Relational. God is Intentionally Relational and Life is really about Relationships

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Carmel McCarthy
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1 Relational God is Intentionally Relational and Life is really about Relationships

2 The Torn Curtain And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. Mark 15:37-38 When God speaks of a new covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear. Hebrews 8:13 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Hebrews 10:19 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; I Timothy 2:5

4 It is Finished Old Covenant God is impersonal Unpronounceable name YHVH Unknown God Dwells behind a curtain Only High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies The Presence in the Temple New Covenant God is now personal The name of Jesus Christ The face of Jesus Christ The curtain is torn All believers enter Holy of Holies by blood of Jesus The Presence with us

5 Now it is Personal Old Covenant God spoke through Prophets & Priest The Tabernacle and the Priest served as mediator Law written in stone Relationship with God from a distance New Covenant God speaks to us through His Son Jesus Jesus Christ is our only mediator Law written on our hearts and minds Relationship with God up close and personal

6 Our Veil of Unbelief God has rent His veil, He is here with us! We are not aware of it because of our veil of chronic unbelief. Prayer should be a dialog not a monolog. When we are not in good relationship with God, then we cannot possibly be in proper, good, healthy relationships with others.

7 The Trinity is Relational God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit 3 persons, 1 name, nature, purpose, will. They enjoy one another They encourage one another They support one another They love one another They glorify one another They defer one to another They have perfect unity, always CS Lewis called this The Divine Dance.

8 Why did God Create us? God is intentionally relational toward us and He desires a personal relationship with each of us. He created us for this purpose. He wants to talk to us and walk with us, laugh and cry with us. He wants to give to us and bless us, teach us and transform us. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11

9 A Friendly Heart For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him... II Chronicles 16:9 Perfect: Shalem, friendly, quite, peaceable, complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith. He was even called the friend of God. James 2:23 NLT

10 Something Not Good This occurred before sin. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone Genesis 2:18

11 The Greatest Command Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Matthew 22:37-39 Love God Love Others: (Believers & Non-Believers) Love Self

12 Spiritual Maturity Spiritual maturity is measured by love, not by: Length or years of study or loyalty to a certain dogma. How much knowledge you have attained. What you have done for God in the way of service. Your position or accomplishments in ministry. It is measured by: How much and how well do you love God. How much and how well do you love the brethren. How much and how well do you love the lost. How much and how well do you love yourself.

13 Love Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. I Corinthians 13:1 3 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. I Corinthians 13:7 NLT

14 Return is Relational Return to the only thing that matters! A personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Communion with God through Christ. Intimacy, fellowship with God. Personal relationships with the brethren. We need community, connection and fellowship with each other. This is a must for a healthy church. Personal relationships with the lost. Influence then invite. One word should describe Return: Relational

15 The Life of Jesus Jesus had perfect relationship with The Father and the Holy Spirit. He spent time in prayer. Jesus invested in His Disciples. He spent a great amount of His time in teaching, working with, fellowshipping, connecting with them. Jesus invested much time with the lost, the sinners, the multitude. He fed them, healed them and ministered to them. Jesus was totally relational as he loved God, and others. (insiders and outsiders)

16 Christian Community Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 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 10:24-25 NLT It is so very important in our spiritual lives to connect to and encourage each other. We are to help each other in our journey with God. Small groups are an essential part of Return Ministries.

17 Meaningful Relationships I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. John 17:21 NLT Jesus wanted us to have unity and be one with each other in meaningful relationships as Jesus had with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

18 Loving the Lost Influence and Invite. Love gives and draws near, restrains or fences in. Let them belong before they believe. Love the least of these. (Matthew 25) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:... Matthew 28:19 20

19 Pursue 3 Relationships 1. Love God 2. Love Brethren 3. Love the Lost Only as we fill out hearts with His love, can we ever learn to love others well. We all need to love both the brethren and the lost. But you will never love God or others well if you don t learn to love yourself.

20 Love Yourself How will you ever love God or others properly if you don t even know how to love yourself? We fail in relational intimacy with God and others because we don t see ourselves as God sees us. If you hold onto a false identity, it will hinder your relationships with God and others. What if a stranger came in and your friend told slanderous lies about him? Would you treat him based upon the identity that your friend gave him? Show 1 st video clip

21 What are you Worth? What is your net worth? What is your true value? Who switched the price tags? We need to know who we are In Christ to understand our true value. I am who God s Word says I am. My true identity is who I am In Christ, not who the devil says I am.

22 A New Identity But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God s people.. I Peter 2:9-10 NLT

23 No Identity No identity is as bad as a false identity. Israel had no identity as slaves in Egypt. God gave them their identity at Mt Sinai. Do you believe that you are who others say you are? Do you accept their labels. Kids, siblings, parents, teachers, coaches, bosses, spouses, preachers have all called us names. The devil will use anyone he can to distort, pervert, destroy your true identity.

24 False labels Loser Worthless Wicked sinner Worm, maggot Ignorant twig Stupid Bad person Nobody Selfish, cruel Good for nothing You ll never make it You don t measure up God does not love you You will never be forgiven for that sin You messed up too bad this time

25 Your New or True Identity Chosen Royal Priest Holy nation Gods possession New identity: In Christ Son of God, Kings kid, Heir of God, Forgiven, Saint, New Name, New Nature,

26 In Christ Who we are In Christ is who we really are! Understanding who we are in Christ, will change everything about our relationship with God with the brethren and with the lost. As long as you hold onto a false identity, you can never experience true communion or fellowship with God and with others. I m not talking about Satan s counterfeit of self-esteem or self-confidence.

27 Pursue 3 Vital Relationships A growing, maturing, loving believer will pursue 3 vital relationships: Intimacy, communion & fellowship with God Community and fellowship with insiders (believers) Influence with outsiders (non-believers) He does this by having a right view of God, himself and others, based on what God s Word says instead of what others say. All of these relationships are possible because of Love. As our love for God grows, so will our love for ourselves and for others grow.

28 It is all about Relationships Life with God is not about religion, rules or rituals, instead it is all about relationships. God is intentionally relational toward you. God wants a personal relationship with you. We all want love and acceptance. God has given it. Receive it and become who God says you are. Then learn to love others. Insiders and outsiders. Join a small group and get involved in outreach. You have to be vulnerable to love. Show 2 nd video clip

Ecclesiastes Chapter 3

Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 Verses 1-8: These verses speak of an appointed time. Not only does God fix the standard and withhold or dispense satisfaction (2:26), but He also appoints times. Earthly pursuits