Rooted in Jesus Grace

Conflict has a way of pulling our focus outward. We zero in on what the other person said or did, how they hurt us, how wrong they were. Our internal dialogue becomes a running list of their faults—and we feel fully justified in our frustration. But Jesus calls us to a radically different starting point. In His Sermon on the Mount, He tells us to begin not with the faults of others, but with our own. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the  plank  in your own eye? … First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” —  Matthew 7:3–5 Ken Sande, in  The Peacemaker , identifies this principle as one of the most  challenging and effective steps  in peacemaking. It requires humility, self-awareness, and a willingness to be shaped by the gospel. He calls it:  “Get the Log Out.” This step doesn’t mean you’re the only one at fault—or that other...

When we think about conflict resolution, it’s easy to jump straight to techniques: communication strategies, boundaries, negotiation tools. And while these can be useful, they are not enough. At the heart of true, lasting peace—especially among believers—is not a method but a  message : the  gospel . In  The Peacemaker , Ken Sande wisely reminds us that  the gospel is central to peacemaking . The good news of Jesus doesn’t just tell us  what  to do in conflict; it transforms  who  we are in the midst of it. Without the gospel, peacemaking becomes a performance. With the gospel, peacemaking becomes a reflection—of Christ, of grace, of redemption. Let’s explore how the gospel shapes our peacemaking at every level. 1. The Gospel Shows Us How We Were Reconciled to God (Colossians 1:20 – “...and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”) Before we ...

Most of us instinctively recoil from conflict. Whether it's a simmering tension with a coworker, a misunderstanding with a friend, or a deeper rift in a family relationship, conflict feels like a threat—something to avoid, endure, or conquer. But what if conflict isn't just a painful inconvenience? What if it’s actually an invitation? The Bible offers a surprising perspective:  conflict is not necessarily bad or destructive. It can be an opportunity —a meaningful moment in which God does His transformative work in us and through us. Rather than something to run from or power through, conflict can be a sacred space where God's glory is revealed, others are served, and we are shaped to look more like Jesus. Here are  three opportunities hidden within every conflict : 1. Conflict Is an Opportunity to Glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”) At its heart, glorifying God means reflecting His character—H...

In churches today, there’s a growing appeal to “put your faith into practice”—to live out the Christian life with intentionality, discipline, and passion. While this sounds biblical on the surface, sermons that emphasize practice, effort, and direction often drift subtly—and dangerously—into performance-driven Christianity. Without anchoring in the full counsel of the gospel, well-meaning messages can inadvertently burden believers with a behavior-based faith, diluting the sufficiency of Christ with a self-help gospel dressed in Christian terms. A recent sermon based on Philippians 4:9 aimed to inspire believers to live intentionally, to grow in godly character, and to “practice” their faith. It offered categories of spiritual life, diagrams of progress, and admonitions against stagnation. But as sincere as the message may have been, it leaned heavily on human effort, over-simplified spiritual growth, relied on proof-texting, and painted sanctification as something we achieve through p...

Forgiveness is central to the Christian faith—but it’s also one of the most misunderstood concepts in Christian teaching. Sometimes, in an effort to promote healing or spiritual victory, forgiveness gets oversimplified into something sentimental, performative, or even harmful. A recent message I heard emphasized the importance of forgiving quickly and responding with love to those who hurt us. It made some compelling points: love is an action, forgiveness requires surrender, and Jesus modeled radical love for His enemies. These are true—and deeply challenging. But the message also left out crucial theological truths, and in doing so, it risked distorting the gospel and the true nature of biblical forgiveness. Let’s look at what was missing, and how we can do better. ⸻ 1. The Root Problem Isn’t Offense—It’s Sin The sermon claimed that “offense is the #1 killer of our love for God.” That may sound profound, but it’s not biblically accurate. The real enemy of our love for God is sin and u...