Summary of the Sermon
This week’s sermon, part of the “Words of Wisdom” series, focuses on conflict resolution and relationships, drawing from Proverbs and other biblical texts. Pastor Jim’s sermon begins by acknowledging the lack of peace and unity in the world and emphasizes the need for Christians to be agents of change, bringing about unity and peace through Jesus’ love.
The primary scripture for this sermon is 1 Peter 3:8-11, which calls for unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. It advises against repaying evil for evil and encourages blessing others to obtain a blessing. The sermon underscores the importance of seeking peace and pursuing it in all our relationships, especially when it pertains to conflict resolution.
Jim’s uses the classic movie “The Lord of the Rings” to illustrate how even the best relationships can become strained due to conflict. He emphasizes that conflict is inevitable in an imperfect world because people are imperfect, but how we respond to it makes all the difference. His sermon outlines several sources of conflict, including pride, anger, gossip, and slander, and offers six steps for conflict resolution in a biblical and healthy way:
- Decide to Love: Love covers all offenses and is the foundation for resolving conflict. This love is not about pretending to like someone but about acting in their best interest, as Jesus did for us.
- Forgive Offenses: Forgiveness is essential for conflict resolution. It involves acknowledging the offense and choosing not to hold onto it, thereby preventing bitterness.
- Be Open to Receive Correction: Accepting correction is crucial for personal growth and resolving conflict. It involves being willing to listen and learn from others.
- Admit Your Role: Acknowledging one’s own faults and contributions to the disagreement is essential for conflict resolution. Concealing sins only hinders God’s blessings.
- Keep Your Anger in Check: Anger can escalate conflicts and lead to more sin. It’s important to control anger and not let it fester.
- Correct Carefully: When offering correction, do so with grace and self-evaluation. Ensure that the correction is balanced with love and understanding.
Jim’s message concluded by emphasizing that love is the key to resolving conflicts and following the teachings of Jesus. He encourages all Christians to be agents of change by loving others and sharing Jesus’ love, thereby transforming the world one life at a time.
Bible Study Guide
Introduction
This Bible study guide will take you deeper into the themes of conflict resolution and relationships as discussed in this week’s sermon. We will explore key biblical texts and practical applications to help you live out these principles in your daily life and be a good example for others.
Opening Prayer
Begin your study with a prayer, asking God to open your heart and mind to His wisdom and guidance so that you may become better at conflict resolution.
Key Scripture: 1 Peter 3:8-11
“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For ‘Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.'”
Discussion Questions
- Unity and Sympathy: What does it mean to have unity of mind and sympathy in your relationships? How can you cultivate these qualities in your interactions with others?
- Brotherly Love and a Tender Heart: How can you demonstrate brotherly love and a tender heart in your daily life? Think of specific examples.
- Humble Mind: Why is humility important in resolving conflict? How can you practice humility in your relationships?
- Blessing Others: What are some practical ways you can bless those who have wronged you? How does this align with Jesus’ teachings?
Discussion Questions for Conflict Resolution
Earlier, we listed 6 steps for conflict resolution. Let’s break those down and read the scriptures they are based on and look at some questions to ask yourself or discuss with others.
- Decide to Love
- Scripture: Proverbs 10:12 – “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.”
- Discussion: How can you make the decision to love in the midst of conflict? What does it mean to act in the best interest of the other person?
- Forgive Offenses
- Scripture: Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
- Discussion: Why is forgiveness essential for resolving conflict? Share a time when forgiveness helped heal a relationship.
- Be Open to Receive Correction
- Scripture: Proverbs 27:5-6 – “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.”
- Discussion: How can you be more open to receiving correction? Why is it important to have people in your life who can speak truth to you?
- Admit Your Role
- Scripture: Proverbs 28:13 – “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
- Discussion: Why is it important to consider your role in a conflict? How can confession and repentance lead to healing and conflict resolution?
- Keep Your Anger in Check
- Scripture: Ephesians 4:26-27 – “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
- Discussion: Have you ever lost your temper and regretted what you said? What strategies can you use to prevent anger from escalating in the future?
- Correct Carefully
- Scripture: Matthew 7:3-5 – “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? … First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
- Discussion: How can you offer correction in a loving and constructive manner? Why is self-evaluation so important before correcting others?
Personal Application
- Personal Reflection: Spend some time reflecting on a recent conflict you experienced. How did you handle it? What could you have done differently based on the principles discussed in the sermon?
- Action Plan: Identify one relationship in your life that could benefit from these conflict resolution steps. Create a plan to apply these principles and pray for God’s guidance and wisdom. Then, do something about it.
- Accountability: Share your action plan with a trusted friend or mentor who can hold you accountable and provide support and encouragement as you work on conflict resolution.
Closing Prayer
Father, life can be full of conflict and you’ve shown us the right way to handle disagreements. You’ve called us to be peacemakers and to get along with each other. Please help us to apply your teachings in our relationships at home, school, work, church, and everywhere. Thank you for your Son who showed us the way. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Remember…
Conflict is an inevitable part of life, but as followers of Jesus, we can handle it with love, forgiveness, and humility. By applying the wisdom from Proverbs and other biblical texts, we can approach conflict resolution in a way that honors God and strengthens our relationships. Let’s commit to being agents of change, bringing unity and peace through the love of Christ.
Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes invites you to join us in this Sunday. Together, we can experience God’s Grace and share the love of Jesus with those around us.
