Ten Truths About Reconciliation

In your Bibles if you look with me to Matthews gospel chapter number five this morning when you find your place if you would stand in honor of God's great word. Verse 21 through 2021 through 25 is our text for today we been working through the gospel of Matthew Bible tells us here in this great sermon known as the sermon on the Mount that our Lord gives this is really the beginning of his preaching ministry. He's been in the ministry now for about a year and then he launches into a preaching setting here in chapter 5 and it says in verse 21 give her that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment that I say in you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment, whosoever shall say to his brother Rocco shall be in danger of the council, whosoever shall say that full shall be in danger of hell fire.

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remember is that thy brother hath ought against the leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with right adversary quickly while lower in the way with him this at any time deliver the on to the judge and the judge deliver the to the officer and they'll be cast into prison early.

I sanding the thou shalt by no means come out. Vince that has paid the uttermost farthing father, we thank you for your work today. We ask that it would be impressed upon our hearts that we need a stirring of the Holy Spirit of God. We don't want this to be any normal service.

We wanted to be of service where God is present in our and I pray for the revival of your people Lord I pray that you would stir us up for God help us to cast our eyes off the Martha busyness things of this world, and may we sit at your feet like Mary and hear your word and receive its truths in God. We pray that your word would accomplish all that you desire to accomplish. Let it be like a fire that consumes a sinner hammer that breaks the rock in pieces, not pray that your kingdom would come through this service in your will done. I pray for anyone today doesn't know Christ that today would be the day of redemption. We ask it in Jesus name. And God's people said then you may be seated this morning and some 20 years of ministry.

I have found one of the sweetest things of my life is to be part of the church.

The unity that I have found in the ministries is just been so wonderful. We live in a world is filled with so much division so much hate so much animosity, bitterness and unforgiveness and then to step inside the church and find people to come literally from every walk of life from every type of background cultural setting demographic we find a beautiful unity. The joy of the Lord among people's lives that love people have one for another people, every week, praying for one another, writing letters, bringing gifts and in meals and helping people with their yards and and just serving each other just a wonderful thing. Psalms 133 verse one says behold, how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity. Unity can be such a joy.

It's a blessing of God and the word unity means the state of being Wanda combining or joining of separate entities to form wanted. The idea of harmony and singleness of mind.

The opposite of unity is the vision vision can be defined as the act of splitting and the parts disagreement or strong differences of opinion which leads to a split in a group unity is very essential thing for a church because a church functions the Bible teaches as a body, and just like your body needs to operate in unity or else is going to be some problems, like ever fall asleep on your arm and you wake up and you think somebody else's arms on top of you and that you can't move that thing in your like what in the world where surveys want them. I fell sleep when a general both my arms and I was done. Man, I know I could do so. Your arms are always heavier but you need to be able to have your body working unity in the same way in the church. There is gotta be a unity first Corinthians 1212 says, for as the body is once as many members and all the members of that body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. Also, unity is essential because the church is a family I am a part of the Bevin family by blood.

But I'm a part of lighthouse by Christ blood like this church family that God has brought me into and they let me say this, your church family will surpass your physical family. I will be a part of the body of Christ longer than I am part of the Bevin family understand that even your marriages is your spiritual relationship to your spouse will will go further than your miracles relationship, you will be brothers and sisters in heaven.

A thousand years from now but you will be married in the same way. I will be a benefit. A thousand years from now but I'll be part of God's church, a man and you see how essential that is. That's a family. Also, unity is vitally important because that's the desire of Christ Jesus desires unity among his people. Jesus, the day before he died. John 17 records for us a prayer that our Lord gives and this is one of the most interesting and powerful chapters in all the Bible because the entire chapter is a prayer that Jesus gives Jesus made many prayers with this one is recorded for us in Scripture, and he in and listen to the desire of our Lord in this prayer.

He says in verse 11, and now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world and I come to the holy father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me any says that they may be one as we are, he prays for the unity of the body of believers that they would be united to his disciples. John 1721. He goes on to say that they all may be one as thou, father, art in me and I in the that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou has sent me the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one are you getting the picture here.

This is the desire and heartbeat of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus specifically pray for unity five times how important you think it was to him in one prayer if it's that important to Christ should not also be to us nor unity reveals that we belong to Jesus Christ.

He said in John 13 verse 35 by this shall all men know that you are my disciples. He said if you have love one toward another.

We see in the early church of the book of acts we see the great unity that the church had an X2 40 forces and all that believed were together and had all things common. Verse 46 goes on to say, they continue daily with one accord in goes on to talk about how they were with singleness of heart and ask for 32 and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul all admonish the church in Philippi enacted in Philippians chapter 2 verse two says fulfill you my joy that you be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one minded that was his prayer and his desire for the church hall, Peter said in first Peter three verse eight. Finally, be all of one mind, we see this continually throughout the New Testament epistles as the authors were riding the church is to be unified to have a have a heart that be for God and that was unified together in that local church now because unity is something that God produces among the church and it is the desire of God for the church. When you find is Satan attacks that unity. He is the one who desires to rip believers apart. Jesus said in Matthew 1225 he said every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. When you divide you will conquer anyone been a part of a church split before anybody been a part of the family split before you know how horrible and painful such a thing is more often than a church split happens is when people get offended at somebody else and they leave the church.

Guess who wins. When such a thing happens.

Satan is the victor in such a situation.

