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Return to Ministry of Restoration Series Return to Wed. Bible Study Series 2
Corinthians 5:17-21 "The
Ministry of Restoration--part 2" Intro:
Drama--Two people talking on telephone about a third person who
hasn't been to church in 3 months, and is struggling in his Christian life. Jeff:
Hi Bob, it's Jeff. How are
you doing? Great!
Have you seen Pete lately? I
don't think he's been to church in months. Bob:
No, I haven't seen him, but he's been on my mind a lot.
He's only been a Christian for a year and a half, and I'm afraid he's
struggling. Jeff:
I fear the same thing. I
heard through the grapevine that Pete was seen coming out of a bar last week. Bob:
Oh no, that's too bad. It
sounds like he needs some help. Jeff:
Yea, I agree. I wonder who
could help him? Bob:
Hey, I've got an idea. Let's
call the Pastor. He's our Shepherd.
Isn't it the shepherd's job to go after the lost sheep? Jeff:
I suppose. Bob:
Well, what about Pete's deacon? Maybe
he could help. Jeff:
Yea, that's a possibility. But
you know, Bob, to tell you the truth, I have this nagging thought that maybe WE
should try to help Pete. Bob:
We should? Are you kidding?
We haven't been to Bible college. And
I don't know about you, but I've been a Christian myself for only 3 years.
Besides, even if I wanted to try to help Pete, I wouldn't know what to
do. Would you? Jeff:
I guess not, at least not for sure. But
you know, Pete is my friend, not to mention that he's my brother in Christ.
I'd like to help him. I think
that's what Christ would want me to do. Bob:
Well, so would I, if I only knew HOW.
How do you help a brother who's struggling in their Christian life?
How? Jeff:
I'm not sure. I sure would
like to find out. Well, I'd better
get off the line. See you at church
Sunday? Bob:
Yep, I'll be there. See you
Sunday, Jeff. How do you restore a fellow Christian
who is caught and trapped in sin? Last
week we began a series entitled "The Ministry of Restoration."
How do you help a brother who has slipped between the cracks?
How do you do recovery work?
Why is restoration so important? We'll
seek to answer that question tonight. Review:
Galatians 6:1 Galatians
is a key text which lays a foundation for recovery ministry. [Review
last weeks’ highlights…] We
ran out of time last week at that point. Before
we move to a new Key
Question: What is the aim of the
restoration process? Compare Galatians 6:2 & 6:5 and we
find an important piece of counsel… The
KJV says, "For every man shall bear his own burden."
The NIV reads, "Each one should carry his own load."
Once the trap is broken, the former victim is free.
He can stand now stand on his own feet.
But the process isn't complete until something occurs?
What? Until that freed
person, that person whose burden has been lifted by other burden bearers who
reached out to him…until he is a valuble contributor to the ministry, until he
himself is serving others and is involved in bearing burdens. Note the sequence: Phase 1:
Verse 1—A person isn’t bearing his own burden and needs help Phase 2:
Verse 5—The person learns to bear his own burdens Phase 3:
Verse 2—The person begins to help others bear their burdens Word
of Caution: What are some potential
obstacles we must avoid in the ministry of restoration?
Here are two… 1.
Conceit (6:3-4)--Beware of
thinking, "I'm too good. It
could never happen to me." 2.
Envy (5:26)--"I'm glad he
fell into sin. Everybody always made
such a fuss over him before." New
Material: II Corinthians 5:18-21 Why
is restoration so important? Why
must we be involved in the ministry of recovery?
Premise: We have been given
the ministry of reconciliation. Case
in Point: Paul's Instruction for the
Church in Background:
--Paul started the church.
--2nd letter to the church.
--Paul was facing opposition from at least one person in the church.
He was the object of a bitter, personal attack.
Who was the person? What had
he done? 2:5
A person who caused Paul great grief 7:12
A person who had done wrong 13:2
A person facing potential church discipline
Who was this person? We can't
be dogmatic. Kruse suggests it was
the individual in I Cor 5 who was guilty of incest (5:1).
What was Paul's counsel for dealing with this person?
5:13 "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person."
Kruse suggests that this person did not respond favorably to Paul and his
counsel. Instead of repenting of his
sin, he added another sin to it. Being
unintimidated by the discipline, he started attacking Paul's authority as an
apostle.
It’s possible the “offender”
At any rate, Paul gave further counsel in his second letter.
He exhorted the church to forgive the offender (2:10 as he himself had).
Why? So Satan should not get
an advantage on the church (2:11).
There's the background. There
was a member of the Corinthian church who was not right with the Lord.
Indeed he was hampering the church. He
needed help.
How do you restore someone like that?
Let's see what Paul did in 2 Cor 5. Discussion
Questions: II Corinthians 5 1.
According to v 14, what was Paul's driving motivation in life?
"For the love of Christ constrains (compels) us."
2.
According to v 15, once we grasp the love of Christ, how will it affect
the way we view ourselves?
"...should not live unto (for) themselves, but unto Him who died for
them." 3.
According to v 16, how did Paul's relationship with Christ affect the way
he viewed other people?
"We know no man after the flesh."
NIV “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.”
So the love of Christ changes the way I view both myself, and others.
Why is there a need for reconciliation?
To answer that, we need to define the term.
Reconciliation is the opposite of alienation.
The Fall of mankind produced three dreadful results of alienation.
1. People are alienated from
God.
2. People are alienated from
Others.
3. People are alienated from
Themselves. 4.
V 17 teaches us to live with an eternal perspective.
How do we view people when we are living with an eternal perspective?
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation." 5.
According to vv 18-20, what are the steps in the reconciliation process?
Step #1 God reconciled us to
Himself by Christ (18).
Step #2 God gave us the
ministry of reconciliation (18).
Step #3 God wants to use us
to restore other people to Himself (20).
Step #4 God expects us to get
involved in the recovery work (20).
Let v 20 sink in, "We beg you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to
God." 6.
As "ambassadors for Christ," we are to call lost people to be
reconciled to God. Yet look again at
v 20. To whom is Paul appealing?
Who does he say needs to be reconciled to God?
Paul is talking to Christians here! To
the unrepentant opponent. And
perhaps to the complacent church members in
Notice this. Paul's appeal to
a wayward Christian is just as strong as to a non-Christian. 7.
What specific problem did the Corinthians have that Paul confronted here?
See 6:1, 14, 17; 7:2
The Corinthians were keeping bad company.
They were allowing themselves to be influenced by people who were
jeopardising the gospel. They were
hanging around with critics who were attacking Paul's integrity, and thus, the
integrity of the gospel. 8.
What lessons do we learn about "recovery work" in the church
from Paul's example and counsel in II Corinthians? 9.
In light of II Corinthians, what should be our attitude towards a person
who is not living for Christ (even someone who attacks us personally)?
Observations: We must
maintain a forgiving spirit. We must
be careful not to "hang around" with them to the point they "rub
off" on us. We must implore
them to be restored to God. To
do: 1.
Pray now for those who need to be restored. 2.
Allow the Spirit to direct you this week to help restore a
fellow-Christian who is struggling. Write
them. Call them.
Visit them. |