TOGETHER: ADMONISH FAITHFULLY
Good morning and welcome to the Grove Church. If this is your first time here or 100th, I
am so happy you chose to worship here today. Every Sunday I prepare to preach I am
reminded of the thought, “Today might be the day God intervenes in someone’s life.” Not
only will he change their life, but the generations that would follow.
If you haven’t experienced the life-changing forgiveness of Jesus Christ, the free grace
of God and the burning power of the Holy Spirit of God I pray today would be the day you
would surrender to Him, find peace in Jesus and find your place in the kingdom of God.
Church, let’s pray before we get too far this morning, “God, you are holy, know
everything, are everywhere and demonstrate your power in all things. You’ve called us to do
something far more difficult than most of us could have imagined, deny ourselves. There are
many of us who are so self-obsessed the idea of self-denial is seemingly impossible. Would
you demonstrate your power in us? Give us the power to overcome ourselves. I ask that you
would give a passion for the Great Commission. Break our hearts for the lost. Those of us who
have been saved are saved based solely on your grace and kindness. May we ever be humble
in all we do. Rid us of pride. Establish us as a people who are righteous. Use this church to
reach the lost. I pray for the 30,000 lost people of Crawford County. Lord, would you save
their souls? Use your churches in Southeast Kansas to preach the Gospel faithfully. Fill us with
the love of Jesus. Send us out. I ask all of this in his perfect name. The church of Jesus all said
together, “Amen.”
We are now five weeks into this series on biblical community called TOGETHER. As
your pastor I am asking you to do something incredibly hard: commit yourself to living,
serving, worshipping, teaching, suffering, rejoicing and understanding together.
Community is hard. Isolation is easy. I’ve already expressed that isolation is the enemy
of biblical community. Isolation is sin. It is dangerous. It will lead to destruction. In addition to
isolation I would add a close runner up. Idealistic views of community, faith or the church.
More and more as of recent I’ve talked to a lot of people who have romanticized
versions of what community should be. Your group is not going to be as clean as you’d like it
to be. Your church isn’t going to be as polished as you’d like. You’re going to have relational
stress. Communication will be key.
Amanda and I led a home group in Northern Missouri with some rough people with a lot
of baggage. One lady would drop the F-Bomb in Group every week. I had to make a public
statement, an established rule, that our group had a PG-13 rating: You get one F word and
you’d better make it count. There were things said in that group that would make you squirm
in your chair. That’s the dirty side of community.
Tangentially, your group is not going to be as gritty as you’d like. Some people aren’t
ready to show you the shrapnel in their hearts or emotional scars. Forcing them in the corner
or pushing them too far will only make them more dogmatic about their seclusion, sin,
secretive hurts and hang ups.
The result of this is found in Hebrews 10:24-25, “ 24 And let us watch out for one another
to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit
of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
If we provoke one another it should be to love and good works. Bad community results
in the opposite: Some will start neglecting to meet together. When community is good you
won’t want to miss your Home Group or church worship. You’d only miss for the same reasons
you’d miss work: Sickness, Travel, Tragedy, etc. Otherwise, you’re in! We should miss church
when we miss church. Neglecting to meet together goes directly against what the word calls
us to. And notice what the author says… Some are in the habit of skipping out.
If you know someone who’s missing out extend that invitation. Invest in them. Invite
them to church. Invite them to Home Group. Most importantly, invite them to know Jesus.
Then, Involve them in what the Lord is doing in your life and the life of your community.
Please open your bibles or apps to 1 Thessalonians 5. Today’s core value is likely the
least popular of all the six we’ll cover: Admonish Faithfully. Anyone here like backseat drivers?
I didn’t think so. A basic definition of admonishment is to warn or firmly reprimand. In the
text, we’ll cover today the word used for admonishment carries the weight of a strong
warning that is an active present reality. Admonishment, correction, counsel, etc. should be a
very natural part of our Christian lives. This should be happening in your Home Groups and
the church.
There is a natural knee-jerk reaction to being corrected. It makes some of us want to
kick someone in the face! Admonish-ment causes your inner lawyer to flare up in the most
spectacular of ways. I wish I could say I loved this. Retrospectively I do. Presently I want to
arson someone’s house. Part of the reason we struggle is the lack of distinguishing between
admonishment and judgment.
Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom
teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing
to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Maybe singing would ease the tension?
It needs to be said that the purpose of biblical community is to help you grow in the
Lord. If you agree with everything that is said or everything that is done in your church or
Group you’re doing it wrong. You’re not in a Home Group or church at that point. You’re in an
Affirmation Alliance…
John Ortberg, pastor and author in California, once told a story about going to a funeral
in the backwoods of Virginia with his life for a family friend who had passed. The pastor was a
hellfire and brimstone kind of guy. Toward the end of his sermon the old preacher said,
“Death is sad. But what is sadder is that ol’ Dale is burning in hell right now. There are eternal
consequences for not submitting to the Lord and Dale is experiencing that forever pain in this
very moment.” John was mortified! After the funeral he told his wife, “I can’t believe that guy
would say that in front of Dale’s family. Good grief!” He said it was quite in the car until his
wife, Nancy, said, “Do you know what’s sadder? It’s all true. Everything he said was absolutely
true.”