In the New Testament, there were 27 books written Matthew Mark Luke and John.

The four Gospel records give us a panorama of the life of Christ you have the book of acts, which is the launch of the church that you have the book of Romans, which is the Constitution of Christianity. Then you go into first Corinthians which is Paul's first letter to a church directly that he writes to this and how quickly he has to deal with the issue of the vision by verse number 10 of chapter 1 he says now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, the word divisions comes from the Greek word's gizmos were we get the word schism from any says with that you would be joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment says in verse 11 for been declared under me love you my brother, and by them which are the house of Chloe that there be contentions among you, the work contentions means squirrels debating striving and when you find this church at Corinth was there was so much division going on that the people were taking each other court.

They were were suing each other and and Paul rebukes them severely for this. He says in first trillion six.

Don't you know that one day believers will be the judge of angels. He said if you'll judge's angels in such matters. Why can't you even judge the smallest matter is that what you wanted to take the least esteemed people in your church that have been judge such situations. Why would you take church matters through that before unbeliever unbelievers in law in your in your city, and he rebukes them for this first Corinthians chapter 11 verse 18. He says for. First of all, when you come together in the church. I hear there be divisions or skips is among you. First Corinthians 1225. He continues to have to deal with this issue at the church at Corinth and the reason that they were so divided is because they were focused on themselves.

They they were they were debating over silly things of who baptized them and who was the greatest because of that. How does God feel about this unity in the church. The Bible tells us in Proverbs chapter 6 verse 16 these six things doth the Lord take a seven or abomination.

He goes down in verse 19 and declares that he that says difficult discord among the brethren are one of the things that God hates God hates when people create division among God's people that's important to know a man and so here in Matthew five Jesus highlights just how incredibly important it is for us to remove anger, hate, bitterness, resentment and unresolved conflicts from our lives. Some people have a false idea that they can be right with God and be wrong with their fellow believer and that's not the case, some perhaps here today are at odds with another believer, whether in your home, your family are in the church you come to seeing and given to serve and you think you can worship God, you need understand this message is for you. God has something you need to hear today from his word. This may be one of the most important sermons for all of us to hear because I think that most of us don't understand the importance and magnitude of what Jesus is saying in this passage.

It's so vital that none of our worship is even acceptable to God and so we get things right with our fellow man.

My prayer today is a God would be so powerful our hearts that his word would literally rend us on the inside that if worded division with another believer that we could not physically walk out of this building without making sure were willing to get that right with God and other religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees were people in that day that were leading the people the chief spiritual leaders of that day and and and they look really good on the outside, but inwardly they were corrupt and Jesus says in verse 20.

If you notice in Matthew five I saying to you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus saying unless you have a righteousness that is greater than the scribes and Pharisees, who were the the top of the spiritual chain there.

If you would, he says, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. In verse 21 into Jesus highlights that the Old Testament law clearly states that you are not to kill.

The idea there is not some murder and they only saw this as being external something that you would do on the outside but Jesus cut straight to the heart and says murder is not something simply done external weights. It's something that originates inside of a person and so he tells us in verse 22 that you're worried about if somebody kill someone. Though be taken to a court of law. He says listen abates. If you have anger in your heart. According to verse 22 and you will be guilty of you will be brought before the judgment and if you call someone rocket which is a slander against someone's characteristic. It's an Aramaic word.

It's a transliteration. The word rock in Aramaic.

That's why the transliterated just they spell it out into the English the same way sounds and or make it just means you empty headed person you you no good for nothing person and then he says will be in danger of the council coming before the Jewish Sanhedrin where you could be thrown in prison, and even put the death penalty upon you says, but if you say, thou fool, which is the Greek word more as we get the English word moron are stupid. From that.

He says if you say that you will be in judgment before God and in guilty of of of such thing that you could be sentenced to hell before God. Like that's how serious and so what you find is when you have anger on the inside always bubbles out and slandering someone or defaming their character by calling them names and in assaulting them verbally and Jesus says when you have anger on the inside you're guilty like a murderer before God is not a big deal think that's important. Anybody ever been angry and you didn't really realize God took it that serious and I think we all have rights so we need to understand what God has to say about these things because we need to make sure we get things right with God. Now here in verse 21 through 26, our Lord is dealing with how man works through the offenses that he has with his fellow man.

If you live on the earth in your human being would have to deal with this, probably on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Offending people then offending you, and having to work through that process. That's what Jesus is really dealing with. From verse 21 down to verse 26. Now let's look at an overview of the first couple verses here.

Verse 23 and four.

Jesus says if you bring your gift to the altar and you remember that your brother hath ought against you, leave there thy gift before the altar go thy way.

First be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift.

You America you can be an atheist and pretty much continue to live in a society that is really fast becoming an atheistic society.

A godless society, at least in and and and and and you can you can be okay with that but but in the Jewish society that was the case. Atheists were not part of the culture being religious, being of being a person of faith and worship of God was the very fabric of their society. Everybody held the Jewish feast. Everybody went to the synagogue went to the temple to offer offerings. The feast days everybody observed that this was this was something that everyone's life was involved with, and all the Jews knew that if they sin, they had to bring an offering to God to have that sin appeased and removed the scribes and Pharisees had essentially made religious life external. It was about what you did on the outside dartboard cuts right to the heart of this it shows that it's not simply murder that makes you guilty before God.

