Things to always remember when having uncomfortable conversations

Biblical uncomfortable conversations recorded and not recorded:

• Genesis 3:9-13
• Genesis 4:9-10
  • What about the conversations between Adam and Eve after Cain killed Abel?
  • What about the conversations between Adam and Eve and Cain?
  • What about the conversations between Adam and Eve and Seth?
• Genesis 19:1-9, 36-38 – Lot and his daughters
• Genesis 25:28; 27:41 – Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob
• Genesis 37:3-5 – Israel and Joseph
• I Samuel 2:22-25, 34 – Eli, Hophni, and Phineas
• I Samuel 3:16-18 – Samuel and Eli
• I Samuel 13:12-14 – Saul and Samuel
• I Samuel 16:21; 18:3, 7-11 – David and Saul. Who should have had an uncomfortable conversation with Saul?
• II Samuel 3:1-5; 11:1, 4, 27 – David’s sin with Bathsheba
• II Samuel 12:13-14, 18-24 – Nathan and David
• II Samuel 13:1, 14-15, 21-23 – Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom
• John 8:1-11 – Jesus and the woman caught in adultery
• I Corinthians 5:1-11 – Paul and the Corinthian church

In the New Testament we read about three different confessions that are unto salvation.

Confession with the mouth to become a Christian

Romans 10:9-10:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

This is not a confession of sin. It is a confession that Jesus is Lord. It is the confession that the eunuch made. “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (Acts 8:37) It is faith responding.

Confession of sins

Acts 8:22:

“Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.”

1 John 1:9

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

It is not a confession “if I have sinned.” It is a confession that I have sinned. It is a confession of sins. This confession of sins is to be as public as is the sin. If only God and you know the sin, confess to Him. There is no need to publicly confess sin that is not publicly known. If you and another know of the sin, confess to him (James 5:16). If the sin is publicly known, confess it publicly. Others are not to question the sincerity of the confession; rather they are to count it sincere unless and until there is proof otherwise. The sin IS to be confessed because one repents, not because one has been caught.

Confession of life

Matthew 10:32:

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

This is a context of persecution. As sheep in the midst of wolves (v. 16); be scourged (v.17); brother against brother (v.21) hated by all (v. 22) persecuted (v. 23) called names (v. 25) even death. (28) Fear not, rather confess. This is not just a mouth confession; it is a life confession. See Matthew 7:21 and Luke 6:46. The Lord will confess to those who make this confession. He will deny those who just say “Lord, Lord.’ This confession is taking one’s cross and following Jesus (v. 38). To be saved, everyone must confess Jesus today. We have no yesterday, nor tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation.

To become a child of God one must confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus (Romans 10:9-10). To be forgiven of sin a child of God must confess his sin (1 John 1:9). To be in fellowship with God, one must confess with life, do the things He says. Matthew 7:21-27)

Jesse G. Jenkins

Introduction

• Matthew 5:21-22 – Our anger can cause us to go to hell if we don’t get it under control.
• Mark 3:1-5 – Jesus showed anger and did not sin.
• Psalms 78:49-50
• Ephesians 4:26-32

Develop some helpful habits to get you through the moments of rage.

Slow down.

• James 1:19
• Titus 1:7

Be quiet (for now).

• Ecclesiastes 3:7
• Proverbs 12:18

Remember that you can’t fix every problem right now.

• I Peter 2:19
• Genesis 3:17-18

In the long-term, lay aside the old self and put on the new self.

• Ephesians 4:22-24
• Colossians 3:8-10

Change the entire way you think.

• Luke 23:33
• Hebrews 12:2
• Philippians 2:4 – Start out other-oriented.
• Look for positive – not negative.
• Romans 15:1-3

Build spiritual muscle over time.

• Philippians 4:8-9, 11 – Dwell on good things. We must learn these things!

Take the eternal view.

• Colossians 3:1-2

Numbers 5

• Numbers 5:16-28 – Special rules for a man who suspects his wife of adultery.
  • Leviticus 20:10 – Rules for the man regarding adultery. Adultery was a sin for both parties.

Numbers 6

• Numbers 6:1-21 – The Nazirite vow.
  • “Nazirite” is a transliteration that means “separation.”
  • Three main restrictions:
    • Stay away from grapes.
    • Don’t cut your hair.
    • Don’t go near a dead person.
  • Other mentions of Nazirite vows:
    • Judges 13:5 – Samson was under a Nazirite vow from birth.
    • I Samuel 1:11
    • Amos 2:11-12
    • Acts 21:23-26 – A vow, but probably not a Nazirite vow.

Numbers 7

• Twelve days of offerings.
  • There is much repetition here, possibly because the text was used as a ledger for each tribe to keep track of what they needed to do.

Numbers 8

• Numbers 8:5-13 – Cleansing of the Levites.
  • See Hebrews 7:26-27
• Numbers 8:14 – The Levites belonged to God!
• Numbers 8:23-26 – The Levites served from age 25-50.

Numbers 9

• Numbers 9:1-14 – The first Passover feast outside of Egypt is celebrated.
• Numbers 9:15-23 – God lead them by the pillars of cloud and fire.

Numbers 10

• Numbers 10:10 – Orders would be relayed by the silver trumpets.

Introduction

• I Thessalonians 4:13-17

The day of the Lord will come.

• I Thessalonians 5:1-3
• This fact greatly impacts our lives!
• We need to prepare for this.
• II Peter 3:10
• We don’t know when this will happen.

Wake up!

• I Thessalonians 5:4-8
• We are children of light – not of darkness.
• We must not be spiritually asleep.
• Sober here is in a spiritual sense – be rational and clearminded.
• I Peter 5:8
• Romans 13:11-14
• I Thessalonians 1:2; 4:1
• II Thessalonians 3:11

We will live together with Him.

• I Thessalonians 5:9-10
• II Thessalonians 2:13-17 – What does it mean that they were chosen? God had planned to save people through Jesus before the creation of the universe.
• Acts 17:1-2
• I Thessalonians 4:18; 5:11 – The end of the world should be a day of rejoicing for Christians.