and necessary Christian duty of greeting others in the Lord, and of showing an actual physical token of affection for them. But it doesn't do a whole lot of good to greet people or to say that you're having a greeting attitude and never physically show it, and of course in that day, and in that culture, it was a kiss. But whatever it is, it ought to be something real and physical that we show one another, that we do care for them, that we have affection for them. And each one of us, I think, needs to humble ourselves and discipline ourselves. We need to discipline ourselves to do it, to get outside of ourselves, to think about others, to ask them how they're doing, to actually stir up our hearts that we would care that we would want to give a holy handshake or a holy hug or whatever it is that we might do. That would be acceptable in our culture, but we have to discipline ourselves to do that. We're not naturally, even the people that are more, that comes easier to, you still have to make yourself do it. But not only that, we have to humble our hearts to recognize that each one of us need that from other people. Yes, you can insulate yourself and you can make yourself an island, but you become less human, less Christian when you don't need the affection, the greeting of other Christians. We need that. And so we need to humble ourselves and ask God for that grace. Well, this morning our text shifts 180 degrees. It really is another sort of theological whiplash episode from verse 16 to verse 17. And some of the commentators again will say, well, we know these verses can't be part of this letter because Paul talks about such a positive thing to such a negative thing. For those of us who believe the word of God, we know this is scripture. And while it might be troublesome to consider troublesome members of the church, we need to consider such things because the word of God tells us to consider such things. And so we need to look, first of all, I think at our own hearts. Am I causing trouble unnecessarily in other people's lives? Am I a troublesome church member? But also that we would be able to deal with one another when we're sinned against or when we're offended or when we're disrespected. Or if we have somebody who really is, and I think here we're talking about a little bit beyond that, somebody who really is troubling us in the church, how do we do that? How do we deal with that when it's done with a smile or with flattering speech, smooth words as our text says, I have to bring up to you since it's the last Sunday in September and October starting. Of course, in Salzburg, that means all the good little boys and girls are going out to the cornfields, and they're getting ears of corn, feed corn, mind you. And they're shucking that feed corn, it's hard corn into bags, and then at night they're going to go out and they're going to throw it on people's porches. We call that corning, my wife's shaking her head, I can't believe you're talking about corning again. Well, when I was a kid, it was a fun thing to do, and it was something that, you know, again, all the good kids corn, now you didn't soap or egg or tomato, that's what bad kids did. But everybody threw corn at people's porches, it was no big deal, I remember sitting in the house, my dad would be in this chair reading the paper, you'd hear the corn hit the window, nobody would even be phased by it the next morning, you know, all the moms would be outside sweeping the corn onto the street off the porches. And it was just something that we did, I remember mumbling up my little brother, you watch him while you're going, don't run into the street, don't corn people that don't want to be corn, there were a few houses that we knew people didn't like to be corn, so of course we threw extra corn. But I bring all that up to say that later in, you know, my young adulthood, I was about probably about 18 years old. And I remember standing outside one evening and probably was about nine o'clock at night, maybe eight o'clock, it was dark, it was night, it was this time of year, it was in the fall, it was in corning season. And the guy that always got me in trouble, two houses up, a year and a half older than me, but in my grade he was the bully, not just physically, but mentally he would trick you into doing things and get you in trouble. And he had done it to me so many times, and we were standing there. And right across the street from my house was a dear old lady who used to live and I cut her grass and she was in her 90s and they ended up taking her to a home and she died. And so a new couple had moved in and they were very, I don't know, chic and hip and they had, they redid the whole house and they had, they grew foreign cars and they dressed real fancy all the time. And he was the son of the owner of this big construction company that just came to Salzburg and my nemesis friend worked for this construction company and he knew them and of course that sort of fit his image because he always wanted to look like one of those sort of hip guys. I found out later that they weren't paying him much at all so I didn't realize that, but anyway, we're standing there and my buddy says to me, hey let's throw some corn at Maxwell construction, let's throw some corn at Maxwell's house. And I'm like, we're 19, we're not kids anymore, we don't go corning anymore. And he goes, he goes, I got some corn here so sure enough I grab a handful, he grabs a handful and we both throw a handful corn at Maxwell's house and immediately he takes off running. I'm thinking, what are you doing? It's corn, they're not going to care and all of a sudden I could hear in the commotion in the house and Mr. Maxwell comes charging off the door and I hit the ground as fast as I could and he comes running out the porch and I rolled under his truck and one of those big pickup trucks brand new. And I'm like, and he's yelling, he's wondering who did it and I thought this guy's not from Salzburg, he doesn't realize that it's okay to throw corn to people's house. And I could see his wife