Relaciones - El Cimiento para El Ministerio - Correcciones

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship Syllabus Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship Outline / Implications I.
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The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have always existed in a loving relationship with each other. A. Who is God? B. God is a Trinity C. Jesus is God D. The Holy Spirit is God E. Questions and Answers About the Trinity 1. How can God be one person yet three? 2. Is the word Trinity found in the Bible? 3. By saying that Christians believe in three different persons, arent Christians saying that they believe in three gods? 4. Why is belief in the Trinity so important to Christianity? 5. Is the Trinity taught in the Old Testament? 6. What are some examples of the way the Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together? F. Summary of Importance G. Evaluation As part of our creation in the Fathers image we are created for relationship with the Father and with each other. A. The Trinity is still important. B. The Meaning of Being Created in Gods Image. 1. Adam and Eve 2. The Children of Israel 3. David and Jonathan 4. Jesus and the Disciples 5. The Church C. Jesus and Relationships D. Scriptural Basis for Relational Importance E. Summary of Importance Our sin disrupts our relationship with the Father. A. Sin Taints the World B. Sin Corrupts Us and Our Relationships C. The Appeal of Sin D. The Extent of Sin E. Summary of Importance F. Evaluation Our sin disrupts our relationship with each other. A. Sin Destroys Our Relationships with Each Other B. All Relational Problems Stem from Sin
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Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship C. Summary of Importance D. Evaluation V.
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Our relationship with the Father is restored by the Fathers love expressed through the incarnation and continuing ministry of Jesus Christ. A. B. C. D. E. F. The Incarnation An Allegory of the Incarnation The Definition of the Incarnation The Unity of the Person of Christ in the Incarnation The Continuing Ministry of Christ The Implications of the Incarnation 1. Summary of Incarnational Implications 2. The Transforming Power of the Incarnation on Ministry 3. The Transforming Power of the Incarnation and Human Need G. Summary of Importance H. Evaluation
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God reveals Himself as Father. A. God Reveals Himself as Father B. Human Fathers and the Heavenly Father C. The Love of Our Heavenly Father D. The Attentiveness of Our Heavenly Father E. The Acceptance of Our Heavenly Father F. Our Adoption by Our Heavenly Father G. The Affection of Our Heavenly Father H. The Authority of Our Heavenly Father I. Summary of Importance J. Evaluation Therefore, Christian discipleship is the establishment of and growth in relationship with the Father and others through Jesus Christ. Our ministry as disciples is to allow Christ to accomplish his ministry of reconciliation through us for the reconcilement of humanity to the Father and the reconcilement of people to each other. A. B. C. D. E. Salvation is the Beginning, Not the End The Ministry of Reconciliation The Command to Share Summary of Importance Evaluation
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Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship
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I. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have always existed in a loving relationship with each other. A. Who Is God? Children resemble their parents. Many times we can tell who a childs parents are by the way they look or the way they act. Sometimes entire families are identifiable by facial resemblance or certain mannerisms. The same is true for Christians. As Christians, we often resemble our ideas of our Heavenly Father. In leadership, our view of God and his leadership of his church will affect the way we lead Gods people. To be effective leaders, we need to begin with a proper view of our Heavenly Father. 1. When you think of God, what images come into your mind? A King An Earthquake A Pillar of Fire A Father A Man A Dictator A Cloud of Energy A Shepherd A Friend
2. When you think of Gods characteristics or his attributes, which words do you think of? Love Holiness Wrath Omnipotent (all-powerful) Omniscient (all-knowing) Omnipresent (all-present) Justice Knowledge Unchanging Sovereign Alone Removed Old Young Tired Energetic Relational The way we understand and view God will have an impact on our leadership. For example, if we see God as a King dictator who makes decrees and who controls every aspect of his subjects lives, then as leaders we will tend to be controlling and dictatorial. If we see God as someone who is only love and acceptance, then as leaders we will tend to let be very passive and never challenge the people whom we lead. B. God Is A Trinity Our first task as leaders is to understand who God is. Once we understand the God we worship and serve, then we will be better prepared to lead his people. As we shall see later, the most complete revelation of God is found in Jesus Christ. To see Jesus is to see God. We will say more about this later. There is one eternal Godhead in Trinity, and there is one Glory of the Holy Trinity If theological truth is now perfect in Trinity, this is the true and only divine worship, and this is its beauty and truth, it must have always been so. Athanasius Since there is only one Form of Godhead in the indivisible unity of his self-revelation as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we believe that he is eternally triune in himself. It is indeed through the Trinity that we believe in the Unity of God, but it is also through acknowledgment of the oneness and identity of being in the Son and the Spirit with the
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Father, that faith in the Holy Trinity takes its perfect and full form. This is the doctrine of God as Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity. Thomas F. Torrance As Christians we believe in the Trinity. We believe that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three separate personalities, yet one. We do not believe in three separate gods. There is only one God. As Deuteronomy 6:4 tell us, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. This is more than just an unimportant doctrine. The idea of the Trinity is the foundation for our understanding of God. As Christians we believe that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have always existed in an eternal, loving relationship with each other. C. Jesus Is God In this section, we will discover how we know that Jesus is one with the Father. The New Testament book of Hebrews reveals much about the relationship between God the Father and God the Son. In speaking of Jesus, the author refers to Jesus in Hebrews 1:3 as the exact representation of Gods being. Could someone be exactly like you without being equal to you? Of course not, because if they were no longer equal to you they would not be exactly like you. So, by stating that Christ is the exact representation of God, the writer of Hebrews is clearly stating that Christ is equal with God the Father. In Luke 4 Jesus is in a confrontation with Satan. In response to one of Satans temptations, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 by saying It is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve him only. Later in his ministry, John 9 records Jesus encounter with a blind man. The blind man is cast out of the synagogue and Jesus begins searching for him. After Jesus has found him, he reveals himself as the one who gave the blind man sight. Then verse 38 records the words he worshipped him. The blind man began to worship Jesus and Jesus did not stop him. Even more incredibly, in John 20:28 the Apostle Thomas says to Jesus, My Lord and my God. And again, Jesus did not rebuke him. Finally, in Hebrews 1:6 God himself tells his angels to worship Christ. Here we have three clear occasions where Christ is worshipped and yet Jesus told Satan that we should only worship God. Therefore, either Jesus or God is wrong, or Jesus is God. In John 1, John the Apostle is giving us a glimpse into eternity past. In the first verse of his Gospel he states: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. It is clear from this sentence that whoever the Word is the Word is God. A few verses later John reveals to us who the Word is by saying in verse 14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father full of grace and truth. By now we suspect that the Word is Jesus Christ, but John removes all doubt about the Words identity in John 1:17-18 by writing: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Fathers side, has made him known. John not only confirms that the Word is Jesus, but he also refers to Christ as God the One and Only. D. The Holy Spirit Is God But it is not only Jesus who is recognized as God. The Bible also refers to the Holy Spirit as God. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus is commissioning his followers to make disciples. In his command to us, Jesus states: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit equal rank with God the
