Различни нива на конфликта

Различни нива на конфликта

Introduction

• We like to think about the church as a happy place.  Often we have a too idealized understanding of the church.
• Everyone loves each other. 
• People are always wonderful.
• People always react to each other correctly.
• I want a New Testament church (meaning they want a church that grows), but a careful look at scripture shows us what was really in the NT church.
• Acts 5: Ananias and Saphira
• Paul and Barnabas argue
• Paul and Peter have disagreements
• In Corinth: moral problems, jealousy, factions, pride, theological differences, etc.
• So, is the church just like any other group of people in Svishtov?  No, but it is important to know who we are.  How are we different?
• The Bible uses two words to describe us who have accepted Jesus.
• Justified: at once
• Sanctified: process
• We are all people in process.  The difference is that the Holy Spirit is working in us, AND we are working in each other.   

Гювеч

• Often as believers we want to grow spiritually, we want to be different than we were before we came to church, but it feels like we are unable. 
• Like when guests unexpectedly come over and all you have in the fridge is a little salami, a few eggs, some cheese, and a few tomatoes.  What do you do?  You make Guvech.
• Life is often like Guvech.  It feels like we don’t have the resources to make something good out of our lives (not enough time, money, or understanding), but God can make something wonderful out of our lives.
• We have all the ingredients, but like Guvech, they have to be cooked slowly and have just the right spices added at the right time.
• This summer we are going to make Guvech.  Handout.

Conflict

• We have talked that there is conflict in the church.  The problem is that we often deal with conflict only on a surface level.  Yet we must trace problems to their root causes. Like a weed.
• Surface Problems.  They are visible actions.
• Surface Causes. Attitudes.
• Root Problems. Hebrews 12:14-17. 
• Bitterness. 
• Immorality.  Why Esau? Immorality is not only sex, drugs, R&R, but that we live for the moment.  It is immoral because we live for our own pleasures and not for God’s.
• James 4:1-3.  Temporal Values.
• Root Cause. Romans 12:1-2.  How do we renew our minds?
• There are four corners to your spiritual house
• Bible study
• Prayer
• Healthy Relationships
• Service
• Task for this week. 
• 1. Consider the conflicts in your life.  Have you allowed Bitterness to enter your spiritual house?  How about moral impurity?  Perhaps many of your conflicts are a direct result of a temporal values system that you have.
• 2. Start getting into the Word, Prayer, Establish healthy relationships, and start finding a place and way that you can serve God.