Good morning!
I am continuing from last week with additional thoughts on relationships.
There are actually four important relationships that we need to be aware of as we live out our faith each day:
All four of these relationships were marred at the fall in Genesis 3. All four of these relationships need
redemption which comes through Jesus Christ first coming (His death and resurrection) and restoration through Jesus’ second coming (when He makes all things new – Rev 21:5).
Re-sharing this from last week - these four most important relationships can only be restored through Jesus Christ. Our upward relationship with God, our inward relationship with ourselves (when our hearts will be fully transformed), our outward relationship with others - neighbor and enemies alike (where we will be able to love in truth the way God intended) and finally our downward relationship with creation, what we were commanded by God to oversee and continue to form as very good.
I want to focus today on the “Outward” relationships – those we have with others – both believers and non-believers.
Some thoughts on how Jesus approached relationships with others from a fellow Christ follower, Arlin Sorenson and his morning email –
Have you ever thought deeply about how Jesus made disciples during His earthly ministry?
He preached to large crowds of pre-believers (unbelievers), but that is not what He did with the twelve.
When Jesus was with His team, He discipled them by:
Now from my perspective, another place to look regarding outward relationships would be John 13 – Jesus washing of the feet of His disciples. One of my favorite passages of scripture because of how God speaks of relationships through this piece of His Word.
You will note that Jesus did not exclude Judas, although He knew that Judas was going to betray Him later.
And then Jesus goes on to tell His disciples after finishing their feet:
John 13:14-17 “14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
Highlighting a few things here – in the culture of the day, what Jesus did in washing the feet of His disciples was only done by the lowliest servant – it was considered disgusting.
However, after Jesus finishes he tells them – “I have set an example” – Jesus is clearly saying in relationship to others (outward) we must be willing to be servants to others, even if that service may be what the world considers disgusting, because even if we are over others in some capacity, we are not greater and in fact should act as if they are the one over us.
In carrying this attitude in our daily living, Jesus tells us we will be blessed.
Some other pieces of scripture that speak to our outward relationships with others include -
One of the challenges of living out our faith is what happened to relationships as a part of the fall in Genesis 3 and we know this includes our relationships with those around us.
And as I shared last week - God always had a plan - one of redemption and restoration - one that costs Him. God in sharing with us through His Word has pointed to what His plan was - that of sending His son Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, who would be the perfect sacrifice making it possible for us to restore these most important relationships - if only we respond to His drawing and calling to us. With our response, our asking for forgiveness of our sin, repenting and turning back to Him through Jesus, we can now through the power of the Holy Spirit start walking with God again.
And because of this redemption through the work of Jesus, our relationships with others can be transformed into more of what God had designed and intended our relationships with others to be.
Lord Jesus, my prayer as we go into this upcoming weekend, we focus on your redeeming work and allow your mercy and grace and love to fuel our relationships with others! Amen.
Enjoy this weekend knowing the truth of the work, the peace and love of our Lord and Savior Jesus,
Patrick Engesser
I am continuing from last week with additional thoughts on relationships.
There are actually four important relationships that we need to be aware of as we live out our faith each day:
- Upward – our relationship with God
- Inward – our relationship with ourselves
- Outward – our relationship with others
- Downward – our relationship with creation
All four of these relationships were marred at the fall in Genesis 3. All four of these relationships need
redemption which comes through Jesus Christ first coming (His death and resurrection) and restoration through Jesus’ second coming (when He makes all things new – Rev 21:5).
Re-sharing this from last week - these four most important relationships can only be restored through Jesus Christ. Our upward relationship with God, our inward relationship with ourselves (when our hearts will be fully transformed), our outward relationship with others - neighbor and enemies alike (where we will be able to love in truth the way God intended) and finally our downward relationship with creation, what we were commanded by God to oversee and continue to form as very good.
I want to focus today on the “Outward” relationships – those we have with others – both believers and non-believers.
Some thoughts on how Jesus approached relationships with others from a fellow Christ follower, Arlin Sorenson and his morning email –
Have you ever thought deeply about how Jesus made disciples during His earthly ministry?
He preached to large crowds of pre-believers (unbelievers), but that is not what He did with the twelve.
When Jesus was with His team, He discipled them by:
- Building Relationship - They lived, traveled and spent time together.
- Interactive Discussion - The vehicle for growing in understanding was asking and answering questions, NOT one way teaching.
- Working Together - Jesus shared responsibility for the work and gave opportunities for the disciples to grow by doing.
- Feedback and Debriefing - They talked about what happened and why, so they could integrate knowledge with their real-life experience.
Now from my perspective, another place to look regarding outward relationships would be John 13 – Jesus washing of the feet of His disciples. One of my favorite passages of scripture because of how God speaks of relationships through this piece of His Word.
You will note that Jesus did not exclude Judas, although He knew that Judas was going to betray Him later.
And then Jesus goes on to tell His disciples after finishing their feet:
John 13:14-17 “14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
Highlighting a few things here – in the culture of the day, what Jesus did in washing the feet of His disciples was only done by the lowliest servant – it was considered disgusting.
However, after Jesus finishes he tells them – “I have set an example” – Jesus is clearly saying in relationship to others (outward) we must be willing to be servants to others, even if that service may be what the world considers disgusting, because even if we are over others in some capacity, we are not greater and in fact should act as if they are the one over us.
In carrying this attitude in our daily living, Jesus tells us we will be blessed.
Some other pieces of scripture that speak to our outward relationships with others include -
- 1 Corinthians 13 – love chapter of Paul’s letter especially verse 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
- Galatians 3:28, “28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
- Romans 5:6-8 “6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- Matthew 22:37-39 – “37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
One of the challenges of living out our faith is what happened to relationships as a part of the fall in Genesis 3 and we know this includes our relationships with those around us.
And as I shared last week - God always had a plan - one of redemption and restoration - one that costs Him. God in sharing with us through His Word has pointed to what His plan was - that of sending His son Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, who would be the perfect sacrifice making it possible for us to restore these most important relationships - if only we respond to His drawing and calling to us. With our response, our asking for forgiveness of our sin, repenting and turning back to Him through Jesus, we can now through the power of the Holy Spirit start walking with God again.
And because of this redemption through the work of Jesus, our relationships with others can be transformed into more of what God had designed and intended our relationships with others to be.
Lord Jesus, my prayer as we go into this upcoming weekend, we focus on your redeeming work and allow your mercy and grace and love to fuel our relationships with others! Amen.
Enjoy this weekend knowing the truth of the work, the peace and love of our Lord and Savior Jesus,
Patrick Engesser
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