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Father and himself. This also occurs in II Corinthians 13:14 when the Apostle Paul bestows the following blessing on the Corinthian believers: May the grace of Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Here again we see the Holy Spirit being given equal recognition with the Father and the Son. Lastly, in Acts 5 Peter confronts Ananias and Sapphira concerning their deceit. In speaking to Ananias, Peters says: Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit? What made you do such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God. It is clear that Peter recognized the position of the Holy Spirit as equal with God the Father. E. Questions and Answers About The Trinity 1. How can God be one person yet three? How can a human understand something that seems so impossible? The fact that we cannot understand something should not cause us to choose not to believe it. For example, many of us do not understand how radio waves are transmitted, yet we still continue to turn on the radio. Many of us do not comprehend how satellite transmissions are accomplished, but we still talk on the phone to people many miles away. If we only believe in things that we completely understand, our world would be radically smaller than it is now. Further, we must understand that we are speaking about the nature of God. How could we possibly expect to understand the infinite with finite minds? If we could understand all that there is to know about God, we would then be equal with God. God is not just a glorified human being. He is not bound by the physical dimensions of time and space as we are. Therefore, he is able to exist and move in ways that we cannot understand; however, our inability to understand completely does not lessen the truth. 2. Is the word Trinity found in the Bible? No. The actual word is used to refer to the fact of the Trinity, but the word itself is not used in Scripture. Some have said that demonstrates that the doctrine of the Trinity is not true, but that is not the case. For instance, the word omniscience (which means all-knowing) is not in the Bible, but we know that God knows all from Isaiah 46:10 where God says: I make known the end from the beginning. God knows all that there is to know. We use the word omniscience to refer to a truth that is revealed in Scripture. The same is true with the use of the word Trinity. We use the word Trinity to refer to a truth that is revealed in Gods Word. 2. By saying that Christians believe that God is three different persons, arent Christians saying that they believe in three Gods? No. We believe that there is one God. In the Old Testament, one of the beliefs that set Israel apart from the other nations was its belief in monotheism. While other nations worshipped collections of various deities, Israel stood fast in its recognition of one God. Christians believe in one God who expresses himself in the form of three distinct personalities. As the Athanasian Creed states: So the Father is God; The Son is God; and The Holy Spirit is God.
Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship And yet there are not three gods, but one God Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. 5. Why is belief in the Trinity so important to Christianity?
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The most obvious reason for the importance of this doctrine is because it is Biblical. The Word of God does not apologize for the fact that it may be difficult to understand. God does not reveal truth on the condition that it is easy to accept. The doctrine of the Trinity, while hard to grasp intellectually, is clearly revealed in the Scriptures. Our need for relationships is also based upon our acceptance of the Trinity. The fact that we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) and that God has eternally existed in a loving relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit demonstrates that our desire for relationships is a part of bearing Gods image. 6. Some people say that the Trinity is only taught in the New Testament, but not in the Old Testament. Is the Trinity taught in the Old Testament? Yes. First of all, the name used for God (Elohim) is often found in the plural form. This suggests that God exists in three persons. Further, in Genesis 1:26 the Old Testament states: Then God said, Let us make man in our image, in our likeness. (Emphasis added). 7. What are some examples of the way that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit interact and work together? In creation, we see the Father credited with the creation (Genesis 1:1) and the Spirit of God is at work (Genesis 1:2). Later, in the New Testament, both John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16 refer to Christs role in the creation of the world. We also see the Trinity at work in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. In John 2:19-22, Jesus says that he will raise himself from the dead. Then, in Romans 8:11, the Bible says it was the Spirit of God that raised Christ from the dead. Finally, both Acts 2:24 and Romans 10:9 tell us that God raised Christ from the dead. Lastly, we see the Trinity at work in the indwelling of the life of the believer. I John 4:15 tells us that God lives in his children. Romans I:? and Corinthians 2:12 says that the Holy Spirit indwells a believer. And, in John 14:23, Jesus tells us that he will live in our hearts. F. Summary of Importance The way that we see God will determine much about how we serve him and how we worship him. If we believe that God is alone in Heaven, then we will believe that it is acceptable for us to be alone in this life on earth. If we believe that God is condemning and dictatorial, then our leadership will be negative and controlling. But, we learn from the Trinity that the Father has always existed in a perfect, loving relationship with the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is not lonely. God is not alone in Heaven. He has always been in relationship. Within the Trinity relationship there is complete trust, love, acceptance, agreement, gentleness, truth, sharing and understanding. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have always existed in a loving relationship with each other. G. Evaluation True or False 1. The Trinity teaches us that God is not concerned with relationships.
Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
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Jesus knew that people should only worship God, so Jesus never allowed anyone to worship him. As humans it is important and entirely possible for us to understand everything about God. What a person understands about God will affect the way they lead. Because Jesus was not completely God, the writer of Hebrews uses the phrase a close representation in referring to Christ. It is important to understand as much as we can about God so we can lead his people. The Old Testament teaches that God is a Trinity. Lying to the Holy Spirit is not as serious as lying to God. If we as humans cannot understand something, then it must not be true. When Christians say that we believe in the Trinity, they are actually saying that they believe in three gods?. The concept of the Trinity is not one of the most important beliefs of Christianity. There is a difference between a God who is in relationship and a God who is alone. Jesus is more God than the Holy Spirit. The word Trinity is found several places in the Bible. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit only work together on really special occasions.
