one of the growing Christ hey you imitate me as I imitate him.

You see, Paul gets it. Paul thought about this a lot. How much forgiveness of you received wealthy were here a few weeks ago 10,000 talents 10,000 talents 200,000 years. Forgiveness of daily wages. There were some good sin against you is one 600,000s of that. That's the parable Jesus taught. So the cost is enormous. Jesus gave it so I go to the cross. I know how much forgiveness I have.

And Paul said, as I think about it, then here's my statement I can do all things. How through him who strengthens me.

You see I can do all things through him strengthens me.

And people want to tell you something. That means forgiving people who sinned against you. You see you can do it on your own but you can do through Christ the spring father is my prayer that for the people that this passage applies to that right now they think of people or the person who sinned against them who sinned against them and they know in their heart they have not truly forgiven because they know in the heart. There is a seed of bitterness. Father, I would pray that they would come to you and prayed to you that through Jesus Christ and your spirit you would give them the strength and the will to forgive father for those who know they have sinned against others.

I would pray that your spirit would convict them the seriousness of the sin they would pray for Christ's strength Christ person in Christ.

To take them through the process of repentance they change their thinking that they change their ways that they change their lives as they experience the forgiveness not only of you, but of those they've sinned against. They begin one day at a time to put deposits in the trust bank for one day at a time to prove that they have truly change their lives. Father, we know that all of this is possible because of Jesus Christ and his name. Bathroom never on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just like listening to the message one more time.

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