Session 1 (The Christian, Conflict, and Working Towards Peace)

Amen. All right, so you already know me. Feel free, if anything I said elicited more questions, or you're like, well, Sean didn't ask me about this. Just talk to me during one of the breaks.

This first session, you have an outline in front of you. Let me just take you through what we're going to do. You see the three main sessions that we're going to have. They're going to link together quite a bit. After lunch, we're here through lunch, right? Good. After lunch, we're going to focus on forgiveness.

So this first session is looking to lay the groundwork for how a Christian ought to understand conflict, where it comes from, what it's supposed to be doing, and how to redemptively approach it.

The second session, we'll walk through what's the anatomy of conflict within our own hearts. How does it engage our souls? What are the risks embedded in it?

And then the third session, which we'll do after lunch, would be, now, how do I treat others I'm in conflict with? And what does it look like to extend forgiveness as someone who's received forgiveness?

Okay? There's going to be, there's many other things I could talk about. If we had, let's say, three days to do a conflict seminar, I think there'd be lots of practicals we could get to.

My desire is to apply principles, but to send you with principles that you can then fellowship over, and you can figure out what it looks like to work those into your own life.

And so when you think of conflict, I don't know what comes to mind for you. I've got a few examples here. I'll just share with you by way of introduction.

You've got two toddlers who are fighting over a toy. In my household, that doesn't happen anymore. It's more like two sisters fighting over whose hoodie that is.

You've married couple might fight over finances. Friends, and I put that in air quotes, on social media, take their fight to the comment section.

You ever seen one of those really redemptive, God-glorifying fights? People sniping at each other back and forth in the comment section.

You have neighbors who are fighting over the location of a fence.

You've got church members fighting over doctrine, or maybe more commonly, the color of the carpet.

You have co-workers who are fighting over politics. Politicians fighting over policy. Nations fighting over territory.

Conflict is everywhere, if we look at it. And it's not unique to our time.

It's actually one of the things that ties all of history together, is the fact that in every era, there's conflicts.

Much of the study of history is focusing on the wars, where national lines or worldviews were determined in a particular region.

We see conflict among the people of God throughout the Old and the New Testament.

So, we, in our contemporary struggle with conflict, where we have the difficulty is in maintaining peace.

And in our struggle to maintain peace, we're in, there's a lot of people in our company.

We're in good company when it comes to people who have been marked by conflict.

But being in the majority doesn't mean we're right.

It just means we're wrong with a lot of people.

Okay, we see that over and over again.

So, what I want to do today is I want to just look at the Christian's relationship to conflict.

What's the history of it?

What principles ought we derive out of scriptural teaching to shape our worldview of conflict?

And then some common places we get ensnared.

All of that will be this first session.

That's a lot to promise.

It's a lot to bite off.

But I think we can get it done.

Let's first into this for this first one.

And this will be the first thing there.

It's the history of conflict.

In the outlines, you can follow along.

You can take notes right in there.

You don't have to take notes at all.

But if I use any quotes, if I'm citing any scriptures, they're all going to be there for you as though we were having slides.

It's all right there in front of you.

All right, so let's look at the history of conflict.

We're not going to look at various wars or even various history over the years that Trinity has been around.

We're going to look at where conflict as a concept came from.

Where did it come from and how has it developed throughout human history?

So in the beginning, God created, and this will be by way of review, I know, but I want to lay this groundwork for you.

God created a perfect, peace-filled Eden.

Peace-filled.

We often think of sin-free, and that's true.

But it was full of shalom.

The Garden of Eden was full of peace.

There was perfect fellowship between God and man.

And because of that, and the because becomes important in this history of conflict,

because of that, there was perfect fellowship between Adam and Eve.

Perfect fellowship between man and woman.

Creation was complete.

God called it very good.

He was ruler over all.

His will was determinative.

His heart was for us.

Our hearts were inclined to him.

All of that becomes prescriptive on how we solve our conflicts down the road.

More on that later.

Genesis 3 happens.

Man's sin in the fall didn't only introduce death into the world.

It introduced enmity.

It introduced conflict and hostility.

Between who first?

Between man and God.

That's where the hostility was first created.

And because hostility was created there,

blame shifting started to happen between man and woman.

Between two creatures.

Man's rebellion sought to overthrow God's design,

attempting to be like him.

