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The Kingdom of Heaven is like... #7: The Mustard Seed & The Yeast

Matthew 13:31-33
Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
Parable of the Yeast
33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

  • When studying the parables of the mustard seed & yeast I've found that there are 2 different ways to interpret them.

  • Obviously when Jesus was telling these parables he had a particular point he was getting across about the Kingdom of Heaven. So I’m not sure both interpretations can be correct when we’re talking about Jesus’ original intent when he taught them.

  • But what's interesting is even though its unlikely both of them can be Jesus’ original intent, the conclusions both interpretations come to are biblically true.

  • Which I think is interesting, so I like to teach them alongside each other.

  • Whenever we come across a parable in order to understand it first you have to identify the key figures or pieces of the story and figure out what they’re representing. Once we know what they represent we can piece it together to find out what the parable is teaching.

Ezekiel 17:22-24
22 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take a branch from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain. 23 It will become a majestic cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter in the shade of its branches. 24 And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said!”

Psalms 91:1-2
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

  • Now let's get into the 2nd way to interpret these two parables.

  • I must warn you, for those who have never heard these parables taught differently than what we just went over, this is probably going to be pretty shocking, as this interpretation is very different from the previous and it's not as cheerful.

  • In light of that though let's remember two things as we go into this interpretation.

  • The first is what I said at the beginning of this message: the conclusions both interpretations come to are biblically true. And I’ll have supporting scripture to back that.

  • And second is what Jesus tells Peter in Matthew 16:18

    • 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

  • The takeaway to keep in mind from this passage is the last part. The powers of hell will never conquer the church.

  • Now does that mean it's always smooth sailing for the church? No. Satan has his days, even in the church. But Satan will never conquer the Church. The Kingdom of Heaven will persevere and eventually see victory over the enemy.

  • So again keep those two things in mind as we go into the 2nd way to interpret these parables.

Acts 20:28-30
28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

2 Corinthians 11:12-15
12 But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours.13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

  • Jesus’ own ministry had a Judas. Why should we expect ours to be any different?

  • Your job as the church in light of this truth about the Kingdom is to know the word. Know right from wrong, truth from lies so that when false teachers come you can identify it, and stand firm in truth. When Judas’s come to bring disunity you don't participate in it.

2 Peter 2:1-2
1 But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.

  • This leads nicely into the 2nd interpretation of the Parable of the Yeast…

Matthew 24:10-13
10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

  • Now lets take both interpretations of both parables and fuse them together to get a complete picture of what we learned today about what the Kingdom of Heaven is Like…

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Grace Bomb #3: Uncomfortable Prayers

Jesus LOADED (got in it with us)
John 1:1-3 / John 1:14
Hebrews 4:14-16

Jesus LISTENED (to the will of the Father)
Luke 22:42-44

Jesus LET'ER GO (on Calvary)
Isaiah 53:4-6

Uncomfortable Prayers: Compassion
Uncomfortable Prayers: Curiosity
Uncomfortable Prayers: Conversations

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Grace Bomb #1: Pop That Bubble

Believers Have a Bubble Problem

  • It’s not about the crowd, it’s about the ONE.

  • Jesus taught his followers to be DIFFERENT!

  • “There’s no growth in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the growth zone!”

    • Get comfortable in the growth zone…that’s following Jesus!

  • We gotta get better at learning names! Getting to know PEOPLE.

  • State of the American Church:

    • 80% stalled or in decline

    • 16% growth by addition

    • 4% growth by multiplication

  • What we need is good neighbor-loving-habits in everyday life.  We need to build trust outside these walls, in order to bring them in.

Ephesians 2:10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

We are grace built people

(so we...) grace bomb people

  • A Grace Bomb is one fun way to walk in good works. Leveraging the element of surprise and loving someone unexpectedly and implicating Jesus as the source of your kindness is Grace Bombing someone.

  • Random acts of kindness are not enough…we have to be able to link them back to Jesus, because HE IS who is motivating us to do these things, and serve our fellow man!

  • God’s love language is Obedience - and he calls us to this life of love over and over again.“If you love me, obey my commandments!” John 14:15

  • 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,

    “They share freely and give generously to the poor.

        Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

  • Colossians 1:10, “Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

  • Titus 2:14, “14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

  • Hebrews 13:16, “16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

  • 1 Peter 2:12, “12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

Matthew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Two Truths About Light:

  1. Light feels good

  2. Light reveals truth

How to use Grace Bombs: Load, Listen, Let'er Go

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The Kingdom of Heaven is like…#6: The Flow & The Fruit

Those who have ears to hear, let them hear. 

103,000 people in Adams County

Each represents a soul that needs Jesus. 

Everything we do has to be about eternity. 

Matthew 13 

The Flow & The Fruit of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Jesus appeared after his resurrection to about 500 people during a period of 40 days, but 120 were in the upper room to receive the Holy Spirit. 

Azusa Street Revival: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azusa_Street_Revival

7 Feasts: Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, (50 days after Passover) Feast of Weeks (Pentecost= 5x10), Harvest of Wheat, (4 month gap), Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement (Yom Kippor), Feast of Tabernacles (or booths) 

When the wind (the spirit of God) blows, you’ve gotta go with the flow (of the Holy Spirit). The weeds won’t bend down with the wind, the wheat will. Many of us won’t receive the Holy Spirit baptism because we aren’t willing to bend our will to the moving of the Holy Spirit.

One of the reasons so many of get tired so fast, because we refuse to bend to the will of the Lord and we try to do it in our own strength. The will of the Father is that NONE should be perish.

“Rushing of the wind” = The Greek word rushing, actually means to release a burden.

The fruit of the weed is so much different than the fruit of the wheat. God allows us to go through pressing moments because He knows they produce fruit in our lives!

As believers, we’re not guaranteed a life without storms, but we are guaranteed a life without storms WITHOUT PURPOSE.

Thinking gifts, speaking gifts, acting gifts.

The whole purpose of the Holy Spirit baptism is the harvest of souls.

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The Kingdom of heaven is like...#5: The Fishing Net

Matthew 13:47-52
Parable of the Fishing Net
47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. 48 When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. 49 That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, 50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 Do you understand all these things?”

“Yes,” they said, “we do.”

52 Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

Matthew 4:18-20
18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.

1 Peter 3:15
”…if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”

Find your passion to fish. And your part of the net.

Resources you can get started with:

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The Kingdom of Heaven is like...#4: The Vineyard Workers

Matthew 20:1-16
Parable of the Vineyard Workers

20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.

3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

HEART CHECK:

Is the landowner’s practice unfair or generous?

Luke 15:25-32
The Prodigal Son

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

Luke 23:39-43
39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Eternity with the Father is NOT based on:

  • works

  • time served

  • self-righteousness or perfection

Eternal life IS based on: JESUS

  • His grace, given by (through) Jesus Christ

  • —> which means, BELIEF in Jesus Christ is necessary

  • ———> which means, TRUE repentance is necessary. Not just sorry because you think it’s what He wants. But TRULY coming to the realization that sin is bad for me. God’s way is GOOD for me.

 Eric Sterner grew up at FVYouth, spending his time with people who surprised him with their kindness and generosity. He hadn’t experienced human kindness outside of the people of his own household, before coming to Freedom Valley Church, and so when he graduated the youth group, he continued on as a volunteer, and developed a passion for students finding Jesus and their place within His church.

Eric passed away 2 days before he got to travel with a missions team to the Los Angeles Dream Center. For months prior, he worked tirelessly to send all the youth students he could on that trip. Today, we honor his memory by sending as many kids to camps and retreats and missions trips as possible. This fund is used for that purpose.

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The Kingdom of Heaven is like...#3: The 10 Bridesmaids

Matthew 25:1-13

1. The Bridesmaids represent Israel here.  The professors of religion, His holy people set apart for a purpose.
In Jewish culture, 10 was the number of witnesses one would have to have for a synagogue, a circumcision, passover, marriage, etc…Boaz, when he married Ruth, had ten witnesses, Ruth 4:2…this was a common number required for official things. 

Israel should have been the shining example.  The oil carriers.  Instead they became an exclusive club, only looking out for themselves.

2. The Groom is the Messiah. Our Lord Jesus Christ; (he is represented this way also in the Psalms. 45:1-17, Song of Solomon; and often in the New Testament. It represents his love for, and covenant with his people. Israel was meant to be those people!

3. The Bride is His People, who is now the church. Throughout scripture the church is described as the beautiful bride of Jesus.  Jesus lays down his life for his bride, just as husbands are meant to lay down their lives for their wives, and wives submit everything to their husbands, just as the Church submits to Christ.  