But anger in your heart and hate in your heart makes you a murderer before God is on to say the next few verses 27 to 30 that committing adultery alone doesn't just make unit altar, but you can have lust in your heart that causes you to be an adult or before God that the internal must be dealt with. Jesus was saying as well as the outside so he says therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar of the Jews would bring an offering to the priest in the temple in the court of the priests were the priest would receive the animal and offered to God on behalf of the one who brought the offering and only the priest could enter the altar area where they would make the sacrifice on behalf of the person so you bring a lamb or an animal. Lay your hands upon it. Your sins would be as though transfer to that animal on the animal would be sacrificed on your behalf. That was an Old Testament picture designed to show Jesus Christ to be the Lamb of God who would come and take our sins awake he would die on our behalf. Now the main time of year that sacrifices were brought were during what was known as Yom Kippur war, for the day of atonement. This was the most holy day for the Jewish people, and this is most likely what Jesus is referring to. He says in that moment when you bring that offering he says. And in that solemn time.

If you remember that your brother has something or ought against you. He saying in that setting. If you remember that headache.

My brother so-and-so has has been offended by me in some way, the word ought against you means there offended that you they feel that you've wrong them in some way, so the Lord is saying at that very most intimate time of worshiping as you're bringing your gift to God that you remember.

I know that that person is upset with me, Jesus says leave there thy gift before the altar, literally stop your offering. Don't make the sacrifice to God. Worship is now don't go any further with your worship to God. You must go and deal with that situation with that person and so he says, and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother, the word first.

There, that's the priority.

Nothing is to usurp this reconciliation with your fellow individual your fellow human. There is a top priority. I think this is so incredible that the moment of such a solemn time of worship. God says stop. Don't give that to me we would naturally as I do know what I'm convicted about this.

I need to go get this right with this person after church today I'm going to seek the reconciled with them right after the service.

God says don't wait that long.

That's too long, you must do it now. You must get it done don't have any delay. This is the priority that our Lord is placing on reconciliation atop big of a deal it is to the one who we call Jesus our Lord.

What is the word reconciled me it means to change one's feelings toward another, and so to be reconciled means to be restored to a normal relationship to restore harmony with someone means that you settle the difficulty if you've wrong them. You make restitution if you owe them a debt you pay it if you've injured their character or gossip or slander. Do you confess that and seek forgiveness if you falsely been suspected of injuring them when you make an explanation. The ideas that you do everything possible to bring reconciliation and restore harmony pieces after you've done all of that, he says, then come and offer thy gift. Only written reconciliation has been exhausted. Do you come and offer your gift to God and ask you when is the last time that you realize that anger hatred toward others or something you did that make someone else upset with you totally disrupt your ability to worship God. When the last time that you consider that when is the last time you realized your offenses against others or their perceived being offended can keep you from being a worshiper of God. An offense against your brother friends will build a wall between you and God. Someone may say, well, who is my brother preacher. I know so-and-so is upset with me but they're not my brother. That's no different than when Jesus said love your brother as you love your neighbor as yourself and the lawyer wanting to justify himself in Luke 1029 says and who is my neighbor and Jesus goes on and tells a story of the good Samaritan is telling them is not the person who lives next door to you. It's the person that lives in this world anybody you come across is your neighbor so the brother here is the Greek word adult) not which means to be born of the same womb. But Jesus goes past that and gives the general context of your brothers which we are all born of Adam and were descendents of him. It's your fellow man, and so the ideas anybody that is your fellow human being somebody of your own nature, human being that you offense. You must seek that reconciliation.

So to give you 10 truths about reconciliation is that you have 10 points yes and don't lose your mind yet will get through this.

I did it once there, they will do it again your visitor you don't know what I'm talking about the children, you learn all my sermons are really shortening of this when I do a couple minutes of the 10 truths about reconciliation.

Such an important thing. I think that's will benefit all of us first of all sin is what produces the need for reconciliation is sin that produces this need your human being. You will get offended by people and you will offend people reason for this is because sin is what produces the offense of the sin I produced for the sin they produce or the perceived sin because we all sin less in our entire life will be involved with working for reconciliation. Forgiving people needing to be forgiven. This never stops.

If you're married, you know this amen. If you've never told your spouse. I'm sorry you need to get on your knees and say God forgive me for my pride and so sin causes the vision we see this in the garden in Genesis chapter 3 when Adam and Eve sinned they were separated from God and Cain and Abel, sin is what caused them to be divided, and Cain rose up and killed his brother the church division is always a result of sin you need understand Christ sought reconciliation to the point that he was willing to give his own life to heal the division Bible says in Romans 510 for if when we were enemies, we were enemies with God says we were reconciled to God by the death of his son Jesus Christ died to bring us to God. The Bible says in first Peter 318 for Christ also suffered for since the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Ephesians 213 but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, and he is our peace was broken down the middle wall of partition between us.

Christ is the one who heals our relationship to God know if it cost Jesus's life to bring our unity between the center and God.

How amazing it is that Christians that we can take so lightly the unity of the Christian body. God hates people sowing discord. According to Proverbs 6 Jesus over and over five times specifically pray for the unity among the believers. The New Testament apostles pleaded for the unity in those local churches, God's word over and over. He warns against being divisive. I would ask the question what you then take lightly the things that God is calling us to have you so quickly speak evil of another brother or sister in Christ. So sin is what produces the need of reconciliation.

