Loving Relationships
Growing the Church God's Way • Sermon • Submitted
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· 5 viewsEverything is better when you feel loved. Your love can change the world.
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What is the problem this message is trying to solve?
Feeling lonely, alone, isolated, unaccepted, unworthy, unloved.
Understand how love will make you and the church a hero!
Introduction:
The world is more connected now than it has ever been. When I was recently in India, Margaret and I were able to talk via text. It is on the other side of the world, 8, 735 miles away, yet we were connected.
We live in a time when we more about what is going on all over the world than we ever have. If you want, you can follow what is going on with the people and governments of countries all over the world. I learned this week that in early May, Omar al-Bashir, the dictator of Sudan for the last 30 years, was deposed and is in jail. Sudan has been one of the most oppressive countries in the world toward Christians. Hopefully this is good news for Christians but no one knows yet who is going to follow him. It may be better and it may be worse.
One of the amazing things about this is that none of us has ever been to Sudan and most of us couldn’t find it on a map.
When there is a devastating flood or an earthquake anywhere in the world, we see photos of it on TV.
Two famous American actors died this week. For just a moment don’t say their names. How many of you heard about these two famous American personalities that died this week?
We seem to be better connected than ever. Yet, a Cigna Study Reveals Loneliness at Epidemic Levels in America. https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8294451-cigna-us-loneliness-survey/. A recent survey of 20,000 U.S. adults found that nearly half of people suffer from feelings of loneliness.
New Cigna Study Reveals Loneliness at Epidemic Levels in America. https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8294451-cigna-us-loneliness-survey/
A recent survey of 20,000 U.S. adults found that nearly half of people suffer from feelings of loneliness.
Nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone (46 percent) or left out (47 percent).
One in four Americans (27 percent) rarely or never feel as though there are people who really understand them.
Two in five Americans sometimes or always feel that their relationships are not meaningful (43 percent) and that they are isolated from others (43 percent).
One in five people report they rarely or never feel close to people (20 percent) or feel like there are people they can talk to (18 percent).Americans who live with others are less likely to be lonely (average loneliness score of 43.5) compared to those who live alone (46.4). However, this does not apply to single parents/guardians (average loneliness score of 48.2) – even though they live with children, they are more likely to be lonely.
Only around half of Americans (53 percent) have meaningful in-person social interactions, such as having an extended conversation with a friend or spending quality time with family, on a daily basis.
Generation Z (adults ages 18-22) is the loneliest generation and claims to be in worse health than older generations.
Social media use alone is not a predictor of loneliness; respondents defined as very heavy users of social media have a loneliness score (43.5) that is not markedly different from the score of those who never use social media (41.7).
What do you think are the greatest barriers to church growth?
What are reasons why people who used to go to church don’t go any more?
What are the biggest complaints by the non-churched about church?
1. Problem: Loneliness
1. Problem: Loneliness
Can you love someone if you don’t know them?
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Can you know someone if you don’t spend time with them?
Which is easier to do, grow in Bible knowledge or grow in love?
2. Solution: Love
2. Solution: Love
This isn’t even something I need to prove, is it?
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
3. God is the source of love.
3. God is the source of love.
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16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Because God is love.
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Because God is love.
It’s hard to understand this and not limit God. If we were to think of love as water, flowing from a spring bubbling on the mountainside we would begin to see God
We can’t know love apart from God.
We can’t experience love apart from God.
This is where we come in.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
4. God entrusts us to love others.
4. God entrusts us to love others.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
God is the solution to the problem of loneliness.
,
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
God isn’t just the source of the solution.
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
2. The church’s message is love.
2. The church’s message is love.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Love is the family characteristic that identifies us as Christians. Love is the family business. Aren’t you glad that God isn’t a brain surgeon and expects us all to be brain surgeons? Aren’t you glad God isn’t an accordion player and He expects us all to follow in His footsteps and be accordion players?
We love as we are loved. He loves us enough to fill the void in our lives, the emptiness.
“One of the most important aspects of love is the ability to turn enemies into friends.” Christians Schwartz
“The essence of the Christian understanding of love is that we give ourselves away.” CS
A. The church’s message is love.
A. The church’s message is love.
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8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
God is love.
Everything about God is love. God offers what everyone wants.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
God offers what everyone wants.
Ephesians 2:4
Compassion
He loves us enough to fill the void in our lives, the emptiness.
Compassion
Trust
Acceptance
B. The church’s motive is love.
B. The church’s motive is love.
We want everyone to experience what we have.
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
Love for others flows from hearts full of God’s love.
We want everyone to experience what we have.
Trust
Acceptance
Love
C. The church’s method is love.
C. The church’s method is love.
, ,
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
We have what everyone wants.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Compassion
t everyone wants.
Trust
Acceptance
God demonstrated His love with action, by Jesus dying for us.
The method for church growth is love.
The method for church growth is love.
God demonstrated His love by Jesus dying for us.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 JOhn 4:7
God demonstrated His love by Jesus dying for us.
We demonstrate God’s love by caring for one another.
17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
We demonstrate God’s love with action, by caring for one another.
39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
This will cost us!
It is caring for other’s material, emotional, physical and spiritual needs.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
We
Love is the sign that identifies us as Christians.
“One of the most important aspects of love is the ability to turn enemies into friends.” Christians Schwartz
“The essence of the Christian understanding of love is that we give ourselves away.” CS
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
This isn’t saying God is loving but God is love. The Bible doesn’t say God is justice, power, wisdom or anger. Those are characteristics of God. Love is God’s nature.
“The essence of the Christian understanding of love is that we give ourselves away.” CS
39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
The goal is:
Interdependent relationships
Affirmation and encouragement
Intentional conflict resolution
5. We have the solution to the problem of loneliness.
5. We have the solution to the problem of loneliness.
We are the answer to one of the biggest problems the world is facing today, the feelings of loneliness for yourself and others. We are way God wants others to experience love. This happens when
Atmosphere of joy and trust
Interdependent relationships
Affirmation and encouragement
Intentional conflict resolution
Discussion Questions:
Discussion Questions:
1. How have you experienced love in a church?
How do you love someone if you don’t know them?
1. How have you experienced love in a church?
How have you gotten to know people?
2. How have you gotten to know people?
3. How can you implement the solutions listed under point 5?