Able to Admonish — Rick Leibee

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Bless your heart and your life and your soul this day through his word in his spirit and through the ministry of this service. Turn with me in your Bibles to Romans chapter 15 to Romans chapter 15. Just look at one verse here for a moment as a beginning text.

Then I have a few other words of introduction for the message today Romans chapter 15 Verse 14. Paul writes here and I myself also am persuaded of you my brethren That she also are full of goodness filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another Able also to admonish one another the title of the message this morning is Able to admonish and this message is Somewhat three different things at once.

Admonishing One Another as a Church Responsibility

It is a teaching this morning on this subject of admonishing one another and notice that it does say here One another this is one of those 38 one another verses in the New Testament so it is a teaching on that, but it's also an Appeal to you this morning To consider your own heart your own life in the church here but may I say it is the message this morning is also a bit of an admonishment from me to you and I'm allowed to do that.

I'm commanded to do that actually Just Look at a verse. Oh, there's many verses we could look at. I just want to show you this one From me to you that's part of this message turn to first Thessalonians chapter 5.

This does a little side verse here. Because this is part of the message is an admonishment to you. Look what it says here in verse 12 of chapter 5 of first Thessalonians and it says and we beseech you brethren.

So this is to you to know them which labor among you it's speaking to as you look at your ministers and are over you in the Lord your ministers and look at the last part and admonish you and So Paul gives it here that this is a duty.

This is a commandment of ministers. But go back now over to Romans chapter 15 again in verse 14 and we see here this phrase able to admonish now the word admonish here is Used quite a bit in the New Testament and it is given to us in three or four different words.

The word warn or warning is the same word. The word admonish the word correct the word reprove and the word rebuke and the New Testament are essentially The same word you can look it up in the Greek or in different ways and vines and they're all in the same family of words and meanings and basically they mean to reprove to rebuke to correct to Enlighten to bring to light something in someone else's life and teach them and warn them and bring correction.

Bring them back to the place where they need to be and there's an inference there that the way that you're going is Not going to come out, right? It's not going to come out, right? So that's part of this and the word able here is may I say a Little bit surprising what it means, but it's also very wonderful too if we understand it's it's One of those words that has its root in that word due to must which means power.

It's due to may he I think in the Greek and it basically means to have in you the power To get something done it's kind of like that like there's something in you that is able to get this job done and So it's he's saying I'm persuaded that in you There is this power this ability to be able to admonish one another, you know.

So he's operating in faith, isn't he? He's having faith in the brethren that you can do this because in our own selves we would be tempted to doubt. Well, I can't do anything like that. You know. That's a big thing to do.

I I'm gonna leave that for the ministry, you know I I don't want to touch that and all these other things and so he's writing him here to say I'm persuaded you're able to admonish you know, and so that's the title of the message and This is one of those messages that I would have to say that I have had a burden To teach on this subject for over a year now and I've been waiting for a time when I felt free in the Lord to share this today is that day and As we pick up this the one of the things I want you to keep in the back of your mind one of the Foundations I want you to keep laid in your heart.

Is that as you can see here in Paul's context of one anothering that this is an important part of our Relationship with the church and with one another. It's not just some separate little thing. We tuck over here.

It is part of the flow of our relationship and for we must and so that we're therefore we must see that. That part of my relationship with God Involves my relationship with you and to fail in one is to fail in the other.

You know in this New Testament church age We cannot separate those two we would like to wouldn't we at times? It's very convenient to segregate those things in our mind in our spiritual life. We think but you read the you read the New Testament through and you're not able to do that.

I'm sorry I don't have a time to do a whole teaching on that today. I did that another about a year and a half ago. But you you if you understand that you'll understand why this thing can flow the way it is.

The other thing I'd like to say is as I was preparing this message. I thought of many reasons For sharing this message, obviously, it's in the Word of God. It's on the heart of God, but there's something I thought of which is Perhaps a bit unique to us not totally but perhaps a bit unique to us in our church in our church circles and in our church here as well and As you know in our circles in our church here.