You see, something said can not sit well with you and that be okay. That tension is
alright and may very well be what you need. You will hear things and be reminded of things
that are as comforting as a brick wrapped in sandpaper. But you have to ask yourself, “Is this
true?” And more importantly, “Is it biblical?”
We need the input of others to remind us what it means to be image-bearers of Jesus. 2
Thessalonians 2:13-15 says, “13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters
loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through
sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our
gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and
sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or
what we wrote.” We remind each other that God has chosen us, we represent him and we are
to stand firm in him. How do we do this? Admonishment through His written word.
Grace is by far the most distinguishing marker of the biblical Christianity is faith. And I
am convinced that in addition to faith faithful admonishment is an essential to living for Christ
to the fullest.
If you’ve got your bible ready read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 with me. “12 Now we ask
you, brothers and sisters, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in
the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to regard them very highly in love because of their work.
Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are
idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See to it that no
one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for
all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for
you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all
things. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.”
Recognize those who admonish
Any pastor who accepted the calling of God in his life has received an invitation to be
admonished and to be an admonisher. He will be admonished by God, faithful men, his
church, his family, his advisors and tribe. He will then in humility admonish those under his
care. A pastor who fails to do so is no shepherd but a hired hand and proves he has no care for
the sheep (John 10).
Paul actually says that we are to give props to those who admonish us. Talk about a
hard task. “Hey man… I’ve noticed your eyes. A woman can’t walk past you without you
looking her over. That’s unfair to your wife. That’s antithetical to how God has instructed you
to live. It objectifies the women you look at and dehumanizes them….” How do you respond?
“Wow, thank you, kind individual!” Remember, let the inner lawyer cool it and ask, “Is he/she
right?” Don’t go into this whole, “Well, that wasn’t the right way to say that!” or… “They don’t
know me nearly well enough to say that.” Sure, those things would be nice to consider. But
don’t let it distract from whether or not what’s been said is true. If it is… repent.
Be at peace among yourselves
Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everyone.” If you are the one admonishing this is your aim. Be at peace with one another.
Give warning to the idle.
Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.” Iron
sharpening iron. One has to hold the other to the sharpening instrument. One needs to be
sharpened because he/she is dull! This is good but painful!
I took time to sketch out some profiles of people you will have to admonish at some
point: The Matrimony Matchup- brings the fight to the group, The Cliché Champion- Says
things with biblical backing. It just sounds good. i.e. God helps those who help themselves,
When God closes a door he opens a-, God will never give you more than you can handle!, The
Scripture Surgeon- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Illus: Persecution
picture- This is a little more applicable that your calculus test, The Anger Aviator- spreads
anger like a crop duster, The Whining Warrior- always something to gripe about (Col. 3:23,
Phil 3, Proverbs…), The Blame Tamer- Has blame down to an art. Proverbs 19:3, “A person’s
own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the Lord.” and the Blame
Tamer’s close relative, the Justification Jockey.
All of these scenarios require the same antidote: God’s written word and a faithful
person to speak it.
Comfort the discouraged
Admonishment can be the best prescription for discouragement, especially around
guilt-driven people. 2 Corinthians 7:10, “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to
salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.”
Help the weak
You’ll have to work on your shepherding = Sheep Herding. Proverbs 24:11-12, “11 Rescue
those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter. 12 If you say, “But
we didn’t know about this,” won’t he who weighs hearts consider it? Won’t he who protects
your life know? Won’t he repay a person according to his work?” We are Watchmen.
Be patient with everyone.
This one is hard both ways.
See to it that no one repays evil for evil.
1 Peter 2:21-25, “21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He did not commit sin, and no
deceit was found in his mouth; 23 when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he
suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself
bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for
righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going
astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” Jesus has set
our example. When your are corrected avoid “correcting back”.
Pursue what is good
Illus: a sick kid or pulling a splinter. This is going to hurt. But it’s for your own good. You will
have to correctly define safe. Safe doesn’t mean that you won’t get poked where you’re sore.
Safe doesn’t mean that you get to ignore the spiritual MRI happening around you. Safe
doesn’t mean you don’t get called out. Safe doesn’t mean no one tells you you’re wrong. The
church tends to make fun of safe spaces at universities, etc. but then functionally acts as one
for each other.
Rejoice Always and Pray Constantly.
I know people who are more interested in the pixilation of their laptops or televisions
and their refresh rates than whether they are intimately connected to the creator of their
souls in prayer. What’s your response time in prayer? Is it instinctual? It’s not for me.
Give thanks in all things
Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.”
Don’t stifle the Spirit
The word stifle here is the Greek word sben noo mee, which literally means ‘suppress’.
How do you suppress the Spirit? Resisting admonishment! Resisting God’s speaking to you! 2
Timothy 2:25
Don’t despise prophesies
Counsel BIBLICALLY.