The Family Affair

Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is

designed to uplift and strengthen you in your

walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until

the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive

right in. So let's go back to the text that we

have the Bible reading. In case you want to write

a topic. I have been, I was struggling to get

a topic for this. That's right. The family affair.

Family affair. It's not a TV series. Because

it's sounding very casual. It's sounding somehow

not theological. And that's how I want it to

be. The family affair. Part one. It's not Nollywood.

Amen. Matthew 18 from verse 18 to 20. Let's go

to Matthew 18 from verse 18 to 20. Assuredly,

I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will

be bound where? Will be bound in heaven. We know

what heaven is, right? From January to now, we've

been talking about heaven. Whatever you bound

on earth, will be bound in heaven, and whatever

you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again

I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth

concerning anything they act, it will be done

for them, by who? By my Father in heaven, for

where two or three are gathered together in my

name. I am there in the midst of them. Hallelujah.

So one of the general, let me begin from misconception.

One of the general misconception we have about

verses 18 to 20 is that the text here is about

prayers, right? Whatever you bind on earth will

be bound and then Oftentimes, when we want to

pray, that is the scripture we go to when we

want to bind and cast out. So, particularly verse

18, look at verse 18. It says, I surely I say

to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound

in heaven and whatever you lose on earth will

be lost where? In heaven. And oftentimes, this

particular verse is used for binding and losing

what? Demons, right? It's used for binding and

losing demons of which the context is not about

casting devils. Hallelujah. It's not about casting

devils. Now, we're not saying that the believer

does not have the authority to cast out devils.

No. What we're saying is that if your inspiration

for casting devils is from this scripture, then

you are misappropriating the scripture because

that is not what the text is about. Of course.

There are other scriptures that empower the believer

with the knowledge of casting out devils. And

this one is not one of it. We misconstrue verse

19 to 20. Verse 19 to 20. Again, I say to you,

if two of you agree on earth concerning anything

that they ask, it will be done for them by my

Father in heaven. For where two or three are

gathered together in my name, I am there in their

midst. So, we misconstrue this text, particularly

these two verses, to be a prayer of agreement.

You know, when we come together, let's agree.

The Bible says that where two or three are gathered

in my name, I am there in their midst. That is

true. Alright? It's true. God is always with

us. And where believers gather, God is in the

midst of believers. Hallelujah. And then they

say, whatever you agree, right? If two of you

shall agree concerning anything, anything here

has context. Anything is not just anything. Are

we together? If two of you agree that something

evil should happen to somebody, then God is not

involved in that one. So it's not just blanket

anything. In fact, even in the anything, there's

a context to the anything that is discussed in

that particular text. So it is very important

that we put context into consideration when we

come to scriptures. So, similar scriptures teaches

us about prayers and the believer's authority

over devils. But as I said, Matthew 18, 18 to

20 is not one of them. So, context of any scriptural

verse is very important in understanding Bible

truth. And we will not be tired of it. emphasizing

this every time we come to teach the Bible. Because

without proper interpretation of the text, as

we always say, worship cannot be effective. Hallelujah.

You cannot worship God with a lie, with an actress.

Okay? So the Bible must be properly explained.

The Bible must be properly explained. And that

is how we actually worship God effectively. Hallelujah.

So what is the text about? Jesus here was teaching

about forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus here,

the binding and losing is concerning reconciliation,

forgiveness and reconciliation in the family.

It is about forgiveness and reconciliation in

the family and not about prayers or casting out

devils. Now, verse 15 to 17 gives us context.

Okay? Verse 15 to 17 gives us context. It says,

moreover, if your brother, so it means that Jesus

was speaking about a relationship between who?

Between brothers, right? Between brothers. If

your brother sins against you, go and do what?

And tell him his fault between you and him alone.

If he hears you, you have what? You have gained

your brother. But if he will not hear, take with

you one or two more. By the mouth of two or three

witnesses, every word may be established. And

if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church.

