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, verse 12, it says, But as many as received
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, verse 1 and 2. 1 John. Behold what
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
chapter 4 verse 4. Galatians 4, verse 4 to 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
14. Romans chapter 4, verse 14. For if those
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.
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
chapter 2, verse 19. Ephesians chapter 2, verse
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
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,
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
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
3, verse 14 and 15. Ephesians 3, verse 14 and
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
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
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
17 verse 1. To give us context to that text,
Luke chapter 17 verse 1. Then he said to the
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, verse 8 and 16. It says, He who does
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
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
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
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
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
4 verse 8. 1 Peter 4 verse 8. And above all things,
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 verse 20. So loving one another becomes
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
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
even in the book of Acts. Galatians 2, verse
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
36. Yes. Acts 15 verse 36. Then after some days,
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
2 in the NLT. Philippians 4 verse 2. We're just
looking at, pointing at examples of believers
who had conflict and issues. Philippians 4 verse
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.