Family Values: Containing Conflict

Peace Lutheran ChurchSaginaw, MichiganJune 29-July1, 2013

Matthew 18

The Parable of the Lost Sheep…

If Your Brother Sins Against You15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen.....

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

JealousyWhat causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. James 4:1-2

The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Genesis 4:2-5

JudgmentDo not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “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? Matthew 7:1-5

Juxtaposition

Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.

39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. Acts 15:37-40

THREE TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS-John Gottman, Psychologist

CONFLICT AVOIDERS

VOLATILE ARGUERS

VALIDATORS

Validators

AvoidersVolatile Arguers

Resolving Conflict Biblically

GOSPEL OF PEACE

The Gospel of Peace Mirrored Through Peacemaking

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and 

live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us 

as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God”  Eph. 5:1.

Four “G’s”

1.Glorify God.2.Get the log out of

your own eye.3.Gently restore.

4.Go and be reconciled.

4 Promises of Peacemaking

1. "I will not dwell on this incident.”

2. "I will not bring up this incident again and use it against you.“

3. "I will not talk to others about this incident.“

4. "I will not let this incident stand between us or hinder our personal relationship

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