INSIGHT
 

   If someone were to ask you, “What does it take to have a close knit family or relationship?” What would you say?  Research has shown that the common response to this question--by close knit families--was, “We do a lot of things together.” These same people were asked, “If you could pick one activity that you thought was the most important, what would it be?” Many of them said, “Camping”.  You may ask yourself what is so special about camping? Camping by itself does not make a relationship closer, it is what takes place when you go camping. That something is conflict.  Camping is one activity that seldom goes smooth.  Something is bound to go wrong: bad weather, spoiled food, insect bites, bad attitudes, getting lost, etc.  But surprisingly enough, it is through these conflicts that friends and love ones are able to find a common bond and draw closer to one another. Think of the times you felt the closest to those whom you love? Wasn’t it through a crisis? Or maybe you became good friends with a stranger simply because he or she took the time to lend a helping hand!

   Shared crises solidify relationships within families, coworkers, friends and even strangers. Although suffering does not feel good at the time it is being experienced, it does have the power to establish close knit bonds!

   The apostles shared both good and bad experiences together. They preached the word, fellowshipped with each other and suffered together for the sake of Christ. For, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” (Acts 5:41).  The apostle knew the secret of a closer relationship with God and each other: shared crisis. In this case, not only did they shared a common crisis, they shared the sufferings of the Lord Jesus. They bore their suffering with an invincible cheerfulness.  It was a shared crisis that motivated approximately three thousand souls to be converted to Christ in Acts 2. When Peter preached the message of the Gospel, those who were affected by the suffering of Christ were “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37). They shared a common crisis: they (and us as well) were all guilty of the death of Christ and of sin.  It was after the preaching of the gospel that the bonding began: As it is written, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” From that day forth, all the believers did everything together (Act 2:42-44).  They preached God’s word, fellowshipped with each other and comforted each other as they faced various kinds of trials for the sake of Christ!
The Royal Law: Loving Relationships
Closer Relationships

Key Text:                                Romans 5:3-4

 

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

 

Theme:

 

Having a relationship with Jesus Christ brings us peace and reassurance of salvation. For the Scripture says, ”...we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:1-2). However, we too rejoice in our sufferings for the sake of Christ. For by it, we grow in patience! Patience is a quality that can endure evil without being filled with resentment or revenge, two attributes that can destroy relationships. Patience will put up with a person’s shortcomings, and wait long to see its kind effects! Such a quality builds strong and close relationships! Patience, a byproduct of suffering, brings us closer to God and to one another!

 

Application:

 

Here are some practical suggestions:

 

1. Fellowship! You cannot build a relationship by

    being distant. Did not the God of heaven come

    down to earth to build a relationship with you? Is not

    the Spirit of God in you? Just as He is in you, you

    must also be in the fellowship of His children! It is

    through fellowship that we can get know one another

    and experience different things as a family!

 

2. Be of assistance! If you see anyone who is down or is

    experiencing difficulties in their life, comfort them!

    Pray with them! Give them a call of  encouragement!

    Build them up! Hug them! Reaffirm God’s love for

    them! Show them that you care!

 

May the Lord richly bless you!

 

Sermon Outline

Closer Relationships

 

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture,

‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.

 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted

 by the law as lawbreakers” James 2:8-9

 

Practical Ways To A Loving Relationship

 

I. Last Week: Effective Communication

   A. Emotional Word Pictures

1. They communicate thoughts and feelings

    (stimulate left and right brain)

        2. Nathan used it with king David (2 Sam. 12:1-13)

        3. Jesus used them to explain the kingdom

             --parables (Mat. 13:34)

        4. Ordinary people used them

             --Harriet B. Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”

 

II.  The Key To A Closer Relationship

      A. Reminder: The Basis

         1. Romans 12:9,10

             a. Sincere love=hating what is evil

             b. Honor (A person’s soul is very valuable)

             c. Know their needs (What does he/she need?)

             d. Supply their needs (What must I do?)

                 --commitment, conversation

                    fellowship, physical provisions

 

        B. Suffering: The Key To Closeness

         1. Romans 5:1-4

             a. Suffering is influential

                 --It builds patience

                 --It proves and improves (Gk. prove)

                 --Jesus, through suffering, brought us near

                    to God, the Father

                    (Isa. 53:5-6;1 Pt. 2:21; Gal. 3:25)

          2.  Suffering can bring out the best in

               relationships

               a. Personal experiences

               b. Disastrous events (tornado, fire, etc.)

 

Conclusion: 2 Peter 1:5-11

       1. Increase in the qualities of love

       2. Welcome the things that help increase
Small Group Study

 

Warm-up:

Describe a time in your life when you were shown the most support from your friends, family, etc. What did this situation do for you?

 

See To It                                           1 Thessalonians 1-3

 

1-     From verses 2-6: List the particulars for which Paul, the Apostle, was so thankful to God on behalf of these brethren.

 

2-     How did their faith in God show itself? Why was Paul encouraged by their faith?

 

3-     How was life as a Christian like for these Thessalonians? Did life seem easy? What kind of impact did they make on others?

 

4-     From chapters 2 and 3: How did their love for Paul show itself? How did their love for Timothy show itself?