But if he refuses even to hear the church, let

him beat you like what? Like a heathen and a

tax collector. And surely I say to you, whatever

you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and

whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in

heaven. that they ask, it will be done for them

by my Father in heaven. For where two or three

are gathered together in my name, I am what?

I am there in the midst of them. Hallelujah.

So we can see that Jesus is actually outlining

the steps that family members, family members

will take towards what? Forgiveness and reconciliation.

So the conversation here is concerning forgiveness

and reconciliation. Don't just put forgiveness

alone. Forgiveness and reconciliation. Because

without reconciliation, then I don't think that

forgiveness is complete. Hallelujah. So how did

he conclude that it is a family affair? First

of all, we saw in verse 15, as I said, that it

is an affair between brothers. It says, if your

brother sins against you, if he hates you, you

have been your brother. So if your Bible is yours

on the land, wherever you see brother, right?

If your brother sin against you, go and tell

him his fault and you and him alone, if he hates

you, you have what? You have... Your brother,

on the line of the word, gain your brother is

a brother. Invariably a sister. Okay? So, this

is a family affair. We can also see in verse

17. It says, verse 17, that is a church family

matter. Right? Verse 17. And if he refuses to

hear them, tell it to who? Tell it to the church.

Tell it to the church. And believe me, the church

is not your Facebook status. That's not where

the church is, okay? It's not your Instagram

status. Because that's where we know people's

offense. Must do. That's the world's way of doing

things. So, it is a church family matter. Tell

it to the church. But if he refuses to even hear

the church, so he said, family matter? Is it

church family matter? Later on in verse 21, we

see Peter overwhelmed by Jesus' explanation in

verse 21. Then Peter came to him and said, Lord,

how? How often should my brother sin against

me? So Peter knows that he understood what Jesus

was teaching. Jesus was speaking about what?

The brotherhood. A family matter. Right? How

often should my brother, my brother sin against

who? Against me. Not against God. Okay? Sin against

you. Sin against me. Sin against... You, an individual,

a human being, not against God. So it is a family

matter. It is a family matter. Hallelujah. Now

I want us to establish this fact again that the

family that we're talking about here is not necessarily

a biological family. Okay? It is the family of

God. It is what Pastor was telling us last week,

that whenever we gather together in this place,

the meeting we have here is a supernatural gathering.

All right? It's a supernatural gathering. We

are supernatural. We are super humans, but we

are in the natural. So it is a supernatural gathering

of believers. It is a supernatural family, not

necessarily a biological family. But of course,

biological family members can be your spiritual

family, can be part of your supernatural family.

But not every biological family member is your

supernatural family member. Hallelujah. But your

biological family can be your supernatural family.

So, we learn from our previous teaching on the

kingdom of God that a church is what? Is the

household of God, which is the family of God.

Now, this family is also what we've called what?

The kingdom of God, isn't it? The family of God,

the household of God is the kingdom of God. Look

at Jesus' follow -up reply to Peter. In verse

22. Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how

often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive

him? Up to seven times. We're going to look at

where Peter was inspired to ask for seven times.

Jesus said to him, I do not say to you up to

what? Up to seven times. But up to what? Seventy

times seven. Then the follow up. to the answer

is the verse 23 where Jesus began to give the

parable. He says, therefore the kingdom of heaven,

which means that the family that God is talking

about is actually the kingdom of what? The kingdom

of heaven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is

like a certain king. So Jesus was explaining

a supernatural family. He's explaining the relationship

within the supernatural family. within the kingdom

of God, within believers. Hallelujah. So we become

members of the family of God through our faith

in Jesus Christ. We are just laying foundation

before we go into dealing with the matters that

concerns our lives. We become members of this

family, the family of God. Through faith in Jesus

Christ. Through faith in Jesus Christ. So if

there is a member of your family that has not

believed in Jesus Christ, then you are not...