Secondly, an external worshiper of God can have internal issues with others. You and I could come to church.

We can look great on the outside and we could look like were really honoring God with our life and worshiping him, and in none of it could be acceptable to God because we have problems with others on the inside in Matthew five.

Our Lord shows us just because you bring a gift to worship God and these were worshipers.

These were people bringing offerings to God worshiping God, making sacrifice to God. He saying there worship is unacceptable because there's on meds reconciliation. There's unheated obedience to God in this area. Just because you're faithful and the outside doesn't mean your hearts clean. Jesus had just become discussed anger and hate. That equals more to the point. Our Lord is making is the inside of a man's heart has to be right for those external services to be acceptable to God. David understood this in the Old Testament when David sin with Bathsheba. The Bible tells us that he came to God in prayer and met in Psalms 51 which is a Psalm reflecting on that. And David said, for thou desire is not sacrifice else would I give it thou the light is not in burnt offerings and God had called them to make sacrifices for the sins resist.

It's not just the external sacrifice, God's looking for. Verse 17 is that the sacrifices of God or a want what you say your church a broken spirit in a broken and contrite heart of God that will not despise you. An atheist can bring in a sacrifice to give to God beneath his dog to be broken over the sin that will make you a believer so you have to get right. You know the people who are broken over their sin.

It's people who see their sin as God sees it.

They see the wretchedness of their sin and their grieved over it because they see what they've done against God ask you this question, are you more grieved over your sin or you more grieved over the sins of others that they've offended you with what offends you more your sin that you committed against God or the offenses that other people have made against you. I can tell you all understood that in himself. He called himself in Romans 724 he said O wretched man that I am he called himself the end of his life in first Timothy 115, the chief of sinners and if we would look at our self as the chief of sinners. I can tell you we would be a lot more gracious and merciful to the sins of others. Love covers a multitude of sins. You know the person and never looked at their own sin first will always look at the other person sins and magnify them out there. They say that how dare they do that the be condemning of other people.

And Jesus says what it you turn in the mirror and look in your own life first. External worshipers can have great internal issues with others. The internal must be dealt with friends. Thirdly, Jesus taught the reconciliation with man must proceed. True worship with God again. It's amazing to me that Jesus steps into the most special sacred time of worship for the Jewish people the most holy day of the year bring an offering seeking your sins to be cleansed honoring God with your sacrifice you're coming to worship God, and God says if they're in that moment that you remember who calls you remember that you have someone who is a problem with you will be the devil would be yourself know it would be the Holy Spirit of God.

I believe it would bring those things to your mind as you're coming seeking to get right with God. God brings to your mind that first before you get right with me.

You have to get right with them that make sense so we understand that the one who brings these things. If you're sitting in the service today and something is brought your mind and your convicted about it. You know what I need to seek reconciliation in that situation that's God doing that that's the Holy Spirit saying listen to me. John 16, eight through 11 it's the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment become so he says you to leave your gift at the altar push pause on your offering and go and seek to heal the breach between you and your brother like what one commentator says he says as far as I know this is the only time God tells you to slip out of church early. Apparently he would rather have you give your olive branch than your side if you are worshiping and remember that your mom is upset with you for forgetting her birthday and get off the pew and find a phone, maybe she'll forgive you. Maybe she won't but at least you can return to your pew with a clean conscience master question.

What did Jesus said is a first and highest priority bringing offerings of worship to God or being obedient seeking reconciliation with man. The Bible teaches a basic principle that obedience to God is what will produce true and genuine worship. We see this in the life of Saul in the Old Testament.

Remember when Saul killed the Amalekites and God's is a want you to totally wipe them out. Don't keep any offerings or anything kill all the animals instead.

King Saul kept the best of the offerings best of the animals in it. He came and acted, though he was going to give those to God and sacrifice in first Samuel 1522 single said at the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord we hold to obey is better than sacrifice, and hearken than the fat of rams.

God desires our obedience. Saul offered God disobedient worship and I just wonder how many Christians can come today and offer disobedient worship to God and God says it's unacceptable because you have a problem with that person that you been unwilling to reconcile unwilling to seek forgiveness unwilling to give forgiveness. There can be no genuine acceptance of worship to God because it's on acceptable worship. It's disobedient worship God is more concerned about our heart worship in her hand. Worship friends.

Number four will unwillingness to reconcile makes us unfit to worship.

If we wait to worship until we have sought to reconcile the breach and the relationship of we are unwilling to seek that reconciliation. God will not accept the worship. What happens to a church that is filled with people that are divisive. What happens to a church that it's filled with people that are bitter and angry and hateful toward one another is no way that could be a God honoring church. What should you do if you have hate, anger, bitterness toward someone and you come to worship the Lord will Christ is very clear.

You must stop where you're going stop what you're doing and get right with the person. Psalm 6618 says if I regard iniquity in my heart. The Lord will not hear me Lord will not hear me junior high was on a 4 x 1 tract, even I remember running in and in. We were so close to beating the record, like every track meet in our tractor was greatly like 48 know we never got beat. We had a great team it and that we were we were in this in one of the last races and I remember we broke broke the record was so excited and they went back and somebody called the fall on me when I pass the baton to the next guy they said. I stepped on the line.

