It s All About. Relationships. Session 1. The Need for a Restored Relationship The Cost of a Restored Relationship

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3 It s All About Relationships Session 1 The Need for a Restored Relationship The Cost of a Restored Relationship Restoring our Relationship with God

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5 It s All About Relationships Finding real love, acceptance, joy, peace, and hope Relationships Life is full of relationships. From the time we are born until the time we die, we interact with many people and develop various relationships: Parent/Child Teacher/Student Husband/Wife Siblings Friendships Coworkers In this study, we will examine one specific relationship our relationship with God. Man s Beginning God created this beautiful world that we live in the sun and the moon, the land and the oceans, the plants and animals, the birds and fish. And then God poured out His love and created mankind. The relationship between man and God was the very best relationship. Genesis 1 Broken Relationships Sometimes relationships can be strained or even broken. For example, a Husband and Wife relationship can end in divorce. A child can become estranged from his/her parents. Friendships can come to an end. When mankind was created, God warned, You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die. Genesis 2:16 But Adam and Eve disobeyed and ate from this tree. Because of their sin, the relationship between mankind and God was broken. Not only for Adam and Eve, but for all people who would ever live including you and me. The Bible is a story of how God fixed this broken relationship. Study Overview The purpose of this study is to examine this broken relationship and see what God did to restore the relationship that mankind broke. We will also look at what this means for our personal relationship with God. This study consists of 3 sessions: 1. The Need for a Restored Relationship The Cost of a Restored Relationship 2. God s Plan for Restoring the Relationship The Five Steps for a Restored Relationship 3. The Results of a Restored Relationship Page 1 of 4

6 The Need for a Restored Relationship Man s sin broke the relationship between God and Man causing separation. Think of it as God and Man separated by a great canyon. To Summarize: Because of our sin, we are separated from God. Furthermore, we cannot restore our relationship with God by being good, doing good, being religious, or belonging to the right church. We are completely helpless to save ourselves (to move to God s side of the canyon). Isaiah 64:6 says: When we display righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Our situation looks hopeless! Page 2 of 4

7 The Cost of a Restored Relationship But because of God s remarkable love for us, there is hope! (God) wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. 1 Tim 2:4-6 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners Romans 5:8 The only way that we have a chance to restore our relationship with God is through the death of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection. It proved that He is the Savior and God accepted His death as a payment for our sins so that we can have the hope of eternal life. His willingness to die for us built a bridge that allows us to be with God. Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 Page 3 of 4

8 The Cost of a Restored Relationship Jesus died on the cross because he loved us! And may you have the power to understand, as all God s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:18-19 Finding this treasure of grace and mercy makes the poorest beggar a prince; missing this gift makes the wealthiest man a pauper. Max Lucado Page 4 of 4

9 It s All About Relationships Session 2 God s Plan for Restoring the Relationship Five Steps for a Restored Relationship Restoring our Relationship with God

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11 God s Plan for Restoring the Relationship Session 1 Review Man s (Our) sin separates us from God. God wants to be in a relationship with us. 1 Timothy 2:4 (God) wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. Jesus death on the cross gave us a way to restore our relationship with God. John 14:6 Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. Restoring our Relationship with God The Bible is the story of God s efforts to have a loving and peaceful relationship with man. God offers us love and life through a covenant. When we walk across the bridge that the cross of Jesus created for us, we enter into what the Bible calls a Covenant with God. A Covenant is a treaty or an agreement. A Covenant has three parts: 1. Parties the persons who enter the covenant; God and Man 2. Promises what God promises to do for man when he accepts the covenant 3. Terms what man agrees to do for God in entering a covenant Unlike a contract, a covenant is an agreement entered into by two parties as each agrees to advance the best interest of the other party. Importance of Understanding Covenant We need to know the joys and benefits that we will receive when we enter into a relationship with God (walk across the bridge). We also need to know what God expects from us when we enter into a relationship with him. What God Promises (Part #2 of the Covenant) 2 Corinthians 5:17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun. God promises to give us a New Life. New Life means Eternal Life And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5:11 Love For this is how God love the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow not even the powers of hell can separate us from God s love. Romans 8:38 Page 1 of 7