Adam and Eve wanted to be autonomous,

sovereign,

all-knowing.

They doubted the character and the goodness of God.

Believing he was keeping something good from them.

So right there,

in chapter 3,

we see the dangerous and inseparable pairing

of sin against God

and hostility between one another.

Where there's one,

there's the other.

So what happened

now that there's this hostility between man and God

and between man and man?

Well, just a chapter later,

we don't have any idea how many years this was later,

but a chapter later,

we've got the story of Cain and Abel.

You know the story.

It's man's will here was determinative.

Cain wanted what he wanted.

He was disgruntled and questioned the goodness of God,

clear enmity between him and God.

And so then Cain acted in that hostility

and murders his brother.

By the end of the chapter,

we're several generations later in Genesis 4,

there's not just conflict between two individuals,

but conflict between two peoples.

Okay, so now it's just spreading like wildfire.

Sin and hostility,

defiling humanity.

Okay, just go a few chapters later.

Genesis 6 to 9,

let me ask this question.

What if God said,

all right, you know what?

This isn't going as well as I hoped it would.

Let me just start over.

So he gets rid of all the hostility on earth,

except for eight people.

It's not long.

Like the first account of it in Scripture,

though I imagine they might have gotten a little grumpy on the ark,

the first account of it in Scripture

is as soon as they come off the ark,

there's hostility.

So even the reboot,

you know,

if something's stuck on one of your devices,

just start it over,

it's going to get fixed, right?

Just reboot your phone.

Even the reboot of humanity

didn't get rid of this hostility

because the problem of sin

between man and God

hadn't been dealt with.

And so there's going to be this hostility

between man and man.

And so we see it

throughout the rest of Genesis.

In the time of Abraham,

we see hostility.

Between Jacob and Esau,

we see hostility.

Joseph and his brothers,

we see hostility.

Sin expressed through deceit,

jealousy, conniving, rage,

all either fueled by

or resulting in conflict and hostility.

And guys,

we haven't left the first book of the Bible yet.

It's that big of an issue.

We see it between the Israelites

and the nations that surrounded her.

We see it in shocking form

in the book of Judges.

If God was ever going to send another flood,

if he was ever going to reboot it,

it probably would have been sometime

in the book of Judges.

What a dark, dark book that is.

Why is it so dark?

Because of how mankind is viewing God

and because of how they're viewing

and treating one another.

What they call right,

the inclinations of man's heart

being superior

in importance

to the inclinations of God's heart.

The book of Judges is a case study

in what it looks like for that to happen.

Whenever there is hostility

between God and man,

there's naturally

and consistently going to be conflict

between man and men.

All right, so it makes you wonder

if we haven't figured it out

since the time of Genesis,

is there any hope for us?

That would be a very sad thing

if I said no,

thanks for coming this morning.

Okay, there is hope here,

but that's the backdrop.

Okay, when you find people

are presented with a gospel

and they're like,

well, I'm happily married,

I've got a great job,

there's no need for the gospel.

They're missing the main point.

The main point is not

how we can manifest happiness.

Here, the main point

is being reconciled to God.

That's where we've got to start.

And then we'll find

we have the power

to reconcile

and live in peace with one another.

So in order to fix a leak,

I'm under the antidote to conflict now,

in order to fix a leak,

you can't just wish it away

or pretend it doesn't happen.

We had a very slow leak

that we didn't know about.

I mean, very slow.

Maybe a small drop a minute,

maybe a little longer.

But it was underneath our sink.

It went behind the counters,

came under our floors,

and the entire subfloor

in our kitchen and living room

was mold.

We found it when finally

the water started to creep up

into the basin under our sink.

So that one leak,

tiny though it is,

if it didn't get addressed,

the destruction that it...

We fixed the floor now.

Don't feel too bad for us.

We have a very nice floor now.

But just that one leak

that if it was in your sink,

you might even say,

ah, don't worry about it.

It can be so destructive

and corrosive.

So we can't wish away the leak.

We actually have to fix it.

If you don't know how to do it yourself,

you call a plumber.

We clearly don't know

how to fix sin ourselves.

And we can't wish

the effects of sin away.

We can't wish them away.

So what do we do?

We need a Savior.

We need somebody

who's going to come in

and address the need

between us and God

so that the need

between us and others

can be addressed.

