https://www.bible.com/events/49559466
Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus
Relationships Righted Part 1
It’snot about you…
Today we are starting a new teaching series called Relationships Righted. Over the next fewweekswe willseekto apply biblical relationship building skills to a variety of our everyday relationships.
In the Gospel of Matthew, a religious expert approached Jesus and wanted to know what the most important commandment was,what’sthe number one thing we should do.
Jesus Answers in Matthew 22:37 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Jesus answers with two relationships
Love God with yourall, andlove your neighbor. The most important things according to Jesus, are found in relationship.
Friends, our relationship report card matters, because your relationships matter to the Lord.That’swhy we are talking about Relationships Righted.
Stephen Kendrick says “Almost everysinful action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive. It is a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves.”
Luke 22:19-24
And he took bread, gavethanksand broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, afterthe supperhe took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.
Jesus has been talking about his death. He gives them communion, something sosignificant,we are still celebrating it today, 2000 years later.
They find out that one of their own is a betrayer, a snake in the grass.
And after this, the disciples get into an argument about who wastopdog. At the table of the last supper, they are arguing about who was going to be the greatest.
The reality for most of us is that selfishness, or about me thinking, can easily creep into our relationships.
John 13:3-5
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;sohe got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
As much as I might imagine Jesus in the facepalm position,I believe thisis how he responded to thedisciplesargument about who was going to be the greatest.
Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, hours before his own death, listening to his best friends argue about who was going to have the best position in his kingdom- Rather than flipping the table and yelling at them, puts on the uniform of a house servant, and washes their feet.
Jesus shows them that relationships righted are based in humility, selflessness, and serving.
John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have lovedyou, soyou must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are mydisciples, ifyou love one another.”
Philippians 2:5-8
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
How do we do relationships right? Engage them with the same mindset as Christ.
Jesus said: As I have loved you, so you must love one another.