Love Your Neighbor/Bully• Man’s tradition says “hate your enemy”

but this was not from God.

• Jesus says, “Love your enemies!”

• “Love thy neighbor as thyself” 8 X’s

Lev. 19:18; Mt. 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Lk. 10:27; Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; Jas.2:8

• “Love” Gk. agapao seeks the welfare of all! Love can be known only by the actions it prompts. (Vines pg. 381)

True Love Expressed…• In Christ giving Himself & dying for us!

Romans 5:8, 10; Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 4:19

• While others sin against us…

In order to love we must:– Give ourselves, put their well being 1st – Love everyone, that they shouldn’t perish– Love them first, so they can love you

back!

Ways We Can Show Love • Do not hate but rather LOVE people!

– We didn’t deserve God’s love, but it was offered anyway.

• Bless them that curse you!– We cursed God, He still blesses Mt. 5:45

• Do good to them that hate you!– Jesus did! offers eternal life Ac. 2:36-38

• Pray for them which despitefully use and persecute you! – Jesus did! Luke 23:34; Jn. 17:20-21

How Love Is Restored• Not easy.

– Proverbs 18:19 “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.”

• It IS Possible & Necessary.– Joseph forgave - Gen. 45:5-15– David forgave Saul – 1 Sam. 24:9-22– Paul forgave John Mark – Ac. 15:37-39;

2 Tim. 4:11 No Pain – No Gain

Ingredients For Restoring Love• There Must Be Repentance

– It’s a sin to be hateful 1 Jn.2:9;4:8,20-21• It violates God’s law (Rom. 13:8),

Christ’s example (Mt. 9:36), and the golden rule (Mt. 7:12).

– We must feel sorrow for the things we’ve done wrong (2 Cor. 7:10), includes making restitution (Mt. 3:8).

– Forgiveness/Love, not optional Mt. 6:14-15

• There Must Be Humility– CAN say to another, I was wrong, I’m sorry– Some were proud “puffed up” 1 Cor.4:6-19– Vaunt in 1 Cor. 13:4 means to talk

conceitedly, to boast so as to exalt oneself.• Love is not puffed up ! 1 Cor. 13:4

– Nothing good in pride but in humility.

Proverbs 16:18; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5-6

Ingredients For Restoring Love

• There Must Be Patience

• We’re to put up with the things we don’t like about others. Eph. 4:2 – Not to approve of sin – Romans 1:32

• Long-suffering/long-tempered (1 Cor. 13:4) is closely akin to Patience.

• This kind of love refuses to repay evil for evil. Romans 12:17; Prov. 10:12

Ingredients For Restoring Love

1. Look at yourself the way God looks at you.

– It easier to forgive when you remember how much you’ve been forgiven.

– If a person will not repent, we still need to stand ready to forgive anyway. God does!

– When we do, we’re Christ-like Mt. 5:45a, 48

The Steps I Should Take To Restore A Relationship

2. Go talk to the one who has offended you. Mt. 18:15-17

"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.'

The Steps I Should Take To Restore A Relationship

3. Assure yourself that you’re really not injured that much. 1 Cor. 13:5

Love… “does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil”

• Ask yourself, is this really worth being angry over? Have I misinterpreted their words or actions?

• Pearls are made by a grain of sand in an oyster

The Steps I Should Take To Restore A Relationship

4. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the other person.

• Christians need an understanding heart

Prov. 8:5; 1 Kings 3:9, 12; Hebrews 4:15

5. Honestly pray for the one who has wronged you.

Forgive me my debts as I forgive [insert name] his debts [trespasses]… Mt. 6:12, 14-15

The Steps I Should Take To Restore A Relationship

6. Look for some opportunity to help him.

• Cultivate the grace of mercifulness and compassion. Mt. 5:7; 18:33; Jas. 2:13

7. Really try to forget what was done to you! Phil. 3:13-14; Heb. 8:10-12

• We can’t afford to be garbage cans full of grudges. Mk.11:25-26; 1 Cor.14:20; Jas. 5:9

The Steps I Should Take To Restore A Relationship

8. Be determined to win the battle of the heart! 2 Cor. 10:4-6; Prov. 4:23

• Why? Matthew 15:18-20• Blessing is… Luke 21:19 -facing persecution

– Patience here means… steadfastness, constancy, endurance

In your patience possess ye your souls. KJV

In your patience ye shall win your souls. ASV

The Steps I Should Take To Restore A Relationship