And if there were only a scripture

that was like really specific

on this point,

that would be helpful.

Oh wait, Ephesians 2.

Listen to this.

Ephesians 1,

one of the glorious chapters

in all of scripture

that really paints

how the triune God,

each of those persons

active in our salvation

and making our salvation secure,

giving us an inheritance,

a guarantee of our inheritance.

Coming out of that,

we come into Ephesians 2.

Let's just start looking at 14.

For he himself,

this is talking about Jesus,

he himself is our peace

who has made us both one

and has broken down

in his flesh

the dividing wall

of hostility.

Now here,

who is he talking about?

He's referencing

the hostility

that's existed

between the Jews

and the Gentiles.

How they're no longer

two separate people,

but in Christ

they're united

into one person.

As we then apply that,

we realize

that this same grace

that is given

to unite those two peoples,

that same grace

is available to us

to unite us

to one another.

But how does he do it?

Let me pick up.

I cut myself off.

A broken,

has broken down

in his flesh

the dividing wall

of hostility

by abolishing

the law of commandments

expressed in ordinances.

Why?

that he might create

in himself

one new man

in place of the two,

so making peace.

Now listen to this last bit.

And might reconcile us

both to God

in one body

through the cross,

thereby killing

the hostility.

Now the work of Christ

to forgive sin

first and foremost

reconciles us

to God.

And it's the obvious

implication

from Paul,

so obvious

he states it,

that by reconciling

us to God,

he's killing

the hostility

that exists

between us.

So Christ

removed

this wall.

This wall

that pitted us

against one another,

that divided us,

and he makes us

one.

He reconciles us.

So rather than

our existence

being one of hostility,

or one of selfishness,

or one where we are

rivaling against

one another,

rather than that,

we are told in the

beginning here

that he

is

our peace.

When we'll

live with Christ

in a central way,

we know

not only peace

with God,

but we can realize

peace

with one

another.

one commentator

says this,

and the quote's

in front of you,

only where

Christ's death

for sin

is taken

with apostolic

seriousness

can the

reigns of divine

restoration

wash away

human hate,

sorry,

wash human hate

away,

and moisten

sin's seeds

of love.

The prospects

for real

and lasting

forgiveness

depend on

the grace

God grants

as the gospel

of his

reconciling

son is

proclaimed,

believed,

and applied.

Those two words

at the beginning

of the quote

I've never seen

before,

apostolic

seriousness,

but there's

a weight

given to them

that I think

is appropriate.

Only when we

not only take

the death

of Christ

seriously

for our

salvation,

but we take

it seriously

for our

living,

now we

realize the

far-reaching

implications

of it,

so long as

we are

proclaiming it

in our lives,

believing it

in our lives,

and applying

it in our

lives.

As each

party is

reconciled

to God,

we are

able to

reach

peace.

And let me

say that,

go one step

further.

If each

party in a

conflict is

a Christian,

then peace

must be the

outcome.

We're called

to it.

We'll get to

what happens

if it's with

a non-Christian,

we'll talk

about that

in a minute.

But each

of us

have a

claim on

our lives

to walk

in a manner

worthy of

the calling

to which

we're called,

which is

just two

chapters after

what I read

from Ephesians

earlier.

And so

one of those

implications,

how will

the world

know you

are a

Christian?

Jesus

says plainly,

by the

love we

have for

one another.

So it's

an implication.

So I

don't want

to say

this seminar

that we're

doing today

is somehow

going to be

like fairy

dust,

sprinkled on

a long

standing

conflict.

When you

walk out

of here,

just skip

and be

at peace

with one

another.

I'm not

saying that.

But what

I am

saying is

that the

rightly

shaped

Christian

heart

cannot

allow itself

to be

at peace

being at

war with

another

Christian.

We need

to do

all that

we can,

Romans 12,

18 says,

to be at

peace with

one another.

Okay?

So these

are the

far-reaching

implications of

the gospel.

And we

know it.

We know

that we

don't deserve

righteousness.

Jesus

didn't deserve

the wrath

of God.

I've got

Isaiah 53

here.

He was

pierced

for our

transgressions.

He was

crushed

for our

iniquities.

Upon him

was the

chastisement

that brought

us peace.

And with

his wounds

we are

healed.

