OCTOBER 4
SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS WEEKS
Face to face: God, being the ultimate authority desires a personal connection with everyone even if we think God might be angry with us, we can respond to him with affection, even a kiss.
Excellence: God IS love and He works in excellence, He is always doing things well . We, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are Jesus hands and feet so that we can play our part in loving excellently.
No greater love: No greater love than to lay a life down for a friend. God’s love spoke volumes when He sent his only son to die on the cross for us, who at the time, were his enemies!
We need his love: There is a love problem and the solution is God’s unconditional, absolute, perfect love
INTRODUCTION
Our topic today is: No confrontation, No transformation and you may be asking yourself, what does that have to do with this month's theme of Love speaks?
I would say: Because discipline is central to confrontation which IS a Biblical aspect of how God loves us!
Being transformed by being church, that is our church vision.
It’s important for us to recognize that the kind of relationship that conquerers have is that of an encouraging, exalting each other to go for gold type, where we are focused on overcoming, getting better and better.
The Bible makes it clear, that to live in that kind of relationship it requires confrontation.
If we want all God has for us as church people, then we need to develop our heart for confrontation.
Let’s look at Hebrews 12:8-11 “But if you are without discipline — which all receive — then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had natural fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead.”
Biblically, the transformation God is looking for is primarily to do with our life as new creation beings, functioning in the power of Jesus including the supernatural.
The one true Holy, loving, living, and enlightening God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is a God of INCREASE. The Bible explains Church is the people - the born again Bible believers who are spiritual sons and daughters of God. God’s plan for each of His children and together as a body, is to generate increase in our lives and in the lives of others as individuals, families, neighborhoods, communities, towns, cities, regions, nations, and internationally.
CONFRONTATION
I know in my experience with confrontation, I can look back and appreciate it but it isn’t easy. As we just read in Hebrews, “it’s not enjoyable at the time” but done so that we can share in God’s holiness and yields fruit!
So if you look up confrontation, the dictionary gives you these definitions:
to face especially in challenge
the clashing of forces or ideas.
The English word ‘confrontation’ is only seen in the NLT version of the bible, in Jeremiah 28:12 but no where else. There are two main schools of translation, ‘Word for word’, and ‘thought for thought’.
Some versions are a mix of both. The NLT is a thought for thought translation, so we know that that word was used because it fit the context of the passage.
We have numerous examples of Biblical confrontation, what that looked like, how it was done through context. It’s important to understand Biblical confrontation. included both goodness and severity of God. (Romans 11:22)
Peter being confronted by Paul (Gal 2:11-21)
Jesus confronting Peter (Matthew 16:23, Mark 8:33)
Jesus confronting the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-12)
Jesus confronting his disciples (Matthew 26:40-41, Luke 9:46-50, Matthew 8:36),
Jesus and Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)
Peter preaching the cross and confronting the whole crowd (Acts 2)
Jesus and John the Baptist preaching repentance for the kingdom is nigh (Matthew4:17, Matthew 3:1-2)
Peter confronting Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)
To specific people groups/cities (Sodom & Gomorrah, Jesus’s words to the jewish cities that didn’t receive Him “woe to you”, books to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Hebrews, Revelation 2&3)
Nations: Psalms 94:10 HCSB “The One who instructs nations, the One who teaches man knowledge — does He not discipline?”
Egypt during exodus (the 10 plagues)
Israel taken captive to Babylon
Babylon (both king becoming like an ox and turning to God, plus nation as a whole)
Philistines being defeated in battle
Samaria
Worldwide:
The Flood.
The Cross - John 3:16
We see in these examples of God or others confronting people, challenging people, that they did so in loving power, mercy, grace and truth.
You may be asking yourself, how are some of those in love and care?
Let’s look at Proverbs 3:11-12 HCSB “Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.”
Deuteronomy 8:5 HCSB “Keep in mind that the Lord your God has been disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.”
Are you seeing a theme?.......... Just as our parents discipline us from love, God disciplines us from love, because as born again believers, we are His children and God LOVES HIS CHILDREN! He doesn’t want us to stay stagnant, to never grow and never thrive but wants us to transform through confrontation and discipline.
BIBLICAL CONFRONTATION STYLES
Some examples include:
GENTLENESS
Galatians 6:1: Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Colossians 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
DISCRETION
Sometimes it is best to rebuke in private, other times a public rebuke is necessary
Matthew 18:15: Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
Galatians 2:11 & 14 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed...But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?
Sometimes it’s best to do in person as in the situation above with Paul and Peter, other times best to do in writing
2 Corinthians 2: 3-4: I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours. For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart — not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.
