09062020 – Matthew 18. 15-20
Disputes are probably the most UNCOMFORTABLE of all social situations.
Whether private or public, disputes can define a person’s style: CONFRONTATION or AVOIDANCE? BLUNT HONESTY or FACE-SAVING LIES? “Fight for the right?” Or “Peace, at all costs?”
Grace under this “kind of fire” can be impossible at times…
SO, there was a church where the PASTOR and the PIANIST were not getting along…they were not seeing “eye-to-eye,” AT ALL!
As time went by, this began to SPILLOVER into the worship liturgy, itself.
The first week the preacher preached on “COMMITMENT” and how we ALL should DEDICATE ourselves to the SERVICE of God.
The pianist had the congregation RISE and sing an old country-gospel song: “I Shall Not Be Moved.” (Johnny Cash did it-check it out on YouTube.)
THE VERY NEXT WEEK the pastor gave what he thought was a “stellar meditation” on “TITHING.”
We all should “GLADLY GIVE” to the work of the Lord, he said, over and over again…
AGAIN, the pianist had everybody STAND UP and sing and old BAPTIST hymn, “Jesus Paid it All.”
The following week the pastor preached on “GOSSIPING” and how we should “all WATCH and hold OUR wagging TONGUES.”
The pianist played a ROUSING RENDITION of, “I Love to Tell the Story.”
With all this conflict, the pastor became very DISGUSTED and IRRITATED over the situation and the following Sunday told the congregation that he was CONSIDERING leaving.
The musician found another old – CAMP SONG, and pulled it out, as the congregation sang “Oh Why Not Tonight?”
The humor was lost on the preacher.
So, good to his word, the pastor did indeed resign and put in his notice.
The next week he informed the congregation that it was Jesus who LED him there and it was Jesus who was LEADING him away.
The keyboardist QUICKLY jumped up and ENTHUSIASTICALLY played the song, “WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.”
Just so you know, Matthew 18 provides the ground rules for RESOLVING conflicts among CHURCH members.
Yep, conflicts happen IN the church. Sometimes, too frequently. Drama is real, at least, for the moment.
Following Jesus IS NOT easy! We are not “cookie-cutter clones” of one another. We are different individuals from different backgrounds, and we DO NOT and WILL NOT always see eye-to-eye. And that is ok.
OPINIONS are going to differ. Good people DISAGREE. It happens routinely.
God forbid someone should decide to paint the FRONT DOORS of the church and they are “willing to donate the paint,” and do all the work, as long as they get to pick the color! Holy Hell is about to be unleashed!
Disagreements HAPPEN. They are ok.
You can SURVIVE disagreements. And NO, your LIFE or your salvation IS NOT dependent on this ONE incident.
We are a forgiven COMMUNITY. Forgiven PEOPLE. Forgiven INDIVIDUALS. And we must learn to forgive ONE ANOTHER from our hearts. That is the message. That is what we have been taught. That is what we need to do.
It is all about LISTENING and HEARING what “another person” has to say. It is HEARING THEM OUT. LISTENING TO THEM. UNDERSTANDING WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM.
Avoidance, shunning, distancing, ostracizing, banning, excommunicating, gossiping are not CHRIST-like activities, they are HURTFUL and anything but HELPFUL.
Christianity has a HISTORY of TRUTH-TELLING and FORGIVENESS. It is WHO we are. Christians literally AROUND THE WORLD are daily praying, “Forgive us OUR SINS, as we forgive those who sin against US.”
Here, we talk about reconciliation with God.
But today, our scriptures talk about reconciliation with ONE ANOTHER.
It is OK to DISAGREE.
JUST MAKE NICE, doing it.
And always FORGIVE one another from the HEART.
Amen.