I think

that's an

amazing

statement.

Upon him

was the

chastisement

that brought

us a lot

of things.

It brought

us eternal

life.

It brings

us joy.

It brings

us love.

But it

hits the

issue of

peace.

Now I'm

certain it's

talking here

about peace

between us

and God.

But by

implication the

New Testament

takes that

the next

step which

is what

Ephesians 2

does for

us.

It's in

because our

transgressions

were laid

on him and

his righteousness

is laid on

us.

Peace

between

Christians is

not only

possible it's

necessary.

effort is

not going to

solve the

hostility

problem.

Study.

Just reading

another book

or coming to

a seminar is

not going to

solve the

hostility

problem.

Avoiding

it is not

going to

solve it.

Just fighting

is not going

to solve it.

None of

these things

have any

power apart

from Christ.

So with

Christ of

course we

apply much

effort.

With Christ

of course we

study and

we pray and

we talk our

way through

these things.

But apart

from him

those things

cannot accomplish

the peace

and the

reconciliation

that God

is after.

So what

do we do

if you

accept that

as true?

What do

we do

when our

minds say

I should

be at

peace with

this

Christian?

But we're

not.

What do

we do with

remaining

conflict?

When it

all doesn't

just magically

go away?

Now listen,

the majority

of our

world does

not know

Christ.

And so

we can't

assume that

they're going

to be bending

the knee to

Christ as we

do and we're

going to be

able to

reconcile

with the

world.

They will

one glorious

day as

every knee

will bow

and every

tongue

will confess

but today

is not

that day

for the

whole world.

And so

for us

to live

at peace

with those

who don't

know Christ

we need

to be the

ones that

bring the

grace.

Perhaps

you've got

parents who

don't know

Christ or

a sibling

who doesn't

know Christ

and maybe

they just

don't understand

the choices

you're making

in your

life.

They don't

understand the

person you've

become since

you've been

born again.

and there

may be a

degree where

they kind

of stand

in judgment

or disapproval.

Peace with

those people

cannot depend

on them

bringing the

grace.

The Christian

needs to

bring the

grace to

that.

The long

suffering.

We have a

great example

of how God

deals with

those who

sin.

The lots

of words

that we

don't really

want to

take on

ourselves

but we're

glad he

does it.

Patience,

long

suffering,

overlooking,

blessing when

reviled.

But those

are held out

for us

then to

mirror those

attributes of

God for

those who

treat us

in the same

way.

Now these

things are

complicated.

What I've

just said

needs to be

carefully

walked through

in each

of those

relationships

you're

thinking about

right now.

I want to

explore what

it looks

like in

world

view or

heart level

on why

conflict

remains in

the Christian

life.

We'll look at

two ways we

struggle to

trust Christ.

Then we're

going to look

at three

calls that

God puts

on us.

And that

should take

us to the

end of our

first session.

First, we

love lesser

things above

greater things.

We have a

tendency to

love things

in

disproportion.

The things

we should

love at

the highest

level we

tend to

love lower.

And things

we should

maybe love

or maybe

shouldn't love

at all,

we love at

a higher

level.

And we

will always

follow that

which we

cherish.

Our words

and our

hearts

follow our

desires.

It's just a

truism.

All of human

history.

That's not a

result of

sin.

Adam and

Eve, before

the fall,

they were

following what

their hearts

desire.

It's just what

their hearts

were desiring

is what

God desires.

So their

desires were

in line with

the will of

God.

So there's

no problem

here that

our hearts

follow our

desires.

The problem

is in what

we desire.

When

things are

going great,

your life

is just

hitting it

on all

cylinders.

You're here

at a

conflict

seminar

hoping to

learn

something,

but you've

got nothing

in mind

where you

could possibly

apply this.

Those seasons

can be short

sometimes,

but they're

enjoyable when

they happen.

It's not

hard to

believe your

desires are

in line with

God's desires

when everything's

going great,

when there's

plenty of money

in the bank,

when there's

plenty of

friends on the

weekend,

it's not

hard.

The problem

comes when

we get

squeezed.

The problem

comes when

we're facing

trial,

when things

are not

working out

as we

hoped that

they would

work out.

That's when

we see our

true passions,

our real

desires.

They get

revealed in

hardship.

And James

dissects this

for us.