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II II. As part of our creation in the Fathers image we are created for relationship with the Father and with each other. A. The Trinity Is Still ImportantThe Chance of a Lifetime What we believe about God will affect the way we deal with others. A wrong view of God will cause us to be less than effective leaders. No doubt you have heard a great deal about God. You may have heard that God is angry with you and he waits impatiently for the opportunity to judge you. Or, you may have heard that God is a passive Deity who does not care about our lives or our planet. Some have been told that God loves us, but only on certain conditions. If we meet his qualifications, then he will love us. What is the truth? Unfortunately, there are many people who have rejected God because of what they have been told about God by others. They may have known someone who claimed to be a Christian and they did not like the God they represented. They may have heard someone talking about Christianity or God and heard some inaccurate things said. Unfortunately, as a result, they will never take the opportunity to let God reveal himself to them. They will may reject God without ever embarking on the journey to discover the truth about God. And, by doing this, they will miss the opportunity of a lifetime. B. Being Created In Gods Image The truth is that you and I were created to enjoy a relationship with God. The Bible tells us in Genesis 1:27, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. In order to adequately express himself, when the Father created us in his image he created two people in relationship to each other. As a human being, you were created in the image of God the Father. All of humanity bears the mark of Gods creation. Even further, friendships, families, and relationships are not the ideas of people, but they have their origin in our likeness of God, our creator. God further states in Genesis 2:18, The Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." You and I were made to be in relationship with other people. Christs teaching in Matthew 22 further reinforces this concept of relationship. When Jesus is asked what is most important of Gods commandments, Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:38-40) When asked what is most important, Jesus focused on relationship with the Father and relationship with others. Paul, too, places the priority on love for others as the foundation of the Christian life. In Romans 13:8-10, Paul writes that even the Old Testament law was in its essence relational when he writes: Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. While there are many who point to church attendance, baptism, personal holiness and other activities as the foundation of the Christian life, the Word of God clearly points us in the direction of relationship with God and with those he created.
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As we have seen, God has always been in a relationship within the Trinity and he created us for relationships. It is our nature. Not only did God create us with a desire for relationships, a quick survey of the Bible reveals that the Father consistently connects his children together. Notice just a few of the following examples: 1. Adam and Eve This relationship had its origin in Adams and Eves creation by God. In order to express himself adequately, God created two people in relationship to each other. As Genesis 2:18 tells us, It is not good for the man to be alone. It was true then and it is true now. 2. The Children of Israel As subsequent generations passed, God continued to involve people in relationship to each other. Far from just stopping at friendships and families, the Father placed his children in bigger relationships. In fact, he placed an entire nation in relationship to himself and to each other. The relationship that existed between the children of Israel was again ?centered in their relationship as a people to God. It was their relationship to God that gave them identity as a people. 3. David and Jonathan The friendship between David and Jonathan is legendary. It is the story of Prince Jonathan, the son of King Saul, who befriended the lowly shepherd David and began a friendship that teaches us what a friendship should be. This friendship (relationship) was firmly grounded on Davids and Jonathans relationship to God. The story of the friendship between Jonathan and David is found beginning in I Samuel 18. 4. Jesus and The Disciples Jesus did not serve the Father alone. Jesus was not a Lone Ranger. Instead, from the beginning of his ministry, Jesus gathered around him followers and disciples who shared in the ministry with him. And again it was their common desire to serve the Father and accomplish his purposes that knit them together. 5. The Church When you think of the word church what thoughts come to mind? Do you picture a building? Do you think of organs, stained glass, and hymns? Well, many of us associate the word church with a building, but actually the church is the collection of the children of God who are united around him. As Christians, we have been called out of the world and placed in a family with our loving Heavenly Father in the center of our fellowship. Just as it was with the Nation of Israel, we as a Christian community find our center and identity in our relationship with God the Father. C. Jesus And Relationships As leaders, we are often asked what is most important in Christianity. People want to know what their priority should be. If you had to answer this question, what would you say? Prayer Giving to the Poor Missions Bible Reading Witnessing Counseling Tithing Discipleship Personal Holiness Church Attendance Fasting Bible Study
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As we have discussed, Jesus was asked a similar question in Matthew 22:34-36. This teaching is so foundational to our purpose that it bears repeating. An expert in the law came to Jesus with a question that he was hoping would stump Jesus. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Isnt this the same type of question we often get as leaders? Jesus did not hesitate to answer this man, but the answer he gave is surprising. Jesus did not give the man more to do. He did not give a new command for us to obey. Jesus simply replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Christ makes it clear that relationships are the foundation of the Christian life. We often believe that it is the spiritual disciplines that are the basis for our life with Christ, but we forget that these disciplines are a way to strengthen our relationship with the Father. They are not meant to replace it. We pray in order to strengthen our relationship with the Father. We witness because of our love for the Father and our love for others. We give to the poor because of our love for the Father and our love for others. As leaders, we are called to be people who are in relationship to the Father and in relationship to each other. Leaders are not called to be alone and removed from everyone else, but to be people who are loved and who love others. D. Scriptural Overview for Relational Importance Scripture is abundant in references to the necessity and intention for us to be in relationship with the Father and with each other. The Father not only created us for relationship, but also shares his wisdom in walking in these relationships. 1. Scriptural Overview for Relationship with Each Other The belief that we are meant to live in relationship with each other is not drawn from a few isolated Scriptures. The fact of our connectedness is revealed throughout the pages of Gods Word. Consider this brief survey of verses: Genesis 1:27, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 2:18, The Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Proverbs 17:17, A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.
