The Church Deals with Sin

1 Based on what has happened with you since the last time we met, what is something you are thankful for?

2 What has stressed you out this week, and what do you need for things to be better?

3 What are the needs of the people in your community, and how can we help each other meet the needs we’ve expressed?

4 What was the story last time we met? What did we learn about God and people?

5 In our last meeting, you decided to apply what you learned. What did you do, and how did it go?

6 Who did you share something with from the last story? How did they respond?

7 We identified several needs last time we met and planned to meet those needs. How did it go?

8 Now, let's read today's story from God...

¹⁵ “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. ¹⁶ But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

¹ I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. ² You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship. ³ Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man ⁴ in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus. ⁵ Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns. ⁶ Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? ⁷ Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. ⁸ So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth. ⁹ When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. ¹⁰ But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. ¹¹ I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. ¹² It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. ¹³ God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”

1 Now, let’s have someone retell this passage in their own words, as though they were telling a friend who has never heard it. Let's help them if they leave anything out or add anything by mistake. If that happens we can ask, "Where do you find that in the story?"

2 What does this story teach us about God, his character, and what he does?

3 What do we learn about people, including ourselves, from this story?

4 What do we learn from this story about being the church?

5 How will you apply God's truth from this story in your life this week? What is a specific action or thing you will do?

6 Who will you share a truth from this story with before we meet again? Do you know others who would also like to discover God's word in this app like we are?

7 As our meeting comes to a close, let's decide when we will meet again and who will facilitate our next meeting.

8 We encourage you to make note of what you said you will do, and to re-read this story in the days before we meet again. The facilitator can share the story text or audio if anyone doesn't have it. As we go, let's ask the Lord to help us.