 

5-     What caused these people to have such a great and close relationship with Paul and Timothy? Explain.

 

Seeing It Closer          

 

1-     Give an explanation for each of the following: How is gold made pure? How is faith made pure? Are relationships strengthened through crises?

 

2-     Have you experienced personal hardships as a Christian? Please share it with us. What key factors kept your faith from waning?

 

3-     Read Philippians 3:10. Why did Paul want to know the sufferings of Christ? What benefits does that bring?

 

Getting To It:

 

Suffering for Jesus’ sake strengthens our relationship with God! By the same token, our relationships are made stronger when we experience common trial and tribulations as a family! For by these experiences, our true devotion for one another is shown by what we do as opposed to what we say!

This week's Quiet Times:

CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS

 

MONDAY

It has been said that shared crisis is a slow drying glue in a relationship.  In the midst of the crisis the glue is being applied and afterward it begins to dry and bond together those who shared in the experience.  This is a spiritual truth.  Shared crisis or suffering bonds us to the Lord and to each other.  Read Philippians 3.  What was Paul’s greatest desire?  What do you learn about fellowship from verse 10?  Can you really know Jesus without suffering?  What was Paul’s attitude toward sharing in Christ’s sufferings?  In verse 17, Paul challenges the church to imitate his attitude.  Are you eager to be bonded closer to Jesus?  Are you willing to share in His sufferings in order to do this?  Write Philippians 3:10-11 on an index card and meditate on them.  Pray to God to bless you with the right attitude and insight toward suffering and the privilege of being with Jesus!! 

 

TUESDAY

Read Acts 4. What happened to Peter and John?  Why?  Take note of the response to suffering as you read verses 23-36. Where did they go immediately after their release from prison?  What did this shared crisis do to those who were there?  Notice how it drove them nearer to God as evidenced by their powerful prayer!  What happened after that (see verses 32-36)?  How does verse 32 describe the relationship of the believers who were suffering together?  Do you see how beneficial suffering in Christ is?  Think of examples of shared crisis in your life.  What have the results of your suffering been?  Read Acts 5 and notice how the church continued to benefit and grow through suffering.  Continue to pray that the Lord bless you with a pleasing attitude toward the suffering you endure.  Know that God turns everything upside down and that situations that the world considers as only tragic the Lord turns into blessing for each of us!!

 

WEDNESDAY

In previous weeks we read about the relationship of Jonathan and David.  Today we will look at it in light of the effect shared crisis had on it.  Read 1 Samuel 20.  Put yourself in Jonathan’s shoes as you read verses 24-33.  What crisis was he faced with?  How would you feel if you were in Jonathan’s position?  What did he stand to gain if he obeyed his father Saul (see v.31)?  What did he choose to do and why?  What was the effect on David and Jonathan’s relationship as they went through this?  What verses clarify this for you?  They had in common everything that matters in life: they had in common a wholehearted faith and devotion to the Lord!!  You may be more familiar with the faith David showed in the Lord even as a boy.  Read 1 Samuel 14 and see the faith that Jonathan had.  Do you see what they shared?  At the center of their relationship and every holy relationship is an awesome faith in the Lord God Almighty!!!  What are your relationships based on?  Pray to have great and holy relationships like David and Jonathan shared!!

 

THURSDAY

Read 1 Thessalonians in it’s entirety.  Pray that God will teach you and make you more loving as you read and apply what you learn in His Word!! As you read, consider the following: What was Paul’s time with the Thessalonians like? Was it trouble free or filled with trouble?  What kind of relationship did they have with the brethren? Was it a lukewarm relationship or an intense loving relationship?  What verses give you this impression?  How did they feel when they were apart (see 2:17 -3:11)?  How did Paul develop the discipleship and love that he shared  with the Thessalonians through their difficult times (see 2:6-12)?  Take a moment to look at Chapter 4 verse 9.  Bear in mind how these disciples went through a lot of suffering together! What was it that God taught them through this?  They had learned so much about suffering that Paul felt no need to write anymore about it; rather he encouraged them to do more of it! Now you can understand why the Thessalonians served as a model for all the believers!!  Praise the Lord for the suffering you endure! Allow Him to make you more loving as a result of it! What a BLESSING!!

 

FRIDAY

With the right focus we can realize that our sufferings are a blessing.  Shared crisis (the slow drying glue) bonds us to the Lord and to one another if we persevere (give the glue time to dry and bond us).  If we do not have the right focus then our sufferings produce all negative emotions within us which can destroy our relationships and break the bonds we share.  Our brother Paul endured much suffering (see 2Cor.11:21ff).  Yet he learned the secret to “being content (happy) in any and every situation...”  What was it that the Lord had taught him?  How did he overcome the negative emotions that most commonly accompany suffering or crisis situations?  Read Philippians 4 carefully.  The keys to happiness are here!! If you are counting on people, places or things to make you happy you heading for failure! In verse 9, Paul tells us how we can have the God of peace with us! What must we do?  Happiness and peace are a byproduct (result) of what we do!!  If we serve the Lord and one another we will find happiness!! Get down on your knees and thank the Lord for salvation! Also, ask Him not to remove the trials from your life, but rather, ask Him to see you through the trials; that you may gain a closer walk with Him and those around you! God bless you!