and they were a young couple and she's like had a blanket or something around her and she's like this pointing under the truck. And me so of course he yells and I get up from under the truck and he recognizes me as the neighbor boy and he's scolding me and I'm up on the porch picking up every kernel, you know one at a time and I'm apologizing and didn't try to explain it to him, he's not going to understand anyway. And sure enough there's my buddy you know walking up the street now laughing at me for what he did. Fold me of course I yelled immediately, hey you threw corn too and Maxwell said come on you know and of course he knew it was one of his workers and he says come on Eric you know better than that and the two of us now are picking up corn and he just did it to get me in trouble. And he did it be giling you know flattering me oh hey let's throw some corn let's do this fun thing well you know what I know it's a difficult thing but our text talks about people who will use flattering speech smooth words to deceive you to do things to trouble you it's it's we don't like to think that we're capable of this but we all are. And there are people there may be people who have been doing this to you for years how do you deal with that in the church of Jesus Christ that's what our text is about it is an important thing if not if a difficult thing yet a very important practical thing let's pray as we turn to God's word father we thank you. Father we thank you that though we're sinners Lord God in your sight and wrenches in a sense father you don't give up on us you don't treat us as we deserve you've washed us in Christ we're clean in your sight even when we sin yes you're disappointed yes Lord you're angry but you're disappointed and angry as a father would be disappointed and angry at his son or daughter whom he loves. But he would want better for them that now he's going to punish them not for their harm but for their good and Lord we know we go through punishments when we sin against you and yet father if we truly know you it's for our good you're punishing us because you love us you're punishing us to make us better so father we pray that as we consider this difficult theme of of a troublesome person in the church of trouble some people in the church father give us your grace to truly love you to truly love one another and to walk in this word trust. Now I urge you brethren note those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them for those who are such do not serve our Lord. Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple for your obedience has become known to all therefore I am glad on your behalf but I want you to be wise and what is good and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush satan under your feet shortly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you oh man may the Lord bless this word or hearts of prayer how do we deal with troublesome people in the church well first we need to be watchful for divisive and offensive people we need to be watchful for divisive and offensive people I'm just using the words of the text note those who cause divisions and offenses divisive and offensive people unfortunately this happens in churches it happens in businesses it happens in families it happens all over the place but here we're talking about the church. And again you can't help but miss the sudden change from verse 16 greet one another with a holy kiss the churches of Christ greet you and then verse 17 now I urge you brethren note those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them. So kiss greet welcome watch out for offenses divisions avoid a difficult transition to be sure but it's interesting that Paul in writing when he mentions the kiss immediately goes to a duplicitous action right doesn't know what we saw in our scripture reading with absolute what was he doing kissing everybody that would come and he was doing it in in deceit it wasn't that he cared about them he wanted to win their hearts so that he could be king while we think of another famous kiss that was done in the trail right when our Lord Jesus himself was betrayed by Judas with a kiss and in Luke it records Jesus asking him the question Judas would you betray the son of man with a kiss a token of affection something that you would do to somebody you really cared about and yet the very office it was in your heart you did not care and that's the reason for the kiss to cover it to disguise it to make it into something that looked like what wasn't true that you cared when you did not care well we know that Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light and so that's exactly what those who are taken captive by him are going to do they're going to serve in a way they're going to act in a way I should say that looks good it even looks loving but it's not true notice what Paul says in verse 18 for those who are such those what who are causing divisions and offenses those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by here it is and by smooth words and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the simple this is not some cultural liberal coming in and denouncing them the hateful morality of the Bible this is not some heretic coming in and openly contradicting the word of God this is somebody who's coming in saying smooth things saying flattering things saying positive things that's precisely why it is so dangerous it's not something that's easily seen it's something that comes in under a disguise something that comes in under a falsehood I think what happens unfortunately and I think this happens a lot to people like us conservative reformed Christians immediately we're always on the lookout for the two of that I just mentioned right the immoral culture that's trying to change our morality and then for the false doctrine and the false teachers and a lot of commentators see oh well that's what Paul is talking about here the Judaizers the false teachers that's a I don't believe that's what he's talking about all and and some of the best commentators