This Thing Called Life...Impacting Our Relationaship

(S1) 61 yrs old — I have all the symptoms of aging. I require more hours of sleep to function well, my body aches more...

Proverbs 16:31 “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.”

Revelation — Lived more years, than I have left to live — Whats important — How I expend my energy — Relationships I invest in. My mortality is shaping or re-shaping my LIFE.

I find myself asking questions like — Do I really need more? What is success? What will my family remember about me when I am gone What will I do with the second half of my life that has greater significance?

Ever find yourself thinking more about your life?

Jesus did not come to start a RELIGION—he came to offer us LIFE — Series, THIS THING CALLED LIFE! (J.G.

(S3) —

John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Not just any LIFE—abundant LIFE, in a relationship with him — One that is meant to impact all areas if our lives.

(S3) — CRISIS — FINANCES — PRIORITIES — MATURITY — RELATIONSHIPS

“The real proof of the transformation Jesus brings, is not in the habits we practice—but in the lives we lead.”

Book, Halftime, Bob Buford — He describes how as we age, we tend to shift the focus of our lives from a quest for SUCCESS to a pursuit of SIGNIFICANCE. Two seasons most people experience in their lives.

In the FIRST HALF we are in search of MORE; the accumulation of things; success in our education, our careers, our family life, and in our desire to just experience life.

MORE — This first half of life.

“Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!” ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

SECOND HALF — When we realize that the things we are chasing do not last and fail to scratch the deepest itch of our hearts. Facing our own mortality, we shift away from chasing things, to seeking a life of lasting significance.

The key point in the game of life is what Buford calls HALF-TIME.

“This is where games are won or lost.” He says, “It’s possible to make some mistakes in the first half and still have time to recover.”

LIONS

Half-time is an opportunity to change the outcome of this thing called life. Whether you are in the first half or the second half, here is the truth

LIFE! We only get ONE! What are we doing with this thing called life? Our one?

We measure it in minutes, hours, days and weeks, months and years. We don’t know how much time we will get and our days are numbered.

Psalm 90:12 “12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life.”

Followers of Jesus believe that our LIVES are a gift of God. That what we do with it, is our gift back to Him.

Romans 12:1 (NLT)

...dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

(S4) Our life is a gift from God — we only have one — what we do with it matters...

“What are you doing with your one, that has lasting impact and eternal significance?

Handouts — Bibles — Prayer

The apostle Paul gives a clear account of Christianity. He presents the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, and the way to live in the face of great adversity — Pagan lifestyles/Ritualized worship.

Paul was not always Paul. As Saul, he spent the FIRST-HALF of his life seeking out Christians...

His HALF-TIME moment, came when he met Jesus... (acts 9).

The second- half, he not only became a follower of Jesus — everything about his life changed. Jesus in his life went way beyond himself…it impacted his relationships...

How has Jesus changed you?

(S5) —Paul’s personal encounter with Jesus, who saved him…led to him spending the last-half showing others by the way he lived.

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

We impact our relationships, by making our own lives an OFFERING to God!

Faith in Jesus is more than a one-time experience — Our lives should be an offering to God that reflects the grace and work of God in our hearts.”

(S6) —

“The real proof of the transformation Jesus brings, is not in the habits we practice—but in the lives we lead.”

LIFE - we have only ONE. Jesus promises abundance, when we LIVE all of it for HIM.

There are two important realities to first consider

1. Life is best lived in relationships…

2. Relationships are sometimes just MESSY…

If we are living life in relationship with Jesus—then our faith can strengthen our relationships—and help keep the MESS to a minimum. So, the question is...How does or should our relationship with Jesus impact our relationships with others?

Paul gives us specific direction, yet he isn’t the author of them – The disciples first witnessed Jesus’ teaching on living life in relationship to others

— “The Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7).

Four practical steps we can take in relating to people, that will have lasting significance and eternal implications?

(S7) — Practical step #1...

1. Be HUMBLE and put others FIRST.

Romans 12:3 (NLT)

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

‘Humility is not thinking less of yourself – it’s thinking of YOURSELF less.

Benjamin Whichcote (17th century Professor of King's College, Cambridge)

“None are as empty as those who are full of themselves.”

We tend to live self-centered lives, which can damage our RELATIONSHIPS...

Our lives are often wrapped up in the “unholy trinity” of me, myself and I. The draw is to think that we are all that and a bag of chips...

Turn to your neighbor – “he’s not talking about me”

When we begin to think less about ourselves—and expend a positive selfless influence on others—we become easier to love and better impact our relationships.

3...measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

(S8) — Letting your faith be your guide in all of your relationship brings blessing to family, friends, neighbors, co-workers...

“Church in Palestine where the door is so low that one must stoop to enter. This was to prevent medieval raiders from riding their horses into the church to disrupt the service. The door is called, "The Humility Gate."

When we show humility in relationships it gives them opportunity to flourish, and it can also be a gateway for them to enter into a relationship with Jesus.

Paul’s advice is in the spirit of Jesus who EMPTIED HIMSELF of EGO to show us how to LOVE our ENEMIES—PRAY for those who PERSECUTE us—TURN the OTHER CHEEK—and FORGIVE as often as necessary. We do this by being HUMBLE ENOUGH to PUT OTHERS FIRST.