Believers are now betrothed to (or engaged to) Christ (Hos. 2:19); but the solemnizing of the marriage is reserved for the great day, when the bride, the Lamb’s wife, will have made herself completely ready, Rev. 19:7, 9 – the wedding feast of the lamb. 

4. The Job - right now, we' are both the bride, and the bridesmaids.

We’re not only meant to be disciples, but discipleMAKERS too!
We’re not only the fish, we’re also the fishermen! 
We’re not only the Kingdom, we’re a kingdom of priests!!
We are to wait upon the bridegroom, and to wait for him in the meantime.  

Our chief concern should be to have lights in our hands, when Jesus returns or calls us home.

If the heart is the lamp, then grace is the oil.

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Stand In The Gap #6: Take Courage

Take Courage 

Intro: Here we have a story where Jesus did a miracle and helped someone else do a miracle… The story has a lot of significant details: after this… (after feeding 5000 men), Jesus insisted…, he went up into the hills to pray alone…

Matthew 14:22 Immediately after this, (feeding 5 thousand) Jesus insisted (??)  that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

  1. Hesitation make you see things that are not there.

    1. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

    2. Jesus is coming for you

    3. He has been praying… and praying for you!

      1. Rom 8:34  34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, (praying) pleading for us.

    4. Fear makes you hesitate, doubt yourself, believe that it won’t work out, 

    5. Some of us got stuck here, and stalled in what we fear

    6. Fear: being accepted, being unwanted, being gossiped about, being hurt, being laughed at, being ugly, being poor, being the parent of a deformed child, dying young, dying away from, 

    7. Fear causing the thing you are afraid of, to come toward you

  2. Take courage

    1. 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here”

    2. You can find these words about 7 times in the New Testament

    3. The King James Version says “ “be of good cheer”  (keep control of your emtions)

    4. Take Heart (some Bible translations say this).

    5. 365 times the Bible says “do not be afraid”

    6. But how does a person TAKE courage?

    7. You have choices in a fear filled situation: take fear, take trembling, take running away, or TAKE COURAGE

    8. When you can’t feel His presence, it says more about you than about Him!

    9. It says you have tuned out, focused on other things, turned him off in your heart

    10. His presence brings EVERYTHING!

    11. In His presence there is fullness of joy! (Psa 16:11)

    12. Ways to take courage: (use ALL your resources!)

      1. Acknowledge your fear. 

      2. Confront it. ...

      3. Use positive self-talk. ...

      4. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. ...

      5. Make being brave a habit. ...

      6. Practice mindfulness. ...

      7. Find a mentor. ...

      8. Embrace failure.

I. Places that take courage to be there: Saying you are sorry, being yourself, taking responsibility, keeping commitments, saying no, forgiving  

  1. Ask big

    1. 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

    2. COME?: water walking can’t be done! Right? Have you ever felt water to be solid?

    3. Could Peter have asked for anything larger?

    4. Satan tells you “play it safe”. Run Away, hesitate, 

    5. Have you ever walked on water? Challenge him to ask you!

    6. No PHD has ever walked on water. 

    7. No matter how much of God you have had: there is more

    8. New levels of joy/fulfillment/giftedness/understanding/wisdom

    9. Don’t JUST ask Him to heal, provide, restore, build. Ask Him to teach you something new!

Conclusions: 1.I have got terrifying things that I have to face… 

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Stand In The Gap #5: When The Church Prays

Acts 1:14

Acts 2:42

Acts 6:4

Acts 8:14-17

Acts 12:1-19

Ephesians 3:20

1. Prayer was intentional.

2. Prayer was IMPORTANT!

Prayer SHOULD BE intentional, because prayer IS important.

