At Peace with All Men
July 20, 2014Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We must attempt to reconcile relationships with people.
Focus Passage: Romans 12:14-21
Introduction: When he was an attorney, Abraham Lincoln was once approached by a man who passionately insisted on bringing a suit for $2.50 against an impoverished debtor. Lincoln tried to discourage him, but the man was bent on revenge. When he saw that the man would not be but off, Lincoln agreed to take the case and asked for a legal fee of $10, which the plaintiff paid. Lincoln then gave half the money to the defendant, who willingly confessed to the debt and paid the $2.50! But even more amazing than Lincoln's ingenuous settlement was the fact that the irate plaintiff was satisfied with it. Daily Walk, May 22, 1992
I. Empathize
a. Try to understand what the other person is going through and what they may be thinking or feeling
b. "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. (John 15:12)
c. "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
II. Forgive
a. Don’t hold a grudge. Be quick to forgive, even if the other person doesn’t deserve it. Forgiveness of this kind is for you not them.
b. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)
c. So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. (Colossians 3:12-13)
III. Reconcile
a. Vs 18 says, “IF it is possible, AS FAR AS it depends on you”; there are some people who will simply refuse to be reconciled. They feed on bitterness and they depend on grudges.
b. For some situations, it may no longer be possible to reconcile, as the other person has died
c. "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. (Matthew 5:23-24)
Application/Invitation:
