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Love: When Relationships Are Broken Introduction: 1 Corinthians 13 gives us a working definition of love; what it does and does not do. In the same chapter love is called the greatest of these. Love is unending, not easy, and a test of being a disciple of Christ. John 13.35 by this all will know you are my disciples if you have love for one another. He did not say if you say you have love for one another but "have" love for one another. There are times when our love is put to the test. How do we respond when a relationship is broken? I) When Things Break Down A) What do you do when "thing" break down? 1. Try to fix it yourself – trying to repair things can be risky, cause more damage then originally existed, waste time and money. a. I dare say Tony and Ron have been called in to repair things people have tried to fix themselves. b. Ex. Trying to put up a storm door. 2. Call in an expert, a professional repair man 3. Set it aside and wait until you have the time, a lot of things never get repaired. 4. Throw it away – most things that break down are just thrown away. a. We live in a throw away society, most items are not meant to be repaired, cost more to repair then to replace. B) Relationships can also break down 1. Families – marriages, parents/children, friends/Christians. a. Quit talking to each other, can not get along 2. What can we do to repair our relationships? II) What We Will Have To Do To Repair Those Relationships? A) Follow the life of Jesus as a peace maker, Isaiah 9.6 1. Peace is only possible with God inside Christ, Matthew 10.34ff a. Peace is the right relationship, not a compromise with truth but true peace and reconciliation, Matthew 5.9; "ministry of reconciliation" 2 Cor. 5.18 b. A lot of family problems are due to not having the right relationship with God 2. If we have peace with God, we will have peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ, Ephesians 2.14-17 a. We have to resolve we are going to do whatever it takes to establish peace. B) Resolve to admit when we are wrong, James 5.16 1. Fonzie on Happy Days could not say, "I was wrong." 2. To confess our faults means we are to confess our faults and not everybody else’s. Prodigal Son, Luke 15.21 confessed his faults. 3. Genesis 3.12-13 Adam tried to blame Eve for his sin. A case of passing the buck. a. Husband blames his wife; people blame their jobs, blame one’s parents, blame society, etc. b. We are responsible for what we do, even when we are being provoked. 4. No one can confess the faults of others. C) Forgive and forget 1. God’s condition of forgiveness is genuine repentance, 2 Corinthians 7.10 a. We must understand the difference between sins and things we just don’t like. b. The word offend in the Bible means to cause someone else to stumble and sin; not to do something we don’t like. 2. Ephesians 4.32 we must be willing to forgive as God has forgiven us, Hebrews 8.12 a. Not count against us, to hold against us, Phil. 3.13 b. Forgiving without forgetting means no forgiveness. 3. What do people have a hard time keeping friends? a. See things among Christians (church hoppers, nitpickers) b. Some people are trouble makers c. Some people get their feelings hurt by the slightest things. 4. We must learn to forgive and forget. a. The alternative is to hold a grudge, strike back and get revenge, bury it for a while and resurrect it. 5. Once you forgive, you do not bring up it again. D) Pray for your enemies, Matthew 5.43-44 1. Do you pray for your enemies? E) Ask for forgiveness and do your part, Matthew 5.23 1. Confess your faults F) Return good for evil, Romans 12.19-21 1. Take advantage of the opportunities to do good to others. Conclusion: What if the relationship is still broken? Sad but true, some people will not forgive and forget, they can not let things do. In those cases you have done what you can and what God expects of you. Romans 12.18 go and serve God. D.T. @ Westside Church of Christ 08.12.07 |