The Bible/Word of God is a story about relationship both vertical and horizontal. If there is no vertical connection with (God) then there cannot be a horizontal connection with (Others).
Mark 12:20-31-
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: ‘Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
For the next few minutes I want us to look at how relationship was the key focus in the Life of Christ.
Let’s look at the only scripture definition of ‘Eternal Life’- John 17:3 (AMP)
And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent. (Again, ‘Eternal Life’ is a relationship)
We study the Word of God and we’ve become so accustomed to some of the stories in the Word that sometimes we tend to skip over some of the ‘little’ things that make a huge difference in our walk in Christ. Tonight we’re going to look at some of those ‘little’ things.
Definitions-
Reference Point
a fact, that you already know, which helps you understand or make a judgment about another situation
Perspective
Frame of reference, attitude, viewpoint
Source
a place, person, or thing from which something comes or can be obtained
Here’s a scripture summing up these 3 definitions for us-
Romans 11:36- (AMP)
“For from Him [all things originate] and through Him [all things live and exist] and to Him are all things [directed]. To Him be glory and honor forever!” Amen.
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:3- But I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve through his craftiness, so your perspective should be corrupted in some way, and ye should fall from the simplicity that is in the Christ.
Philippians 2:5-11 “Let this mind be in you” (Allow this focus, perception, or reference point to be in you that was also in Christ)
Now let’s look at Jesus ‘focus or reference’ point to see how His focus affected his life.
John 14:9-14 (Who is Jesus emphasizing in this passage of Scripture)?
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
(9 times Jesus references The Father in just these five verses)
John 5:17-22
17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he (the Father) will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me (the Father) has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
(Jesus references The Father in these five verses another 9 times)
AS A MATTER OF FACT- JESUS ACTUALLY MENTIONS ‘THE FATHER’ OVER 175 TIMES JUST IN THE BOOK OF JOHN ALONE
So, what exactly did Jesus gain from this perspective?
Let’s look at Jesus Prayer at Lazarus Tomb-
John 11:40-45
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Also, how did Jesus instruct His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9?
This, then, is how you should pray:” ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
Now, let’s look at 2 Bible stories and we’re done-
Luke 15:11-
Pay close attention to verses 14-17/
14 After he had spent everything, a time came when there was ·no food anywhere [L a severe famine] in the country, and the son ·was poor and hungry [L began to be in need]. 15 So he ·got a job with [hired himself out to] one of the citizens there who sent the son into the fields to feed pigs [C degrading work, since pigs were ritually unclean and detestable animals to Jews]. 16 The son was so hungry that he wanted to ·eat [or fill his stomach with] the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 WHEN HE ·REALIZED WHAT HE WAS DOING [CAME TO HIS SENSES; L CAME TO HIMSELF], HE THOUGHT, ‘ALL OF MY FATHER’s ·servants [hired workers] have ·plenty of [more than enough; abundant] ·food [bread]. But I am here, ·almost dying [perishing] with hunger.
When he “came to himself” WHO did his SOURCE, RESOURCE, AND REFERENCE POINT BECOME- His FATHER!
Now contrast that to the other son in verses 28-32. Who is his source, resource, and reference point?
28 The older son was angry and ·would not [had no desire to] go in to the feast. So his father went out and ·begged [urged; encouraged] him to come in. 29 But the older son ·said to [answered] his father, ‘[L Look; T Behold] I HAVE SERVED YOU LIKE A SLAVE FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE ·ALWAYS OBEYED [NEVER DISOBEYED; L NEVER NEGLECTED] YOUR COMMANDS. But you never gave me even a young goat to ·have at a feast [celebrate] with my friends. 30 But ·your other son [L this son of yours], who ·wasted [squandered; devoured] ·all your money [your property; L your life] on prostitutes, comes home, and you kill the fat [fattened; v. 23] calf for him!’ 31 The father said to him, ‘·Son [Child], you ·are always with [or have always stood by] me, and all that I have is yours. 32 [L But] We had to celebrate and ·be happy [rejoice] because ·your brother [L this brother of yours; v. 30] was dead, but ·now he is alive [has come back to life]. He was lost, but now he is found.’”
Last story- Daniel 4:30-37 King Nebuchadnezzar /
Now, pay close attention to verses 30 and 34-37 (In other words, just like the prodigal son…”He came to Himself”
30 he said, “·I have built this great Babylon as [L Is this not Babylon the great which I built as…?] my royal home. I built it by my power to show my glory and my majesty.”
31 The words were still in his mouth when a voice from heaven said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, ·these things will happen to you [L to you it is declared]: ·Your royal power [L The kingdom] has been taken away from you. 32 You will be ·forced [driven] away from people. You will live with the ·wild animals [L animals of the field] and will be fed grass like an ox. Seven ·years [L periods; times] will pass before you learn this lesson: The Most High God ·rules [is sovereign] over every kingdom on earth and gives those kingdoms to anyone he chooses [v. 25].”
34 “At the end of ·that time [L the days], I, Nebuchadnezzar, ·looked up [L lifted my eyes] toward heaven [C acknowledging God’s supremacy], and ·I could think normally again [L my reason was restored to me]! Then I ·gave praise to [blessed] the Most High God; I gave honor and glory to him who lives forever.
“God’s ·rule is forever [L sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty], and his kingdom continues for ·all time [L all generations].
35 People on earth are ·not truly important [counted as nothing]. God does what he ·wants [wills] with the ·powers [hosts; armies] of heaven [C angelic powers] and the people on earth. No one can stop his powerful hand or ·question what he does [L say, ‘What are you doing?’].
36 “At that time ·I could think normally again [L my reason returned to me], and God gave back my great honor and power and returned the glory to my kingdom. ·The people who advised me [My counselors] and the royal family came to me for help again. I became king again and was even greater and more powerful than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and ·honor [extol] and glorify the King of heaven. ·Everything he does [All his works] is ·right [truth] and ·fair [L his ways are just], and he is able to ·make proud people humble [L bring low those who walk in pride].”
Tell the parable about Bill Gates son.
Roman 8:18-21 (ERV)
18 We have sufferings now, but these are nothing compared to the great glory that will be given to us. 19 Everything that God made is waiting with excitement for the time when he will show the world who his children are. The whole world wants very much for that to happen. 20 Everything God made was allowed to become like something that cannot fulfill its purpose. That was not its choice, but God made it happen with this hope in view: 21 That the creation would be made free from ruin—that everything God made would have the same freedom and glory that belong to God’s children.
Study Job 22:21:30/ and you’ll see this relationship perspective repeated
“Now yield and submit yourself to Him [agree with God and be conformed to His will] and be at peace; In this way [you will prosper and great] good will come to you. 22 “Please receive the law and instruction from His mouth And establish His words in your heart and keep them. 23 “If you return to the Almighty [and submit and humble yourself before Him], you will be built up [and restored]; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tents, 24 And place your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks [considering it of little value], 25 And make the Almighty your gold And your precious silver, 26 Then you will have delight in the Almighty, And you will lift up your face to God. 27 “You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, And you will pay your vows. 28 “You will also decide and decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And the light [of God’s favor] will shine upon your ways. 29 “When you are cast down and humbled, you will speak with confidence, And the humble person He will lift up and save. 30 “He will even rescue the one [for whom you intercede] who is not innocent; And he will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”