Integrity in Relationship (Part 2) – February 28, 2021

Link to YouTube Sermon

Preached by Pastor Kunle Oladebo

Ecclesiastes 4:9 – 12 “It’s better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there’s no one to help, tough! 11 Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night. 12  By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped. “ (The Message) 

1. Introduction 
   • Better to have a partner.  There is no glory in being a Lone Ranger 
   • A rich man in the multitude of the poor is as better as a poor person. 
2. Integrity in Relationship 
   • Relate in honesty
   • Relate as a friend
     • Partnership – It is all about your success and fulfilling your destiny in the land of the living 
     • Integrity in partnership helps you to sustain the relationship
   • Relate as a family
     • The integrity in any equipment will be compromised if some components in that machine are no longer working as expected – same applies in a family
     • It takes integrity to stand for what is right – be on the side of truth not people
       • Mark 9:38 – 40 “Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side.” (NKJV)
       • Genesis 25:23 “And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other. And the older shall serve the younger.”” (NKJV) – used information to break the family – Esau & Jacob
     • Complement one another, don’t compete with one another.  Work together with integrity
     • Families build not break
     • David raised a household of terrorists (Absalom, Adonijah, Amnon)
   • Relate with openness and transparency
     • Operate in transparency and openness
     • Transparency provides a platform for accountability
   • Relate with compassion 
     • Lamentations 3:23 “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,  Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
     • Empathy – feel what someone else is feeling.  Compassion – willing to relieve the sorrow of somebody else (it is an action).  Compassion is an emotional response to sympathy that creates a desire to help
     • Learn to forgive – every marriage built on LOVE must have forgiveness 1 Peter 4:8 “8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” (NKJV)   Ephesians 4:32 – “32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (NKJV)
       • Love covers a multitude of sin; be ready to forgive
       • Be compassionate in communication; It takes compassion to speak the right word even at the wrong time Ruth 2:13 “Ruth answered, “You are very kind to me, sir. You have made me feel better by speaking gently to me, even though I am not the equal of one of your servants.” (GNT)
       • Compassion by being considerate, flexible, and having a heart of generosity