I still don't believe it, and they were wrong, but I ice just they said your toes on the line they disqualified other once a big deal, it just the tile and but but what what happened was we were disqualified because we went out of the boundary of what the they called acceptable when you compete in something. There are rules to those competitions and once you once you violate those rules that you can be disqualified in the same way friends when we are unreconciled with other people. We disqualify ourselves from being acceptable in our worship to God. That's a big deal. We must understand the magnitude of this number five reconciliation is what will enhance true worship. You know, worship is not enhanced by decorations or lighting. Jesus doesn't even say music or preaching enhances the worship what he does say is if you want enhanced worship and reconcile with your fellow brother or sister in Christ like what John MacArthur says worship may be improved by our staying away from church until we have made things right with those with whom we know our relationship is strained or broken when there is animosity or sin of any sort in our heart. There cannot be integrity in our worship. In other words, if you are at odds with another believer and are unwilling to seek reconciliation you Sandra hold onto my anger. I'm going to hold onto my bitterness. I'm not going to reconcile with them. It's better for you to stay home, don't come back here, Jeremy Jeter, your preacher until you go and get that right or seek to get it right. Do not bring bitterness and anger and hatred. I don't know anyone in the church like this right now. Okay not preaching anybody but if you have that in your heart you say preacher you told me to stay home. I would not want you to come with bitterness and anger, resentment, and a life that is out of line with God willingly, knowingly doing that in bringing that sin into the church just stay home and so you get that right with that person exactly what Christ is telling us stop the offering will leave the temple go away, get out of here and go get that fixed is what Jesus is saying we say all that sounds offensive and needs to be offensive because when we're offensive to God. We need to realize we need to be offended with our self will all just stay home if the preacher wants me to stay home, you're probably Col. Joel O'Steen and feel better about yourself but that's not the answer either. This is a big deal friends. This is a big deal to say you know what I I can't hold onto my bitterness because God calls me out of this calls me away from such things. Number six.

Earthly reconciliation must be motivated by God rather than man reason we can struggle to reconcile with others as we make man in our motive instead of making gutter motor. This is where the most important truths we need to hear today.

If man is our motive for reconciliation in our decision to seek reconciliation will be based on man will say things like this while not going to talk to them seek to work this out there so irritating. They're so annoying.

They're so prideful they're so insensitive doesn't matter what I say they get all up in arms.

They they they say I do you know if you've made man your motive. Well, simply asking my willing to seek out reconciliation and if I'm not, why am I not willing and usually it's because I don't like the other person and if that's the case that sinful that's making manner.

Motive. But if God is our motive. We will base the decision to reconcile not on the goodness of the person, but on the goodness of God. We will say I must seek reconciliation with them because this is what God has called me to.

I must seek reconciliation because if God has forgiven me of such a load of sin. How could I not seek forgiveness and hold sin against them in such a way, how can I be so hard on their sin when God is been so gracious to mine when I consider the infinite love the Christ had for me. That caused him to come and die for my sins.

It was in 1994 that a man name Alvin straight at odds with his older brother Lyle. They were without talking to one another for around 10 years were both in their 70s.

I would learn that his brother Lyle had a stroke. Alvin lived in Laurens I will about 300 miles from Mount Zion, Wisconsin, where his brother lived.

The problem was he didn't have a driver's license, and he didn't he despise going on a bus so he had no good way to be transported there and so he felt his heart. I cannot handle this bitterness. This anger this resentment anymore is a true story. And so Alvin got on his lawnmower and traveled 300 miles because he could not handle the bitterness anymore.

He said I just want to sit under the stars look up like we used to those boys and get along again. You can watch that movie Disney actually produced the movie back when they would make decent movies skull. The straight story. And so love it.

How far would you be willing to travel to reconcile with some think about the Lord Jesus Christ how he suffered in hot and in he died for our sins.

And what's so incredible to me is that we were the offenders.

We were the ones who sinned against God, our sin created the division we come here and sing. Oh how I love Jesus yet.

We will walk across the sanctuary to love our brother or sister in Christ, we will walk across the town or drive across the town or across the room and seek reconciliation.

If you have an unreconciled relationship and unresolved conflict. What would keep you from seeking reconciliation pride, stubbornness unforgiveness deep-seated bitterness. We need to cast our eyes on the Savior to date be motivated by heaven rather than earth look upon Christ and say he's worth my obedience. He's worth me for giving them he's worth me being gracious to that person for stop looking at the offender and start looking at the one who you offended and who forgave you. And I number seven reconciliation must be sought even if you do not know what your offense was only that you know they are offended that you know some people live offended you probably know people like that. I've known people like that. They're always upset like you're breathing in my presence. I'm sorry your your standing too close to so far away what's the problem I just parked in my spot. I do know you had a spy and so there's somebody that's always there always critical of others. Always gossiping, always angry.

Such a person reflects really an unsafe condition.

Sometimes you can have someone offended that you you know what you've done.

I'm sure there's many people if I ask you to raise hands that you would raise your hand and say I I've offended people I know-of them.

If you're married, this is happened to you I did. Even Sen.

I was watching the game it was our anniversary. How I have no say I don't have anything in my heart against that person. I'm not offended against them.

So why do I need to seek reconciliation. My hearts clean. The Bible doesn't say if you have something in your heart toward somebody. The Bible says if you know that they have something in their heart toward you.

Obviously you need to go to them if you have a problem with them according to Matthew 18 it says if you have a problem with the brother you need to go to the but here it saying if you know they have a problem with you, they have ought against you.

