Investing in Relationships: Reflecting God's Love
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, church. Today, we continue our sermon series on the letters to Timothy, focusing on the importance of investing in and cultivating our relationships throughout our lives. Relationships are vital because they point us towards our first and greatest love—God. Our earliest relationships, particularly with our parents, shape our initial understanding of who God is. While parents are not perfect, God's grace fills in the gaps, bringing surrogates into our lives to nurture us where our parents may have fallen short.
Parenting is a significant vocation, teaching children that God's love is unconditional, yet also instilling the understanding that choices have consequences. Sibling relationships teach us about sharing, empathy, and conflict management, preparing us for deeper relationships later in life. Friendships, especially close, same-gender friendships, allow us to practice vulnerability and intimacy, which are crucial for a healthy marriage. Romantic relationships, particularly marriage, are the closest earthly metaphor to our relationship with God. They require the most investment and vulnerability, reflecting the deep, sacrificial love that God has for us.
As we grow older, we may become parents and even grandparents, each stage offering a new glimpse into God's love. Even our pets can teach us about love we didn't know existed. These relationships prepare us for the ultimate love we will experience in eternity with God. Therefore, it is essential to invest in our earthly relationships, as they prepare our hearts to fully receive God's love. Let us continue to cultivate a heart of love, so that it will be big enough to receive God's love in eternity.
### Key Takeaways
1. Parental Influence on Understanding God: Our first understanding of God often comes from our parents. Whether nurturing or neglecting, parents shape our initial concept of God. However, God's grace fills in the gaps where parents fall short, bringing surrogates into our lives to nurture us. This highlights the importance of parenting as a vocation and the need to teach children about God's unconditional love and the consequences of their choices. [30:22]
2. Sibling Relationships and Life Skills: Sibling relationships teach us essential life skills like sharing, empathy, and conflict management. These early lessons prepare us for deeper relationships later in life. Sibling relationships also remind us that love is not about possession but about considering others' needs and feelings. This foundational understanding of love is crucial for developing healthy, loving relationships throughout life. [34:30]
3. The Role of Friendships: Friendships, especially close, same-gender friendships, are vital for practicing vulnerability and intimacy. These relationships allow us to open up and be accepted, preparing us for deeper connections in marriage. In a culture that often misunderstands intimacy, these friendships provide a safe space to cultivate emotional depth and accountability. [38:12]
4. Marriage as a Reflection of God's Love: Marriage is the closest earthly metaphor to our relationship with God. It requires the most investment and vulnerability, reflecting the deep, sacrificial love that God has for us. Our spouses are the only family we choose, and this relationship deserves the best of us. Investing in our marriages helps us understand God's love more profoundly. [42:56]
5. Glimpses of God's Love in Various Relationships: Throughout our lives, different relationships offer glimpses of God's love. From parents to siblings, friends, spouses, children, and even pets, each relationship teaches us something about love. These experiences prepare us for the ultimate love we will experience in eternity with God. Therefore, investing in our earthly relationships is crucial for preparing our hearts to fully receive God's love. [49:14]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[08:41] - Opening Hymn: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
[13:41] - Community Prayer
[17:11] - The Lord's Prayer
[22:38] - Offering
[28:54] - Introduction to Sermon: Importance of Relationships
[30:22] - Parental Influence on Understanding God
[34:30] - Sibling Relationships and Life Skills
[38:12] - The Role of Friendships
[42:56] - Marriage as a Reflection of God's Love
[49:14] - Glimpses of God's Love in Various Relationships
[50:55] - Investing in Earthly Relationships
[51:41] - Cultivating a Heart of Love
[52:10] - Invitation to Membership and Prayer
[55:04] - Closing Hymn: Just as I Am Without One Plea
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Ephesians 6:1-4 (NIV)
> "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother'—which is the first commandment with a promise—'so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.' Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
2. Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)
> "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity."
3. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)
> "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to the sermon, how do our earliest relationships, particularly with our parents, shape our initial understanding of who God is? [30:22]
2. What life skills do sibling relationships teach us, as mentioned in the sermon? [34:30]
3. How do close, same-gender friendships help us practice vulnerability and intimacy? [38:12]
4. Why is marriage considered the closest earthly metaphor to our relationship with God? [42:56]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of parental influence on understanding God align with Ephesians 6:1-4? What responsibilities do parents have in shaping their children's view of God? [30:22]
2. In what ways do sibling relationships prepare us for deeper relationships later in life, as discussed in the sermon? How does this relate to Proverbs 17:17? [34:30]
3. Reflect on the role of friendships in cultivating emotional depth and accountability. How does this align with the qualities of love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7? [38:12]
4. How does the sermon’s view of marriage as a reflection of God's love deepen our understanding of the sacrificial nature of love? [42:56]
#### Application Questions
1. Think about your relationship with your parents. How has it shaped your understanding of God’s love? Are there areas where you feel God’s grace has filled in the gaps? [30:22]
2. Reflect on your sibling relationships. How have they taught you about sharing, empathy, and conflict management? How can you apply these lessons to your current relationships? [34:30]
3. Consider your close friendships. How do you practice vulnerability and intimacy in these relationships? What steps can you take to deepen these connections further? [38:12]
4. If you are married, how do you invest in your marriage to reflect the deep, sacrificial love that God has for us? What specific actions can you take to strengthen this relationship? [42:56]
5. How do you see glimpses of God’s love in various relationships in your life, including with friends, family, and even pets? Share a specific example. [49:14]
6. What are some practical ways you can invest in your earthly relationships to prepare your heart to fully receive God’s love? [50:55]
7. Identify one relationship in your life that needs more investment. What specific steps will you take this week to nurture and cultivate that relationship? [51:41]
Devotional
Day 1: Parental Influence on Understanding God
Our first understanding of God often comes from our parents. Whether nurturing or neglecting, parents shape our initial concept of God. However, God's grace fills in the gaps where parents fall short, bringing surrogates into our lives to nurture us. This highlights the importance of parenting as a vocation and the need to teach children about God's unconditional love and the consequences of their choices. [30:22]
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (ESV): "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Reflection: Think about the ways your parents influenced your understanding of God. How can you extend grace to them for their shortcomings and recognize the surrogates God has placed in your life to fill those gaps?
