Unexpected – Week 6 | Why The Law?

When Christians take one another to court over donkeys, kitchen knives, or noisy neighbors, the conflict points to something deeper: a church more interested in winning than in watching its own heart. This message names the very real strain of living in a litigious culture where small disputes become public spectacles and internal trust erodes into gossip, factions, and grudges. Paul’s tough love landing here is simple but surprising — the law can limit behavior, but it cannot change hearts. The sermon sketches a different way forward: seek wise, humble peacemakers, prefer reconciliation over victory, and let the gospel’s costly love reshape how we handle offense. Expect clear, practical direction rooted in the claim that encountering Christ’s mercy is what ultimately shrinks petty fights and enlarges the life of a congregation in unexpected ways.