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Proverbs 18:24, A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 27:10, Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you - better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away. Amos 3:3, Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? Matthew 11:19, The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." 'But wisdom is proved right by her actions." John 15:13-15, Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Romans 12:5, So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you! On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. Philippians 2:3-4, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
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James 5:16, Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 1. Scriptural Overview for Relationship with the Father The Bible not only provides a wealth of verses which support the fact of our relational nature with each other, but it also provides manifold witness of the desire of God to have a relationship with his people. Genesis 3:8, Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Leviticus 26:9-12, I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year's harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. Jeremiah 3:19, "I myself said, 'How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.' I thought you would call me 'Father' and not turn away from following me. Jeremiah 29:11-13, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. John 14:23, Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 2 Corinthians 6:18, "I will be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Galatians 3:26, You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 4:6, Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father." Ephesians 5:1, Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children. Ephesians 5:8, For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. E. Summary Of Importance You and I were created in Gods image (Genesis 1:27). This creation in the image of God is where we get our longing for relationships. It is part of bearing the image of God in our creation. Because God is in a relationship with the Son and the Spirit, he created us in relation to him and to each other. When God created us in his image, he did this by placing two people in a relationship
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to each other. In fact, God later says that it is not good for us to be alone (Genesis 2:18). The bottom line is that we are made to walk in friendship with the Father and with others. You may have heard it said, No man is an island. This is true. Sometimes, when we have been hurt, maybe through the divorce of our parents, the abandonment or betrayal of a friend or betrayal, we determine that we will never get in another relationship again. After all, this makes sense since if we never let ourselves love someone we can never be hurt by them. This, however, doesnt work because were denying who we are. Isolating ourselves is in total opposition to who we really are. We were made for relationship. As part of our creation in the Fathers image we are created for relationship with the Father and with each other. 5. Evaluation True or False 1. People were created in Gods image. 2. We are born with two hands and two feet because God has two hands and two feet. 3. As leaders, we must sacrifice having close relationships for the sake of the ministry. 4. We were created to enjoy a relationship with God. 5. In order to express himself adequately, God created two people in a relationship with each other. 6. It is good for us to be alone. 7. Relationships are not our nature. 8. If we are hurt in a relationship, then we should never have another relationship. 9. As leaders, we must make certain we are separated from those we are serving because that is the way that Jesus did it. 10. A church is a building. 11. Jesus served the Father by himself. 12. The Trinity teaches us about the importance of relationship with each other. 13. The two great commandments are to Love the Lord your God and to Be nice to other people. 14. Relationships are the foundation of the Christian life. 15. No man is an island.
Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship III. Our sin disrupts our relationship with the Father.
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1. Sin Taints the World Sin has had more of an impact on our lives and in our world than we realize. Many times wWe tend to think of sin as something very obvious and observable, but the effects of sin go much deeper. Sin is so prevalent in our world that in 2 Corinthians 4:4 Paul refers to Satan as the god of this age who has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Even Jesus refers to Satan as the prince of this world in John 16:11. All of creation has been affected by sin. In Romans 8:19-25, the Apostle Paul writes of the effect of sin on the world and the eager anticipation of creation for the final redemption through Christ: The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Sin spreads through our lives, our cultures and our world like dye in water. Dye spreads so completely through the water that the two become indistinguishable from one another. The same is true with sin. Because we are born in sin and we live in sin, we are often unable to discern just how much transgression has influenced our world. In John 8:44, Jesus is speaking about Satan when he says, He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Sin, specifically Satan, is a destroyer. When you think of the pain and suffering in this world, all of it is a result of sin. B. Sin Corrupts Us and Our Relationships Just as creation has been stained by sin, so, too, have we as part of that creation. For our purposes here, we want to focus specifically on one aspect of sin: the separation that sin causes in our relationship with the Father. As we discussed, we were created for relationship with the Father and with each other. This is our nature. Because God has always existed in a relationship within himself, part of our creation in his image is to be relational people (Genesis 1:27). As we will see, sin disrupts our relationships with the Father and with each other. God is holy. There is no sin in him. Scripture gives abundant testimony of the fact of the Fathers perfection. Leviticus 11:44-45, I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground. I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
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Deuteronomy 32:4, He is the Rock, his works are perfect and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Psalm 99:9, Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy. Psalm 116:5, The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. Matthew 5:48, Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Because God is perfect, our sin caused a disruption in the relationship we were meant to have with him. Sin became the a barrier to the life we were created to have together with our Heavenly Father. To help us understand both the separation that sin has caused between humanity and the Father and the separation that sin causes between us and each other, we will focus on Genesis 3:1-12. These twelve verses provide us with an ample foundation to begin understanding the disruption that sin causes in our relationships. Genesis 3:1-9 relates the story of Satans temptation of Adam and Eve and their subsequent sin. Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" C. The Appeal of Sin This section of scripture is rich in knowledge?, but for our design let us just note a few things from the passage. First of all, Satan begins by questioning the Fathers authority. Did God really say? This is the beginning of disobedience. Skepticism of the Fathers commandments or authority is a step away from assuming his role for ourselves. Secondly, Eve misrepresents the Fathers command. God did not say 'You must not eat fruit from the tree and you must not touch it; rather God said, but you must not eat from the tree. (Genesis 2:17) Eve adds to the Fathers command. Finally, and most importantly, the appeal of the forbidden fruit was not the fruit itself, but what it offered. It offered the opportunity to be like God which is what we continually strive for. This is
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the definition of sin. Sin is subjugating the truth of our Heavenly Father to our desires and ourselves. As disciplesleaders, sin often manifests itself when we devise our schemes or programs for building disciples apart from the truth that the Father has given us in Jesus Christ. Christ alone is the embodiment of all knowledge (Colossians 2:9). As leaders we can slip into sin when we choose to rely on our own strength or resourcefulness instead of trusting the power of Christ to live in and through us (John 15:5). Satan fell because he desired to be like the Most High. As Isaiah 14:12-14 relates: How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." The cause for Lucifers sin was a desire to be his own God. He was not content to do the bidding of the Father, instead he wanted to take the Fathers place. His temptation to Adam and Eve was identical to his; rather than allowing the Father to have control and leadership of an individuals life, Satan tempted them to take control for themselves. When we sin, we do the same thing. D. The Extent of Sin In writing to the Christians in Rome, Paul makes a thorough case for the sinfulness of humanity. In Romans 5:12 Paul writes, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. Just a few verses later in Romans 6:23, Paul mentions the consequences of this sin when he states, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Sin causes death. It causes the death of our relationship with the Father. Sin causes the demise of our connectedness to each other. And eventually, sin will cause the death of this world. When speaking of us before our salvation, Paul writes in Ephesians 2:1 , As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins. Notice that Paul says dead, not sick. But Paul isnt the only one to point out the depth of our depravity. The Word of God bears consistent witness to our sinfulness. Consider how these verses describe the extent of our sin and the separation it has caused with our Creator: Genesis 6:5, The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. Genesis 8:20-21, Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. Isaiah 59:2, But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
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Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? John 3:18-20, Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. Romans 3:23, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. E. Summary of Importance If we are to minister in a world such as ours, then we must understand what we are going to encounter. This is a world that is separated from the Father. The entrance of sin into the world has had an overwhelming effect on us and on the world around us. The advent of sin our desire to control our own lives and to be our own God has transfigured the culture around us. We are a people who are dead in transgressions and sins. Before we meet Christ, sin separates us from the Father. Our sin disrupts our relationship with the Father. 6. Evaluation True or False 1. Sin has had more of an effect on our world than we realize. 2. Sin disrupts our relationship with the Father. 3. Most humans are born into sin, except for some that come from really good families. 4. All of creation has been touched by sin. 5. The pain and suffering in this world are a result of sin. 6. Sin has caused a little tension in our relationship with God. 7. God does not like sin, but he tolerates it because he is so loving and patient. 8. Sin can be contained and rarely spreads to other areas of our lives. 9. Sin is not really as bad as some things. 10. It is okay for Christians to tolerate little sins as long as they dont do the really bad sins. 11. Satan fell from Heaven because he wanted to be like God. 12. Much of our sin comes from our desire to control our own lives. 13. The wages of sin is death. 14. As leaders we can slip into sin when we rely on our own abilities rather than depending on the Father. 15. Sin spreads.
