Series: Walking in the Way of Jesus “Relationships”

Sunday Oct. 14, 20122                     

Eph. 4:1-6, Jn. 13:31-35

A son asks his mother; “Mom, if dad should happen to die, do you think there’s another man in the world just like him?” His mother replied, “Maybe, and it would be just my luck to get him.”

Prayer

We continue in our series, “Walking in the Way of Jesus, 6 Values of Discipleship.” We’re learning that values are an important part of being a faith community and we’re learning that the 6 Values were focusing on in this series should be the values of every church community. In truth, these values should be the model of how ministry is carried out. So far… we’ve focused on the values of Prayer… Worship… Learning… Serving… and today our focus will be on… “Relationships”

From the beginning, God has wanted to be in relationship with all of creation and most especially with humanity.

To get started… I’d like you to open your bibles to Gen. 2:18

“The Lord said, “It isn’t good for the man (Human) to be alone. I need to make a suitable partner for him.”

Let’s look at the word “Man” some translations “Human”

Hebrew word used… “Hu-mmis” meaning Ground, Dirt, Earth

Literally… “Dirty Being” or Earthling

To be fair… Eve means “HelpMate” or “Partner”

Let’s read this in context… The Lord said, It isn’t good for the “Dirty Being” to be alone. It kind of gives a different outlook about us doesn’t. What’s important to understand here is that created Humans as a valued part of his creation, and at the center valued all creation.

 In our gospel story Jesus tells us, “You must love each other, just as I have loved you” because with God, relationships are important. Jesus is demonstrating I believe a core value of God. And, I believe this is important for several reasons, and I’d like to share 3 reasons I believe God desires us to be in relationships.

Our First Relationship is to God… Duet. 10:12… Matt 22:37

Duet. 10:12 Moses says, “People of Israel, what does your God want from you? The Lord wants you to respect & follow Him, to love & serve Him with all your Heart & Soul.”

Matt 22:37 Jesus is challenging the Pharisee’s on the most important commandment by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your Heart, Soul, and Mind.”

God created humanity to be connected to him and to each other. God created us to be in relationship with one another. For us today, one way to understand this connection is thru baptism. That’s when God grabs hold of us… and never let’s go. We may want to turn the other way and run, but God doesn’t let go. God holds on no matter what and waits for us to turn back to Him.

Our Second Relationship is to One Another… Acts 2:43-46

People Gathered Together… Spent Time Learning… They Prayed Together… Broke Bread Together… Shared Everything with Each Other… and were Generous Together.

Desmond Tutu was asked about the term “Ubunto.” He says, “Ubuntu is the essence of being human… we say a person is a person through other persons. You can’t be human in isolation. You are only human in relationships.”

One way to build relationships is to be in a small group. I understand there may have been some negative aspects about small groups in the past here at Cross. But you do have positive small groups here at Cross.

o   Your different music groups … are small groups.

o   Tues morning bible study is a small group.

o   Sunday morning learning groups are … small groups.

o   You’re doing some of this all ready and I want to encourage you to develop more of them.

The point of a small group is to be in relationship with others for spiritual growth, friendships, encouragement, and loving care.

I like to look at small groups having 4 elements

§  Have Fun Together.

§  Learn Together.

§  Pray Together.

§  Serve Together

That’s it…I believe if you’re in a small group living out these 4 elements consistently, you are growing your faith.

Lastly, Our Third Relationship is to those Outside the Community

              Luke 19:5-7… Mark 10:17ff… John 4:9…. Acts 10:27-28

Tell me if this is true for you… in the morning you leave the garage door goes up & when you come home in the evening the door goes down and you rarely come out for much of nothing. That’s how much of suburbia lives. Many of us don’t know our neighbors… we may see them and wave or say hi, but for many, we don’t know them, which, is much different from how many of us grew up. It seems we are disassociating with people today.

If you look closely at the bible passages I’ve listed there is a common theme. Jesus spent most of his time with people outside of his sphere of friends. Most of the time Jesus was spending time with “SINNERS.”

If you look at much of the church today… it resembles the church of Jesus’ day in many ways… only the righteous can be part of the church.

In fact… Jesus’ friends argued about associating with unclean people.

o   Luke 19….Zachaeus… Tax Collector…. SINNER

o   MARK 10… Rich Guy… wouldn’t give up wealth… SINNER

o   John 4… Samaritan Woman… SINNER

o   Acts 1- Cornelius… Roman Soldier… SINNER

Could we even say… Dennis…. Pastor…. SINNER????

Can we say this about all of us?

I met a truck driver once who told me, “People spend more time trying to figure out God, rather than just inviting God in.”  

Closing:

 A few years ago was a movie titled “Into The Wild.” Perhaps you saw it. It’s the true story of a man named Chris McCandless. The movie is about him graduating from college and feeling restless about his life. He turns down an offer of his father giving him a new car for his graduation. He and his dad didn’t have to good of relationship. So he decides to leave everything behind… he burned his drivers license and SS card and heads out to Alaska.

He journals his travels from the deep south to the Midwest, down the Colorado river, to Mexico and up the west coast , and finally to Alaska. He has difficulties surviving and buying some books on survival along the way. One day he’s looking at one of them about eatable plants and discovers that he has eaten some that were poisonous, and begins to die. As he writes in his journal for the last time and as he recalls all the relationships he has had he says,

“There is Real Happiness When It Is Shared.” Then he dies.

Ultimately… life comes down to relationships… no body says on their death bed I need more money… or  wish they had more toys. In the end it’s about our RELATIONSHIPS.

See You Out on the Road