Mark 2:1-5

Church Prayer Points:

  1. Breakthrough

  2. Harvest

  3. __________


3 People Inside the Church:

  1. __

  2. __

  3. __


3 People To Come To Know Christ:

  1. __

  2. __

  3. __

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Stand In The Gap #4: The Plot

Matthew 26:1-5
Matthew 26:57-68

Who: The Leading Priests
Why: pride, envy, power

Matthew 26:14-16

Who: Judas
Why: greed, power

Matthew 27:11-26

Who: Pilate
Why: power

Matthew 27:27-31

Who: The Soldiers
Why: mockery, pride, to feel powerful

Matthew 26:26-28

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Stand In The Gap #2: Peace In The Storm with Seth Reichart

John 16:33 NIV

Jesus wants you to have Peace in the storm

Mark 4:35-41 (ESV)

Keeping your eyes on Jesus will give you peace in the storm

Matthew 14:22-33

Focusing on the storm will hijack your peace

Obedience to God will give you peace with God no matter what storm comes your way

1 Peter 3:20b-21
Matthew 24:14
Matthew 24:37-39

Rebellion in your heart will cause you to be swallowed up by the storms of life

Matthew 12:40

Following Jesus will result in you being sent into the storm

Acts 27: 21-26
Acts 27:31-32

Being in the boat with Jesus guarantees his peace and protection in the midst of the storm

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Stand In The Gap #1: The Wall of Righteousness

#1: The Wall of Righteousness

Ezekiel 22:23-31

1. The Wall of Righteousness

Proverbs 13:6
Ephesians 6:14
Psalm 37:39-40

How Righteousness Protects:

  • a. Shield Against Evil

  • b. Protection of the Heart

  • c. God's Approval

  • d. Spirtual Warfare

2. Someone to Stand in the Gap

Ezekiel 22:30
Exodus 32:9-14
Ephesians 6:10-18

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The Bait of Satan #6: Reconciliation

Forgiveness Isn't Always Enough

  • When people wound you, just like a physical wound if not tended to it can become infected, which leaves you bitter and hateful.

  • So how do we tend to ourselves when others wound us?

  • Well forgiveness obviously. Forgiveness is a healing agent to a wounded soul.

  • And this is where I started to realize, maybe forgiveness isn't always enough. I forgave those who wounded me but I was still hurting.

  • I was wounded by someone and this wound was deeper than forgiveness could heal.

  • So if forgiveness isn't enough then what is? What am I missing? What did God need me to do?

  • Psalms 35:11-14:

    • 11 Malicious witnesses testify against me. They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about. 12 They repay me evil for good. I am sick with despair. 13 Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them. I denied myself by fasting for them, but my prayers returned unanswered. 14 I was sad, as though they were my friends or family, as if I were grieving for my own mother.

  • Matthew 5:44 sums this Psalm up beautifully:

    • 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

Prayer Heals Wounds Forgiveness Cant

  • But in order for prayer to be effective in healing us we have to forgive first.

  • Read verse 14 in Psalms 35:

    • 14 I was sad, as though they were my friends or family, as if I were grieving for my own mother.

  • You have to pray for them as if they were your friends, as if they’re your family. I would challenge you and say pray for them as if you're praying for yourself!

  • And the only way you're gonna be able to do that is if you've forgiven them first.

  • Prayer heals deep wounds. If you've worked through forgiveness, but you're still struggling to move on from something that was done to you, you need to spend time in prayer for the one that wounded you.

  • Pray for them as if you were praying for yourself! With genuine prayers. And God will begin to heal you.

  • Now will you be healed in that moment? In that first prayer? I can't guarantee that. But I can guarantee if you’re obedient to what God asks you to do, praying for your enemies. He will begin to stitch you up. He will heal you and replace the hurt with a love for that person you wouldnt of thought possible.

  • If only it were that easy though. Pray for your enemies. No, you see the 6th session of the Bait of Satan isn't called, healing from wounds, pray for your enemies or anything like that. It's called reconciliation.

  • Reconciliation means: the restoration of friendly relations.

The Restoration of Friendly Relations

  • Romans 12:18 NIV

    • 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

  • Forgiveness isn't reconciliation. And neither is prayer.

  • Matthew 18:15

    • 15 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.

  • Verse 15 tells us GO! Go IN PERSON (when possible) to those who have wounded us and be reconciled.

  • When not possible a phone call isa better than nothing!

  • Pride keeps us from doing this at times.

  • We must humble ourselves and apologize!

  • You cannot reconcile a relationship without repentance. That's why we have to repent of our sins in order to be in right relationship with God even though forgiveness was settled at the cross.

  • Reconciliation isn’t going to happen if you go with a list of the things you’re sorry for while being defensive about what you’re not sorry for.

  • Humble yourself for the sake of peace!

