"The One Word that Describes Christianity - Relationships"

Matthew 22: 34-40

If there was one word that describes Christianity – faith, obedience, love. It would be relationships.

The bases of the kingdom of God is relationship – with a person and people. You can’t know a person without a relationship and you can’t know people without relationships.

I. Your relationship with the Person of Jesus Christ

A. Personal knowledge

B. Intimate knowledge

Matthew 22 in the Message

"‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them."

This intimate knowledge leads to a passion for God.

II. Your relationship with people

Romans 12: 9-10

How

1. Humility – we think too highly of ourselves

2. Honesty – I don’t mean that we are brutally honest with them, I mean we are liars.

If we love, I will talk to you not about you

If we love, I will listen because I value you and may can learn from you

 

I Corinthians 13: 4 New American Standard

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8Love never fails;

Colossians 3: 12-14

NKJV 2Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Message So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

A-B-C’s of the importance of relationships

Relationships are more important than accomplishing projects

Relationships are more important than building a church

Relationships are more important than converting the lost

(They shall know we are Christians by our love)

Relationships are more important than doing great works

Relationships are more important than excellence

Relationships are more important than finding prospects

Relationships are more important than going to church

Relationships are more important than worship. – Matthew 5:24

The one true badge of Christianity is: love for one another.

Matthew 13: 34-35

34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.