Sermon Title: Community Worth Defending

Things about Relational Conflict:
FIRST → It’s HERE!
SECOND→ It’s here to STAY! As long as you are around people – the opportunity for conflict is there!

“23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple
and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” - Matt 5:23-24

Relational Conflict has SPIRITUAL RAMIFICATIONS

Step #1: Jesus taught us to check ourselves before we address
others.

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you
have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your
friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye; when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. - Matthew 7:3-5

Step #2: Jesus gave a STEP by STEP process to Conflict Resolution

15 “If another believer sins against you, (1) 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, (2) 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(3) If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then (4) if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. - Matthew 18:15-17

Last Step: Forgive FIRST – Forgive BEFORE

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
- Matthew 6:14-15.

“Being offended doesn’t hurt the one you want it to, it hurts you
and the ones closest to you.”