Look at

James 4,

1-4.

What's

going on

in the

human heart

when it

doesn't

get what

it wants?

Here's

what happens.

What causes

quarrels and

what causes

fights among

you?

Is it not

this, that

your passions

are at war

within you?

You desire

and do not

have, so you

murder.

You covet

and cannot

obtain, so you

fight and

quarrel.

You do not

have, even

when you

ask.

You do

not have

because you

do not

ask.

And you

ask and

do not

receive because

you ask

wrongly to

spend it on

your passions.

You

adulterous

people.

All right,

hang on,

James, hold

on there.

He tells us

kind of directly

that our

quarrels come

from our

desires.

And we're

here to

talk about

conflict in

the Christian

life, right?

So when

there's

conflict, even

if it's not

expressed, even

if it's something

you're harboring

against somebody,

what's at

work there is

our desires

are not at

work, are

not being

met.

They're at

war within

us.

All right, he

then labels

this whole

pattern of

giving into

those desires

and having

them be at

war within

us, he

labels it

you

adulterous

people.

Now, you

know, if you

open a radio

program that

way, maybe

you're going

to turn it

off or a

podcast, right?

That's a

harsh label, but

I want to

explore the

label a

little bit.

Why does

he use that

phrase?

Why did he

say, you

rebellious

people?

Or you

sinners?

When we

love in a

primary way,

what we

ought not

love in a

primary way,

we are

revealing we've

left our

first love.

Let me

give you an

example.

humanly

speaking, I'm

called to

love my

wife, Gina,

in a

primary way

in human

relationships.

In each of

the jobs that

I've had,

including my

current one,

I work with

a number of

women.

I'm also

called to

love them,

but not in

a primary

way.

if my

heart, I

still love

Gina, but

if my heart

loves them

in a

primary way,

you can see

why James

uses the

phrase, you

adulterous

people.

Is that

clear?

All right.

On the

grand scale,

we are

called to

love God

in a

primary way,

such that

his will is

what we do.

He says

that we do

it, that

ends it.

But if

we love

any number

of things,

let me use

the example

I just did.

If I love

Gina more

than God,

such that her

happiness matters

to me more

than pleasing

the Lord,

I've left

my first

love.

And I

am in

that moment

part of

an adulterous

people as

the bride of

Christ,

loving something

more than

its bridegroom.

Are you

with me?

That's the

language

James is

using here.

If you

are in

regular

conflict with

someone,

or many

someones,

let me ask

this.

Just pause

and ask

yourself,

what are

you loving

most?

What right

now is

rivaling for

the attention

of my heart?

what has

God not

given me

in this

moment

that I'm

willing to

sin to

get it?

When we

are willing

to sin

to get a

good thing,

what we're

revealing is

that good

thing is

functioning as

an idol

within us,

as an

adulterer or

adulteress within

us,

because we're

willing to

leave our

first love.

I'm going

to rebel

here so I

can get this

thing you

should have

given me.

And I've

used adultery

as an example

because that's

Paul's language.

I said Paul

again.

That's James'

language here.

But what

if the

thing you

want is

peace?

That's

been an

idol I've

had to

fight in

my life as

I've had a

number of

kids come

through teenage

years.

And it's

just so

obvious how

we could not

fight with

one another,

but there's

fighting happening.

What I

want, God

wants, but

he's not

giving it to

me right

now.

So my

temptation is

to get

what God

wants in

Rob's way

and Rob's

time.

Right?

And sure

enough, if I

just yell

louder than

any of the

other people,

keep in mind

I'm professionally

trained, you

know, I

can produce

some volume.

Right?

So if I

just yell,

that silence

is the house.

But there's

not an ounce

of peace that

comes out of

that.

It's just

silent,

conflict.

It's fear.

I'm getting

that result

that I want

God to

provide, but

it's not

done in

his way.

I've been

willing to

sin against

him to

get it.

These are

the desires

that creep

up in

our hearts

that we

are called

to take

to task.

We're going

to spend

much more

time on

James 4

in the

next session.

Okay, let's

move on to

the second

one.

We fail

to cultivate

grace-producing

gratitude.

gratitude.

When

conflict and

contention is

commonplace in

your life, I

can almost

guarantee there's

a shortage of

grace and

gratitude.

