Repairing a crack

I once had a pastor who wisely refused any practice of church discipline. He said if he ever started it, he didn’t know where to end it. But church discipline is not the precise topic of Matthew18:15-20, the passage behind Step 4 of the LifeWay lesson “A Caring Community”.

The area of application seems to be focused on resolving disputes between believers. I thought of it as a process for “repairing a crack in a relationship’. How does this compare to the process of “reparing a crack in stucco?” The repair may look like an ‘interstate roadmap’ if too much caulk is used. The photo illustrates my point. Likewise, if done incorrectly a relationship might be worse off after an attempted reconciliation.

Discussion of this passage in the LifeWay Adult Leader Guide is not very satisfying. I never get a sense that the writer feels these verses are applicable in today’s church. What are some specific example situations where they should be put to use? Help!

Members might be better served by focusing your discussion on verses 19-20 since they are misunderstood. I direct you to Jeff Meyer’s commentary for a sound presentation on these two verses.