12 God s Plan for Restoring the Relationship Forgiveness Peter replied, Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Acts 2:38 Won t Remember Our Sins And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins. Hebrews 8:12 Eternal Home/Place with God Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw a holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, Look, God s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. Revelation 21:1-4 Full Life 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 Joy You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. I Peter 1:8 Family Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:10 God s Constant Presence - And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20 God s Accessibility and Help So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16 In this new Covenant, God DOES NOT promise material wealth, good health, job security, or freedom from problems and suffering. Persecution Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 Suffering So be truly glad. There is a wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 1 Peter 1:6 Man s (Our) Responsibilities in Accepting God s Covenant Offer (Part #3 of the Covenant) Everything that God asks us to do can be summarized in two commands: Love God 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. Matthew 22:37-38 Love People A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:39 This means that you put God first in your life. It also means that you put the needs of others ahead of your own needs. Page 2 of 7

13 The Five Steps to Having a Restored Relationship The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross enabled a relationship with God. But there are steps that we must take to accept God s offer of a restored relationship. In our canyon analogy, the cross built the bridge that allowed us to get to God. But unless we walk across that bridge, we are still separated from God. There are five steps that we must follow to move into a relationship with God to walk across the bridge. Step 1 Faith A new relationship begins with Faith in God. Faith is Believing: For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 Faith, or belief, is having confidence in another trusting their word based on their track record, and their history of actions and attitudes. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. Romans 4:21 Biblical Faith is believing (using your brain) that God sent his Son Jesus to become a man, that Jesus died for our sins, and was buried and raised from the grave, all of which is based on historically accurate evidence. (See reference to 1 John 1:1-4 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4) Faith is Action: Biblical faith requires not only intellectual belief, but also a response. So you see, faith by itself isn t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. James 2:17 Illustration In the 1860 s there was a famous tightrope walker named Blondin. He toured the entire country putting on exhibitions. He went to Niagara Falls to put on a three-day show. Blondin stretched the tightrope across the Falls. For two days he walked this rope, drawing a tremendous crowd. On the third day he said he was going to walk the rope, blindfolded and pushing a wheelbarrow. Before he tried this feat, he went among the crowd and asked, Do you believe I can do this? There wasn t anyone in the crowd who doubted. So, he climbed up on the rope and asked, Ok, who will come up and get in the wheelbarrow? How many do you think volunteered? The point is this having faith is more than just saying that we believe in God. It is living life that demonstrates that we believe in God. Blondin s young daughter volunteered to get into the wheelbarrow! Page 3 of 7

14 The Five Steps to Having a Restored Relationship Step 2 Loving God When we truly believe what God has done for us, it can only lead to a love for Him. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:14 Faith leads to love; love leads to obedience. Jesus replied, All who love me will do what I say John 14:23 Step 3 Repentance God overlooked people s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. Acts 17:30 Peter replied, Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 What is Repentance: Repentance means making a U-turn. It is turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and a desire to obey His commandments. It is looking at something that we did in the past, recognizing that it was sinful, and concluding that we need to change for the better and be more like Jesus. Repentance is declaring that my loyalty to Jesus is superior to my loyalty to anyone or anything else. Illustration Imagine repentance as a man walking in one direction who suddenly realizes that he is walking in the opposite direction from which he should be walking. He stops. He turns around. Then he begins walking in the new direction. Repentance means that we put Jesus first and do what he would want us to do. As we make daily decisions, interact with people, and set direction for life, we do so based on What Would Jesus Do. Repentance is a freeing, exhilarating, exciting and refreshing time. It is putting God in control of my life. I am no longer alone or on my own. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19 (NIV) Page 4 of 7

15 The Five Steps to Having a Restored Relationship Step 4 Confession Confession means that we openly tell others about our faith in God we are excited about our relationship with God and do not try to hide it. If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 Our relationship with God should be like a man who is newly engaged and is excited to tell others about his fiancé. We should want to tell others that we are a Christian rather than hide it this is confession. Step 5 Baptism Jesus came and told his disciples, I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20 Baptism by Immersion: In the Greek language, from which our New Testament was translated, the word baptize means, to dip, plunge, or immerse. Baptism by immersion means to fully submerge in the water. Historically, the church only practiced baptism by immersion. However, some religious men changed the method to sprinkling or pouring 500 years after Jesus life: the method was not changed by God. Therefore, at Central Christian Church, we teach that baptism should be by immersion God s original design. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Baptism by immersion also symbolizes the death and burial of an old life and the raising up of a new life. Baptism is our Pledge to God: and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Peter 3:21 (NIV) The word Pledge in the Greek is the same word that was used when two businessmen would enter into a deal. The seller made a proposition and the buyer would consider it. If he accepted it, he stood and said, I pledge that I am going to live according to the terms of this agreement. This was done before a witness and that pledge finalized the agreement and made it binding. Page 5 of 7

