ADVICE FOR LIFE (series)
RELATIONSHIP ADVICE
MATTHEW 5
THE FIRST RECORDED BROKEN
RELATIONSHIP ON EARTH:
GOD AND MAN BECAME SEPARATED
BECAUSE OF MAN’S SIN
“…therefore the LORD sent him (man) out of the
Garden of Eden to cultivate the ground…So He
drove the man out.” Gen. 3:23,24
THE SECOND RECORDED BROKEN
RELATIONSHIP ON EARTH:
CAIN HATED HIS BROTHER, ABEL
“And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your
brother?” And Cain said, “I do not know. Am I my
brother’s keeper?” And the LORD said, “What have
you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is
crying to me from the ground, which has opened up
its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your
own hand. When you cultivate the ground, it will
no longer respond to you.” Gen. 4:9-12
Lamech said –
“Listen to my voice, for I have killed a man for
wounding me and a boy for striking me…”
Gen. 4:23
God said to Noah,
“The end of all flesh has come before me; for
the earth is filled with violence because of them
and I am about to destroy them with the earth.”
Gen. 6:13
Lesson 1 about relationships
God expects us to be our brother’s keeper!
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Lesson 2 about relationships
God holds us responsible and accountable for
the devaluing of life and treating others as
though they had no value.
“Your brother’s blood cries to me from the
ground.”
Lesson 3 about relationships
God with-holds his blessing from us when we
are responsible for a broken relationship.
“When you cultivate the ground it will no longer
respond to you…” Gen. 4:12
Lesson 4 about relationships
Broken relationships can dull our sensitivity to
the value of life and can cause one to boast
about his shame.
“Listen to my voice, for I have killed a man
for wounding me.” Gen. 4:23
Lesson 5 about relationships
In a world filled with brokenness and
violence, it is possible for us to be people of
grace.
“But Noah found grace in the sight of the
Lord” Gen. 6:8
Advice from Jesus
#1 Resolving a broken relationship is more
important than going through the act of worship –
pretending that everything is OK.
“Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and
there remember that your brother has something
against you, leave your gift there before the altar
and go your way. First, be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and bring your gift.”
Matt. 5:23,24
ADVICE FROM JESUS
2. The Old Testament Law was not meant so much
to be Permission for revenge, but rather
Protection from unbridled revenge.
“You have heard it said, ‘An eye for an eye and a
tooth for a tooth…” Mtt. 5:38
“…you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for
tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn,
wound for wound, stripe for stripe..” Ex. 21:23-25
ADVICE FROM JESUS
3. Do not respond to the sin of others against you
with revenge, but rather respond to them with
reward.
“ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But
whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the
other to him also. If anyone…takes your coat away,
give him your shirt also. If anyone compels you to
go a mile with him, go with him two…” Mtt. 5:3941
ADVICE FROM JESUS
4. Demonstrate love to your enemies (not just your
neighbor) because that is how God has
responded to each one of us.
“You have heard that it was said, “Love your
neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you,
love your enemies, do good to those who hate you
and pray for those who spitefully use you and
persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father
in heaven…” Mtt. 5:43-45
TRUTH TO LIVE BY
The human heart has a natural respond to
evil that is done to us and that response is
always revenge.(the spirit of Cain)
TRUTH TO LIVE BY
We all face difficult people who hurt us in a
multitude of ways – therefore we need to be
prepared ahead of time for the kind of response
we are to give.
TRUTH TO LIVE BY
Responding to evil with good (the way Jesus
taught) will always do three things:
1. It will leave vengeance and just to God
who knows how to do it perfectly
2. It makes the guilty one more guilty
3. It allows good to triumph over evil
TRUTH TO LIVE BY
The only way to live with and respond to
difficult people and to respond to evil with
good, is to possess God’s power within us
because such a response is supernatural – not
natural.