“LOVING OUR NEIGBOR” CW All-Church Retreat 2014 Session 1What Will the Neighbors Say? —Getting off the Performance Track Session 2The Crazy Neighbor —When People Try Your Patience Session 3 Jumping the Neighbor’s Fence —Getting to People Where They Live Session 4: Oh That Neighbor! —Meeting the Hurting with an Open Heart

The Crazy Neighbor —When People Try Your Patience Psalm 103:8-14; Matthew 17:17 Pastor Frank Riley Session 2 [Saturday Morning] All-Church Retreat 2014

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.” G.K. Chesterton

God made the mountains…. God made the Sky…. God made the people… God knows why. He fixed up the planet as best as he could, then in come the people and gummed it up good! The Crazy Neighbor Sing Along

Crazy Neighbor Stories

When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” Matthew 17:14-16 Jesus’ Crazy Neighbors

“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Matthew 17:17-18 When things go bad… 1.We leave too soon. 2.We stop the conversation too easy. 3.Instead, make a deal – I am gonna love ya anyway.

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:19-20

Is Compassionate and Gracious Even When Yours Isn’t. God’s Heart Toward that Crazy Neighbor

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 NIV

Put up with each other. Forgive the things you are holding against one another. Forgive, just as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 [NIV Readers Version]

Is Not Looking for Payback Even When Yours is. God’s Heart Toward that Crazy Neighbor

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Psalm 103:8-10

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:11-12

Remembers Who They Are Even When You Have Forgotten. God’s Heart Toward that Crazy Neighbor

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13-14

APPLICATION QUESTIONS 1.Where do you struggle with having God’s heart for Crazy Neighbors? 2.Name a time in your life when God changed how you saw a neighbor. 3.We’ve all had times in our life when we have made mistakes and people have walked away. Talk about those walked and those who stayed to speak into your life.