He is not part of your supernatural family. Biologically,

you are siblings, right? But spiritually, you

are not brothers. Are we together? That should

give you... The necessity to preach the gospel

to your brother, to your sister, to your siblings,

to your parents. Amen. So we have the right into

the family of God by faith. John 1, verse 12.

John 1:12

John 1, verse 12, it says, But as many as received

John 1:12

him, right? As many that received him, To them,

he gave the right, he gave the authority to become

what? To become the children of God. To those

who believe in his name. Only to those who believe

in his name that has come into this union of

God. The union of the family have become part

of the family of God. 1 John 3, verse 1 and 2.

1 John 3:1

1 John 3, verse 1 and 2. 1 John. Behold what

1 John 3:1

manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,

that we should be called the children of God.

Therefore the world does not know us, because

it does not know him. Beloved, now, when? Now,

all right? We are the children of God. Now, we

are the children of God. And how do we become

the children of God? By faith in Jesus Christ.

And it has not yet been revealed what we shall

be, but we have, we know that when he is revealed,

we shall be like him, for we shall see him as

he is. So through Christ, believers receive adoption

as sons into the family of God. Through Christ,

through faith in Christ. Through faith in Christ.

Not just by coming to church and becoming part

of a social garden, but by putting your faith

in Christ, you become part of a family. Galatians

Galatians 4:4

chapter 4 verse 4. Galatians 4, verse 4 to 7.

Galatians 4:4–7

It says, But when the fullness of time has come,

God sent forth his Son, of course, Jesus Christ,

born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem

those who were under the law, that we might receive

adoption as sons. And because you are sons, that

is those who have believed. God has sent forth

the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying

out, Abba, Father. Therefore, you are no longer

a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir

of God through Christ. You know, there are some

people who have thought that when you become

a believer, then you are not a son yet. You are

a child. Then as you grow, then you now will

grow into sonship. I mean, it will contradict

so many biblical texts. Hallelujah. The moment

you believe, all right? The moment you believe,

you have the seal of sonship on you, which is

the spirit of God that has been put in you, the

believer. Romans 4, verse 14. Romans 4, verse

Romans 4:14 Romans 4:14

14. Romans chapter 4, verse 14. For if those

Romans 4:14

who are of the law, Romans 8, 14, sorry. Romans

8, 14. For as many are led by the Spirit of God,

these are the sons of God. For you do not receive

the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you

receive the spirit of adoption, by whom we cry

out, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself bears witness

with our spirit that we are what? That we are

the children of God. And if children, then heirs,

heirs of God and join heirs with Christ. If indeed

we suffer with him, that we also be glorified

together with him. Hallelujah. So we have, we

share in the spirit of God. You know, we are

all sons of God, children of God, because we

have the spirit of God equally in all of us.

Now the church and its members, you know, is

what we call the household of God, right? It's

what we call the household of God, the family

of God, the church. So everybody in church here

is your brother, is your sister. Hallelujah.

Not by nationality, not by tribe, not by race,

not by field of study, not by level of degrees,

not by gender, not by age. All of us have become

one part of another. There's no Greek, the Bible

will say, and there's no Jew. There's no difference.

So when you see somebody from Nigeria, he's your

brother. He's your sister. Hallelujah. And that

must be the perception of the believer. That

must continuously be the mindset of the believer.

1 Timothy 3, verse 15. 1 Timothy 3, verse 15.

1 Timothy 3:15 1 Timothy 3:15

But if I'm delayed, I write so that you may know

how you ought to conduct yourself where? In the

house of God. So there's an expectation of how

believers will conduct themselves within the

community of believers, the house of God. Which

is what? Which is the church. of the living God.