  •  2 Corinthians gives us a more complete understanding of the necessity of reconciliation in the life of a believer.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

    • 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

  • God the father gave Jesus Christ his son the task of reconciling the world to himself! A task that we as Christians, little Christ’s, Christ's Ambassadors continue to this day through the message of the Gospel.

  • God has given us the task of continuing Jesus’ ministry to reconcile people back to himself.

  • So how can we claim to be christians whose task is to reconcile the world back to God when we aren't even willing to reconcile the relationships in our own lives?

  • You can't!

  • It is the deepest hypocrisy to claim to be in Christ while simultaneously denying his work of reconciliation to those around us.

  • If you’re a christian and you are not living in peace with everyone, where possible, as much as it depends on you, you are living a lie.

  • If you have an enemy in your life and I ask you “what have you done to live in peace with that person” and your answer isn't “I've done everything I possibly can” then you are living a lie. You're a hypocrite. Claiming to represent something you don't..

  • Now I want to put an asterisk here. The verse says “If Possible” meaning it isn't always possible. We will have enemies, people who refuse to be reconciled despite all our efforts.

  • But I would argue that this isn't a majority of the time. And I find that we far more often spend time rationalizing to ourselves that they're unwilling to reconcile with us because we're too proud, or too afraid to have an uncomfortable conversation.

  • Do not rationalize your way out of doing what God has called you to do.

  • Live at peace and Reconcile with people. As much as it depends on YOU.

This Week’s Challenge!

  • Those who made a forgiveness list week 3 of this series: I know Candace had you destroy them as a way to show symbolically that you’ve forgiven them.

  • But what is the thesis of this message? Forgiveness isn't always enough!

  • So this week recreate that list. But now that's your prayer and reconciliation list.

  • Begin praying for those on your list throughout the week and AS MUCH AS IT DEPENDS ON YOU Reconcile with them. If possible IN PERSON.

  • Told you this was gonna be challenging.

  • And for the rest of you, make a list of your enemies. Those you aren't living in peace with. And do the same thing. That's your prayer and reconciliation list.

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The Bait of Satan #5: The Poisonous Root

Anger is an emotion. Bitterness is a choice.

Hebrews 12:15b
Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.


Ephesians 4:26-27
26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

Foothold: “a secure position that can be used to advance, or a small area of control that can be expanded”

So how do we not let the sun go down on our anger?  We deal with it quickly. Don’t allow it to fester.  Don’t allow it to sink in.  Deal with it quickly, either using Matthew 18 to hold people accountable, or get back on the same page with them, or FORGIVE THEM.


Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

Any amount of sin comes between you and God.

Unforgiveness will torture you.

Mark 11:25-26
25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”


Matthew 6:14
14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Luke 6:37
37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.


Matthew 6:12 - the Lord’s prayer
and forgive us our sins,
    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

Radical forgiveness is impossible without Jesus.

An offended Christian is a Christian who has forgotten what they’ve been forgiven of!

Sometimes people will say, “I’ll forgive them when they apologize” ….. If Jesus would have waited until we said sorry to forgive us, he never would’ve gotten on that cross.

Hebrews 12:5b

How do I know if I’ve become bitter? Here are some things to think about:

  1. Is your baseline mood often angry, disappointed, or irritable?

    1. Think about the last 7 days…Have you…

    2. Sent an angry or frustrated email or left a similar voicemail?

    3. Got into a verbal conflict of any kind with anyone in your personal or professional life?

    4. Had a negative emotional reaction to a stranger you encountered while driving, at work, or running errands?

    5. Snapped at anyone in response to something they said or asked?

  2. Think about your closest relationships. Do you generally feel that others don’t fully understand you or appreciate all the things you do?

  3. Okay, now think about the concept of happiness…have you come to believe that it’s possible you may never feel truly happy?

  4. When you hear about that person being blessed, do you wonder how God could possibly bless them when they did such an ugly thing to you?

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The Bait of Satan #4: Vengeance is Mine

Romans 12:17-19

Proverbs 20:22

Deuteronomy 32:34-35

Proverbs 24:29

Vengeance is none of my business.

1 Peter 2:18-21

Mark 15:3-5

1 Peter 2:22-23

1 Peter 3:9

We return blessings for curses.

CHALLENGE: Gather some worship inspiration. A song, scripture, Bible hero, etc that inspires you to worship God and adjust your perspective, so you can more easily give over vengeance to Him.

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