Ordinary Relationships
This week was our fourth week of Ordinary is not Insignificant. Brandon Clements led us through a sermon about ordinary relationships from Proverbs 27:10. Here is a quick recap of this week’s Gathering:
Our relationships and the people we surround ourselves with have an incredible impact on us. So let’s look at two ways that we can exemplify Christ in our Ordinary relationships:
1. Ordinary Relationships are a major part of how we grow in the gospel.
This is a theme throughout the Bible--God adopts us into His family (which also means He adopts us into relationship with other Christians). And He uses those relationships with other Christians to grow us in tremendous ways. This is often referred to as discipleship--one person being a part of training or forming another. The reality is this isn’t just going to happen naturally. In order for iron to sharpen iron and for us to grow through ordinary relationships, we have to prioritize relationship with one another. We have to create the relational space in order for growth to happen, no matter how difficult that is.
This is the major problem with thinking about time with other believers as ordinary or miss-able: you have no idea when God is going to use a simple conversation to change your life.
2. Ordinary Relationships are a major part of how we spread the gospel
Our relationships are what God has chosen to use to spread the truth of His Gospel. A quote by Phil Vischer illustrates this well:“I am growing increasingly convinced that if everyone of these kids burning with passion to write a hit Christian song or make that hit Christian movie or start that hit Christian ministry to change the world would instead focus their passion on walking with God on a daily basis, the world would change…. Because the world learns about God not by watching Christian movies, but by watching Christians.”
I think when many Christians think about spreading the gospel it feels super daunting. It feels like you have to do something big or drastic, but the reality is, you don’t. You just have to be a healthy Christian in front of other people. That’s it. You just have a to be a friend. Let people see how Jesus affects your life and your work and your family. Follow Jesus, open your life up to others relationally, and watch God work. Give them a model for what it looks like to follow Jesus in everyday, ordinary life. Welcoming others into our homes and into relationship with us is actually putting the gospel on display because that’s exactly what Christ did for us. Ephesians 2 says once we were not his people, we were alienated from Him, and we were strangers to His hope and His promises, but now we’ve been brought near by the blood of Christ. He welcomed us into His family--now we get to do the same for others by opening our lives and our homes and inviting them into relationship.
In Conclusion we have 3 practical challenges:
1. Raise your commitment level with your LifeGroup.
2. Raise your honesty level with your LifeGroup.
3. Invite someone who is far from Jesus over for a meal.
Songs:
Kingdom Come by Elevation
Jesus! by Citizens
Grace Alone by Kings Kaleidoscope
In Tenderness by Citizens