The house of God is the church of the living

God, a pillar and a ground of truth. Ephesians

Ephesians 2:19

chapter 2, verse 19. Ephesians chapter 2, verse

Ephesians 2:19

19. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers

and foreigners. Talking about you, talking about

I, we are no longer foreigners. We are no longer

strangers to ourselves. But what are we? We are

fellow citizens, okay? We descend and members

together of what? Of the household of God. We

are fellow citizens. Doesn't matter the passport

you are carrying in the natural, whether you

are from Canada or you are from Nigeria. or you're

from Liberia, wherever you come from, what do

we have? We have one citizenship. And what is

the citizenship we have? A spiritual citizenship.

A supernatural family. And this family is an

eternal family. And God is our Father. Galatians

Galatians 6:10

6, verse 10. Therefore, as we have opportunity,

let us do what? Let us do good to all. Specifically,

that especially is specifically what I'm talking

about, those who are of what? Who are of the

household of faith. Who are those of the household

of faith? Our believers, our brothers and sisters

in Christ. Hallelujah. So we are siblings. We

are family members. So for you to tell someone

in church brother, brother is not a cliche. No,

don't call me brother. My name is Mark. Just

call me Mark. I'm not a brother. We've attached

the name brother to a certain form of stigma.

When they call you a sister, oh, you know, you've

become holy and righteous. She's a sister. See?

It's an honor to be called a brother. It's a

privilege to be called a sister. Whenever you

call somebody brother or sister, call it with

eternity in mind. Hallelujah. Call it in the

context of the knowledge you have concerning

what God has done. When you give, you know, you

go out to preach and somebody become born again.

immediately becomes one again. He's now a brother.

You call him, you're a brother, you're a brother.

You're my sister. You're part of my family. You're

part of my spiritual family. You're part of the

brotherhood. Hallelujah. So you're my brother,

you're my sister. We are siblings. And we have

an elder brother. And it's Jesus. Hallelujah.

Matthew 12, verse 48. When Jesus was teaching,

Matthew 12:48

and they came to him, they said, Your brothers

are looking for you. But he answered and said

to them, One who told him, Who is my mother and

who are my brothers? And he stretched out his

hands towards his disciples and said, Here are

my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the

will of my Father in heaven is what? Is my brother

and my sister and my mother. And what is the

will of the Father? The will of the Father is

that every man will believe in Jesus Christ.

And when you become a believer in Christ, you

become part of God's family. And Jesus and God

and the Spirit of God in unison will become part

of God's family. Hebrews 2 verse 11. Hebrews

Hebrews 2:11 Hebrews 2:11

2 verse 11. It says, for both he who sanctifies

and those who are sanctified, remove that din,

are all of one. All right? For both he who sanctifies

and those who are sanctified are all of one.

For which reason he is not ashamed to call them

what? Jesus is not ashamed to call you brother.

He's not ashamed to call you my family. So why

should you be ashamed of calling somebody in

church your brother or your sister? He's not

ashamed to call us brothers, brethren. Ephesians

Ephesians 3:14

3, verse 14 and 15. Ephesians 3, verse 14 and

Ephesians 3:14

15. For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ. From when the whole

family, where is that family? In heaven, and

earth is named. Who are those in heaven? The

saints, those who have slept in Christ, alright?

And we that are on earth, all right, that we

are named, verse 16, that he will grant you,

according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened

with might through the spirit in the inner man,

just trying to betray the family. All right?

So as members of God's family, we carry his divine

nature. We carry God's divine nature in us. So

when we begin to talk about walking in love,

it will be easier for us to understand. Why we

should walk in love, how we should walk in love,

and how we are empowered to walk in love. We

have God's divine nature in us. Are we together?

We have God's divine nature in us. We share in

the sacred nature of God. 2 Peter 1 verse 4 talks

2 Peter 1:4

about this. Of course, we read scripture that

talks about his spirit inbearing in us. Now that

spirit is God's nature in us. So whatever God

will do, you can do. Hallelujah. 2 Peter chapter

2 Peter 1:4

1 verse 4. Because you see, Peter said, how often

should I forgive my brother? Right? In fact,

let's look at the one before we come to this

one. Let's look at the one in Luke. In Luke chapter

Luke 17:1

17 verse 1. To give us context to that text,

Luke chapter 17 verse 1. Then he said to the

Luke 17:1

disciples, it is impossible that no offenses

should come. Alright? but war to him through

whom they do come. It should be better for him

if a milestone were hung around his neck and

he were thrown into the sea than he should offend

one of these little ones. Take it to yourselves.