Day 2: Sibling Relationships and Life Skills
Sibling relationships teach us essential life skills like sharing, empathy, and conflict management. These early lessons prepare us for deeper relationships later in life. Sibling relationships also remind us that love is not about possession but about considering others' needs and feelings. This foundational understanding of love is crucial for developing healthy, loving relationships throughout life. [34:30]
1 John 4:20-21 (ESV): "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
Reflection: Reflect on your relationship with your siblings or close friends. How have these relationships taught you about empathy and conflict management? What steps can you take today to improve these relationships?
Day 3: The Role of Friendships
Friendships, especially close, same-gender friendships, are vital for practicing vulnerability and intimacy. These relationships allow us to open up and be accepted, preparing us for deeper connections in marriage. In a culture that often misunderstands intimacy, these friendships provide a safe space to cultivate emotional depth and accountability. [38:12]
Proverbs 27:17 (ESV): "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."
Reflection: Consider your closest friendships. How do these relationships help you practice vulnerability and intimacy? What can you do to deepen these friendships and provide mutual support?
Day 4: Marriage as a Reflection of God's Love
Marriage is the closest earthly metaphor to our relationship with God. It requires the most investment and vulnerability, reflecting the deep, sacrificial love that God has for us. Our spouses are the only family we choose, and this relationship deserves the best of us. Investing in our marriages helps us understand God's love more profoundly. [42:56]
Ephesians 5:25-27 (ESV): "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."
Reflection: If you are married, think about how you can invest more deeply in your relationship with your spouse. What specific actions can you take to reflect God's sacrificial love in your marriage today?
Day 5: Glimpses of God's Love in Various Relationships
Throughout our lives, different relationships offer glimpses of God's love. From parents to siblings, friends, spouses, children, and even pets, each relationship teaches us something about love. These experiences prepare us for the ultimate love we will experience in eternity with God. Therefore, investing in our earthly relationships is crucial for preparing our hearts to fully receive God's love. [49:14]
1 John 4:12 (ESV): "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."
Reflection: Reflect on the various relationships in your life. How have these relationships given you glimpses of God's love? What can you do today to invest more deeply in these relationships and prepare your heart to fully receive God's love?
Quotes
### Quotes for outreach
1. "Relationships are important. Because perhaps more. More so than anything else, they point us towards our first and our greatest love. They teach us about the nature of who God is through our glimpses of Christ that we see in other people." [28:54] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "If we are parenting well, we are teaching our children that God loves them regardless of their performance or regardless of their obedience to them. Like mommy and daddy's love, God's love for them is unconditional. I am going to love you no matter how many mistakes you make. No matter how many mistakes you make. No matter how much you mess up. I love you because you are my child." [31:49] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "God blesses us with deep same gender relationships where we can connect to each other in a way that we cannot with the opposite. In a way that we can relate together as guys. That God gives us a safe place to go deep and be vulnerable. To prepare us to do that with our spouse in marriage." [41:48] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Your spouse is God's greatest. Earthly gift to you. And it is that relationship that will last the longest in your life. That is why it is the mirror that Paul uses for Christ and the church. And then God willing we have children. And we gain just a brand new understanding of God's love for us." [43:50] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "May you receive that which your heart ultimately desires. The love of Jesus Christ. May you see glimpses of that love in the people that you love today. And may you share that love with the world that universally longs for it. Even if they do not know what name to call it." [55:04] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for members
1. "I think it's important for us to remember that parents make mistakes. That you are not perfect parents just like your parents were. That we're not perfect parents for you. And so we all make mistakes. But the grace of God is that God has a way of coming back behind our mistakes and filling in the gaps. Bringing surrogates in our lives where maybe our parents weren't quite the parents they were always supposed to be." [30:22] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God blesses us with these close friendships so that we can learn to be vulnerable with people. So that we can learn to put our hearts out there and be like, hey, nobody else knows this about me but I need to tell you about this. And you need to hold me accountable for it." [40:10] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "God has opened up a newer understanding of what real love is. And it doesn't stop there either. When you become grandparents. You gain a new glimpse of God's love for us. I once heard somebody say that I didn't really get it. I didn't get Christ's love. Until I saw my son kiss his son." [46:03] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "God has a masterful way of filling in the gaps. So that we can one day come to know the fullness of God's love. Even in our pets. Like I used to make fun of people. I am going to get in a little bit of trouble here. I used to make fun of people that were obsessed with their pets. Until my family and I got Winston. I am embarrassed to tell you how much I am obsessed with this little guy. We love this little guy. Love that I did not know existed in my life." [47:00] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "And so like Paul. Let us invest in our earthly relationships. Because when you look back on your life. That is what you will remember most. And when you one day. Stare into the face. Of Christ. You will say. I saw glimpses of you. All over the place. In the eyes of the people. That I loved. On earth." [50:55] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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