Jesus The High Road Leader: “Jesus Brought People Together”

Jesus The High Road Leader

“Jesus Brought People Together”

(11/3/24)

Jesus never compromised to draw people together, and everything He did was fueled by .

Look at His disciples…

Jesus knew bringing people together them to be who God created them to be.

Matthew 5:38-44 (CSB)  “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. ³⁹ But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.⁴⁰ As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

The world encourages and celebrates .

People are pressured to choose a and focus on the between themselves and other cultures, backgrounds, skin colors, religious beliefs, political positions, and worldviews.

Division relies on between your side and the other side, between what you believe versus what others believe.

Anytime people into fractured factions, they lose more than they gain. This happens when we emphasize truth over grace.

People will respond to the gospel invitation when they know they are and .

They will welcome the if they experience .

The example of Jesus… we are called to show God’s love to others through our . Our message is , and our behavior is .

Truth and grace should never be .

• We cannot overlook God’s truth or loses its power.
• We cannot overlook God’s grace or loses its penetration.
• Without truth, we are limited by our and can only be nice to people.
• Without grace, we are limited by God’s and can only judge ourselves and others.

Truth without grace is .

Grace without truth is .

You won’t win others to Jesus with , evidence, and debate even if you’re right because God has called us to be , like His Son.

The essence of grace is unmerited . Instead of receiving the punishment we deserve for our sins, paid our debt.

In order to bring people together as Jesus did, we must remember that our goal is not to be but to be in .

John 13:34-35 (CSB) “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

When you love people as Jesus loved, you them without of their sin.

High-road leaders who bring people together realize that we cannot antagonize and at the same time.

Galatians 5:6 (CSB) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.

How can we express our faith through love?

By the way we people.

1 Corinthians 9:19 (CSB) Although I am free from all and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people.

before you .

“Too many Christians curse the darkness and about all they see wrong with the world. God however, has called us to turn on the , to bring people not only together but to to God’s love.

Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control.

Luke 6:27-28 (CSB) “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

1 Peter 3:9 (CSB) not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

Six Ways To Bring People Together

1. Look for the in every person.
2. Express your to everyone.
3. Let everyone know how much you .
4. everyone you meet.
5. Show and in every situation.
6. with and for everyone you can.

The Ultimate Plan of God

Why did Jesus always travel he high road? Why did He value all people, never keep score, give more than He took, acknowledge His humanness, do the right things for the right reasons, embrace authenticity, place people above His agenda, and bring people together?

Because He wanted to .

Ephesians 2:13 (CSB) But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.