This is Jesus speaking. If your brother sins

against you, do what? Rebuke him. Now, what is

rebuke? We must understand rebuke in this context.

We'll explain that subsequently. And if he repents,

what do you do? Forgive. Okay? Thinking about

your brother. All right? And if he sues against

you seven times in a day, because some of us,

our forgiveness has limits. It seems as though

our forgiveness, once someone do something once

and twice, and I say it's enough. Your cup has

full. And if he sins against you seven times,

where? In a day. Right? And seven times a day

he returns to you saying, I repent. You should

do what? You shall do what? You shall forgive.

It's not an advice. It's not a counsel. It's

not a plea. It's an instruction. Verse 5. And

the apostles said to the Lord, increase our faith

because they know what Jesus is saying. Amen?

No wonder it's an increase because this thing

can only be done by faith. Hallelujah. So for

us to be able to do what God has done, what God

is doing, right? We must be able to have a mechanism

in us that allows us to do what God is doing

or what God has done. So what he put in us is

his spirit to enable us to do what? to do what

he has done and what he's doing. 2 Peter, we

are about to read, 1 verse 4, talks about us.

Yes, it says, by which we have been given to

us. Is it a text? Previous verse? Previous verse

to read? So we have... Yes. No, not... This is

not... This is not the text I'm looking for.

Anyway, but give me 1 John 4, verse 8 and 16.

1 John 4:8

1 John 4, verse 8 and 16. It says, He who does

1 John 4:8

not love does not know God. What is God? God

is what? Is it loving? Verse 15. Go back. Verse

15. God is what? God. Sorry. Verse 7. Give me

verse 7. Beloved, let us love one another for

love is what? Is of God. And everyone who loves

is what? is born of God and knows God. Verse

8. He who does not love does not know God for

God is what? For God is love. Verse 16. And who

have known and believe the love that God has

for us. God is love. And he who abides in love

abides in what? In God. And God does what? God

in him. Hallelujah. So God our Father is love.

Therefore, we carry in us the nature of love.

Hallelujah. So when we begin to talk about how

we will forgive and reconcile, know already that

we have God working in us to will, to do and

to will according to. To do what he has desire

for us to do by his spirit. So it is him that

is working in us. So love is a nature and a culture

of this family. Okay? Love is what? Is our nature.

So love is my nature. And it is our culture.

It's our culture. It's a nature and also our

culture. What is a culture? Culture is what we

do. It's what we do always, not just do it once.

All right? It's what we do always. John 13, verse

John 13:34

34 and 35. And the commandment I give to you,

that you do what? That you love one another.

Is he talking about the world? No, he's talking

about believers, disciples here. By this, all

will know that you are my disciples, if you have

love for one another. 1 Peter 2, 17. 1 Peter

2 .17 Honor all people. Do what? Love the brethren.

Love the brotherhoods. Love the brotherhoods.

Hebrews 13 .1 Let brotherly love cease to exist.

Is that what he's saying? Let what? Broadly love.

Do what? Continue. This should be a memory verse

for you for this week. Let broadly love continue.

Four words. Let broadly love what? Continue.

It is our culture. It is our lifestyle to love.

First of all, we love one another. Hallelujah.

Because we have the nature of God in us, we must

love the members of our supernatural family.

Tell your neighbor, you must love me. Tell your

brother and your sister, say, you must love me.

Say, I must love you. Ephesians 5, verse 1 and

Ephesians 5:1

2. Ephesians 5, because we are children of God.

So therefore be imitators of God as their children.