We believe in a holy life. We believe in a godly life. We believe in having godly convictions godly standards godly beliefs and ways of not just reading the Word of God, but actually Incorporating them into our life and trying to walk in a way that is pleasing to our God not to get salvation.

But after we are born again because we love God and we love the things of God and we love what he loves We want to do Things that are pleasing to him, right? That's part of what we believe but what is unique about us compared to other Anabaptist groups is most Anabaptist groups Have written standards.

They've taken this same Thought this same spiritual truth and Put it into written standards and I can stand here and say I have nothing against that. I respect those I have brothers in the Lord I know in those churches and I am thankful for them taking a stand and for the heart in which they do it.

However, we have chosen not to do that. We have chosen to have some of the same Beliefs some of the same thoughts but thinking no, we don't want to reduce those to a written standard. We want things written on the tables of our heart and we want to go what we think what we hope and what we pray Is a better way where we have self-examination Rather than a list to refer to where we have the Spirit of God alive and working we hope in the breast in the heart of the life of each man and sister each brother and sister in the church and I Am not At fault with us for choosing this way.

I'm at peace. I'm blessed yet. Yet we must also admit that just because we Have chosen that way doesn't mean we don't have potential for some problems. Isn't that right? We have problems too. We don't have all the answers and as I was thinking about this a little bit You know you have a group of churches basically usually Anabaptists that have written standards and then you have way over here the rest of what we might call Evangelical Protestantism of today which for the most part and I am generalizing here I cannot balance everything but I've been in many of those churches.

So I I know somewhat of which I speak for the most part. It's not that they just don't have written standards. They basically don't have standards divorce from your marriage. It's fine. Whatever you want to wear to church.

It's fine. You just go down the list. It's basically Every man is his own master. What does it say in judges and every man did what was right in his own sight? You know, that is basically for the most part and again, please allow me to generalize here.

So I would just say over here No standards that is a generalization and that is basically You know these two and so if I would say to you do you want to live here? Most of you would say no. If I would say do you want to live in this kind of church?

Most of you would say no, that's why I'm here. So if you don't want to live here and you don't want to live there, I Would say to you That you one of the requirements one of the conditions of being in a church Where we don't have this and we don't want to go here.

But we want to live in a church that does have beliefs. That does have practices that does have standards that does have teaching from the Bible. You must be willing you must have in effect in our midst Admonishing rebuking Correcting you must be open to going to one another and you must go to one another or you will not Make it we will not make it we will have serious Consequences if we are not open to this concept and though we do not have Again written standards.

We do have beliefs practices May I say general? Understandings of the heartbeat of the brotherhood that have evolved out of the teachings and brothers meetings and everything else over the last. Whatever, it's been 22 years now, I guess almost That of how we're going to walk some biblical truths out in the Bible.

But what do we do if someone Drifts or someone is not with us or someone is Beginning to sin or beginning to move away from these beliefs and practices. What if someone chooses to go toward the world and you notice it?

What if? Someone chooses to start wearing clothing that you know is immodest and is not in keeping With our beliefs. What do you do? What if a young man chooses a car That is frankly carnal and you know, I chose it.

What do you do? What do you say? You just mumble at home. What do you do? What if you what if someone begins watching videos what if they're not faithful in their devotional life and you know it what if They begin wearing a covering that's a fashion statement with lace and all these other things and instead of a modest symbol of Submission that it is.

What do you say? What do you say? What do you say when someone is divisive? What do you say when someone is covetous? What do you say? What do you do? When they have a flat spot there in their life and they begin to drift a young man begins to wear Country Western cowboy clothes, you know, what do you say?

Nothing you run and tell five people. What do you do? What do you do? What should you do and the list could go on the point is What do we do as a church to bring correction when we don't want this, but we don't want to live here either.

Well, we need to help someone in that situation I just described to see they're going the wrong way a way that will lead to serious Consequences in their life and may I say to very serious consequences in the life of the church.

