Resilient Faith: Relationships

How do we form meaningful and intergenerational relationships in a world full of and isolation?

Relationships Through My Story…

We all have ideas based on our  or our personal narratives.

I believe that we are still trying as the church to form a specific vision of community for the time in which we live.

Realistic Community:
Instead of starting with God’s dream to redeem all things, we start with the realities we face in life.

Community:
In this community there is no room for compromise.

Community:
The most common form this takes is called “Bible study.”

community:
Idealism causes us to find the “right” way of doing community.

The same thing that was missing then is still missing.

Jesus.

Relationship is at the of God’s story

John 13:34-35 (NIV)
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

How did he love them?

By Modeling What He Knew

He modeled relationships.

120-Public
70-Social
12- Personal
3- Intimate
1 – Sacred

He modeled relationships

Galatians 6:2 – NIV
Carry each other’s burdens,
and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

He modeled supportive relationships

Acts 20:35 – New International Version
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Relationships thrive when we try to outdo each other in supporting not in being supported.

The Jesus Way is Faith Building Relationships

Faith means “being satisfied with all that God has for us in Jesus.”

Hebrews 3:12-13 – New Living Translation
12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

Perseverance in faith is a relational project.

How have your experiences with church, with Christians, and with others shaped your view of relationships?

Jesus offers us something that we all want but produce.

1 Peter 2:9 – New King James Version
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;…

The question for us is:
Are we making space in our personal lives and life together—whether in our church, with our families, or in our friendships—to hear what the Spirit is saying?