Paul
Our God Saves
We'll See The Goodness Of The Lord
We Will Wait Upon The Lord
Your Love Never Fails
Thank You
Jon
Reasons to gossip
1. Superior
2. ???
3. ???
4. Control or power over
5. Jealousy
6. Boredom
Dangers of gossip
1. Words hurt as much as a punch / Gossip leaves holes and wounds in the heart
2. Gossip and rumors can be a form of exclusion
3. Gossip and rumors can destroy trust
4. True or not, private is private (just between you and another)
5. Believing rumors can lead to bad choices
6. It leads to exclusion / leaving people out /
John 17:20-23, Matthew 18:15-18
One desire that they may feel connected to each other and me
The mission of Jesus Christ
If we are connected to one another, the mission goes forward
The devil’s goal is to disconnect us
He plays on all these things
My words don’t just go into space
An isolated and disconnected person is going away from the call of Jesus
My disciples are going to show the world what my issue is all about
IF
Implies that there is a searching out that needs to happen
Before I open my mouth and make assumptions, you go to the source before you talk to anyone else
I heard you say this I just want to make sure I’m right
Matt18 – go and search it out
I think I heard this or I thought this person gave me a funny look
We love to exaggerate
2 church splits in 41 years of life
Gossip split the churches, not contemporary or music is too loud or anything else
Things get blown out of proportion
Things go sideways
Then we get isolated and disconnected
Mission of Jesus Christ suffers when we become isolated
There is always a chance that maybe a person didn’t get your email
Funny face? Maybe they had a bad day
Silence could mean a hard week and doesn’t feel like talking, not the cold shoulder
Seek it out – Are we ok? Can I pray for you?
Before we search it out make sure you realize that the mission of Jesus Christ is on the line
Galatians 5:15
Don’t cannibalize each other
This church will not go down for money reasons or anything else – just gossip
Do not bring other people into a situation
I’m not gossiping BUT or I hope I’m not gossiping BUT
Leave the but out
Don’t answer questions, point to the person
If there’s gossip going on in your circles, deflect it, don’t absorb it
It’s …
Galatians 6:1-2
Restore means to take a disconnected bone and put it back into place
I want to bring this to your attention
I want to put this dislocated bone back into place
Restore and not destroy
If you think you are better than that person
Be very careful lest you fall into that same trap
Is my purpose to squash this person
Husband/wife talk doesn’t count
We’re all a family
V. 15 if he listens to you, you have gained your brother
Jesus assumes that my followers will seek one another out
I need other people to come to me so that I can grow
I need others to tell me how to become more like Jesus
If I want to be more like Jesus I have to grow up
Proverbs 12:1, 15, 13:10, 15:10
Those who aren’t open to change will die
Followers of Christ are constantly growing
I see a community of followers of Jesus Christ who go to one another
15:32
You don’t really hate that person, you hate yourself
When was the last time you asked someone, “Do you see anything in my life that needs change?”
Can you help me? I want to be more like Christ
Matt 18:16
How many married couples in this room would benefit from a 3rd party?
Do not give up on your marriage
Do not isolate yourself from that person God has given to you
Tell the church
Small group, not Sunday service
Jesus chased the Gentiles and the tax collectors
Don’t treat them like dirt, pursue them
This church could potentially fail if we can’t keep our mouths shut
I hear a lot 3rd and 4th party information and it grieves me
Gossip is one of those overlooked sins
Romans 1:29-31
Paul doesn’t mince words – it’s on the top 10 list of sins
Word picture in his head
People let gossip slide
Piercing the heart
When you pull the words out they leave wounds
I pray that we may all be one, that others will embrace me because we are one
Let us seek one another out
Search your heart for people you need to talk to
Tonight may be a night for that, or maybe this week
Paul
Jon
Do you shut it down and walk away?
Do not participate – go talk to that person and get the truth
Not that we’ve heard it lets practice it