Sermon Tone Analysis

Community Holiness

“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?

Hypocrite!

First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

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FBCR is committed to building a Christian community that reflects God’s peace, holiness, and the power of the gospel in our lives.

As we stand in the light of the cross, we realize that bitterness, unforgiveness, division, broken

relationships, and unrepentant sin are not appropriate for the people whom God has reconciled to himself through the sacrifice of His only Son.

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,” ()

A Commitment to the Godly Resolution of Conflict

As always, we look to the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit for guidance on how we can respond to conflict in a way that will honor God, promote justice, reconcile

relationships, and preserve our witness for Christ.

As God gives us His wisdom and grace, we are committed to actively teaching and encouraging one another to live out the following principles of peacemaking and reconciliation:

Personal Peacemaking

Whenever we are faced with conflict, our primary goal will be to glorify God with our thoughts, words, and actions, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” .

We must try to get the “logs” out of our own eyes before focusing on what others might have done wrong.

“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?

Hypocrite!

First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

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Christians should be the hardest people in the world to offend.

We have every reason to overlook minor offenses.

“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”

“does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;” ()

We should refrain from all gossip, backbiting, and slander.

If we have a problem with someone, we should talk to them, not about them.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

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As Christians we should always strive to make “charitable judgments” toward one another by believing the best about each other until we have the facts that prove

otherwise.

[love]“bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

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If an offense is too serious to overlook, or if we think someone may have something against us, we should go to that person promptly to seek reconciliation.

“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.

First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

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““Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.

If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

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When we offer a word of correction to others, we should do so graciously and gently with the goal of serving and restoring them, rather than beating them down.

“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.”

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“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

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“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”

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When someone tries to correct us, we should ask God to help us resist prideful defensiveness and to welcome correction with humility.

“Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness.

And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it.

For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.”

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“He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.”

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When others repent, we should ask God to give us grace to forgive them as he has forgiven us.

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

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When we discuss or negotiate substantive issues, we should look out for others’ interests as well as our own.

“Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;” ()

Assisted Peacemaking

When two of us cannot resolve a conflict privately, we should seek the mediation of wise people in our church and listen humbly to their counsel (;

).

If our dispute is with a church leader, we should look to other leaders for assistance.

When informal mediation does not resolve a dispute, we should seek formal assistance from church leaders or people they appoint, and we will submit to their counsel and correction.

““Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.

If he hears you, 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.’

And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church.

But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

“Again I say to you that 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 the midst of them.””

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When we have a business or legal dispute with another Christian, we should make every reasonable effort to resolve the conflict within the body of Christ through

biblical mediation or arbitration, rather than going to civil court.

If the other party attends another church, our leaders should offer to cooperate with the leaders of that church to resolve the matter.

“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?

And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Do you not know that we shall judge angels?

How much more, things that pertain to this life?

If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge?

I say this to your shame.

Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?

But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!

Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another.

Why do you not rather accept wrong?

Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?

No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!”

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If a person coming to our church has an unresolved conflict with someone in his former church, we will require and assist him to make every reasonable effort to be reconciled to the other person before joining our church.

“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.

First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

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“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” ()

Above all, we pray that our responsibility to be peacemakers will bring praise to our Lord Jesus Christ and lead others to know His infinite love and peace.

A Commitment to Preserving Marriages

“So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.””

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God designed marriage to reflect the beauty and permanence of Christ’s loving relationship with his bride, the church (; ).

Therefore, He established marriage to be a life-long, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman ().

God also designed it to provide mutual companionship through life’s joys and difficulties, to create stability for raising and nurturing children, and to give strength and cohesiveness to society in general.

In our society, marriages fail under a wide range of circumstances.

Many people have gone through a divorce before having a relationship with Christ, and others have experienced divorce through no desire or decision of their own.

Still others have divorced because of their own wrongful choices, but they have since experienced the repentance and forgiveness offered through our Lord Jesus.

We want all of you to know that you are welcome in our church.

Because our church recognizes both the divine origin of marriage and the devastating effects of divorce, we are deeply committed to preserving marriages and preventing divorce.

Toward this end, we will devote a significant portion of our preaching and teaching ministry to strengthening marriages and families.

We require and provide thorough premarital counseling to ensure that couples enter into marriage advisedly and are well-prepared for its many challenges.

One of the reasons we require that members participate in a Home Group is to provide a context for fellowship and accountability in order to promote spiritual growth, love for God, and love for our spouses.

As relationships deepen within these groups, we expect husbands to spur each other on in loving and cherishing their wives and wives to encourage one another in respecting and loving their husbands.

FBCR’S pastors and Home Group leaders are committed to providing counsel and support to couples who face marital difficulties.