Because what one does affects us all we understand that Concept don't we in the New Testament age that we live in things that pull one brotherhood one brother in the brotherhood down begin to have an effect on the rest of us and I believe that you would agree with me that if we look through our sermons and Doctrine and teaching of the last 22 years there has been very good messages on everything I just mentioned and and 50 other things.

I didn't even mention haven't there. There's very good messages on all those subjects and you could say well, maybe I hope they'll just go listen to a tape I'll just give them a tape. Well, that's not a bad thing.

But is that all is that all I would say Despite all the wonderful teaching that we have had here and I've heard much of it myself I don't want to say I've listened to all of it. But I've heard a lot of teaching before I came here and since I have that there's been a very one area that there's been a very serious lack is this area of personal one-on-one among the brethren and admonishing warning correcting and reproving among us and So that is part of my admonishment and my appeal to you today.

So, what do we do. I believe that again this way of approaching church life is a bit unique among us, but if we fail to admonish one another and We do not have written standards. It's not going to work.

Our church life is just going to drift and drift and drift. It's not going to work one of the beauties of not having written standards if I may say it this way is to recognize and understand that I Love my brother and I am responsible for him and he for me we are Connected we are members fitly joined and the key word is joined there is something in him of me and in me of him and I must see that and I'm responsible to have input it is to his life.

Not to just give him a list. I'm responsible to love him enough to speak to him concerning his or her life. I Have noticed here and I know you have too that many of us here when we testify for Sometimes just for salvation's sake a testimony or for baptism or for membership especially many of us here say things like I would really appreciate and I really desire to have Input and correction and admonishment into my life.

How many have ever said anything like that up in front of the congregation or maybe even in a prayer group or something? Okay over half the group. Yet, I wonder How often this really happens. How do we do it, how do you Receive it if it does happen.

Who should do it, you know, there's questions that come and today my prayer is that through that God? Through the preaching of his word and through his spirit would speak to your heart and my heart today.

Preaching, Reproof, and Restoration

Today well now a moment I go I did mention I just want to show you one thing here. The preaching and teaching the bank of tapes we have here on all of these subjects of our beliefs and practices. But you know, there's something we need to see even in that turn over to 2nd Timothy for just a moment.

2nd Timothy chapter 4. 2nd Timothy chapter 4, let's see verse 2. It says here Paul is writing to Timothy about his job says preach the word. Well, that's been done. The instant in season out of season reprove rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.

So it seems here that Paul recognized that just preaching the word. May I say this was written to the church is. Not enough that after preaching and teaching. They're naturally the pattern follows. What?

Reproof and rebuke and after and it's it's not said here, but we know it is it is part of the Christian life after reproof and rebuke happens and it's brought to the light what happens hopefully repentance and then grace and forgiveness and Restoration all those things.

So if you can see this, it's not just we can't just say well we have the teaching. We have the preaching and amen for that. But after that by definition of preaching their needs follow. I lift the pattern is right here and it is reproof and rebuke and then with that when we see.

That we have aired or we're off. Repentance and then of course grace and forgiveness and those things follow. Turn over since we're close to there to Titus 2 15. I'm just giving you a couple of New Testament verses here to just add a little weight To your thoughts here this morning and there's dozens and dozens of verses we could go to but for sake of time I won't.

Titus 2 15. Titus 2 15 says these things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. This is strong medicine, isn't it? These aren't willy-nilly words are they you know, this isn't like.

Maybe should should I do this or whatever? I mean, this is like rebuke with all authority. I mean, this is strong medicine. Turn over to. Back over to first Thessalonians. We looked at this a minute ago, but now I want you to see something else there in chapter 5.

You know the preacher is supposed to admonish but look down in verse 14. Remembering that the word warn and rebuke and reprove and admonish are the same words here same meanings now. We exhort you brethren.

Warn them that are unruly. Comfort the feeble-minded and so on and so here's a New Testament and this is only one of many commandment telling you Brethren which includes the sisters to admonish to warn them and what it's unruly mean those that are out of order those that are Not going the right way.