16 The Five Steps to Having a Restored Relationship When we are presented the gospel, we can either accept it or reject. There is no neutral ground. We answer yes or no. If we choose to say yes, we finalize the covenant by being baptized. This pledge is like signing your name on the dotted line of the covenant. The agreement is binding on both parties. When we turn to Christ and declare that we want to become a disciple of Christ, God asks us to take an oath. This oath is Christian Baptism. God has already taken His oath. He did it in the cross and signed it with His blood, our baptism seals the deal. How to be Baptized: The Bible teaches us that you can be baptized: Any day of the week In any water By any other disciple of Jesus However, baptism when others can view it is a real encouragement to someone who may be considering baptism. What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16 Page 6 of 7

17 LET S SEE HOW LOGICAL AND PRACTICAL ALL THIS IS by comparing the covenant of marriage and the covenant with Christ Marriage is also a Covenant (Malachi 2:14) A Covenant in Marriage This relationship begins with a special kind of faith and confidence that says, I ve found the one I ve been looking for. This confidence leads to Loving this person with all your heart. Confident. Sincere. Saying, I want to spend the rest of my life with you alone. This love and trust leads to Someone proposing and the other accepting it. Based on that love you decided to submit to the other s best interest and be faithful to them by putting their needs first. You first, you only. The search is over. Are there other commitments to renounce? Telling others of the decision made. Not ashamed. Excited to introduce people to your fiancé. You will tell anyone who will listen about this wonderful person you plan to marry. Wedding Ceremony It is an end and a beginning. Renouncing and leaving the single life for a shared life. It s an exclusive relationship. It s all about giving the oath of allegiance. (I promise to love, honor, and cherish ) Now we can claim and share all the benefits and responsibilities of a covenant relationship in marriage with our mate. We can t just sit back and do nothing! The depth and quality of your relationship will be determined by you and your mate. A Covenant with Christ This relationship begins with faith, confidence, and belief that says: I ve found the one I need: I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He came to die for my sins, and rose up to save me. And He s coming back for me. He wants me with Him forever. This leads to gratitude and responds by Loving God with all my heart, soul, and mind. It s saying, I want to spend eternity with you. Sincerely accepting His love will lead to Deciding to submit myself to Jesus and promising to be faithful to Him and obey Him. Putting His needs before mine as He has already done for me. I accept His invitation/proposal. You first, you only. The search is over. Repentance. Are there other commitments to renounce? Telling others of the decision I ve made. Not ashamed. Excited to tell people about my commitment to Jesus. Confession. Christian Baptism (Immersion) A marked end and a new beginning. Renouncing and leaving the self life for a shared life. It s an exclusive relationship. It s all about giving the oath of allegiance. (I believe that Jesus is the Christ, Son of the Living God ) Now I can claim and share all the benefits and responsibilities of a covenant relationship with Jesus. I can t just sit back and do nothing. The depth and quality of my relationship with Christ will be determined by me. God will be faithful. Where are you in the process of accepting God s friendship and love? Page 7 of 7

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19 It s All About Relationships Session 3 The Results of a Restored Relationship Restoring our Relationship with God

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21 Understanding Position and Condition The Results of a Restored Relationship One person s definition of a Christian: A Christian is a person who is becoming what in God s eyes he already is. (source unknown) A similar statement is found in the Bible: For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Hebrews 10:14 (NIV) Understanding this verse is vital to understanding what God does for us. There are two dimensions of the Christian Life operating at the same time. God makes us perfect by our POSITION: (In the Bible this is often referred to as our Justification) Our Position is: A New Person: This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 A Gift: God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can t just take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8 Our CONDITION refers to being made holy: (In the Bible this is often referred to as our Sanctification) Our Condition is: A Journey: And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christs Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 A Work In Progress: Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:7-8 Unchanging: I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you many know you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 All Equal: There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you all are one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 Changing: And we are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV) Unequal: you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. Hebrews 5:12-14 Page 1 of 6

