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Jesus knew His church was and would be made up of fallen men. He instructs us how members of the body should behave in order to not cause our brethren to stumble. The blood of our Savior presents us to God as clothed in white. The blood does likewise for His Church.

We are instructed to work out our salvation so we may present the world our best possible testimony. We are also to labor in our churches, ministering to our brethren and removing stumbling blocks. We cannot allow the the sins of our brothers to cause the world to blaspheme the name of God.

We must never forget that we are citizens of Heaven. It is therefore incumbent upon us to lean on the Law of God and forsake our own understanding for we are indeed ambassadors.

Today’s message is a continuation of our series on how to address offenses. We will go over the purpose and the process of ‘calling out’ sins in others in a Godly and loving manner so as not to drive them away, but to drive them closer.

PDF of Sermon Notes & References

How to Address an Offense from Zion Presbyterian on Vimeo.

Jesus knew His church was and would be made up of fallen men. He instructs us how members of the body should behave in order to not cause our brethren to stumble. The blood of our Savior presents us to God as clothed in white. The blood does likewise for His Church.

We are instructed to work out our salvation so we may present the world our best possible testimony. We are also to labor in our churches, ministering to our brethren and removing stumbling blocks. We cannot allow the the sins of our brothers to cause the world to blaspheme the name of God.

We must never forget that we are citizens of Heaven. It is therefore incumbent upon us to lean on the Law of God and forsake our own understanding for we are indeed ambassadors.

Today’s message is a continuation of our series on how to address offenses. We will go over the purpose and the process of ‘calling out’ sins in others in a Godly and loving manner so as not to drive them away, but to drive them closer.

To honor God. Zion Presbyterian Church began of a continuing desire to uphold the all-encompassing, inerrant authority of the Bible as the Word of God, to proclaim the gospel of the crown rights of Jesus Christ to the community of Middle Georgia, and to see many individuals and families come to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ.

WHAT DO WE BELIEVE?

That the Triune God saves sinners. We believe that God is presently active to glorify His Name in the earth, and we trust and believe in the risen Christ, the Son of God, Who is the Redeemer of God’s People. His Spirit and His Word bring change and light to every community! We are sinners, saved by His grace, and we revel in the joy and fellowship that comes from His mercy.

WHAT DO WE LOOK LIKE?

Sinners saved by grace. Our church has four noticeable traits:

• The faithful and vigorous preaching and teaching of the whole Word of God.
• The administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
• The loving and patient practice of corrective and restorative discipleship.
• The carrying out of the mandate of Christ to gather and perfect the saints.

Our people come from a variety of backgrounds, from one end of the economic, intellectual, social spectrum to the other. We are a multiplicity of peoples, languages, and races, woven by the Holy Spirit into one united body in Christ. And we praise God for what he is making of us; so we work and pray diligently “to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

WHAT IS OUR GOVERNMENT?

Presbyterian – ruled by representatives. We believe that Christ is the Head of every sphere of government. He has graciously appointed a church government in the hands of church officers, which government and jurisdiction are distinct and separate from civil government. Our church is a part of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States.

WHAT IS OUR FOCUS AND MISSION?

To gather and train the Lord’s people! The focus of our church’s life, fellowship, worship, work and mission is GOD IN CHRIST, who is the “Savior of the world” and “the King of kings, and Lord of lords.” We strive, with the help of the Holy Spirit, not to be doctrine-centered, law-centered, church-centered, or man-centered, but to be God-centered in all we are and do, because ” of Him, through Him, and to Him are all things. to Him be the glory forever.” We believe that the mission of the church is the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, Matthew 28:18-20, which involves person-winning (evangelism and discipleship), family-winning (church planting and Christian education), and culture-winning (world mission, world evangelization, and application of God’s Word in every area of life).

WHAT IS OUR PRAISE LIKE?

Exuberant! Though we may not all be classically-trained singers, we believe in the joyful singing of God’s praises with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, which are expressions of biblical truth, with all the musical instruments made available to us.

WHAT IS OUR FUTURE?

The Lord is King! We believe that God in his covenant has promised his church a glorious future in Jesus Christ, Isaiah 2. We look forward to the future, knowing that it, with all its struggles, afflictions, and progressive, victories, belongs, not to the devil, but to the faithful people of God, I Cor. 3:21-22. We are future-oriented in our present responsibilities.