Those that are drifting those that are off. Warn them which means to admonish or rebuke or approve and I could go on and on with a lot of other verses in the New Testament, but I Won't do that right now for sake of time.

I would like to look in Proverbs where many of these verses are found, but I wanted to set a New Testament Foundation in your thinking but there is something here that is very easy to look at. I don't think I'll have you look.

I think I'll just read from my list to go a little bit quicker. But you just listen to make a note of this list. I'm going to give you five things five biblical reasons why you must embrace not just receive but you must embrace Rebuke or reproof in your life.

Five Biblical Reasons to Embrace Reproof

Five biblical reasons you write these down and you write down these verses quickly. Number one. These are five biblical reasons why you need to embrace rebuke. Number one. It will keep you out of ignorance.

And I'm speaking of these things in a spiritual sense today. There's a physical side to this which we could talk about but I won't today for sake of time. But you make the applications, but I'm talking about spiritual issues.

It will keep you out of ignorance and I could ask you the question today brothers and sisters and I know your theology is right. But I'll ask you anyway. Spiritually speaking. Do you want to remain ignorant?

I mean really in your heart. Do you want to be remain ignorant? I don't think so. Proverbs 12 1 says whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge, but he that hateth Reproof is brutish and brutish means ignorant dull.

So if you don't like it if you cringe. You know if you're if you start sweating when somebody comes to you, I'm sorry. The Bible says you're brutish. God says that those are strong words, aren't they?

Number two. Well, there's another verse here. Proverbs 15 31 and 32 write that down. I'm just going to read 32 he that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul, but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

You follow it. So that's number one. It will keep you out of ignorance. Number two. It will prosper your way. Spiritually it will prosper your way spiritually. Proverbs 13 18 and. Again, do you want to grow?

The same sort of question you want to grow spiritually you want to stay where you're at or do you want to grow? Proverbs 13 18 says poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction. But he that regardeth reproof shall be honored and the word honored there means it'll be multiplied unto him.

There will be gain and increase and make the spiritual application to regard means to want it to desire it. To look for it. Actually, I wonder how many of us look for reproof. Three and again, I make it a spiritual application.

It will keep you alive. Reproof will keep you alive. Do you want to be spiritually alive. Or do you want to be dead? Proverbs 15 since that Proverbs 15 10 says correction is grievous unto him that forsake it the way and He that hateth reproof shall die.

Again strong words, aren't they? Strong words for it will keep you in God's will for your life. Talking about reproof and rebuke it will keep you in God's will for your life. I know your theology again, if I were to ask you do you want to be in God's will today?

Everybody would raise their hand wouldn't you? Well the Bible says in Proverbs 10 17 he is in the way of life that keepeth instruction. But he that refuseth reproof. Erath mean you will not find the way of life the will of God.

If you refuse reproof you won't. You know, it's a Bible truth. Five. Desiring to embrace rebuke and reproof. It is a proof of Your maturity. It is a sign of your growth and your maturity. Proverbs 17 a reproof entereth more into a wise man than in hundred stripes unto a fool.

Proverbs 15 12 a Scorner. And a scorner is one who doesn't want reproof. A scorner loveth not the one that reproved with him. Neither will he go unto the wise. Many verses so many verses so much of the heart of God in these things.

Christ’s Loving Rebuke and the Church’s Ministry

Now I do want to go back to the New Testament and show you a verse in Revelation. So that we can again undergird ourselves and our thinking on this side of the cross to make sure that we're. We're seeing the heart of God and what God is trying to accomplish.

Revelation 3 19. Revelation chapter 3 verse 19. And here if you know anything about The first three or four or five verses of the book of Revelation it's written to the church and to things the church either should be doing or should not be doing.

And Jesus speaks here in Revelation 3 19, and he says as many as I love and notice the word love. Okay, this is where we were on this side of the cross. And we're understanding how God deals with us and the reason and the motivation behind why he does things as many as I love.

I Rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent and As I understand what Jesus is saying here He means that most of this rebuking that is done in the New Testament age. And if you read this all these information he gives about the church is done by who?

Directly by Jesus. Some has done that way the Holy Spirit can rebuke us Kenny, but you know, it doesn't always work that way often. It comes from the church. Often from other people in the church. Yes from a sermon sometimes.

But also from one another and Jesus saying as many as I love I rebuke. Who is his mouthpiece. Who are his hands. Who are his feet? Who does he use to rebuke and reprove? He uses You and I. He uses Vessels fit for the master's use.

Think of the scene. Don't turn there. Think of the scene and just make an application. Here in John 13 there where Jesus just finished washing the disciples feet and he says now you go and do likewise.

You go and do likewise and one the application. I want you to make is one way in which disciples wash one another's disciples feet is reproving and rebuking and warning and admonishing. Just as in physically just as in the physical.

When I wash a brother's feet I don't want to get the water. Too hot and scald him. Do I? But neither do I want to make it so cool and cold. It doesn't do the job and remove the dirt and the grime. That's there the point is I need to humble myself and go to them and serve them and wash their feet and Help them remove those things out of their lives.

We must do that. So for a few minutes now, I want to look. I Want to look at the one who goes. I'm going to talk today. About the one who goes a little bit and I'm also going to talk about the when it's our turn to receive.

Because in the church there should be both of those things happening in our life, right? Going and also then receiving first. I'll talk about going. Talk about the one who sees the sin in his brother or sister's life.

The one who sees the flat spot sees the strain sees the drifting. Sees that there's an area in the life and practice of this brother or sister in the church that is not right and First I think we need to admit in our flesh.

In our flesh in our human tendency or weakness none of us like to go. Do we you know? That's not the job. We would sign up for or I hope it's not in your flesh. I mean, you know in your weakness that.

You know, I don't want to do that. But I think if we will look at our own heart, we will have to admit that the root of that is fear of man. That's one of the problems, isn't it? We don't like to rock the boat.

We want people to like us and beyond that if we pull the veil back really deep on our own heart. The real truth is that you may not realize. But I'm hoping you'll hear it today and get on the other side of it is.

The real problem is too often. We love ourselves more than our brother and sister. We do we love ourselves more than our brother and sister because Jesus says Those that I love I rebuke or as many as I love.

How many do you love here? Just one. How many do you say you love. I remember let me illustrate this way. I remember back a number of years ago, I was living in Florida and I had a friend and He and his wife had children later in life and for various reasons and Had a little girl her name was Mandy and And oh my he was quote-unquote proud of that little girl and she got older and Like little girls do she suddenly wasn't the little angel she was when she was two months old and she got to be two and three and she was getting worse and worse and You know finally was talking to him and You know just about children and all this and and he just kind of admitted.

He said well, you know, the problem is really I I just can't and you got to understand he's Southern. So he said I just can't whoop her. I mean that was his way. He talked so I just can't whoop her. I just can't do it Rick and I said why he goes I Just love her too much.

But you know, he didn't he loved himself. And she grew up a spoiled little girl. He just wouldn't do it. Why wouldn't he do it? Well, the problem was he didn't love her too much he loved himself. And he didn't want to do it.

He didn't want to do because we know what does the Bible say about that? If you love them, you will chase them for their sake, but he didn't do it for his own sake. You know, and so We need to see this tendency in all of us.

We need to see that as Christians we are actually Disobeying God when we do not go to our brother and or sister. We actually have a Responsibility to go and when we don't go Admonished we're disobeying God in Ezekiel 33 7 God says so thou son of man I've set thee a watchman over the house of Israel and we can make the spiritual application.

God's house today is the church, right? Therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth and what? Warn them and if you look it up, it means admonish and rebuke warn them from me and The next verse goes on to say and if you don't and they perish their blood is on your hands.

