This is Part 2 of Pastor Chuck Bernal's message series "Relationship Rescue". The message is titled, "ACCEPTANCE" and was delivered at LifePointe Church in Crowley, TX on April 19, 2015. This message shares what it means to accept other people in our lives and the reasons why we should.

1. A = ACCEPTANCE
Series - RELATIONSHIP RESCUE - Part 2 - Pastor Chuck Bernal - 04-19-15
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A REWIND OF LAST WEEK’S INTRODUCTORY MESSAGE
Reason 1: We live our lives in the context of ____________________________
Reason 2: Our relationships __________________ every other part of our lives
Principle 1: We are all “hard wired” for ________________________________
Principle 2: _________________ & _______________ are never God’s intention
Principle 3: We cannot fulfill God’s __________________________ on our own
Principle 4: Therefore, we really do __________________________ each other
ACCEPTING OTHERS – WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
One of the deepest needs of the human heart is to be accepted and valued. Every human
being wants to be loved, but there is an even deeper love, a love of acceptance. Every
human being craves to be accepted, accepted for who one is, not for what one has done or
achieved or merited. (Peter Von Breeman)
ACCEPTANCE = PROSLAMBAN (GREEK)
To receive kindly or hospitably, to welcome wholeheartedly,
to treat with kindness, to give honor, respect and dignity to another person
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Always be humble and gentle. Be patient and accept each other with love. (Ephesians 4:2 –
NLV)
Be humble, and honor others more than yourselves. Don’t be interested only in your own life,
but care about the lives of others too. (Philippians 2:3-4 – ERV)
Love others well, and don’t hide behind a mask; love authentically . . . Live in true devotion to
one another, accepting each other as family, be first to honor others by putting them first.
(Romans 12:9-10 – Voice)
A man with a ___________________________________________ (Luke 19:1-10)
Don’t you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don’t care about God will
not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and
abuse the earth and everything in it, don’t qualify as citizens in God’s kingdom. A number of
you know from experience what I’m talking about, for not so long ago you were on that list.
Since then, you’ve been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah,
and by our God present in us, the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – Msg)

2. APPLICATION: We must accept each other in spite of our ________________
A woman with some huge _______________________________ (John 4:4-42)
The power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize
I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t do it; I
decide not to do bad, but then I do anyway . . . Something has gone wrong deep within me and
gets the better of me every time . . . I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of
my rope . . . (Romans 7:17-24 – Msg)
APPLICATION: We must accept each other with our _____________________
A church with different ___________________________________ (Romans 14)
Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump
all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems
that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their
own history to deal with. Treat them gently.
(Romans 14:1 – Msg)
APPLICATION: We must accept each other even with different ____________
Accepting people does not mean that we endorse their lifestyle or support them in their sin,
but it means that we reach out to them with love right where they are and know that
showing love and acceptance will encourage them to change.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR LIVES & FOR OUR CHURCH?
Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other,
which will bring glory to God. (Romans 15:7 – NCV)
Luke 15: A __________ father, a __________ son, an __________older brother
Because Jesus accepted ___________, you must accept __________________
God wants us to _________________ others, not just ________________ them
Jesus doesn’t come for the super-spiritual, but for the wobbly and the weak-kneed who
know they don’t have it all together and who are not too proud to accept the handout of
amazing grace. Something is radically wrong when we reject a person that Jesus has
accepted. If any church does not understand that it consists of sinful men and women - and
exists to reach other sinful men and women - implicitly rejects the gospel of grace.
(Brennan Manning)
Reason 1: We live our lives in the context of relationships
Reason 2: Our relationships impact every other part of our lives
Principle 1: We are all “hard wired” for relationships
Principle 2: Isolation & loneliness are never God’s intention

3. Principle 3: We cannot fulfill God’s purposes on our own
Principle 4: Therefore, we really do need each other
A man with a past (Luke 19:1-10)
APPLICATION: We must accept each other in spite of our past
A woman with some huge problems (John 4:4-42)
APPLICATION: We must accept each other with our problems
A church with different perspecrtives (Romans 14)
APPLICATION: We must accept each other even with different perspectives
A loving father, a lost son, an angry older brother - Luke 15
Because Jesus accepted you, you must accept others
God wants us to celebrate others, not just tolerate them