They are offended that you and in and you need to understand this when somebody's offended that you and you don't know why they're upset you don't know what you've done. This is an active you ministering to the person. This is the way you minister sometimes to a weaker brother. Reconciliation is not simply for us it's for them. They neither are clean to worship God as well. God is calling me to help that process. The goal of evangelism is to turn a life of someone who's away from God is a non-worshiper into a worshiper of God right evangelism is bringing the gospel. They come to Christ and this the same thing is true in reconciling with our brothers in Christ that that your goal is to take someone who's a non-worshiper now because of the bitterness and allow that to be healed and restored so that they can be a worshiper. Now a wrong response to such a situation is to say something like this that's just their problem. I don't know why they're upset with me. I haven't done anything there just have to deal with it. We probably all said something like that in our life and and that's a wrong way to respond. It's a sinful way to respond.

How can we say we love the lost and care for their souls. We have such a little love and care for our fellow believers. Also, when you go to them.

Do not be defensive if they say you know what Josh, you said this the other day and it really offended me.

Don't look at them and say how dare you say that to say that I didn't mean that you're out you got a problem with when I become like that. If I were to do that that shows a residual humble spirit show heart that seeks to reconcile that shows up prideful heart.

It's defending me I'm not seeking to honor God. I'm seeking to defend myself.

Don't come and be defensive listening when when somebody's offended at you there's there's anger payment. We've all dealt with in her own heart as well. They need to get that out you need to give them room to get it out.

So come with questions, friend, is there something I've done to offend you know.

Listen I know know there's there's something there. I don't want there to be the division of I don't want to disrupt your worshiper.

My worship before God and I want to honor God with our life.

What's going on in your heart is really causing the problem.

When they start saying some things and some things may be legitimate, and some things may be off-the-wall. What in the world are you even talking of and what you do.

You don't stop them, you let them speak you let them get it all out. You continue with questions. Is there anything else share with me anything is anything else I said or did I just I want to make sure that I heard you out. I want to hear what you're saying and then repeat back to them. So what you're saying is the other day when I was doing this and I said this or I did that. It and if there is a offense in that moment and say you know what what I said or did.

I'm wrong I need you to forgive me. Would you forgive me and what you're doing in that moment you're showing them how reconciliation works. You know what it's one thing for me to preach on reconciliation is another thing to live with 20 thing is more effective right and so we need to practice this, we need to do this and so if you if if there offended at something you like menace you know I did. That's not what I did or does notice that it does not lease our minutes and explain the situation and say that'll help me in the future.

To not do that anymore and and I'm sorry that came across that way.

That wasn't my intention.

And so, so seek to heal. That is much as possible. Only speak to those who perhaps get offended or are offended today, ask yourself this question. Maybe you're dealing with an offense you've been sitting on for a while. You're like somebody told the pastor because how would he know how else we noted preach on this today. That's a good thing with expository preaching.

I just keep going through the text and God brought you here so you could hear the word of God. Amen. God is so loving to you. He loves you so much that not only does he want you to know the gospel, to bring your relationship and salvation.

To him, but he loves you enough in me enough to bring truth to us to convict us so heavily because he says I want to rid our life of sin so that we could walk in sweet communion with our Creator. Ask yourself this. If your fender was somebody in my offended because God was dishonored is my offense toward that person because God was dishonored offended because they hurt my feelings or did something to upset me was the reason of my offense. I've known people who can be extremely sensitive which is a sign of spiritual immaturity, getting easily offended is what immature people do mean what do little children do they get offended all the time know what what what soon a three-year-old take their toy they go crazy. They're not like you know what you took my toilet must been a misunderstanding that that was my toy was my Tonka truck on the way back to. I give you five minutes and want to work with you to get it back to that a government smack you upside the head with the toy from you and punch on the way whether walk the same thing when I was there there years old, you know, we don't we get older we become big toddlers. If we don't grow up cried. We act out. We act like little children screaming, crying and angry and bitter and slamming things and throwing stuff and cussing and swearing and acting so sinful and this is an amateur expression of our sin, and so we asked the question how can those who denied himself been crucified with Christ died to themselves. According to Scripture following Jesus be so quick to be offended when they are somehow spoken against you constantly play the victim card. I've known people who are always going to be the victims. They always feel like the world is against them.

I worked in recovery ministry that was one of the biggest things guys in recovery stage silver would tell me they say what I learned was I wasn't the victim on the criminal. It wasn't everything in the world against me.

It wasn't my dad's fault. My mom's phone societies phone by else's fault. I need to just love myself more. That wasn't the answer. The answer was I sinned against God, I've violated his laws. I defended my parents were they doing a lot of those programs, a dual men's the good people say if I've wronged you. I'm sorry and is there any way I can make that up. They go to person after person after person after person after person. There's people in our church that is on the 1520 and 30 people in their life that they've known they've offended and the healing that that does for that person's incredible and it changes things because they they're seeking out, they literally are doing what Jesus told them to do offended someone go to them will be the victim stop playing that card.

Easy offenses are a sign of self-love you declare in your heart. How dare you do that to me first. Is that how God wants us to respond.