JUSTICE (and not in anger)
Jeremiah 10:24 HCSB “Discipline me, Lord, but with justice — not in Your anger, or You will reduce me to nothing.”
1 Kings 3:16-28 LINK
4 D’s of Discipline- Disobedience, Disrespect, Dishonesty & Destructiveness.
There is Biblical support for spanking, and it’s done not in anger but justice. A big part of justice is explaining in advance what the boundaries and expectations are.
APPROPRIATE TO THE RELATIONSHIP
1 Tim 5:19-21: Don’t accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will also be afraid. I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism
WARNING
Colossians 1:28: Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
1 Co 4:14: I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you
1 Th 5:14: Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
CONFRONTATION CATEGORIES
1: Being corrected for doing a wrong
Jesus Confronts Paul on the Road to Demascus (Acts 9:1-22)
Romans 3:23
Matthew 4:17
Acts 2:38
2: Being corrected to improve our doing right.
1 Peter 2:20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
1 Timothy 4:8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but spiritual exercise is profitable for all things, for the present life and also for the life to come.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
John 16:7-11 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
As we see in these references, as we engage in discipleship processes outlined in the word of God, in general, and in particular the 2 Timothy reference, there is correction, reprove, and instruction to become equipped to serve God.
3. Self Discipline
Living the life of Biblical faith, which is the only way for us to please God, involves a working relationship where we grow in maturity that involves prayerful obedience outworked with a servant spirit in loving excellence. It is implicit in this that we have a very real part to play, and playing that part involves us taking responsibility. In everything we do, God works in us by the loving power of the Holy Spirit but we are not robots. Just as children in the natural grow in their capacity to take greater and greater responsibility for their actions and yet still have to respond to relevant authority in the different aspects of their lives, so in the spiritual as we grow from brand new babes in Christ to mature ambassadors for Christ, we must take charge of our own lives, including scheduling the range of disciplines that are needed to ensure we carry out our God given role in such a way that it truly reflects Godly excellence
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
CONFRONTATION OUTCOMES
1. OF NOT RECEIVING CORRECTION
COMPLETE RUIN
Proverbs 5:12-14 HCSB “and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and how my heart despised correction. I didn’t obey my teachers or listen closely to my mentors. I am on the verge of complete ruin before the entire community.””
DEATH
Proverbs 15:10 HCSB “Discipline is harsh for the one who leaves the path; the one who hates correction will die.”
2. OF RECEIVING CORRECTION
LIFE
Proverbs 6:23 HCSB “For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way to life.”
HAPPINESS
Job 5:17 HCSB See how happy the man is God corrects; so do not reject the discipline of the Almighty.” Psalms 94:12 HCSB “Lord, happy is the man You discipline and teach from Your law”
BELONGING/SONSHIP
Hebrews 12:5-7 HCSB “And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or faint when you are reproved by Him, for the Lord disciplines the one He loves and punishes every son He receives. Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?”
KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM
Proverbs 1:7 HCSB “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
3. OF GIVING CORRECTION
PEACE OF MIND & DELIGHT
Proverbs 29:17 HCSB “Discipline your son, and it will bring you peace of mind and give you delight.”
How many parents do we talk to who are so anxious and worried about their children bc they “don’t listen”, or there is an issue with behavior that discipline will fix, but the parent doesn’t want to “hurt my child’s feeling” or “they might get mad at me”!?!?
But the MAJOR outcome of Confrontation is……….
TRANSFORMATION
Romans 12:1-2: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Our minds are washed by Jesus through His Holy Spirit with the Word
Ephesians 5:26: That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word
This scripture clearly shows us, along with our keynote scripture (2 Corinthians 3:18) that transformation is central to God’s plans for our lives.
There are two key transformations that we get to be part of now:
1) Sinner to the winner (justification) - becoming a new creation (born again) in order to function in the loving power of the Holy Spirit. To emphasize, this is when we shift from being outside of Christ, where we have a sinful nature and the sins are the symptoms of that sinful nature to born again, being inside of Christ where we take on the nature of Christ, which is a winful nature.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18: Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Godly sorrow: 2 Cor 7:11 “See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter”.
The seven factors that are the fruit of true repentance are: carefulness, clearing of yourselves, indignation, fear, vehement desire, zeal, and revenge. Yes, true repentance has fruitful outcomes that will not only mean growth in our lives as disciples, but huge blessing for God and others.