22 The Results of a Restored Relationship We don t try to perfect ourselves, so He will accept us. That s impossible He accepts us and makes us perfect in His sight when we become His disciple. By our POSITION in Christ Then he helps us grow and mature to become like Christ. This is transformation of our CONDITION Our POSITION gives us peace, joy, hope, and confidence till the end of our life, during the CONDITIONING or transformation. So Why Change? Since we are saved because of our position not our condition, some may ask, Does this mean it is not important to be good and try to avoid sin, that our condition is unimportant? The answer is, Absolutely Not! Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Romans 6:1-2 The Apostle Paul wrote: I don t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. Philippians 3:12 God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus Max Lucado Page 2 of 6

23 The Results of a Restored Relationship When We Sin What is a Christian to do when he/she sins? We will sin after becoming a Christian! (see 1 John 1:8) We are learning, growing, struggling and sometimes we fail. It s part of the transformation process. Many Christians have a mistaken idea of God s forgiveness for them. They have a concept called lined religion : Everything starts fine. We accept Christ and are moving up. But then we sin and we think or feel like we have fallen below the line. We pray, Lord, forgive me and we hope we are above the line once again. With time the doubt arises: Am I above or below the line? When Christians live this way, we lose our sense of peace and security. This is not how God works! Remember you are saved by your position, not your condition! What should we do when we sin? It is clear But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 Confession is: Accepting responsibility for our actions. Telling God that we agree that we sinned against Him by not trusting and obeying Him. Declaring our intent to change. Giving thanks to God for His forgiveness. Determining we will seek to restore any damaged relationship. Be on Guard: Our nature is to try and hide from God when we sin. When Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, they hid from God. When we turn our back on God and try and hide our sins from Him, we shut Him out. We close our heart to Him; We are weakened and more vulnerable to destructive attitudes and behavior. When you sin, don t hide from God, who is the only one who can cleanse us from our sin! Confess your sins to God. Page 3 of 6

24 The Results of a Restored Relationship So when you sin: DO confess it to God. DO commit to changing to be more like Jesus. DON T avoid God. DON T avoid church or Christian friends. Next Steps What Do I Do Now? After becoming a Christian, what do I do now? How do I begin my new Christian life? I would like to invite you to join me and others on our spiritual journey. This journey is for a lifetime as we strive to grow in our relationship with God. To help guide you in this new journey, consider the following jingle : Gather, Grow, Give, and Go Gather: It is important for followers of God to meet together to worship and learn about God. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord s Supper), and to prayer. Acts 2:42 We gather for church not solely for our own benefit, but also as an encouragement to others. We sing praises, we learn from Biblical teaching, we pray, we take the Lord s Supper together, and we encourage and fellowship with one another. God calls for us to come to church together. At Central we offer services on Friday nights (6:00) and Sunday mornings (8:00, 9:15, and 11:00). Grow: We grow in our relationship with God and our knowledge of Him by studying His Word and by praying. We need to make time to do this as individuals and collectively with a small group of others. Individual Time: Set aside time each day to pray and read your Bible: Don t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 When you pray, think of it as if you are talking to a loving father. Tell Him how much you love and appreciate Him; Share with Him what you have done wrong; Thank Him for the good Page 4 of 6

25 The Results of a Restored Relationship things you ve been given; Ask Him for help in the areas of life where you have problems and concerns. When you begin reading the Bible, it is suggested that you start with the New Testament. In particular, the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), which tell the story of Jesus. Collectively with a Group: Doing life together with a group of friends will spur our growth in Christ. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16 Christian friends will pray for us, encourage us, and help us overcome the sin in our life. At Central, you can become involved in a Life Group (Small Group) by contacting Journey Pastor, Jared LeCrone. Give: God calls for us to give of our time, efforts, and financial resources. When we do this, it deepens our walk with God when you give to the church and others, blessings come your way. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. 2 Corinthians 9:7 God has gifted you so that you can encourage and help others. Using your gifts and resources will help others, but it also spurs growth in your own life. Go: If God has done wonderful things in our life, it only makes sense that we would tell others about Him. God wants us to Go and tell others about Him. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28: Do you know people who need to hear these presentations? Would you be willing to ask them if we could share these presentations with them? Are there people you should invite to attend church with you? Page 5 of 6

26 The Results of a Restored Relationship Final Thought As we wrap up these sessions, always remember this promise from God: Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust him. Your roots will grow down into God s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:17-19 Page 6 of 6