A father sits down across from his son, who has been lying to the whole family for months, and begins the hardest conversation of his life, not to shame him, but to win him back. That scene opens a reflection on Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 18) about what to do when someone wrongs us and where to find the strength to forgive, even seventy times seven. The sermon shows that the goal of confrontation is never to win the argument but to win back the person, and that forgiveness, though costly, costs far less than withholding it. Listen in, including the speaker’s deeply personal story of reconciliation with his own father.
Confrontation and Forgiveness
Jesus the Way: Through Conflict
Our world is torn by conflicts. We have little influence over those of an international or political nature. However, each of us has an impact on relationships in our immediate surroundings, and even that world is not free from anger, disputes, arguments, and hurt feelings.
As we listen to Jesus’ teachings, we will try to discover what it means that Christ is the Way through conflict. We will reflect on how following Jesus affects the way we deal with anger, resolve misunderstandings, and treat those who hurt us.
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9 sermons
