Relationships - Part 1
Our Relationship With our Heavenly Father
-Introduction
-When we think of the word “relationship,” we might have a variety of different types
of relationships that come to mind: marriage, friendships, family, etc.
-These aren’t the types of relationships that I have in mind for this lesson. Instead,
I want to remind you of the most important type of relationships - spiritual ones.
-relationship - (Merriam-Webster Dict, © 2001, Merriam-Webster Inc., Ver. 2.6) - “the
state of being related or interrelated” (Didn’t help much.)
-related - (ibid) - “1: connected by some understood relationship 2 : connected
through membership in the same family” (emp. add.)
-In this lesson, I want to emphasize two words within definition #1 - “connected” and
“understood.” We’ll spend most of our time focusing on the latter of the two.
-Connected
-I’ve referred you to Isaiah 59:1-2 and related passages many times to remind you of the
fact that sin separates us from God (Rom 3:23, Rom 6:23, etc.).
-Therefore, if we abide in sin, we cannot be “connected” to God. So, if we
abide/continue in sin we are not in a relationship with God.
-But, we need to understand that we can and must have a relationship with God - all hope
of salvation rests in that fact.
-Understanding - God Has Revealed Himself and His Will
-Gen 1 - “God said...” - power of God’s word
-Ps 50:1, Ps 33:6, Heb 11:1-2, Rom 1:20-21
-Acts 14:8-15 - The creation that we have been placed within should impact us and
cause us to have a deep desire to seek our God in heaven.
-Not only can we seek God, we can find Him - Jas 4:8.
-We can find Him because He has revealed Himself and His will to us.
-The God who spoke man into existence has also spoken to man.
-God has never remained completely concealed at any time. But, not only has He
revealed His existence through His creative power, He has also spoken to mankind
in various manners within all ages- Patriarchal Age, Mosaic Age, Christian Age.
(Heb 1:1-2, 2:3-4)
-God has also spoken (and continues to speak) through the written word also.
-Ex 24:4,7-8 - God made a covenant with His people. Therefore, they had a
relationship with Him.
-specific references to things being written (Isa 8:1, Jer 30:2, Dan 12:4 - “book”)
-Why were these things written?
-God was continuing His plan of redemption for all of mankind. In this stage, He was
dealing directly with His selected people. He would deal directly with them.
-Deut 7:6-10 - In short, they had not earned their relationship with God nor did
they deserve it. It came about thanks to the love and grace of God.
-We have the record of God’s dealings with the Israelites as an example from which
to learn more about God - His dealings with man, nature, expectations, etc.
-Rom 15:4, 1 Cor 10:1-6
-The Law served as a shadow of good things to come - Heb 10:1.
-Gal 4:4 - Jesus would fulfill the Law and establish a better covenant based
upon better promises (Heb 8:6).
-Jesus - the Word
-John 1:1-4, 14
-Our Father in Heaven ultimately revealed Himself through Jesus.
-If you want a better “picture” of the Father, learn about Jesus.
-John 14:5-10
-Yet, again, God would reveal Himself through the written word as well.
-1 Cor 2:9-11, 2 Tim 3:16-17
-So, we have a written record regarding the Patriarchal Age. We have a written record
regarding the times of the Law. We have a written record of the life of our Savior and
the covenant He established.
-Why do we have all this? - Because God wants us to have a relationship with Him!
-Summary and Invitation
-Just like the people of old, we cannot earn a relationship with God. We certainly don’t
deserve it. Yet, God - due to His complete goodness - has made this available.
-Through the covenant established through the blood of Jesus we can receive the forgiveness
of our sins and redemption from the condemnation we deserve (Col 1:14).
-So, we can be “connected” to God in an “understood” relationship.
-How does one enter into this relationship? - through obedience to the word of God
-Heb 5:9
-It is something that we cannot be complacent nor apathetic toward. Instead, we must
diligently seek our God and continue to learn more of Him and His will.
-In the 2nd definition in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it made reference to membership
in the same family.
-God is willing to adopt us as children (Gal 4:4-5, 2 Cor 6:17-18, 1 John 3:1). Therefore,
Jesus is our brother (Heb 2:11).
-What about you this morning? Are you connected to God in an understood relationship?
Have you responded in obedience to the Gospel of Christ? How do you do that?
-Believe (John 3:16, 8:24), Confess your faith (Matt 10:32, Acts 8:37), Repent of sin
(Luke 13:3,5; Acts 17:30), Be Baptized into Christ (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38).
-If you’ve previously obeyed the Gospel, have you stayed in a relationship with God
or have you severed that relationship by returning to a life of sin? If you have
strayed, come back to Him - confess your shortcomings, repent and pray for God’s
forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).