I think nail it here that's not what Paul's talking about the reason why they think that is because of verse 17 where it says now I urge your brother note those who caused divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned off their false teachers it's not that they're coming in teaching things contrary to the doctrine they're coming in and acting in such a way that's contrary to what good doctrine should produce good doctrine should produce truth and people's hearts it should produce real love for people but these people are coming in duplicitously they're coming in deceitfully they're coming in contrary to what sound doctrine ought to produce do you see that that's what Paul is talking about that's why he doesn't tell the Roman church oppose those that's what he tells Timothy when false teachers come in oppose them refute them he doesn't say that William Hendrixen points it out here he doesn't say oppose the them he says at the end of verse 17 avoid them avoid them that's the opposite you would do if you had a false teacher in the church he says avoid them precisely because it's not something that you can catch something that you can expose something that you can do formal church discipline on Paul here is talking about something that is happening that's in disguise and something that you've got to be very wise and how you address I think it's clear he's not writing the church leadership here either he's writing to everybody in the church he's writing to the Romans individual Christians that there will be times that you will need to put this in practice in your life that you'll need to note those to avoid those the Apostle Paul writes about this often but we're going to go to those verses in a minute I just want to notice how these this kind of a person is what what are they doing what's bringing them into the church why are they there at all notice verse 18 again for those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly they are there for some reason their own belly doesn't mean don't think hunger per se but he means their own reasons their own appetites their own desires whatever they are they're there for some reason for themselves they're not there to serve Jesus Christ they're there for themselves some gain that they're going to get we see that very much in Absalom right I think that's why I picked that one that is why I picked that scripture text because Absalom first of all he's in a position in leadership he's a prince and yet he wants more and so he acts duplicitously does all these things and on the one hand he's very gracious and kind and flattering and smooth to the Israelites that he needs to win but when he has somebody that he needs to get to your attention and he can use what is he he's a stumbling block he's a person causing dissension think of Joab he sends a Joab wants to talk to him no once a talk to him again no third time he burns his fields all right that's the thing with a person like this yes there'll be very much smooth and flattering to the people that they need but to other people they're causing great difficulty they're hurting people they're causing division discord that word means dissension and the word stumbling there the offenses is actually the word stumbling it's the word scandal on a stumbling block when you read Jesus saying about those who caused those who to stumble who believe in me it's this word and so on the one hand oh yes flattering smooth the people they need on the other hand stumbling discord dissension trouble hurting and the way in which we have to take guard is Paul gives us four things and the first one is to note those notice it now I urge you brethren note those who cause divisions that's not a good translation I know you're not supposed to criticize the translation I'm sorry I'm going to when it's just not good if you really want to be sure things you're going to have to learn a little bit of Greek but all the other translations do it literally it's the word scope us NIV new American standard ESP they all say watch out look out for because it's the word that we get our word scope from what do you do when you're out in the woods with your rifle in all your orange right in deer season and you're in you hear something immediately you know put your hand on the trigger but you scope it out you want to see what it is from far away and you have a rifle with a scope and so you scope it out is that a deer that's coming is it a buck does it have enough horns you've got to do a lot of rules nowadays but you're scoping it out precisely because it's far away it's hard to see that's the that's the connotation here it's not just note those oh yeah I'm making a note it's watch out for beyond the look out for you have to because this is a deceptive person by nature so you've got to be on guard I know it's a difficult thing to say to to Christians be on guard for people in your midst but that's what the word of God says watch them watch out for those who cause what are they doing they cause divisions and offenses they're causing some people to stumble even as they're being smooth and flattering other people and that's part of the division isn't it the word here for flattering speech the smooth words flattering speech is you logos you is the word for good logos word you know we get our word eulogize eulogizing what are they they're eulogizing some people oh you're such a wonderful person oh your ministry so wonderful blah blah blah and then they're just stepping all over somebody else what we need to do to guard our own words when we're when we're doing this make sure when you're interacting with people are you really meaning what you're saying that we could look at our own hearts right I don't want to be a person who is deceiving someone who's flattering someone who's being using smooth words and at the same time I don't want to be causing someone to stumble either and so looking at my own words my my wife reminded me of the little thing that she put on from a scripture is it of good repute if you're going to say something to