Dealing With Difficult People - Part I Series

Dealing With Difficult People

Part I

Matthew 18:15-18

June 6, 2004

Matthew 18:15 (NLT)

"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the fault. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.

Problems Within The Church

 Personal Conflict

– Wrongdoing towards another

– Personality disputes

 Wrongdoing that would bring shame to the name of Christ

A Private Meeting

 One on one – Luke 17:3; Galatians 6:1

– Address the hurt

– Address the wrongful actions

Luke 17:3 (NLT)

I am warning you! If another believer sins, rebuke him; then if he repents, forgive him.

Galatians 6:1 (NLT)

Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

A Private Meeting

 One on one – Luke 17:3; Galatians 6:1

– Address the hurt

– Address the wrongful actions

*The desired outcome is reconciliation

Matthew 18:16 (NLT)

[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.

In The Company of Others

 Only after a one on one meeting

 Only if reconciliation did not take place

– Confession

– Forgiveness

 Witnesses bring credibility to the offense – Deuteronomy 19:15; John 8:17

Deuteronomy 19:15 (NLT)

"Never convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of just one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses…”

John 8:17 (NLT)

Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact.

In The Company of Others

 Only after a one on one meeting

 Only if reconciliation did not take place

– Confession

– Forgiveness

 Witnesses bring credibility to the offense – Deuteronomy 19:15; John 8:17

*The desired outcome is reconciliation

Matthew 18:17 (NLT)

[17] If that person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. If the church decides you are right, but the other person won’t accept it, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

Before the Church

 If reconciliation did not take place in the company of witnesses

 The church will hear the offense

– Testimony of the offended

– Testimony of the witnesses

 If the offending party refuses to reconcile, fellowship is withdrawn

– By refusing to reconcile…fellowship has already been broken

Matthew 18:18 (NLT)

[18] I tell you this: Whatever you prohibit on earth is prohibited in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth is allowed in heaven.

**Powerpoint available on request