A Laboratory For Relationships
David Cawston
Philippians 2:1 16
Introduction:
Relationships are God's highest priority and our weakest. Relationships are eternal. We live in a world of broken relationships. Part of the ministry of Jesus Christ, defined by Isaiah, was, "He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted .... to set at liberty them that are bruised..." From our fallen nature, and from fallen people, we learn how to destroy relationships. The major destroyers are suspicion hatred jealousy envy strife pride, etc. Relationships are our Achilles' heels, yet God wants us to become relationship specialists.
The church is to become the model of relationships. We are to model to the world instead of modeling after the world. The Church is the laboratory for relationship development.
God is not an idealist. His Word reflects that. He knows we will have relationship troubles and His Word gives us very good guidance on development of those relationships.
There are three foundations about relationships that must be established in our life for the Church to really become the laboratory of relationships that Christ wanted.
I. His priority must become our priority.
II. His attitudes must become our attitudes.
III. His ways must become our ways.
All three of these points are reflected in this scripture of Philippians.
They were modeled in Jesus Christ.
I. His priorities must become our priorities.
Philippians 2:5
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."
What was the predominant thing in the mind of Christ? The predominant thing was doing the will of the Father which was the reconciliation of the world. Reconciling the world unto God. That is why He came.
Relationship with man was God's priority.
Colossians 1:19 22 says,
"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him I say, whether th ...
David Cawston
Philippians 2:1 16
Introduction:
Relationships are God's highest priority and our weakest. Relationships are eternal. We live in a world of broken relationships. Part of the ministry of Jesus Christ, defined by Isaiah, was, "He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted .... to set at liberty them that are bruised..." From our fallen nature, and from fallen people, we learn how to destroy relationships. The major destroyers are suspicion hatred jealousy envy strife pride, etc. Relationships are our Achilles' heels, yet God wants us to become relationship specialists.
The church is to become the model of relationships. We are to model to the world instead of modeling after the world. The Church is the laboratory for relationship development.
God is not an idealist. His Word reflects that. He knows we will have relationship troubles and His Word gives us very good guidance on development of those relationships.
There are three foundations about relationships that must be established in our life for the Church to really become the laboratory of relationships that Christ wanted.
I. His priority must become our priority.
II. His attitudes must become our attitudes.
III. His ways must become our ways.
All three of these points are reflected in this scripture of Philippians.
They were modeled in Jesus Christ.
I. His priorities must become our priorities.
Philippians 2:5
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."
What was the predominant thing in the mind of Christ? The predominant thing was doing the will of the Father which was the reconciliation of the world. Reconciling the world unto God. That is why He came.
Relationship with man was God's priority.
Colossians 1:19 22 says,
"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him I say, whether th ...
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