Because there's

no spirit

power for

you to

overlook an

offense, to

forbear under

mistreatment, to

suffer long with

someone's

weaknesses.

We cannot

project the

transferable

attributes of

God if we

are not

actively grateful

for the work

of God in

our lives.

I want to

suggest to

you that the

lack of

grace in our

relationships and

our attitudes is

a result of a

shortage of

grace-producing

gratitude in

our hearts.

We're thankful

for the love

of God.

We're thankful

for the blood

of Christ.

We're thankful

for the infilling

of the Spirit

and the promise

of salvation.

I trust every

one of you is

thankful for

your salvation.

But when we

are in conflict,

in the throes

of temptation,

if that gratitude

is not within

reach, if it's

not front of

mind, then we're

going to act out

of those passions

and desires of

our hearts rather

than out of the

gratitude we've

needed to

cultivate.

All along.

You can't just

summon gratitude

in a given

moment if you're

not regularly

cultivating it.

If you're sitting

on your couch and

you're like,

man, I could go

for an apple.

If you've not

gathered the

apples at the

store first to

be in your

refrigerator or on

your counter,

you can't just

summon the

existence of an

apple.

You have to

have gathered it

so that it's

there for you

when you need

it.

And it's the

same with

gratitude.

You can't in

a moment access

gratitude.

It has to be

cultivated and

gathered and at

your disposal, a

regular discipline

in your life.

love.

As we grow in

gratitude, as we

demonstrate more

and more faith in

the direction of

God and living his

way, what happens

is grace abounds in

our lives.

And it's there for

us to be able to

share with those who

need it.

We're going to spend

much more time on

gratitude in the

last session.

Okay?

Let's look at what

does it look like

here to be

gospel-centered

livers, people who

live with gospel-centered

lives when facing

conflict, when our

desires are not

met.

What are the calls

on our lives?

I've got three of

them here at the

end of this session.

Three foundational

calls.

Whatever the issues

you're going to

face, whatever

additional tools you

may need, these

foundational principles

or calls should be

at work.

Are things the

gospel calls us

to.

Let's look at the

first one.

We are called to

Christ-centered

living.

I've been alluding

to this all along,

that in order for

us to honor God in

the disagreements, we

have to be living

Christ-centered lives.

Paul spends in

Romans 11 chapters

expounding on the

substance of the

gospel.

In case you haven't

read it, it's the

first 11.

Chapters 1 through

11, he spends

expounding the

riches and the

depths and the

contours of the

gospel.

He entertains

objections to

those things, and

then he cites

claims of the

gospel throughout

those 11 chapters.

chapters.

When he turns to

apply those 11

chapters, he does

in the last four

chapters of Romans,

when he applies

them, did you ever

notice where he

first applies them?

It's our view of

the world.

Be transformed by

the renewing of

your mind.

Right?

And then the whole

rest of that chapter

is relationships.

how we deal with

other people.

The first half is

how we deal with

those that we're at

peace with.

How do we act

toward people?

And then the second

half, which we're

going to read here in

verses 14 through

21, is how we treat

people when we are

acted upon.

So 9 through 13 is

kind of proactive

Christian living,

gospel living, and

14 through 21 is

reactive gospel

living.

Look at what it

says.

This is when we are

acted upon.

Bless those who

persecute you.

It's the first thing

he says, guys.

It's the first thing

when he's talking

about reactive living

in the gospel is to

bless those who

persecute you.

Bless and do not

curse them.

rejoice with those

who rejoice.

So somebody's already

rejoicing.

We join them in

rejoicing.

Weep with those who

weep.

Live in harmony

with one another.

Do not be haughty,

but associate with

the lowly.

Never be wise in

your own sight.

Here's a toughie.

Repay no one evil

for evil, but give

thought to do what

is honorable in the

sight of all.

And I alluded to

this earlier.

If possible, so far

as it depends on

you, live peaceably

with all.

Beloved, never

avenge yourselves,

but leave it to the

wrath of God.

For it is written,

vengeance is mine,

I will repay,

says the Lord.

To the contrary,

if your enemy is

hungry, feed him.

If he's thirsty,

give him something

to drink.

For by so doing,

you will heap burning

coals on his head.

Do not be overcome

by evil, but overcome

evil with good.

Now, before we get

any further into this,

I want to call to

your attention.

