Relationships Circles

Mark 12:28–34 NIV84

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

1. The relationship with God is above all others - first circle

In Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.”

Jesus establishes a clear order of importance as it pertains to how we value relationships

We are to place our relationship with God before all others, even that of our family relationships

Then order the other relationships accordingly

Jesus’s statement isn’t a declaration of him not valuing the relationships between parents and children, because we can read how he recognizes the importance of families in other places in Scripture

Rather it is one of ranking

Jesus demands loyalty

2. We were made for relationships

The most intimate is a marriage relationship

It is not good for man to be alone so God made man a suitable helper

A perfect fit

The perfect fit comes when your eyes are closed

Concentric circles are seen in nature, such as ripples in a pond, the layers of an onion, and the rings of a tree.

The rings of a tree, much like the concentric circles of friendship, provide a historical account of the conditions the tree experienced

Tree rings usually grow wider in warm, wet years and

Trees are thinner in years when it is cold and dry

If the tree has experienced stressful conditions, such as a drought, the tree might hardly grow at all in those years

3. We are born into a family

You don’t choose your family

That choice is made by God

He has a reason and purpose as to why He placed you in that family

You were born for such a time as this

You bring value to your family

4. We build relationships with those of the Faith

Fourth circle belongs to faith relationships

Gal 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

The family of believers is important to God

You must do good to all

You must especially do good to the people of God

If you have an attitude that tells you nonbelievers are easier to love then you need an adjustment

5. We choose a family of friends

Be wise with your choices

Healthy friendships shouldn’t foster exclusivity, jealousy, ownership, or sensuality

Rather, we hold our friends with open hands and invite others in

We celebrate the formation of new friendships in our friends’ lives and are open to building new friendships ourselves

Mk 12:31 “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.””

It takes about 200 hours of investment in the space of a few months to move a stranger into being a good friend

Close friends are very expensive in terms of time investment to maintain … friendships require work

You are the average of the people you surround yourself with

Have circles that feed you and circles you feed