Carefulness: 1 Corinthians 13 tells us 'love is the more excellent way'. Taking care is an important expression of doing what we do with love. It is a lack of care that so often leads to sinful practices. Care, like so many desirable character traits, is also something that grows over time. It is important to clearly distinguish the difference between genuine care and functioning out of fear or tokenism. The truly careful husbandman makes sure that the pruning is carried out rigorously. Similarly, when a car has some rust in it’s body work, it is best to remove all the rust, not just what is easily discerned on the surface. In Matthew’s gospel (3:10), we find the notion of laying the axe to the root, dealing with the root of the issue often requires much more concerted care than simply dealing with the symptoms.
Clearing of yourselves: An excellent example of the kind of attitude involved here is the case of Zaccheus (Matthew 5:8). Rather than seeking to fix his reputation by justifying himself, his response was to repay 4 times the amount he had wrongly taken from others.
Indignation: In today’s culture, one would be forgiven for thinking that any form of hatred or anger is wrong. Indeed, there are growing numbers of organizations and people who are calling expressions of God’s love ‘hate’. As twisted and devilish as such thinking and attitudes are, they do not determine what is true love or what is right and wrong from God’s perspective. As we see above in the sin lists, from Proverbs 6:16-19 - there are many things that God himself hates. And from Psalm 7:11, every day God feels and expresses indignation. In this Godly sorrow context, the indignation we are encouraged to have as a fruit of repentance is, in essence, a hatred for sin. As we see in Revelation 3:20, being lukewarm about anything is abhorrent to God - this is especially the case when we are lukewarm or numb to sin, particularly in our own lives. Fear: This is not encouraging us to be afraid, rather to develop great respect and reverence for God, His wonder, worship, word, will, ways, works and wisdom, including how we treat others.
Vehement Desire: One of the major contributing factors to the sinful decisions and practices that happen in our lives, is a lack of desire for the truth. It is commonplace for people to think that so called ‘white lies’ are no big deal. From God’s perspective, any lie is a lie and laziness/half-heartedness (as we see in the case of Cain) is not acceptable. In James 5:16, it is clear that fervency is an important key to answered prayer. Above all, because of the depth of desire Jesus had to see the promise of His Father come to pass in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all mankind - he endured the cross - Luke 12:50
Zeal: Similarly, Jesus himself demonstrated the importance of Zeal in fulfilling God’s will when he made a whip and dealt to the money changers in the temple. It was a premeditated act of strong physical force in order that God’s true purpose would be demonstrated. It is important to understand that removing the money changers in itself was not the purpose it was the process, the purpose was that the temple would be a joyful house of prayer for the nations. (Isaiah 56:7, Matt 21:13, Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46) Being zealous is a vital element in outworking sustained intercession for the people groups of the planet plus doing with with and counting it all joy!
Revenge: In context and in general, vengeance is the Lords. This revenge factor here is part of Paul’s overall commendation that the Corinthians were demonstrating Godly sorrow by responding to Paul the apostles stern written rebuke in an appropriate and constructive manner. They were putting right what was a serious wrong, not looking to point the finger, or justify themselves, but taking responsibility and outworking the appropriate action. Taking vengeance on their sin so to speak.
2) Glory to glory (sanctification):
Ongoing transformation once we’re born again
The transformation God wants, 2 Corinthians 3:18 - a significant part of confrontation takes place through beholding God & Worship, beholding the principles of Godliness, righteousness, and holiness found in the word of God, beholding God and the flow of revelation and wisdom that happens when we do. Transformation that takes place isn’t just about correction and discipline, but also that we become like those that we mix with. We gain knowledge from them, understanding and wisdom from their experiences, especially those who have followed God’s ways successfully and also by what God does through His Holy Spirit, in particular the impartation of the spirit of revelation and wisdom and God’s outpouring His love in and through our hearts, beholding the principles of Godliness, righteousness and holiness found in the word of God.
E.g.: Saul transformed into Paul - He is surrounded by light, hears the voice of Jesus and temporarily loses his sight, that’s a major confrontation and then went to experience a MIRACULOUS transformation. God does this to make sure Paul was fully attentive, once God was sure he had Paul’s full attention He then restored his sight. From this we can take it for ourselves that when seemingly negative things happen to us, it does not mean it is permanent. We too can find God in the midst of such appearances, and by faith come to a positive outcome.
We read in Ephesians 4:11, factors that give us a broad outline of the general transformation outcomes God desires to happen in our lives.
- Equipped for Ministry work
- Body of Christ built up
- Reach unity in faith and knowledge in Jesus
- Growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
Summary
We need confrontation in order to see transformation so that we can be part of what God is doing and bring others into the glory to glory life!
BID
Anyone out there who knows they need to go from sinner to winner Who wants to grow in glory or are we going to settle for where we are at?