Loving Our God-Lover's Quarrel

February 12 2017  Scout Sunday “Loving Our God: Lover’s Quarrel” Deuteronomy 30.15-20 *Matthew 5.21-37 Pastor Hines

It is a wonderful thing to get along with one another. [slide # 1 animals hugging] We love living in peace and having harmony in our home. [slide#2 home] It is a beautiful thing. We want to live well and do what we can to keep the peace because as our Old Testament lesson tells us, our behavior has consequences. We are blessed with the good fruit of our labors when we do good, and we risk trouble all around when we neglect to do good.

Our gospel lesson reminds us of the Ten Commandments. The sixth commandment says “Do not kill.” But Jesus helps us to see that you can even kill someone when you are angry with them, [slide# 3 angry face] when you call them names or insult them or hate them. When we hate on those God has created, God is not pleased. When we pour out our anger like a volcano, insult, and ignore, we are in trouble with God. God calls us into the office, so to speak, and deals with us in a way that only God can.

Just like we may have disagreements [slide# 4 two boys] with our friends and people we do not like, we may have disagreements with God. Because we love God and God loves us, we can think of our disagreements with God as a lover’s quarrel. [slide # 5 couple quarreling ]

We want ice cream, [slide# 6 ice cream] but God urges us to eat the broccoli first. [slide # 7 broccoli]We want to relax in the sunshine, but God urges us to finish our work. We want to be with our friends and those who like us all the time, but God may need us to spend time with someone who’s not on that list. So, we may begin to argue with God in hopes that we can have our way.

Whether we are quarreling with one another or with God, it is important to learn to fight fair. [slide # 8 couple]

Fighting fair requires 5 things. # 1 we can fight fair when we understand that our emotions are very strong and can even get out of control. Emotions can be like fire, [slide #9 toes near fireplace] warming you one minute and burning you the next. [slide # 10 finger near candle] Fighting fair means being very, very careful. Being careless with our emotions is as risky as being careless with fire.

#2 fighting fair means putting our best foot forward.  When we fight it may be tempting to trash each other, [slide#11 trash can] to approach each other with our noses turned up or our backs turned on someone as if he or she is worthless. [slide # 12 backs turned] We may be too proud to act like we need someone. We may let our fear of not being loved control us instead of having faith that God is our ultimate source of love, instead of trusting that God leads us in the paths of righteousness so we can have peace.

#3 fighting fair means planning ahead, practicing to respond in Godly ways. We can roleplay [slide# 13 roleplay] and think with friends and family of a few ways that can work well when our anger is at the boiling point. We can make a note of those ways and write down a sentence prayer asking God to help us whenever a fight or even a disagreement breaks out. [slide# 14 prayer journal]

#4 fighting fair means listening kindly and gently so there is no doubt that everyone knows you care. Gentleness is listed in the bible as one of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. There is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, (or generosity) faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. [slide# 15 gentleness]

The only way we can be as gentle as Jesus is to have Jesus in our heart, and the only way to have Jesus in our heart is to stay in the light of his love by doing God’s will, by praying, reading the bible and being with Godly people in worship and fellowship. It takes supernatural power to be gentle and kind. [slide# 16 bear with flower]

Finally, #5 fighting fair means we give God and each other our best, then step aside and let God do the rest. [slide# 17 let go…] We can only do so much. We are only so strong. We are limited, by design. [slide # 18 baby hand in adult hand]

Maybe the hardest part of fighting fair is also the best part, [slide # 19 Snoopy dancing] knowing we cannot do it alone. We need God’s help and we need each other, [slide # 20 two lions] and that is by design. Amen. [Slide # 21 squirrel praising the Lord]