Responding to Being Wronged-Sermon

Kowloon International Baptist Church - Dr. James "Butch" Tanner's sermon titled "Responding to Being Wronged" 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 delivered on 11 August 2024. Please visit us at: www.hkkibc.org
Sermon Notes:
1 Corinthians 6:1-11
Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Emotions are hard to trust. They push us into places that are difficult to get out of and encourage us to say harmful things. Sometimes our feelings promote our selfish side and enforce the idea of our rights. When we are wronged, we are urged to dig in and stand our ground, fighting for our honor.
Some of the Corinthian Christians were following the normal cultural behavior of battling conflicts out in the civil courts. Personal grievances were opened for the world to see. Paul challenged that thinking. He reminded them of the biblical approach. Certainly, he would have pointed them back to the teaching of Jesus.
Let’s think about how we can apply this teaching to our lives.
1. I don’t need to trust my emotions when in a conflict.
Proverbs 15:18, 29:11, 2 Timothy 1:7, John 13:35
2. When I am in conflict, I need to define a cooldown period.
Ephesians 4:26-27, 1 Peter 4:8
3. Address the issue.
Matthew 18:15-17
A. Privately.
Matthew 5:21-26, Hebrews 12:15
B. With 2 or 3.
C. Before the church.
4. Entrust our future to God.
Proverbs 20:22, Romans 12:17-21, 15:13
5. When an issue is resolved (or not) - FORGIVE.
Matthew 18:21-22, 6:12-15, Ephesians 4:32