So where are we learning our love from? From

God, right? And walk in love as Christ also has

loved us and given himself for us an offering

and a sacrifice to God. for a sweet -smelling,

sour aroma. Romans 12 verse 10. Romans 12 verse

Romans 12:10 Romans 12:10

10. Be kindly affectionate to one another with

what? With brotherly love. In honor, giving preference

one to another. Putting others first. Honoring

people. Honoring ourselves. Letting love find

expression. From among the family of God's people,

the church, the believers. 1 Peter 1 .22. 1 Peter

1 .22. Since you have purified your souls, how

did you purify your souls? By believing in Jesus

Christ, right? In obeying the truth through the

Spirit, in sincere love. of the brethren. Do

what? Love one another. How? Casually. Casually.

Fervently. Right? I think the apostle told us

about fervency. Right? In what? Eh? The fervent

spirit. Right? Fervency. Because he would love

for the brethren. That's what it means. Loving

one another fervently, not casually. With what?

With a pure heart. Because some of us, our love

towards one another is not pure. When somebody

says, I love you, it's not really that he loves

you. It's beyond what he's saying. It's not from

a pure heart. Hallelujah. So we must love one

another from a pure heart. From a pure heart.

1 John 3 verse 16 1 John 3 verse 16 Talking about

1 John 3:16 1 John 3:16

the love of God. By this we know love because

He laid down His life for us and we also us to

lay down our life for who? For the brethren,

for the brothers, for the sisters. 17. But whoever

has this world's goods, he's explaining how we

lay down our lives for one another, not by dying

physically. Probably to, it might lead us to

that. Who knows? But whoever has this world's

goods and sees his brother in need and shuts

up He's heard from him. How does the love of

God abide in him? It's a question, verse 18.

My little children, let us not love a word. In

words alone, but also in our action. Let our

action correspond with our words. So as you've

gone around and you've professed love one to

another, back your words with actions. Are we

together? Let your words be accompanied with

actions. Let's perform our love. Listen, love

without action is a wish. Amen? Because Jesus

did not just tell you, I love you. God did not

just say, I love you. But what did he do? He

demonstrated the love. Hallelujah. You, Cannot

love God. Amen? What will you give God? Eh? You

receive the love of God. Hallelujah. So we receive,

because love was, we see love in sacrifice. And

God has demonstrated this love by giving us Christ.

So we have to allow this love. flow through us

into the life of others. Not just in saying,

I love you, my brother, my sister, but it must

be seen in our actions, our conducts, our relationship

towards one another. That is why the Bible will

counsel you. If you want to marry, make sure

you marry from where? From your family. Hallelujah.

Because it's only this kind of marriage that

you can see the genuine love of God. 1 Peter

1 Peter 4:8

4 verse 8. 1 Peter 4 verse 8. And above all things,

1 Peter 4:8

you see, whenever you see love, you see this

sense of fervence. Alright? Above all things,

Have what? What kind of love? A fervent love

for one another. For love will do what? Will

cover a multitude of sins. Love will cover a

multitude of sins. 1 John chapter 4 verse 20.

1 John 4:20

1 John 4 verse 20. So loving one another becomes

1 John 4:20

a necessity. Loving your brothers and sisters

in Christ becomes something compulsory because

you have experienced the love of God. Therefore,

you must love one another. If someone says, I

love God and hate his brother, what is he? He's

a liar. So you cannot come to church and say,

see, I don't like Sister Christy, but our blood

do not. Which blood? Is it the blood Jesus shed

that does not match? Hallelujah. You know, I

don't have this connection. We don't connect.

You have to connect because you've been eternally

connected by the Spirit of God. The problem is

with you. You're not walking in love. You're

walking in the flesh. If someone says, I love

God and hate his brother, he is a liar. For he

who does not love... his brother whom he has

seen with his coro -coro eyes. How can he love

God whom he has not seen? How? Verse 21. And

this commandment we have from him, from God,

from Jesus, that he who loves God must. Hallelujah.

