Jun. 07, 2026

What do you actually do when someone wrongs you — especially someone in your own church family? In a world where grudges feel justified and silence feels safer —real Christian community is built not on avoiding conflict, but on the courageous, humble choice to speak truth and forgive freely, just as we have been forgiven.

Pastor Dave's sermon begins at 16:56 min into the video. The music “Praise Him Praise Him", " Let Forgiveness Flow", " His Mercy Is More", “Behold Our God”, and “At The Cross” are licensed under CCLI Copyright #2723035 and Streaming Media #22024223 licenses.

Pastor Dave continued the "One Anothers" series this week, drawing from Colossians 3:9, Ephesians 4:25, and Matthew 18:15–17. The message focused on two tightly linked One Anothers: speak truthfully to one another, and forgive one another. At the heart of both was a practical challenge every believer faces: when someone wrongs you, what does a follower of Jesus actually do?

Two Kinds of Offenses - Pastor Dave opened with a moment of honest self-assessment: "I said to Pastor Lance this morning — I'm an opportunity for people to practice long suffering." And he asked, isn't that true of all of us? He drew a clear distinction between two categories of offense. Minor offenses — small irritants, quirks, and personality clashes — are those we need to absorb, release, and extend grace toward. He illustrated it warmly with the example of the last peanut butter cookie at the fellowship table, then added with a grin: "Now, if you steal the last peanut butter cookie every single time — now we'll have a conversation. That's a pattern." Serious offenses are different — those wrongful, harmful, deliberately sinful actions toward one another. The Scripture doesn't say to just forbear those things. It says address them.

Speak Truth - The first step in addressing a serious offense, Pastor Dave said, is speaking truth — beginning with yourself. "Be honest with yourself about why you're upset. If I can just stop for a moment and say, why is this bothering me? Then I can address it a lot easier." Then speak truth to the other person: honestly and directly, without misleading, without going around them, and without rehearsing the grievance to five others first.

The Matthew 18 Pattern - Jesus gives a clear blueprint in Matthew 18:15–17: go to the person privately first; if they won't hear you, bring one or two witnesses; if still unresolved, involve church leadership. Pastor Dave was direct: "If you're not willing to go and talk to them about it, then you need to be able to let it go." He also noted that many people don't even realize how much they've hurt someone — they're simply unaware. Keeping things private protects both parties and gives the relationship its best chance.

Forgive as Christ Forgave - The closing section was the most personal. Pastor Dave shared the story of a man who erupted at him years ago at a men's breakfast, and for years afterward — whether in a grocery store or a parking lot — responded to every peace offering with profanity and what Pastor Dave called "the California howdy," a one-finger wave. Yet Pastor Dave kept forgiving in his heart and kept extending the hand of peace. Eventually, outside a pawn shop in Powell, something had softened. "This man is not a hugger. Not a hugger at all." Yet there on the sidewalk, they embraced and both shed tears. Reconciled — not best friends, but no longer at odds.

The point was unmistakable: forgiveness must come before reconciliation is even possible. "Forgiveness is a poison that I drink, hoping somebody else is going to die. It never works that way." Forgiveness means freely canceling the debt, just as Christ forgave us. "He doesn't bring it back up. It's in the sea of forgiveness without bottom or shore."

Pastor Dave closed with a short congregational prayer, inviting everyone to ask God for the strength to forgive others as they themselves had been forgiven — freely, fully, and forever.