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Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship IV. Our sin disrupts our relationship with each other.
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A. Sin Destroys Our Relationships with Each Other Sin destroyed the relationship that we were created to have with the Father. We were made in his image to walk in relationship with him, but our desire for control over our lives severed the connection. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6) But this separation has not only changed our relationship with the Father; it has also destroyed our relationships with each other. When we are in the Father, we understand who we are and who we were created to be. We can live a life of purpose. But, when that connect ion is severed, we are like a locomotive that has gone off of the tracks. Our lack of center ? causes great pain in our lives and in the lives of others. Sometimes, because Christ has forgiven us, we become lazy about the sin in our lives and we fail to see the great harm it has caused and it continues to cause. Forgiveness is not an excuse to keep on sinning. Genesis 3:8-12 dramatically illustrates the consequence of sin in relationships. In chapter three of Genesis, the serpent has tempted Adam and Eve to disobey the command of the Father and to choose to control their own destinies by eating the fruit that the Father forbade them from eating. Adam and Eve chose to find knowledge apart from the knowledge of God, which really isnt knowledge at all.1 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" The man said, "The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." Do you notice what happens when sin enters the relationship between the man and the woman? Immediately they turn on each other. Adam blames both God and Eve for his sin. He says The woman you put here with me caused me to sin. As if it werent enough to blame Eve, Adam makes sure that he reminds God just who created Eve. Sin causes the disruption of the relationship between Adam and Eve, just as it causes disruption in our relationships. When you think about the problems that people have with each other, what are some of the causes of those problems? Dont all of the problems that we have in relationship with each other have their roots in sin. How many relationships have you seen destroyed by . . . Pride Apathy Envy Gossip Dishonesty The Desire to Control Ambition Callousness Rebellion Jealousy Lack of Self-control Fear Arrogance Unwarranted Anger Laziness Abuse
If we consider the problems we have with each other, we can see how the root of sin causes those problems. If we think about the conflicts within our families and friendships, we can discover that our sinfulness produces those conflicts.
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B. All Relational Problems Stem from Sin All of our problems within relationships come from our sin. Sin separated us from our Heavenly Father and sin continues to separate us from each other. We separate ourselves from each other by our selfishness. Our desire for control works against our unity. Our lies prevent others from trusting us. This revelation of sinful separation holds true into the New Testament. As James writes in James 4:1-6: What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures Galatians 5:19-20 continues to reveal the effect of sin on our relationships: The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. C. Summary of Importance Our sin disrupts our relationship with each other. Sin is the root cause of the conflicts we experience with each other. This sin is a result of our separation from the Father. Because we have been separated from the Father, who is the source of our self-knowledge, we have a difficult time entering into relationships with other. Sin destroyed our connectedness to the Father and it destroys our connectedness to each other. D. Evaluation True or False 1. The only effect of sin was to separate us from the Father. 2. Our sin disrupts our relationship with each other. 3. Their sin brought Adam and Eve closer together. 4. Adam blamed both God and Eve for his sin. 5. Sin caused the disruption of the relationship between Adam and Eve, just as it causes disruption in our relationships. 6. Sin is the root cause of the conflicts we experience with each other. 7. Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies are the result of our sinful nature. 8. Adam took full responsibilities for his sin. 9. Since we are forgiven from all of our sin, we shouldnt worry about trying to avoid it in our lives. 10. The fights and quarrels among us come from our desires that battle within us. 11. Sin destroyed the relationship that we were created to have with the Father. 12. We were made in the Fathers image to walk in relationship with him, but our desire for control over our lives severed the connection.
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13. The separation from God has not only changed our relationship with the Father; it has also destroyed our relationships with each other. 14. When we are in the Father, we understand who we are and who we were created to be. 15. Our lack of center causes great pain in our lives and in the lives of others.