You must love your brother also. You must love

your brother also. Even if your brother is unlovable,

you must love your brother. Even if your brother

is loud, you must love your brother. Even if

your brother is too quiet. Even if he is as vibing

like Pastor Carson, you have no choice. Hallelujah.

Because we have come into union. And this union

is an eternal union by the Spirit of God. So

we have an obligation to do what? To love one

another. Even in offenses, we are coming to that,

we explain that text. We are laying a solid foundation

to bring us into explaining how we, us to forgive

and reconcile. So, in this family, in this relationship,

the supernatural relationship, amen? The supernatural

family, tell your brother, offenses will come.

Hallelujah. We saw that, right? Luke 17 verse

Luke 17:1

1. Offenses will what? Will come. What does it

mean? Conflict will come in the household of

God. In the spiritual family of God's people,

conflict will do what? Will come. Hallelujah.

So when there's conflict, what do you do? You

run away. When there's conflict, what do you

do? You change church. How many of you, your

mom has offended you and decided to change family?

Huh? Some people say they're all worse. Your

boss annoyed you, you didn't change the job.

Your lecturer offended you. You cannot even drop

the course. And the moment a brother does not

greet you well, you change church. Can you now

say that you are the one with the problem? Leave

the job now. Let's see what will you eat. Hallelujah.

You will show up the next morning even before

your boss. He rubbishes you. Abuse, you send

dirty emails, stupid. You show up again and say,

thank you, sir. Yes, sir. But little things in

church, because they didn't serve you well, and

you became offended. All these were hypocrites.

You are one of the hypocrites. Because you also

will offend people. So the Bible says that Yes,

he says to them, it is impossible, right? It

is impossible that no offenses should come. Which

means that offenses will definitely arise from

our relationship with one another. Listen, some

of the conflict will arise from even being what

is right. We only have differences in perspective.

All right? For example, Pastor Chidi will say,

this should be there and that one should be there.

You are thinking this one will be there. And

that one should be there. And then conflict has

come. I don't like the way you talk to me. Talk

to me as if I'm a child. Before you know it,

emotions have rised. And then words have been

said. Even the words are out of context. But

we give context to the words that were said.

We give meaning to what we think people are saying.

And then what happens? We rise in our hearts.

Alright? Offense. We see offenses rising in our

hearts. So in the family of God, so long as we

are in this world, offenses will come. Hallelujah.

So what do we do? We prepare ourselves for offenses.

Amen. We are empowered. We are waiting for offenses

to come. So disagreement will come. We are not

immune from disagreement and conflicts. There

are several examples in Scripture. We'll just

look at examples and then we continue within

the midweek. There are several examples you can

see in Scripture of people, of believers. Listen,

I'm not talking about baby Christians. Your apostles,

Apostle Paul, Galatians 2, verse 11 and 14. Not

Galatians 2:11

even in the book of Acts. Galatians 2, verse

Galatians 2:11–14

11 to 14. Now, when Peter had come to Antioch,

who are you speaking? Paul is the one speaking

here, right? Even though we've not heard Peter's

side of the story. But this is Paul speaking,

right? Now, when Peter had come to Antioch, what

did he say? I was touching to his face because

he was to be blamed. All right? For before setting

me, this is what Peter was doing. For before

certain men came from James, he would eat with

the Gentiles, right? But when they came, he withdrew

and separated himself, fearing those who were

of what? Who were of the circumcision. So it

seems as though Peter was not, he knew the truth,

but he was not, he was not trying to please people,

right? And Paul said, I withstood him, verse

14. Yes, verse 13. And the rest of the Jews also

played the hypocrite with him. So that even Barnabas

was carried away with their hypocrisy. Verse

14. But when I saw that they were not straightforward

about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter

before them all, if you, being a Jew, live in

the manner of Gentiles and not as Jews, why do

you compare Gentiles to live as Jews? Here's

his confrontation. And then we will look at how,

later on, Paul and Barnabas, I see Paul is very

confrontational. Paul and Barnabas, Acts 15 verse

Acts 15:36

36. Yes. Acts 15 verse 36. Then after some days,

Acts 15:36

Paul said to Barnabas, let us now go back and

visit our brethren in every, it's our ministry

partners. In every city where we have preached

the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.