Our vision for life and the future is determined by the promises of God’s covenant and of Christ’s kingdom. We pray that God would use us to bring the covenantal blessings of salvation to all the families of all the nations of the world, Psalm 22:27f; Galatians 3:7-29. We believe that the kingdom will leaven the whole loaf of human life and society, as it advances toward total victory, Mark 4:21-32. We work, pray and hope for the day when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea,” Isaiah 11:9.

Title: The Application of Loving One Another
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – PM
Date: 6/14/2009
Bible: Proverbs 4; 1 John 3
Length: 54 min. (16kbps)

Title: How to Submit & Honor Authority
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – AM
Date: 5/31/2009
Bible: 1 John 3:4-10; Deuteronomy 5
Length: 74 min. (16kbps)

Title: Honor God Given Authority is Honor to God II
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – PM
Date: 5/17/2009
Bible: Matthew 15
Length: 56 min. (16kbps)

Title: Honoring God Given Authority is Honor to God
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – AM
Date: 5/17/2009
Bible: 1 John 3; Deuteronomy 5:16
Length: 74 min. (16kbps)

Title: Duties of Superiors
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – AM
Date: 5/3/2009
Bible: 1 John 3; Deuteronomy 5
Length: 76 min. (16kbps)

Title: Sins of Superiors
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – AM
Date: 5/10/2009
Bible: 1 John 3; Deuteronomy 12
Length: 80 min. (16kbps)

Title: Believing, Practicing Sound Doctrine & Loving Brethren
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – AM
Date: 4/19/2009
Bible: 1 John 3; Deuteronomy 5
Length: 77 min. (16kbps)

Title: A Call to Public Service II
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – PM
Date: 4/12/2009
Bible: 1 John 3; Deuteronomy 5
Length: 59 min. (16kbps)

Title: A Call to Public Service
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – AM
Date: 4/12/2009
Bible: 1 John 3; Deuteronomy 5
Length: 70 min. (16kbps)

Title: The Need to Love Our Neighbor
Subtitle: 5th Commandment
Speaker: Jess Stanfield
Broadcaster: Zion Presbyterian Church
Event: Sunday – AM
Date: 4/5/2009
Bible: 1 John 3; Deuteronomy 5
Length: 68 min. (16kbps)

More at Sermon Audio

We live in a fallen world full of offenses. It is important that the believer has a right understanding of how to address offenses committed against them as well as addressing others they have offended.
Jesus sets a tone for us when He addresses this subject in Matt 18 instructing us to have the humility of a child or an eager pupil of the Word. This type of humility is rooted in subjection to the Word, not the false humility of the pharisees.

Jesus tells us to approach a brother whom has committed a sinful offense instructing him on what he’s done. This is not a command to just forgive and forget, nor is it carte blanc to point out every sin you perceive around you. Recall the need to get the beam out of our eye before helping another with the splinter in their’s.

We can make a correct application if we do it with humility, Biblical humility, which puts God’s law above our preferences. This will allow us to recognize genuine sin when we see it, and administer the remedy of Love and Grace unto which we have been so richly given. We are walking a narrow road, false forgiveness spurns resentment and sin, being hypercritical assumes self righteousness and alienates. Balance is found through diligent study of the Word with a desire for conformity in our hearts.

How to Address an Offense from Zion Presbyterian on Vimeo.

Zion Presbyterian Church
7/11/2010 AM Sermon
Pastor Jess Stanfield

We live in a fallen world full of offenses. It is important that the believer has a right understanding of how to address offenses committed against them as well as addressing others they have offended.
Jesus sets a tone for us when He addresses this subject in Matt 18 instructing us to have the humility of a child or an eager pupil of the Word. This type of humility is rooted in subjection to the Word, not the false humility of the pharisees.

Jesus tells us to approach a brother whom has committed a sinful offense instructing him on what he’s done. This is not a command to just forgive and forget, nor is it carte blanc to point out every sin you perceive around you. Recall the need to get the beam out of our eye before helping another with the splinter in their’s.

We can make a correct application if we do it with humility, Biblical humility, which puts God’s law above our preferences. This will allow us to recognize genuine sin when we see it, and administer the remedy of Love and Grace unto which we have been so richly given. We are walking a narrow road, false forgiveness spurns resentment and sin, being hypercritical assumes self righteousness and alienates. Balance is found through diligent study of the Word with a desire for conformity in our hearts.

Some Examples of Stumbling Blocks from Zion Presbyterian on Vimeo.

06/20/2010 – PM Sermon
Jess Stanfield – Pastor
Zion Presbyterian Church

How to Change Part III from Zion Presbyterian on Vimeo.

Zion Presbyterian Church

06/13/2010 PM Worship Service
Jess Stanfield Pastor