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V. Our relationship with the Father is restored by the Fathers love expressed through the incarnation and continuing ministry of Jesus Christ. A. The Incarnation The Father created us in his own image to enjoy relationship with himself ? and with others whom he created. The entrance of sin into the world destroyed the relationship that humanity had with the Father and it has destroyed our ability to have relationships with each other. God, however, whos love is unfathomable, was not content to allow us to slip away into the abyss of separation from Him . In his love he sent Jesus Christ to redeem us and to bring us back into relationship with himself and, consequently, into relationship with each other. God undertook to redeem the worst of what we have are and had have become. He did not retreat back in horror and disgust at our plight, but instead chose to remedy the situation by coming to earth in the form of Jesus Christ. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes in Ethics: God loves man. God loves the world. It is not an ideal man that He loves, but man as he is; not an ideal world, but the real world. What we find abominable in mans opposition to God, what we shrink back from with pain and hostility, the real man, the real world, this is for God the ground of unfathomable love, and it is with this that He united Himself utterly. God becomes man, real man. While we are trying to grow out beyond our manhood, to leave the man behind us, God becomes man and we have to recognize that God wishes us men, too, to be real men. While we are distinguishing the pious from the ungodly, the good from the wicked, the noble from the mean, God makes no distinction at all in His love for the real man.2 B. An Allegory of the Incarnation Once upon a time there was a great king. He lived in a beautiful castle on a mountain that shadowed the village below. He was a good king. He was revered and respected by his subjects. The monarch was so loved, in fact, that his fame had spread to many lands. Within the mighty walls of the castle, he was served and adored by his attendants. He was the center of all activity in the fortress. Early each morning, the king would ride his white steed through the forests around his castle. The forests were green and lush. The songs of birds would greet the king as he entered their world. The forest animals would watch timidly as their sovereign rode past. One day, during his morning ride, the king stopped by a clear mountain stream for a drink of water. The water was cool and refreshing. Suddenly, he heard a sound. He was not alone. He was aware of an intruder. Slowly he gazed up. There, a few feet from where he was, he noticed a local village girl drawing water for her family. He gently parted the overhanging tree branches to gaze at her. She was unaware of his presence. He watched her in silence. She was beautiful. Perhaps others would not see her as such. Some would say the she was rather plain. And she felt the same way. Alone in her room, when she gazed at her image in the a broken mirror,. She saw no beauty; she saw only her flaws and imperfections. She saw no beauty. But for the king, it was love at first sight. He saw her as she could be. He saw her as a beautiful bride adorned for a wedding.
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But what was he to do? Though he was dressed for riding, his garments still bore testimony to his position. Whether dressed in robe and crown or wearing riding boots, he was still the king. She would recognize him. And upon seeing him, she would immediately do as so many others hadwhat everyone else did--she would fall at his feet in reverence and fear. As his subject, she would surely do as he asked. He knew he could command her to come away with him. By simply voicing a command, he could have his queen. But, he wanted more. He wanted her to love him for who he was. He wanted to love her for who she was. The questions raced through his mind. Would she love him for who he was, or would she feel compelled to love him? Would she speak with him honestly, or because of fear would she only tell him those things she knew he would want to hear? And what of their relationship? They came from totally different worlds. He had lived his entire life as royalty. Hundreds obeyed his every wish. He could simply speak a word and his wishes would be fulfilled. She, on the other hand, had always lived in the village below. Her life was filled with turmoil and struggle. How could he suddenly ask her to enter his world when he had no idea of her life? He knew nothing firsthand of her life. All that he knew he had observed from the castle. At last, the king devised a plan. He would forsake lay aside his rightful kingdom and enter her world. He would alert no one in the village as to his plan, lest she find out. He would arrive as a simple servant and live his life before her. If necessary, he would give his life to gain her love. By doing this, he would know what it was to be a villager. And she would see him for who he was. No obligation to honor him. No compulsion to obey. All he would offer her is a promise of love in a life together in the village and a future hope of glory together. B. The Definition of the Incarnation The incarnation has been the subject of many Christian writers. Each of them brings out a part of the fullness behind the concept of the incarnation. Because Jesus is the Logos, the Word of God become flesh (not because of the man in himself), we apprehend God in the man Jesus.There is no person existing apart from the Logos. Karl Barth Not much is made of the fact that the Son is only the Son because he comes from the Father. Thomas Smail If God reveals himself through the Logos and the Logos is Jesus, the one who reveal s God can hardly be less than God. Carl E. Braaten But in Jesus Christ himself, we encounter the same divine love and power appearing personally among us as our fellow man. God is now not only exalted in Heaven but made man on earth. The acts of Jesus are the acts of God, the words of Jesus are the words of God, the suffering of Jesus is the self-sacrifice of God, the person of Jesus is the person of God, so that the confession of the Church echoes the confession of Thomas (John 20:28) and addresses not the Father in Heaven but the risen human Jesus, My Lord and my God. Thomas Smail
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What are we speaking of when we mention the incarnation of Christ? The word "Incarnation" refers to Christ's willingness to take on human flesh and come to this earth. Many speak of their "search for God." The incarnation is God's search for us. He did not minister to us from a distance, but rather chose to invade our culture. T.F. Torrance writes that the incarnation was "an act of God himself in which he really became man, and took the whole nature of man upon himself."3 God did not don a disguise. He did not wear cheap sunglasses and a trench coat. In the incarnation, God became human. To further add to our understanding Torrance adds, "The incarnation was not the bringing into being of a created intermediary between God and man, but the incarnating of God in such a way that in Jesus Christ he is both God and man in the fullest and most proper sense."4 In a simple manger in Bethlehem, divinity and humanity met in the person of Jesus Christ. He was "the best of both worlds." It is significant that Jesus became flesh (John 1:14). There are many paintings of Christ in which the Lord Jesus is glowing or walking about six inches above the ground. His appearance is alien and strange. This is not a true portrait. In the incarnation, God became man. "Nothing marked him off from other men. He wore no halo, held no office, and recognized no boundary between his life and other men."5 When we visualize Jesus as some "other worldly" individual, we lose sight of the significance of the incarnation. God became flesh. If we believe that he was in some way man, but still not completely human, then we compromise the wonder of the work of Christ. The incarnation was God's choice. He was not constrained to reveal himself in Jesus Christ. We often hear teachers say that Christ redeemed us because God was lonely or because God wanted someone to love. While this sounds good and tends to give us a "warm spiritual fuzzy," it also appeals to our pride. We could just as easily say that we were so important to God that he needed to save us. God had to do something for us. An unfortunate aspect of this belief is that while we are busy decrying the evils of humanism in our society, we sometimes fall prey to this exaggerated view of our importance. We will rail against a society that considers humanity