Past + Future = Present // Relationships

‍

Do you ever daydream of living on a deserted island by yourself? What would you love about it? What would you hate about it?

‍

1. The Essence of Relationships

‍

Matthew 3:16-17

[16] And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; [17] and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

‍

How do you see the Trinity at work in this scene?

What does this tell us about God?

‍

Genesis 1:26-27

[26] Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

[27] So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

‍

In terms of relationships, how are we like God?

‍

Theologian Anthony Hoekema says,

“Men and women cannot attain to true humanity in isolation… We are social beings. Man cannot be truly human apart from others. It is only in fellowship with others that we grow and mature.”

‍

Do you agree with that statement? Why or why not?

‍

2. The Difficulty of Relationships

‍

Generally speaking, why are relationships so difficult?

‍

Romans 3:23

[23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

‍

Sin disrupts our relationships. Our pursuit of self-glory will disrupt (and eventually destroy) every human relationship we have, because we are demanding others bend to our standards and needs above anything else. In which relationships are you tempted to put pressure on someone else to meet your needs?

‍

3. The Opportunity of Relationships

a) Your past is anchored in Christ’s sacrificial love

‍

Jesus shows us that true love is costly. How does knowing that God has loved you like this (sacrificially) change the way you think about loving others?

‍

b) Your future is secure in Christ’s enduring love

‍

What do you think relationships will be like on the new earth?

‍

c) Your present is an opportunity to apply Christ’s love

Looking to our past and our future, we can model an alternative way of engaging with relationships now. So regarding relationships, what are some characteristics that we should be displaying to the world around us?

Where do you need help applying Christ’s love to your current relationships?