That is precisely

how you've been

loved by God.

While we were yet

sinners,

Christ died for us.

While we were

enemies of him,

he loved us.

God so loved the

world he gave.

This is how,

so God, it's not

fair to ask me that.

He's asking us to

do nothing that he's

not done himself.

And then he's given

us his Holy Spirit

to empower and

enable us to go do

it.

Now, I don't know

the circumstances

going on in your

life.

I don't know what

issue or sin or

offense has stirred

within your soul

has happened to

you, and I don't

want to trivialize

it in any way.

Whatever it is,

and whatever else

I need to know

about it to give

good, sound-specific

guidance,

I believe I'm

standing on the

inspired Holy Word

of God when I

call you in

whatever that is

to walk in this

way.

Walk out this

Christ-centered

living.

Now, you may

say, Rob, I get

it, but how are we

supposed to do

that?

And I'd say,

though there's a

thousand ways to

answer that

question, they all

should reflect by

choosing to live

Christ-centered,

where Christ-centered

living is hardest.

We can't just be,

you know, Pilgrim's

Progress is a

wonderful illustration

of this.

We can't just be a

pilgrim with Christ

steadfast when the

path is easy.

We've got to

remain steadfast

when it's hard.

Now, there's no

get-out-of-obedience

free card here.

This happened to me

so I can disregard

what the Bible

calls me to do.

No, that's the

place you've got to

double down and

say, if I'm a

Christ follower,

I need to redouble

my efforts where

it's hardest.

Now, there may be

more to it than

that, as I hear

about your

situation.

There may be more

to it than that,

but I'm here to

tell you there's not

less to it than

that.

We can't reduce it

further.

We must face our

relational challenges

and our temptations

by unwaveringly

heeding God's call

to be Christ-centered.

One of the

implications of that

is the second

call on our lives.

We're called to be

peacemakers.

What's implied

within that Romans

12 passage that I

read is explicit

in Matthew 5,

where he says,

blessed are the

peacemakers.

And that takes

all of the wind

out of the sails

of conflict,

of people who

just thrive in

conflict.

It takes all the

wind out of the

sails of the

excuses we give

for remaining

in conflict.

Paul lifts the

hood on this

at the beginning

of Ephesians 4.

I quoted it earlier,

but let me read

the whole verse.

Ephesians 4,

1 through 3.

I therefore,

a prisoner of the

Lord,

urge you to walk

in a manner

worthy of the

calling to which

you've been called.

How?

With all humility

and gentleness,

with patience,

bearing with one

another in love,

eager to maintain

the unity of the

spirit in the bond

of peace.

Keep your eyes on

that for a minute.

You may often

know that verse

that gets quoted,

walk in a manner

worthy of the

calling, right?

But that's not a

vague phrase to

Paul.

He tells us exactly

how in the next

verse, and it's all

peacemaking.

It's all conflict

pointed.

It's all how we

live with one

another.

With all humility,

gentleness,

patience,

bearing with one

another, eager to

maintain unity.

There's just no

getting around this,

which is why I've

cited there, again,

I referenced it

earlier, that people

know we're Christians

because of the

really strange

amount of peace

among us.

By the strange

amount of love

that we have

in our midst.

I don't know if

you've ever heard

this.

I've heard this.

You know, Rob, I

don't believe what

you believe.

I think it's

closed-minded, but

I love the way

your kids love

one another.

Or I love, I

like coming to

your church.

I don't agree

with the teaching.

I've had people

say, I come for

the worship and

then I leave.

They don't like

the teaching, but

they like being

around God's

people.

And why is

that?

Because there's a,

worldly speaking,

there's a strange

amount of love and

peace there.

Because we're

all seeking to

live in a

Christ-centered

way, being

peacemakers with

one another, such

that conflict

amongst Christians

should be the

exception.

Because we labor

to maintain it.

Third and last,

we're called to

Christian ethics

and methods.

here's what I

mean by this.

Colossians 3, 17

says, whatever

you do in word

or deed, do

everything in the

name of the

Lord Jesus, giving

thanks to God

the Father through

him.

All right.

One of the most

difficult words is

when God says

everything.

He doesn't say

most things.

Do as much as

you can in the

name of Jesus.

He says, do

everything in the

name of the

Lord Jesus Christ.

And that would

have to include,