the measure of all things, yet we subtly place ourselves in a position of controlling the actions of the Almighty. The incarnation had its only source in the boundless grace of God. Even our creation was an act of the grace of God. He called us into being by choice, not necessity. And our redemption is a further act of God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). We were not rescued from ourselves our sin because of some sense of moral obligation on the part of God. He did not initiate our salvation in an effort to meet some need he had within himself. God loved us and rescued his children because he chose to do so. By stating this, I am in no way suggesting that we do not have importance to God. I am not advocating a diminished view of the dignity of being human. Quite the contrary - we are of infinite value to our Heavenly Father. However, it is because of God's grace revealed to us that we have significance. It is not because God had to redeem us that we have worth, but rather simply it is because God loves us that we have value. The difference between the two views is that one begins with our importance and the other begins with God's grace. If we realize that within the Trinity God has eternally been in a loving relationship with the Son, then we understand that God already had someone to love. Further, if we understand that the Son and the Father have been in an eternal relationship through the Holy Spirit, we see that God was not
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lonely. The bottom line is that the incarnation is an expression of God's grace. God was not constrained to reach out to us. Our Heavenly Father chose to reach out to us. God did not touch our lives out of simple obligation, but rescued us as an act of grace. D. The Unity of the Person of Christ in the Incarnation In the incarnation, Jesus was at the same time "very God and very man." He was not at one time God and then, at another time, man. As man, Jesus brought humanity into a relationship with the Almighty. As God, he represented God to us. "Jesus Christ is the unveiled image of God." 6 In his life we see an intimate picture of God. As Phillip Yancey tells us, "Jesus offered us a long, slow look at the face of God."7 To see the face of Christ is to see the face of God. To see Christ move and minister among individuals is to see God move and minister among individuals. Even the name "Immanuel" means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). In Christ, we see God revealed. This is of particular comfort to me. I grew up in Sunday School hearing all of the great stories of the Old Testament. I heard about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the plagues in Egypt. I was told about the great military expeditions of the Nation of Israel. As a child, I was impressed with how "mean" God seemed to be. Then, we reached the New Testament. Suddenly, I was confronted with a "nice" Christ. I heard about a Jesus who healed people, who touched people, and who loved people. Rather than condemning others to death, this Jesus gave his own life. This seeming paradox was confusing to me. How could Jesus and God be the same person when they were so different in the way they seemed to relate to people? The result of all of this was that in the back of my mind, I began to formulate a concept of an angry God and a loving Son. God was the stern dictator. Jesus was the loving Father. But, in realizing that Christ is God, we understand that there is no contradiction between the two. In other words, in Christ there is no unGodliness and in God there is no unChristlikeness. The two are one and the same. God is not some shadowy figure who lurks behind the person of Christ. God reveals himself through the life of Jesus Christ. This unity between the Father and Son is vitally important. In Christ, God took upon himself bodily form. Therefore, to see Christ interact with people is to see the Father interact with people. To see Christ reach out to the sinful is to see the Father reach out to the struggling. In other words, there is no contradiction between the Father and the Son. In the book T. F. Torrance: An Intellectual Biography , Alister McGrath relates a story from the life of T. F. Torrance that illustrates the importance of embracing the unity between the Father and the Son. When daylight filtered though, I came across a young solider (Private Phillips), scarcely twenty years old, lying mortally wounded on the ground, who clearly had not long to live. As I knelt down and bent over him, he said: Padre, is God really like Jesus? I assured him that he was the only God that there is, the God who had come to us in Jesus, shown his face to us, and poured out his love to us as our Savior. As I prayed and commended him to the Lord Jesus, he passed away. That incident left an indelible impression on me. I kept wondering afterwards what modern theology and the Churches had done to drive some kind of wedge between God and Jesus, and reflected on the damage done by natural theology to Christology and the proclamation of the Gospel! The evangelical teaching, which I had from Karl Barth, was
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considerably reinforced on the battlefield. There is no hidden God, no Deus Absconditus, no God behind the back of the Lord Jesus, but only the one Lord God who became incarnate in him. Years later in my Aberdeen parish an old lady who had not very long to live said to me one day: Dr. Torrance, is God really like Jesus? I was startled, for those were the very same words I had heard on that battlefield in Italy. What have we been doing in our preaching and teaching in the church, to damage in the faith of our people the relation between their faith in Jesus Christ and God? How important was the teaching of Jesus in the Gospel about the mutual and exclusive relation between him and God the Father?8 E. The Continuing Ministry of Christ Christians often speak of the ministry of Christ in terms of his death on the cross. We point to the fact that Jesus came to die. And too often it is left there. The incarnation is seen as solely an avenue to the cross. Christ simply becomes a tool that God used to redeem us. But there is more of a purpose to the incarnation than just formality. Jesus came to this earth to do more than just die. If Christ's only purpose was to give his life on the cross, why did Jesus live on the earth for over thirty years? Some would suggest that Jesus did this to give us a pattern for life. He wanted to show us how its done. While there is a great deal of truth in this, to limit it to that alone is again to make Jesus simply a great moral example. Throughout this life, we are plagued with sin and error. Despite our best efforts at being what we should be, we often come up short. Jesus, on the other hand, was able to do what we cannot. Jesus He lived a perfect life. He committed no sin and left no omission. And by being faithful, he redeemed our lives. Jesus lived for us the life we are unable to live. He was faithful in our place. Just as his death was vicarious in that it was in our place, so too was his life vicarious in that he lived the perfect life in our place. Christ died for us because we were unable to attain our own salvation. Christ lived a perfect life for us because we are unable to do the same. Too often we look to Adam to see a picture of perfect humanity. However, our knowledge of the perfect Adam is limited to a snapshot revealed in the first few chapters of Genesis. In Jesus Christ we see the entire picture. Jesus was fully human--the perfect man. In him wWe see a picture of what it means to be truly human. We can view true humanity at its fullest. We are often tempted to see humanity as sinful. Whenever we commit a transgression, we simply chalk it up to being a part of the family of man. This is a skewed view. It tends to degrade humanity. To be perfectly human is to be like Jesus Christ. In the incarnation Jesus reveals to us what perfect humanity is. "In Jesus Christ we not only have the Revealing God, but also the Believing man. Not only do we have a revelation of who God is, but also a revelation of true humanity. In the vicarious humanity of Christ, therefore, God makes a claim on every human being and a judgment upon our ideas of human nature." 9 In the incarnation, we realize that Christ is the model for true humanity. "Since he is the advocate for humanity, the criterion for what is authentically human is his own humanity, not a general principle of humanity." 10 Only when a person is living in a Christlike manner will they understand what it means to be human. Many in the world are settling for a cheap substitute for life. We are called to tell them what they are missing.
