May 18, 2025
Repairing Broken Relationships
- Darrin Simpson
Sermon Notes
There are always 2 sides to a coin.
Friendships are always a work in progress.
Luke 6:27-36 NIV
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
To Love or Not Love?
Luke 6:32 NIV
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?
Luke 6:35a NIV
“…love your enemies…”
Jesus is calling us to love when it’s uncomfortable.
To Forgive or Not Forgive?
Colossians 3:13 NIV
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
We should be the first to forgive.
Jesus can relate to our betrayal and pain.
His cross is my cross.
Luke 9:23 NIV
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
Forgiveness is required.
Luke 6:35b NIV
“… do good to them and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.”
To be humble or prideful?
Jesus is teaching us to do good, even when it’s undeserved.
“For a long moment, we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then. But even so, I realized it was not my love. I had tried, and did not have the power. It was the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Corrie Ten Boom, The Hiding Place
Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.
Philippians 2:3 NIV
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
Matthew 7:3-5 NIV
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Remember – there are always 2 sides to a coin.
To Be Merciful or Seek Revenge?
Mercy is required to repair broken friendships.
Luke 6:36 NIV
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Mercy is withholding the judgment someone else deserves.
Matthew 18:21-22 NIV
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Jesus is calling us to give mercy instead of revenge.
The greatest friendships on the planet have wounds and battle scars.
Luke 6:35 NIV
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
Forgiveness brings freedom.