Now those are strong words again from the Old Testament. But we're allowed to look back at the Old Testament as examples. The New Testament says and see the spiritual principle here that God that there is a responsibility and an accountability that comes in the house of God that comes in the church and We see that we have a responsibility to do this now I I can think of I Just have to confess I can think of failures of my own.

And I can think of failures of our own as a church here at effort and both when we're all back at charity of Individuals, you know if you think of the watchman, what is he supposed to do? He's on the walls and he's watching he's alert.

He's attentive. He's focused. He's gonna warn them for the sake of the whole village. It's not just for his sake. He's watching for dangers. But what if he doesn't warn because? Well, he either fell asleep or maybe he just thought you know, this doesn't look like that big of a danger coming.

They'll laugh at me. They'll think I'm being foolish. They'll Misunderstand me. I I think this time I'm gonna let it go. But then the danger comes in and several people perish because of those thoughts and that attitude he had.

What do you think they would think of that watchman after that? They'd say shame on you. Why didn't you come and I what I was starting to say a minute ago I would have to say I've seen examples here in our church.

And and when we were all together at charity where that very thing happened where some of us saw Something that was off in someone's life. They were strained, you know. And usually we give ourselves away and outward things you can't.

I can't see your heart. Can I but I can because the Bible says that what's in your heart is going to come out and you notice a different attitude a difference in dress. Starting a list of other music the car changes and start missing church.

Just things just start happening and you start going. Something is wrong. But what if you don't go to that person? Well, I have seen Situations in our own churches here where they end up falling into terrible sin.

And and yes shame on them for the sin, but you know what the Bible would say God would say shame on you church. You fail. You fail. We join in some of that failure and we need to see this as a serious thing.

We should not and and just let me help you here I don't have time to balance everything and what I need to say today. So you just give me some grace and pray that the Spirit of God would Fill in the gaps in your minds, but we should see ourselves not in this role as a watchman.

We should see ourselves not as accusers, but counselors. Okay, and there's a difference. We're not lawyers. We're counselors counselors that rely on the Word of God to take it to somebody and try to bring light and Understanding because obviously they're not seeing something here.

There's something wrong happening here. There's some sin happening here. That's causing them to go in this way and. So we need to see ourselves as counselors that we are not to present ourselves as a prosecuting attorney with a case.

To win, but rather we are coming to restore in love for the right reason and the way that we urge them to repent and to see. This sin is very important. Our response to the sin in their life should be carried out on the basis of Revelation 319.

Jesus said as many as I love. In other words if that cannot be part of the motivation in your heart. Warning danger, there's something wrong with your heart. Because we're not an attorney think of it this way for a minute.

God wants us to be. You can either be a lifeguard or you can be a judge. Both deal with somebody that's doing something wrong. One pronounces a sentence and puts them away. The other sees them in trouble goes out and rescues them to bring him back to shore, but tells them don't ever do that again but but there's that first that attempt to rescue them.

Think of Jesus and the Pharisees with the woman caught in adultery and many people read that story and they missed the whole point of the story. Did you realize that both Jesus and the Pharisees were after the exact same thing?

They both wanted the same thing. They wanted her to sin no more. Jesus even finishes the whole thing there with the woman caught in adultery by saying go and sin no more. And what does no more mean? He wasn't being.

You know. Soft milk toast. He was saying no more. You know, but but he was being more of a lifeguard. He was rescuing her. He says I don't condemn you. He offered her forgiveness. He offered her grace.

He offered her life. A lifeguard deals in life a judge. Deals in putting people away. The Pharisees wanted her to sin no more. So they used the law which was okay. This is sin and the law demanded death.

We'll put her away. We know how to deal with sin. We'll just put them away. Jesus also said no more sin, but he wanted to rescue. So, you know. You need to see yourself as a lifeguard rather than a judge.

May we see these things rightly. That's in John chapter 8 if you want to look at it sometime. Verses 10 and 11. I think now I Want to go on here and I want to get very. I'm not sure the right word practical.