A REWIND OF LAST

WEEK’S INTRODUCTORY

MESSAGE

WHY THIS MESSAGE

SERIES IS RELEVANT &

IMPORTANT FOR

ALL OF US

Reason 1:

We live our lives in the

context of relationships

Reason 2:

Our relationships impact

every other part of our lives.

PRINCIPLES THAT

UNDERGIRD THIS ENTIRE

MESSAGE SERIES

Principle 1:

We are all “hard wired” for

relationships

Principle 2:

Isolation & loneliness are

never God’s intention

Principle 3:

We cannot fulfill God’s

purposes on our own

Principle 4:

Therefore, we really do

need each other

ACCEPTING OTHERS

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

One of the deepest needs of the

human heart is to be accepted

and valued. Every human being

wants to be loved,

but there is an even deeper love,

a love of acceptance.

Every human being craves

to be accepted,

accepted for who one is,

not for what one has done

or achieved or merited.

(Peter Von Breeman)

ACCEPTANCE =

PROSLAMBAN

(GREEK)

To receive kindly or hospitably, to

welcome wholeheartedly,

to treat with kindness, to give

honor, respect and dignity

to another person

Always be humble and gentle.

Be patient and accept

each other with love.

(Ephesians 4:2 – New Life Version)

Be humble, and honor others

more than yourselves. Don’t be

interested only in your own life,

but care about the lives of others too. (Philippians 2:3-4 – Easy To Read Version)

Love others well, and don’t hide behind

a mask; love authentically . . . Live in

true devotion to one another,

accepting each other as family, be first

to honor others by putting them first.

(Romans 12:9-10 – Voice)

A man with a past

(Luke 19:1-10)

Don’t you realize that this is not the way

to live? Unjust people who don’t care

about God will not be joining in his

kingdom. Those who use and abuse

each other, use and abuse sex, use

and abuse the earth and everything in

it,

don’t qualify as citizens in God’s

kingdom. A number of you know from

experience what I’m talking about, for

not so long ago you were on that list.

Since then, you’ve been cleaned up

and given a fresh start by Jesus,

our Master, our Messiah, and by

our God present in us, the Spirit.

(1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – The Message)

Application:

We must accept each other

in spite of our past

A woman with some

huge problems

(John 4:4-42)

The power of sin within me

keeps sabotaging my best intentions,

I obviously need help! I realize I don’t

have what it takes. I can will it, but I

can’t do it. I decide to do good,

but I don’t do it;

I decide not to do bad, but then I do

anyway . . . Something has gone wrong

deep within me and gets the better of

me every time . . . I’ve tried everything

and nothing helps.

I’m at the end of my rope . . .

(Romans 7:17-24 – The Message)

Application:

We must accept each other

with our problems

A church with

different perspectives

(Romans 14)

Welcome with open arms fellow

believers who don’t see things the way

you do. And don’t jump all over them

every time they do or say something

you don’t agree with—

even when it seems that they are

strong on opinions but weak in the faith

department. Remember, they have their

own history to deal with. Treat them

gently.

(Romans 14:1 – The Message)

Application:

We must accept each other

even with different

perspectives

Accepting people does not mean

that we endorse their lifestyle or

support them in their sin, but it

means that we reach out to them

with love

right where they are and

know that showing love and

acceptance will encourage

them to change.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN

FOR OUR LIVES &

FOR OUR CHURCH?

Christ accepted you, so you

should accept each other,

which will bring glory to God.

(Romans 15:7 – New Century Version)

Luke 15:

A loving father,

a lost son,

an angry older brother

Acceptance Principle 1:

Because Jesus accepted

you,

you must accept others

Acceptance Principle 2:

God wants us to celebrate

others, not just tolerate them

Jesus doesn’t come for the

super-spiritual, but for the

wobbly and the weak-kneed who

know they don’t have

it all together

and who are not too proud to

accept the handout of amazing

grace. Something is radically

wrong when we reject a person

that Jesus has accepted.

If any church does not

understand that it consists of

sinful men and women - and

exists to reach other sinful men

and women -

It implicitly rejects

the gospel of grace.

(Brennan Manning)

Let’s Pray