Does God want us to be easily offended. You know the Bible says in Proverbs 1911 the discretion of Manda Firth's anger and it is his glory to pass over transgression. God calls it the crowning glory of a man to be willing to forgive others. It says in first Peter 48 the charity or love covers a multitude of sins. You you and I do we realize how much sin God is covered in our lives. Are we so quick to unleash raffle and others for every little offense learn to treat other people like you want God to treat you think about it today. Why want God to treat my sins like I am treating the offenses of others.

Why want God to jump on me and and really poured out wrath and anger and vengeance and bitterness and hate toward me or do I want to be gracious to other people forgiving of other people merciful and kind of the people have, how my going to respond.

There are legitimate reasons to be offended now and not just that you understand there are reasons that you and I can get offended when God is dishonored, we should be offended if issues should bother us. When God's assault the Jesus get offended when God was offended.

Yes, he made a court of lips and drove about the devil right when innocent people are hurt by different people's words and works. When you see someone being picked on somebody being treated cruelly.

You need to address that you need to defend innocent life, you need to defend people when innocent people are hurt.

We need to really that should be offensive to us. When someone has legitimately hurt you or wronged you in some way that can happen so when we do what Matthew 1815 says this.

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against the he says go and tell him his fault between the and him what's the next word church with that word again so so I want you to understand if if somebody offends you any back around to use in the early service. So if if if I got offended with Danny and in the he did something wrong to me and just really hurt my feelings and just, you know, and I got upset and I was like you and I'm so upset with Danny not come over here to John on like John. I Kimberly Danny and I started I started getting upset with Dan. I start telling John over here. John would probably tell me suck it up and go deal with the military that soaks what will once if then he sinned against me legitimately syndicates me once I began to tell someone else and I don't go to Danny what I've done is committed a sin.

Now I become the sinner the make sense. So, if John is a loving God, what John would do is just what I said, he would say why are you telling me this. If you talk to them.

You need to go to them. Don't tell me anymore. You know why because I love Jesus Christ under Jesus prayed five times for unity to brother and one prayer. I know God hates the vision he hates when believers cause discord among brother. I know Satan would love to cause division and rip levers apart you go to them and so the way that God would call me to that already to go today in sitdown accident and what you did was wrong.

You root against my Ohio State team is just a simple thing and so then he would say just share with me on your heart is anything else I've done I say no you and you were that Michigan shirt and you know you do this and that he would sit out so you know I usually grow up suck and maybe convert me over but mandated great friends you have a problem though.

We do have a problem so but with the idea of the Bible is very clear on this. If you have a fenced with somebody you need to go to them alone. What if they won't hear me. The Bible tells you, then you need to take another stronger believer with you then you say you go to stronger believers say can you come with me and we need a really what what this thing reconciled.

I don't whether the animosity I want there to be division so you to we go sit down with that person and you would try to reconcile that as much as possible if they're unwilling, then you bring a church leader then you go to the pastors you go to the assistant pastor take a spiritual leader of the church and then you would go to you with that if they're not willing to reconcile the Bible teaches that you treat that person like an unbeliever, you receive them. If somebody is unwilling to reconcile. It shows an unregenerate heart which shows a person that now meets the gospel there. Now that they now need to be say that there there evidencing their an unbeliever according to Matthew 18 and so number eight is three more things will be done. You cannot guarantee reconciliation with member, you can seek it like was a well what if they won't listen to me. I tried it I try to talk to them and they won't listen.

It's not up to you whether they can listen are not just up to you to go in stride and seek it as much as is possible and so the same is true of evangelism. Sometimes people listen.

But it doesn't cause us to not be willing to go and share with them obedience to God is the goal somebody people have told me before will. Reconciliation is not possible legally on not even round lead allowed to be around them, or even communicate to them anyway. The Bible tells us in Romans 1218, if it be possible.

Notice the phrase if it be possible as much as life and you would feasibly involvement sometimes is not possible, sometimes peaceable this is unable to succumb about but if it's possible. So if it legally or not be around each other communicate with each other and obviously you can't do that and you just committed to God and you say God cleanse my heart I pray that their heart would also be cleansed. You say, but they've offended me so severely. You don't know what they've done to me.

I would ask you, do you remember what you've done to Christ, you, we so quickly forget our offenses that caused him to die on the forget it, dear lady in our church came to me years ago and she said pastor I want to share with you something that years ago. She said I was married five years into our marriage.

We were so in love and a man broke into her house and shot my husband in the chest and and in the man fled in and I put my hand on the on the wound and tried to stop the bleeding and it wouldn't be stopped.

My husband passed away in the man's in jail and prison she shared with me how how just really destroyed her heart and life in so many ways and she had she she knew she needed to forgive the man the man never sought forgiveness. She knew she needed to let it go, so she wrote a letter and was going to put in the mail to send to the prison, and she said for weeks and even months.

She went out to the mailbox. In the in them letter in the mailbox and she said she go back and take it out. She just could put in the mailbox is just too hard. She said, until one day I finally made up my mind to put in the mailbox. She said when I walked back to the house.

