February 5 East Rock
Relationship Keys part 1: Selflessness
Who is it in your life today that has the most keys?
Relationships matterRelationships are everything
God made us to be in relationship With other people around us
We are created for connection
Relationships are hard
Consider Jesus when he was asked the most important commandment he responded, not with one, but with two
“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.””Matthew 22:37-40God’s word offers us the help, the wisdom, the keys that we desperately need in our relationships.“
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””John 13:34-35 If you want to test the quality of your love for Jesus measure the quality of your love for others.“
When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”John 15:10-13 Anything short of Jesus standard is not a biblical standard of love“
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”Philippians 2:3-8Selflessness is a key to Godly relationships. What does it look like?Selfless, love really means these four things – It’s not about you
Selfless love is about sacrifice
Which means, selfless, love takes courageIt’s not about blame“
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”John 10:10
The model of Jesus is the laid down life.