somebody is it of good repute is it for building them up or is it because while you need to get something from them or you know you're saying something disrespectful or something that you ought not to say because you don't need that person so be watchful for this but we will be watchful I think it begins with our own hearts right because we can do this sort of thing to one another you know I don't necessarily think that this is definitely an unbeliever there are some other scriptures that Lord will get to and look at where Paul even talks about winning the person back right so let's not look at this and say well this is the you know tears among the wheat it certainly could be and maybe oftentimes it is but I think also it can be a converted person who for whatever reason is causing trouble in the church even as Peter at times did right when he caused trouble up in Galatian Paul had to review come to his face certainly godly Christian people can be guilty of this as well but first and foremost we need to be watchful for them second we need to be wise in goodness unmixed with evil we need to be wise in goodness unmixed with evil so be watchful for divisive and offensive people be wise in goodness unmixed with evil look at verse 19 for your obedience has become known to all therefore I'm glad on your behalf but I want you to be wise in what is good and simple concerning what is evil you know Paul is not saying this to the Roman church because it's a bad church that's I think that's what verse 13 or 19 is saying your obedience has become known to all that's why I'm telling you this I'm not telling you this because you're a bad church and you're disobedient notice when Paul wants to praise the church he uses the word obedience I know that's a bad thing right that's not a grace word and of course if it's not grace it must not be true nowadays grace is for the sake of obedience can I say that we're supposed to be obeying the word of god and it's by God's grace that we are to be more and more obedient and if we truly are walking rightly will be obedient I'm talking about maritalious righteousness but I'm talking about more and more keeping the commandments of God from the heart isn't that why God saved you but Paul anyway praises this church and he says to them in a sense it's not because you're a bad church that I'm saying this it's because you're a good church think of it I've had people say to me before you know with some of the ministers that we've had a discipline in the PCA you know why did they come into the PCA in the first place why didn't they why didn't they go to a more liberal denomination why do they come in to a reformed conservative denomination and teach things that they know are against the constitution or act in such a way that causes trouble in the church why do they do that to us and of course the answer is precisely because we are a good denomination I believe me I'm not saying a PCA is perfect but I think we're a faithful church the PCA is faithful to the word of God right true true to the reformed faithful to the word of God I think we are and precisely for that what do you think Satan wants to send his ministers he's not going to send him to the PCUSA is he he's going to send him where there's life where there's faithfulness what would be a greater prize for Satan to bring down a liberal mainline church or to bring down a conservative evangelical church where do you think Satan's attack how about we put it in terms of individuals is Satan trying to go after the person who's the carnal Christian who says a prayer one time and then you know is living like devil does Satan really spend a lot of time corrupting that person that person's already doing Satan's work who's he going after the people who are trying to repent who are trying to live for Christ who are trying to have a moral life who are trying to stand up for Jesus that's when when you've got to watch out for temptation so also families right is it the is it the moral family the family in which parents are trying to discipline their children in which they're trying to worship God according to his truth a loving family is it that family that God a Satan goes after or is it the family that hates one another and is bitter and is denouncing one another all the time he's already got the second one he's going after the first family and so you know it really and truly Paul says here I'm glad on your behalf I'm glad for you Roman church and that means what God is glad for them because they were doing they were a good church you know think of the seven letters of the churches in the in chapter two and three of the revelation were several the churches Jesus really commends I'm really glad with you right because they were faith we wasn't saying that they had earned anything but that they were faithful they were good church Paul was saying that about the Roman church you're a good church I'm glad on your behalf therefore God is glad Christians I think I really think again we're all sinners the number one sinners right here in the pulpit but I do think that Providence has been a faithful church I mean when I see what's going on and how God's blessing the church I mean I see people getting saved I mean when I look in the PCA yearbook we have more first-time professions of faith in our church than any other church in Pittsburgh Presbyterian that's been going on for several years now Christians are growing in sanctification you know we just gave away 52 Bibles we're reaching out like we haven't done in years outsiders are noticing us talking about us people are coming in and visiting I know many of you are growing in grace and growing in sanctification and yet I also know that many of you because you've told me are just like me and you felt more spiritually attacked this these last two years and you've ever felt your life well why also that be the case except that it's a sign really it's a it's a token that yes maybe we are doing something right maybe maybe that's why we're in Satan's cross here so to speak Paul does bring up Satan