She said I remember the mailman picking that letter up and she said I still remember him going over the hill and as he drove over the hill, I can literally feel the weight of bitterness removed from my life and what did they do to you what did they say to you, you're so offended by how bad were you hurt sometimes our offenses are embarrassing sometimes the things we hold onto. I think when we get to heaven, God's gonna say you you are willing to love your hate and anger so much. Instead of loving me. You are willing to be offended over things that were so minuscule. Don't you know friends that sometimes God allows us to be offended on purpose so that we could show that we love him by being willing to forgive you know that God allows us to be offended by people just to test our faith. You realize that God will allow that misunderstanding just to sale Maciel Josh is going to respond to this. See if you really loves me I'm to see if he's going to really obey me. If you love me more or is he going to love himself so much that he won't forgive and once he reconciliation you understand. God allows trials in our life not to hurt us but to reveal less to expose us and to grow us number nine delayed reconciliation allows sin and consequences to increase the longer the fire of anger or hate division is not quenched by the water of loving God and seeking reconciliation, the more damage that fire does Matthew 525. Notice what Jesus says here because verse 25 and six are basically a commentary on verse 23 and four, Jesus says, agree with thine adversary quickly while dollars in the way with him but that anytime the adversary deliver the to the judge. The judge deliver the to the officer. They'll be cast into prison, verily, I say need the thou shalt by no means come out this still thou has paid the uttermost farthing here Jesus gives illustration of someone who owes someone a financial debt in those days if you can pay the debt they put you in a debtors prison rumor Matthew 18 when the man could not repay the king.

The king was going with Raymond prison with his family until he pay the debts and so so you have to pay in Jesus saying hey if you know you owe somebody something, he says hey it as soon as possible.

So literally the Jewish system of jurisprudence, you could be heading to the court, and if that man or person that you're doing that to if you could pay them before you arrived at the judge then the whole thing will be squashed. Says but if you don't get that thing reconciled you go before judge. The judge landed to an officer and you will be committed to present you pay the uttermost farthing in the point that Jesus is making is just as you would not want to over debt that you would let linger. That would put you in prison and in judgment. Don't hold onto sins that will cause you to be guilty before God. If you would seek reconciliation to avoid human judgment. How much more should you seek reconciliation to avoid God's judgment.

That's what he's telling us here is so delayed. Reconciliation allows sin and consequences to just continue to increase in the number 10.

Sin keeps people from reconciling sin is what keeps us from reconciling. Ask yourself if I'm unwilling to reconcile is because I love God so much and I am willing to seek reconciliation because I love the other person so much. Or is it because I love myself so much pride and self-love keep people divided. David McCasland was a writer for the daily bread, our daily bread said this, I was studying the Old Testament law about making restitution for theft of property loss began to wonder how it applied to me the words those pump came to mind.

He remembered months before.

He said I had borrowed my neighbors pump to inflate a bicycle tire broke while I was using it like I'm ashamed to admit that I returned without saying anything to him was obvious that God wanted me to confess my wrong. The bill would buy him a new Palm. My rationalizations were swift. It was old it was on break anyway was embarrassing to reveal my failure show that I was a weak Christian. My excuses sounded hollow. I knew the Lord wanted me to make it right so I bought Bill a new pump whenever his house but he was out of town at church the next morning I started to drop my offering, the plate remembered first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. The money went back in my pocket when Bill returned. I told him what I done and apologizing gave him the new pump.

He graciously understood it cost me $7.23 plus pride said a small price to pay to restore relationship with a neighbor and have a clear conscience before God. What a good example for us as we examine our hearts today. Friends re-offended someone you are you willing to hold onto that. Are you treating other people in the same way God has treated you and I think about that key is to remember when exactly is became a believer that he is says Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor is that if I've taken anything from any man by false accusation is that I restore him fourfold. And Jesus says, this day of salvation come to your house. Those who are saved seek reconciliation.

That's a reflection of a believer. So in closing, if you want to have a righteousness that is deeper than the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees, we must put on humility and seek reconciliation what offenses would be so great that you and I would be will unwilling to reconcile. Would you be willing to disrupt or worship with God because of a disrupted relationship with man.

What value do you place upon the worship of God will place more value on your anger than you do value of your worship.

Some today need to make a phone call. Some today maybe need to drive over to that person's house and say I just need to talk to you today. I can't let this linger anymore. I need to get this right. Some of you today need to tell your ex-husband, your wife, you know what I've been hold on to something and I did forgive you. I gotta let this go. I can't have this bitterness and resentment on forgiveness and aid in our some you children need to get right with your parents say mom that I'm sorry I've been upset with you resentful I need to ask your forgiveness.

Some parents need as forgiveness of their kids today needs to be a day of reconciliation friends examine your life as I can tell you this morning.

The Lord already knows some of us have come to worship and perhaps God received all of it and some of us have come to worship and perhaps there was none received by God reconcile with your fellow man.

Love God enough love him more than our hate and our anger for the person sins so stand this morning with his belt and eyes closed, filters open of God's word is spoken your heart. You're welcome to come if you need to spend a moment in prayer for whatever reason whatever God's touched her heart about would ask if you're here today and used to before God and he said why so that you and God said why should I let you into the kingdom you're not sure when you would say I'll be in the front. I would invite you and invite me down from the minimum number on the side driver got how you like me in heaven meaning to make a decision encouraging. Now I know I understand. Sometimes offenses can mean the longer we hold them, the Redeemer, the day's and Dave casting them, setting ourselves.

Father, we thank you for your words and evening Wednesday as we need to have the actions of our life. Fill us with your home is trace unity in the beauty of that throughout this church and how you got framing vision not more from Young's old whenever you cleanse us from within and we went home and were genuine sincerity and injury that I'm craving you knew I was to be a clean, loving, and when we are with others as silly as the moment we start reconciling some of give us this summer our life and real life is in Jesus name