As usual, we start with a sermon (here), and then later in the week discuss through our heart issues, with the worksheet below.
Image Bearers 5 ‘Relationships’
Two different ways to have relationships
Works based relationships
This is when we accept people
based on what they do instead of their faith in Christ (compare with Gal 2:16).
We each have our own mental check lists of how we want other people to be. If
people check off enough boxes, we like them. If people do not, we judge them,
and look down on them. We’re basically say they are not justified because they
have not fulfilled the law!
The big lies behind this
mentality:
1.
Its as
if we think we are God, and we have the right to make a checklist, and judge
everyone.
2.
Its as
if we think we are a good person, because we think we do all the things right
on God’s checklist (Jas 2:10).
Grace based relationships:
We accept people even with
all their shortcomings. This is because we’re continually remembering that we
have so many shortcomings, and yet God still accepted us through faith in Jesus
Christ (Rom 3:23-24).
Which of these things do
you find hinder you accepting people?
|
Do you have the same root
sin?
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What might repentance include?
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They’re from another group /
class / ethnicity ☐
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Are you from a different
group to God? Has he still accepted you? Why?
|
Confessing
self-righteousness. Accepting others from different groups
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They don’t do things the
same way as you ☐
|
Do you do things exactly as
God does? Yet, does he still accept you? Why?
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Confessing
self-righteousness. Accepting people who do things differently
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They seem selfish ☐
|
Are you ever selfish? Does
God still accept you? Why?
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Confessing selfishness,
accepting and viewing other selfish people as just like me.
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They seem lazy ☐
|
Do you have the same root
sin of selfishness? Does God still accept you? Why?
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Confessing selfishness. Realizing
we all have our own favourite ways of being selfish. Accepting those who
display it in a lazy way.
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They seem controlling☐
|
Do you also try to control things
in an unloving way? Does God still accept you? Why?
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Confessing control.
Realizing we all struggle with it in some way. Accepting others who control,
knowing they’re like you and God has accepted you both.
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They think they’re better
than everyone else ☐
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Do you also have the same
root sin of pride? Does God still accept you? Why?
|
Confess pride in even the
thought that others are proud! Accept those people, knowing Jesus gives them
and you his righteousness
|
They’re always letting me
down ☐
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Do you let God down? Does
God still accept you? Why?
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Recognise when others let
us down, its no worse than how we’ve let God down. Extend forgiveness to
others like God has to us.
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They gossip too much ☐
|
Have you ever gossiped? Do
you have the same root sin of self-righteousness and pride? Do you only ever
speak in a way that is a blessing to others? Does God still accept you? Why?
|
Recognise that none of us
speak in a way that earns God’s righteousness. Therefore, its wrong to look
down on others for how they speak.
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They eat too much ☐
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Is there anything that you
indulge of too much? Does God still accept you? Why?
|
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They’re judgmental ☐
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Do you have the same root
sin of pride and self-righteousness? Does God still accept you? Why?
|
|
They don’t encourage me
enough ☐
|
Are there ways that you
also don’t lift people up enough? Does God still accept you? Why?
|
Read Matthew 7:1-5
Good relationships involves knowing where I’m at, and where you’re
at.
Where I’m at.
I might think I can see a
spec in your eye, but I need to also know I have a log in my eye. I’m in the
wrong, but made in the right by Christ alone.
Where the other person is at
My friend is also in the wrong,
but made right by Christ alone. I also need to be aware of what situation they’re
in right now…
Memorize 1 Thessalonians 5:14
From this verse what are the
3 types of specs we might think we see in someone’s eye?
What are your usual reactions
to these supposed specs in others?
Disruptive / lazy _________________________
Disheartened
___________________________
Weak _______________________________
What might repentance look
like for you?
For the previous parts to this course:
Part 1 video can be found here
Part 1 discussion guide can be found here
Part 2 video can be found here
Part 2 discussion guide can be found here