(S9) —

‘Mind Your Head’

How can our faith in Jesus impact the way we relate to others? BY THE HUMILITY WE SHOW...

(S10) — Practical step #2 — By recognizing that we have different gifts.

2. Celebrate our DIFFERENCES by making our Contribution

Romans 12:4–6 (NLT)

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.

Each person is gifted to make their unique contribution to God’s work in this world. No one gets all the gifts and abilities needed to give full life in relationships. So, we NEED each other.

Our differences when aligned with our contribution, help relationships flourish. It’s true in our marriages, our families, our friendships, as well as IN our church. Paul is talking about the way God has gifted the church—but this truth applies to all of our lives.

We not only NEED each other—God has DESIGNED us to BELONG to each other—and when we get this right—it is BEAUTIFUL—but when we get it wrong—DYSFUNCTION ABOUNDS.

In our lives, and in our church, we need to CELEBRATE the differences we have from each other—and make OUR distinct CONTRIBUTION.

Paul gives us a sample of the various gifts in verses 6-8

Illustration of how differing gifts work together in a church.

At a potluck last Sabbath, suppose someone dropped a plate full of Kim Chee on the new floor in the gym. This is how people with different gifts would respond.

Gift of prophecy - That’s what happens when you’re not careful.

Gift of service - Oh, let me help you clean it up.

Gift of teaching - The reason it fell, because it was too heavy on one side.

Gift of exhortation - Next time, maybe you should let someone else carry it.

Gift of giving - Here, you can have my Kim Chee.

Gift of mercy – Don’t feel too bad. It could have happened to anyone

Gift of administration - ________, would you get the mop? _________, please help pick this up. ___________, could you get him another plate.

We’ve all been gifted differently and so we act differently and we serve differently. What can we do to better impact our relationships? Celebrate our DIFFERENCES and make OUR OWN unique contribution.

We can get all this right, but there is one ingredient that can have the GREATEST IMPACT on our RELATIONSHIPS—LOVE. Not emotional sentimentality—but SELFLESS, SACRFICAL LOVE.

(S11) — Practical step #3….though it may sound cliché…

3. We need to CHOOSE to LOVE.

Romans 12:9–10 (NLT)

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

This kind of love is not a feeling, it is agape. Love that is based solely on feelings will not overcome the MESS of LIFE. If love is only an EMOTION—it can change like the WEATHER. We only have to look to the south to know what a mess the weather can make.

(Married couples – romance or infatuation is not love)

The GREATEST EXPRESSION of LOVE. The LOVE that stands in LIFE’s MESS is described by Jesus, who said,

John 15:13 (NLT)

13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

That kind of LOVE is a CHOICE—and is what Paul is talking about.

It is sacrificial and unconditional and is deeply rooted in faith. It is choosing to love, even if a person does or thinks or acts differently than we do.

It is seeing others as God sees them – as his child! Seeing them through the lens of Jesus, that they are given the same mercy and grace we are.

Choosing to love those we don’t agree with

When we let faith impact our relationships, they flourish, because we choose to love as Jesus chose to show his love for us by dying on a cross.

The rest of Romans 12 is a collection of short, powerful statements about how our relationship with Jesus should IMPACT the most significant RELATIONSHIPS of our lives.

“NEVER BE LACKING in ZEAL, keep your SPIRITUAL FERVOR, SERVING the Lord. Be JOYFUL in HOPE, PATIENT in AFFLICTION, FAITHFUL in PRAYER. SHARE with the Lord’s people who are in need. PRACTICE HOSPITALITY. BLESS those who PERSECUTE you; BLESS and DO NOT CURSE. REJOICE with those who rejoice; MOURN with those who mourn.

(S) — Leading us to the last key element in a flourishing faith grounded relationship

4. Live at Peace with EVERYONE

Romans 12:16–18 (NLT)

Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

That means - your friends, family, people in your church, people you bump into and even your enemies. The problem with today is that we can see our enemies as those who disagree with us.

Matthew 5:44 “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

This means to love in our words, actions and reactions in our relationships with others. How would our relationships be impacted if we lived at Peace with Everyone? That may mean having to FIRST make peace in some of our relationships.

If we are honest, we have to admit that this is tough stuff! It takes work and most of all it takes a life grounded in faith, rooted in love.

So, HOW…how can we have lasting impact in our relationships?

By letting faith be our guide and God’s word give us direction — Living a life of humility…Celebrating our difference by making our own contribution...choosing to love…by living in peace in our relationships...

(S13) — How? We have to go back to the beginning of this chapter,

Read verses 1-2

By making YOUR life, which is a gift, as an OFFERING to God

John 6 — The boy who gave his lunch to Jesus

JESUS wants to IMPACT and SHAPE YOUR LIFE and your RELATIONSHIPS

“The real proof of the transformation Jesus brings, is not in the habits we practice—but in the lives we lead.”

Whether we are in the first half or the second half, teach us to number our days and grow in wisdom. We know we have today and there is still time to consider This ONE life WE have.

“What are you doing with your ONE, that has lasting impact and eternal significance?