Choosing Belonging & Sharing Friendship: Loving God and Others

1. Relationships by Design Pastor Dave Jansen May 12, 2019 Series: Living By Design

3. Life changes happens • in the context • of community

5. Worship is loving God • back and it is • the primary purpose • of our lives

7. God’s design for your life isn’t just that you love • him, it’s that you love him by loving one another

9. God decided in advance to adopt • us into his own family by bringing • us to himself through Jesus Christ. • This is what he wanted to do, • and it gave him great pleasure. • --Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)

11. Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. • --1 Peter 2:17 (NLT)

13. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates • a fellow believer, that person is a liar; • for if we don’t love people we can • see, how can we love God, whom we • cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must • also love their fellow believers. • --1 John 4:20-21 (NLT)

17. 3 ways God is calling • us to love him by • loving one another…

18. 3 ways God is calling us to love him • by loving one another…

19. 3 ways God is calling us to love him • by loving one another… • 1. Choose to belong

20. Just as our bodies have many parts • and each part has a special function, • so it is with Christ’s body. We are • many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. • --Romans 12:4-5 (NLT)

21. 3 ways God is calling us to love him • by loving one another… • 1. Choose to belong

22. The eye can never say to the hand, • “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say • to the feet, “I don’t need you.” • …All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. • --1 Corinthians 12:21,27 (NLT)

23. 3 ways God is calling us to love him • by loving one another… • 1. Choose to belong

24. We will speak the truth in love, growing • in every way more and more like • Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does • its own special work, it helps the other • parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. • --Ephesians 4:15-16 (NLT)

25. 3 ways God is calling us to love him • by loving one another… • 1. Choose to belong

26. 3 ways God is calling us to love him • by loving one another…

27. 3 ways God is calling us to love him • by loving one another… • 2. Share friendship

28. All the believers devoted themselves to • the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including • the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. • A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all • the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. • They sold their property and… (cont’d) • --Acts 2:42-47 (NLT)

29. …possessions and shared the money • with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met • in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and • shared their meals with great joy and • generosity— all the while praising God • and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. • --Acts 2:42-47 (NLT)

30. 3 ways God is calling us to love him • by loving one another… • 2. Share friendship

31. If we’re going to grow our friendships, we • must learn to share…

32. If we’re going to grow our friendships, we must learn to share…

33. If we’re going to grow our friendships, we must learn to share… • A. Our homes

34. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love • covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need • a meal or a place to stay. • --1 Peter 4:8-9 (NLT)

35. If we’re going to grow our friendships, we must learn to share… • A. Our homes

36. If we’re going to grow our friendships, we must learn to share… • A. Our homes • B. Our resources

37. All the believers were united in heart • and mind. And they felt that what • they owned was not their own, • so they shared everything they had. • --Acts 4:32 (NLT)

38. If we’re going to grow our friendships, we must learn to share… • A. Our homes • B. Our resources

39. If we’re going to grow our friendships, we must learn to share… • A. Our homes • B. Our resources • C. Our joys & sorrows

40. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. • --Galatians 6:2 (NLT)

41. If we’re going to grow our friendships, we must learn to share… A. Our homes B. Our resources C. Our joys & sorrows

42. 3 ways God is calling us to love him by loving one another… 2. Share friendship

43. 3 ways God is calling us to love him by loving one another…

44. 3 ways God is calling us to love him by loving one another… 3. Be family

45. Don’t just pretend to love others. • Really love them...Love each other • with genuine affection, and • take delight in honoring each other. • --Romans 12:9,10 (NLT)

46. 3 ways God is calling us to love him by loving one another… 3. Be family

47. We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. • So we also ought to give up our lives • for our brothers and sisters. • --1 John 3:16 (NLT)

48. 3 ways God is calling us to love him by loving one another… 3. Be family

49. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. • --John 15:13 (NLT)

50. 3 ways God is calling us to love him by loving one another… 3. Be family