at the end of these passage this is a spiritual warfare passage Satan is the one who is behind all of these things ultimately and that's why Paul gives in the promise that he'll be crushed under their feet of their faith but this is exactly the way Satan operates he tries to take down Christians who are godly he tries to take down churches that are solid he tries to corrupt and bring down moral and just nations and make them into totalitarian states whatever it is where there's ever any kind of light he wants to corrupt it that's what he does Matthew Henry commenting on this Matthew Henry does such a great job with his passage he actually commented in history and he looks at church history and he talks about these things and he says you know in the early church when you had all the different churches and then pretty soon what was happening is they they were calling the ministers of the bigger cities bishops and so Matthew Henry refers to the bishop of Rome you know who the bishop of Rome is right today the bishop of Rome is the office of the papacy that is the Roman Catholic Pope the bishop of Rome well Matthew Henry the time of the reformation a little bit you know 17th century rights and says you know when the bishop of Rome the minister of the church of Rome when the bishop of Rome over centuries became the infallible office of the papacy Matthew Henry said it was like a great star fell from the heavens and he said and it took a third of all the stars with it I mean that's you know what he's trying to say there is that Satan won a great victory when he convinced a church that one man could be infallible a great thing I'm not trying to condemn the Roman Catholic people if they believe in Christ they're going to happen just like us I'm just saying that when a church is corrupted by a pernicious doctrine it's a great victory for say when a minister is brought down how many Protestant ministers and brought down and scandals over the last so many years certainly I could name a lot more of them it's great victories for say he wants to bring down Christians and churches and we have to be wise and goodness unmixed with evil that's the point of this verse be watchful first and then be wise what does he mean be wise and goodness unmixed with evil let me give you a verse where Jesus says exactly the same thing Matthew 10 16 Jesus is sending out the 12 and he says to them be hold I send you out a sheep in the midst of the wolves and he uses the same two words in our text therefore be wise as serpents and as harmless or as innocent or as simple same word as doves in other words don't be corrupted at all right don't be mixed at all I know when I would get in trouble at home and my dad would set me down and hit say to me now buster you tell me the truth I want in my day I would use this word a lot I want the unadulterated truth right what does adulterated means when you mix something in did I didn't want me mixing in my little excuses my little you know well it wasn't my fault because Richie got me to do this or something he wanted to know what I did and why I did it don't be mixed with any CC what happens is we start to see you know we watch out for this deceitful person this troublesome person and we think oh I got it I see what's going on here I cannot smart them at their own game right they're going to flatter me well flatter them and you know and I'll just sort of do this little dance this little chest match and it doesn't work because the moment we start to do that we follow that's what Satan wants he wants you to be wise in what is evil not just not just wise in what is good Paul wants you the word of God wants you the Holy Spirit wants you to be wise in what is good but simple innocent unmixed unadulterated and what is evil don't think that we can use the enemy's weapons back at him we can't even if we have a good intention we need to be unmixed and one is evil thirdly we need to be avoiding divisive and offensive people we need to be avoiding divisive and offensive offensive people so you got the three right be watchful for divisive and offensive people be wise in goodness unmixed with evil be avoiding divisive and offensive people well we see this in verse 17 now I urge you brethren I beg you Paul says note those watch out for those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them turn aside turn away from them you see this clearly is not a church discipline situation it's just not Matthew 18 just doesn't work in all situations because you have people who just deny a lot of times that's it maybe most of the time you start to do Matthew 18 what happens both sides begin to accuse one another or both sides and I or once at all I didn't say that I didn't mean it that way and there's this flattering in this game that's playing and this is a clear situation where Paul if it was something that he could have addressed formally with through the government of the church he would have said it opposed them he would have said have two or three witnesses but no Paul says avoid them steer clear of that person because you're not going to be able to get out the true intent you're just not going to be able to get the truth out that way this isn't something that you can you can address in a public way it's unfortunate but people are deceitful we don't tell the truth and it's not so much what's done or what's said so much as the motivation the pride that's coming out in this again it's a self-serving thing William Hendrickson says this he does a great job on this passage as well these are people well let me give you the quote people who are slaves of their own ego that's what Hendrickson says why they serve their own belly they're in it for themselves they're operating for themselves it may be pride it may be vanity it may be I don't know power a lot of times these people get into leadership in fact over and over again when Paul and when Peter writes in terms of selecting officers they warn against this sort of thing and they bring in Satan as well but I want to hold off to the last point on that