All right? Verse 7. Now Barnabas was determined

to take with them John, call Mark, John Mark.

But Paul insisted that they should not take with

them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia

and had not gone with them to the walk. Why is

it that when we are doing the work, you run away?

So that when the things are done, You want to

come and partake in the glory. No, no, no, no,

no. And I mean, Paul is right. Are we together?

Peter is also right. If you look at it from different

contexts, both of them are right. But this is

disagreement. Hallelujah. Then the contention

became what? It became so sharp. To the point

that they parted from one another. Alright? And

so Barnabas, he assisted and then he took Mark.

Do you know why? Mark is related to Barnabas.

This family relationship. So they came to Cyprus

here. Okay? But Paul chose Silas and departed.

Being commended by what? Now, underline this,

the church, the brethren to the grace of God,

because the church was part of that conflict.

We'll discuss it subsequently. How the church

is important in dealing with offenses and conflicts

in the church. Hallelujah. Philippians 4 verse

Philippians 4:2

2 in the NLT. Philippians 4 verse 2. We're just

Philippians 4:2

looking at, pointing at examples of believers

who had conflict and issues. Philippians 4 verse

Philippians 4:2

2. Now I appear to you, dear, whatever the name

is, I don't know whether it's correct, and St.

Tiki, please, because you belong to Jesus Christ,

right? I beg, because you are believers, settle

your what? Your disagreement. Which means that

they have disagreement that Paul was aware of

their disagreement. And this is Paul's premise

for a context. The context is that they are believers.

They both belong to the Lord. For the fact that

you belong to the Lord, do what? Settle your

beef. Hallelujah. So, there are examples we can

see. We are not immune to having this disagreement

and conflict, right? But when we have disagreement

within ourselves, as family, what is our response?

Do we leave the family? Do we refuse to reconcile?

Do we forgive and yet not reconcile? Forgiveness

and reconciliation is a very important part of

our nature. Alright? And God has enumerated to

us a standard and a procedure by which we must

work, we must reconcile. Hallelujah. If your

brother sees against you, What do you do? You

don't go to your Facebook status to post about

the offense of your brother. You go and tell

him his fault between you and him alone. If he

hears you, you have won, you have gained your

brother. But if he will not hear, take with you

one or two more that by the mouth of two or three

witnesses, every word may be established. We're

going to look at... how this works. Are you the

one that has been offended? You go. Are you the

one that has offended someone? What is your response?

Are you the one or two that they will carry to

go and reconcile? Because some of you, when someone

comes and tells you that, see, Pastor Chidi,

what Pastor Victor did to me, then you completely

become on my own side. I win you over. Me telling

you so that you will be sympathetic towards my

cause. So even when we go to Pastor Victor, we

are going with full force of three people. To

do what? To win the argument. That is not how

you go to the consul, people. So either if you

are the offender, the offendee, or the offender,

or the two or three that is going to the consul,

there is a way. Bible teaches us how to do it

and we shall see it. Hallelujah. Off your mind

and bless God and bless God and thank God. Bless

God for your family, for your supernatural family.

And if there be anyone in your heart right now

that God is bringing to your notice by the Spirit,

someone that you've offended or someone that

has offended you, by the leading of God's Spirit,

You have to reconcile. Some of us, the people

that are not even here, they might even be your

family, in your country, in your school, in this

church, in this family. We appreciate you being

here today. We hope you carry this word with

you throughout your week. Don't forget to check

the show notes for additional insights. Stay

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this message with someone you care about. Until

next time, stay blessed.