Matthew Henry says this what do we do well we have to avoid them Matthew Henry says shun all unnecessary communion and communication with them last you be leavened see last you be leavened and affected by them that's the that's what Satan wants he wants to get you to do something similar back to them that's how you fall do not strike in with any dividing interest Matthew Henry says nor embrace any of those principles or practices which are destructive to Christian love and charity or to the truth which is according to godliness you know Paul has to warn against this thing over and over again and every time he says avoid listen to Titus 310 warn a divisive person once then warn him a second time after that have nothing to do with Gerry O'Neal I remember reminding me of that verse at one point when I was really struggling he said you're not trusting God I said what do you mean he said you should have warned once twice and then back off you keep going back thinking you can you can resolve it you're not going to be able to do that sometimes we do that right we think oh no no if I just go and make a better a better case or maybe if I go this isn't a person that's interested in the truth they're not interested in being honest they're not interested in being honest with themselves even so how are you going to do it you've got to just avoid them unfortunately we live in a world where sometimes you've got to say I can't do anything about this and the best thing for me to do is to avoid the person another verse second Thessalonians 314 and if anyone does not obey our word in this piss of this epistle note that person and do not keep company with him but then Paul says this so that he may be ashamed yet do not count him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother do you see it can be that somebody is whatever and some kind of backsliding sin you're not writing them off but you're saying I can't do you any good and all you're doing is causing me to stumble and so you know what I'm just going to turn aside and I'm just not going to have anything to do with you for a while and I'm going to pray for you and I'm going to hope that you're my brother that you might be ashamed in this and stop doing this but that's all you can do Philippians 318 for as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ enemies of the cross what is the cross humility their enemies of humbling themselves and accepting the cross whose end is destruction listen same word their God is their belly same thing and whose glory is in their shame they set their mind on earthly things Paul says in Philippians this is what is happening here abusive people abusive leadership I actually addressed that at the the men's retreat when I had speak and I talked about abusive leadership because oftentimes this kind of thing gets in leadership that's where it was with Absalom that's where it was when Peter started acting this way and I spoke to that and I mentioned it in my one address and I had several others come up to me and they said boy I'm really glad you said that that's a problem you know well you know how do we address that how do you address that in the church how do you deal with that sort of thing I said well you know of course you have to confront it when you see it in leadership and they say well absolutely but how do you try to hedge it off I said well you know one of the things I've been doing it's I've been reminding people every chance I get preaching through the book of Acts and knowing noticing the the freedom of the Christian I've been reminding people that they are free that they are equal that nobody in the church is their boss that nobody's their authority that nobody in leadership can tell them to do this or that that everybody is spirit filled everybody is able to serve God nobody God has not made anybody the boss of anyone else I can't tell anybody in this church what to do we're all equal we're all the priesthood of all believers in that sense yes when the session makes a decision for a certain ministry or so forth or if we're in a discipline case yes but individually and that's why I say over and over again no one elder no one minister can tell anybody what to do in this church I could say hey this is my opinion this is what I think you should do but you're the lord of your own life before God right unless it's a sin issue you know what this this is one of the elders from pioneer Presbyterian church one of the oldest elders there he could he goes back to the Gersoner days could tell more Gersoner stories and probably anyone alive wise man he said to me Ray he said that's really good he said but you he got one thing wrong he said it's not just one elder he said the session can't tell anybody what to do either I thought boy that's a good point they can't you know our authority is ministerial and declarative yes I mean he he understands church discipline yes you make decisions for certain ministries but we can't order people what to do this is the kind of thing that happens in a church and unfortunately people give up I've seen it too many times people see it start to happen in infectious leadership people eat elders couple elders will see it start to happen what do they do give up I think the the solution watch out for being unmixed with evil practice what is good avoid them as much as you can pray and then the last thing is my last fourth and final point be assured that by God's grace you will prevail be assured that by God's grace you will will prevail this this section gives us hope here it gives us assurance here Paul was saying look if you watch out for those who cause divisions right if you are practicing what is good being wise and what is good and and simple and concerning evil if you're avoiding that person as much as you can and what's he say be assured that by God's grace you will prevail he says at first 20 and the God of peace this discord this division this stumbling the God of peace will crush Satan this is ultimately coming from Satan under your feet shortly the God of peace will crush Satan it's it's referring to this particular issue it's not some eschatological thing you ultimately we know that's true and you know in the garden that's the prophecy and yes Jesus did that on the cross but Paul's applying it to this one issue here of the troublesome church member and he's saying that each one of us can be assured notice it's not the God of peace will crush crush that person too oftentimes we're looking for that right that person's done me wrong for so long I just can't wait till God gets him you know that is not the attitude here the God is a piece is not going to crush the person he's going to crush Satan God's going to do it you can't do it you have to avoid the person God says trust me avoid him God will crush what the satanic influence the pride the flattery the deceit God will take care of it as you avoid them as you trust in God and he will crush them crush a crush Satan under your feet he will crush Satan under your feet you'll be part of the victory you'll be in what that means what you're not what you can't give into it you can't start flattering back you can't start causing to stumble back you can't start causing discord back you can't do it you've got to walk in faith and then God will notice shortly he's not going to hang you out there forever he's not going to do it shortly if you avoid the person shortly if you watch out for the person shortly if you're wise and what is good and you're unmixed and evil shortly if you know and you're walking in and you're sure God is going to give you the victory shortly he will do it he will crush Satan under your feet notice the God of peace the one who's going to end this discord end this division this is a spiritual battle right there are many other verses that talk about it second Timothy 2 26 Paul warns Timothy about those whom that he needs to avoid that and he says this that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil actually these are those who he has to rebuke some people he has to rebuke that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil having been taken captive by him to do their will to do his will rather well I've got to start getting my glasses in here but here again Christian people being taken captive by Satan sometimes Timothy needs to rebuke them but sometimes we just need to avoid them first Timothy 3 where it gives the list for elders you know the two the last two warnings that it talks about when it's looking for qualifications for elders are about satanic influence listen to this he is not to be a novice in the faith last being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil it's not the way the devil gets a foothold in somebody he gets them in leadership and he puffs them up with pride then the second one he must have a good testimony among those who are outside lest he fall into approach and the snare of the devil you don't think the devil has traps oh how he wants to get people in leadership whether it's men or women's leadership whatever he wants to get somebody in there who's in novice in the faith who could be puffed up with pride and could be used to cause discord and division and dissension in the church that's why twice under the list of elders in fact in first Peter he says the same thing when he's talking about shepherd the flock of God among you and then immediately after that he says the devil goes about like a roaring lion humble yourselves lest he finds you and devour you the whole context is about humility there and it's but again it's addressed to the elders you know I think that we in leadership whatever you are really need to hear this really need to check our hearts because it's the it's this kind of person that's going to be attracted to leadership by definition and that's why Paul says it Paul says it in the book of Acts when he warns the Ephesian elders therefore take heed to yourselves into all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God members shepherd shepherd goes first shepherd's never going to require more of the sheep than he requires on himself he's never going to lord it over the sheep he's never going to crush them he's going to hold them for I know this that after my departure this is Paul to the elders after my departure savage wolves will come in among you among you not sparing the flock and listen to this also from among yourselves your own selves you elders he was saying the session of the church in Ephesus Paul was saying some of you we're going to do this among your own selves men will rise up speaking perverse things crooked things smooth flattering things to draw away the disciples after themselves beloved this is a difficult thing in the church and yet our solution is clear that as we trust God as we watch out as we just avoid and pray be patient don't give in to the temptation to sin God will give you the victory and that's why I think Paul pronounces his second benediction in 21 verses the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you know that's true God's grace will be with you and he will give you the victory let's pray father we thank you that you promise us victory even over the sin in our heart that would take us away that would cause us to be a troublesome person Lord how we pray that there would be no one here who would seek to trouble other Christians and Lord if there is if that does happen and when that does happen I should say Lord cause those who are being troubled to do what this word says to be watching out for to be wise and what is good simple and what is evil and to just avoid that person and bless them as they do it and Lord how we pray that you would crush Satan under their feet shortly as they do that they would not have to suffer that way for too long and that in crushing Satan you would spare even the one who would cause the trouble Lord we all cause trouble at times we all sin against one another times convict us when we do help us to repent quickly that we would be about building one another up here Lord and not about causing offenses causing divisions we ask this in Jesus name amen