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F. Implications of the Incarnation When we see the value that God has placed on our lives, it transforms us. When we understand the concern that God has for humanity, it challenges us to share that love with others. The fact that Christ became human and continues to exist in human (not fleshly) form adds new dignity to the concept of being human. Our callous stereotypes fade in the light of his truth. The street person is no longer just a "bum," but is now someone who bears at least in part the image of God. The redemptive work of Christ in our humanity forbids us from "giving up" on anyone. No matter how badly one of our kids messes up or how often they ignore our concern, the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ forbids us to give up. Fairy tales do come true. There was a king who loved his bride so much that he was willing to give all to win her love. He did indeed leave his kingdom to live in her world. The implications of the revelation of God in the incarnation are sweeping. This truth has the potential to transform us and, therefore, our ministries. As Christian ministers, we desire to do God's work in God's way. We want to allow God to work through our ministries. By seeing just a glimpse of the grace of God demonstrated in the incarnation, we are challenged to evaluate our lives and work. We must examine our ministries and the motivation behind our labor to see if we are walking as Jesus did. 1. a. b. c. d. e. Summary of Incarnational Implications God in Christ comes to us. God in Christ becomes one of us. He chose to be enfleshed. God in Christ walks with us. God in Christ sought out relationships with us. God in Christ provides the definition of true humanity. To be perfectly human is to be like Jesus. f. The impact of Christs ministry is not limited to his death. Christ lives the life we cannot live. He is faithful when we are unfaithful. He prays when we are prayerless. He is obedient when we are disobedient. 2. The Transforming Power of the Incarnation on Ministry The grace by which God created and rescued us has some radical implications for ministry. As Christians we often find ourselves working feverishly out of a sense of obligation. We "have to" do these things. We flirt with burnout because we believe that we must be continually doing something. We seem to spend our time engaged in frantic activity. Some Christians are always running to and fro doing "God's work." While at first glance it appears that we are simply doing the work of the ministry, I wonder if we work so hard because we believe so little. In other words, are we working so much because we think that God works so little? I sometimes wonder if I minister as an act of grace in response to what God has done for me or because I feel constrained to minister? Am I so busy because it is a joy or because I believe I must? Contrary to many popular beliefs, the portrait of God's ministry is a view of "gracious ministry."11 God did not reach out to us because he "had to," he reached out to us because he chose to. Even in our creation God was not required to create us out of a need he had, but rather he created us "in love out of his freedom." 12 As Karl Barth has reminded us, God's sovereignty is his freedom. No one or no thing controls the Almighty.
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As believers we lose our way so easily. There is a part of us that is continually drawn to the idea of making ourselves more acceptable to God. It is hard for us to believe that enough has been done. We subtly replace our faith with works. If asked, we would readily confess that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. Yet, we work as though faith is not enough. We labor as though we are convinced that working harder will make us more appealing to God. However the work has been done. No amount of work will make us more acceptable. Even the faith we confess is not singularly enough.a work. "Hence our response of faith is made within the ring of faithfulness which Christ has already thrown around us, when in faith we rely not on our own believing but wholly on his vicarious response of faithfulness toward God. In this way Christ's faithfulness undergirds our feeble and faltering faith and enfolds it in his own." 13 So both our faith and our works are made acceptable through the work of Christ. The incarnation reveals the grace that undergirds our faith and works. One of the best prescriptions for a number of Christians would be to schedule regular times of rest and recreation. I suspect that this would be very difficult for many to do. The pattern of our ministries indicates that we believe ministry is always "doing." When this happens the schedule becomes more frequently read than the Bible. In order to legitimately be engaged in ministry, we seem to think that we must always be doing something. This, however, is a skewed view of the majesty of God and his ministry. As Barth reminds us, "The mystery reveals to us that for God it is just as natural to be lowly as it is to be high, to be near as it is to be far, to be little as it is to be great, to be abroad as to be at home." 14 If Christ is in all things and it is natural for him to be in various "states," is Christ not just as much Lord at rest as he is when he is active? Do we believe that God must always be active in order to be God? No. God is always God. 3. The Transforming Power of the Incarnation and Human Need Christians are confronted with needs from early in the morning until late in the evening. We minister to a needy generation. And, at times, there seems to be no avoiding the masses. In the swirling whirlpool of demands and crises, we can feel ourselves slipping beneath the waves of the sea of brokenness. Yet, when we consider taking time to step out of the line of fire to reload, we find ourselves racked with guilt. The Gospels are filled with accounts of Jesus miraculous deeds. We see him healing, feeding, restoring, and counseling. Each time we turn a page we are confronted by another loving act of grace done by our Savior. The Apostle John tells us that only a fraction of the miracles that Jesus did are even recorded in Scripture (John 20:30; 21:25). Yet, there is one fact that often escapes notice: Jesus did not meet every need. Though Christ healed many of the sick, he did not heal all of them. When he healed the invalid at the Pool of Bethesda in John 5, Jesus did not heal all of the "great number of disabled people" who were present there. In fact, it may well be that Jesus had to step over some in order to get to this man. Though Christ met to counsel with Nicodemus (John 3) and the Samaritan Woman (John 4), he could not and did not speak with everyone who desired an audience. Pilate found himself frustrated with the Silent King (John 19:8-10). And though Christ fed the multitudes, he did so only twice. Eventually, he rebuked many of them because a full stomach was their only motivation for following him (John 6:26-27). Knowing that as ministers of Christ we will be continually confronted with demands for our time and presence, what shall we do? Do we throw ourselves headlong into the work until we burn out? Or,
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do we withdraw and do nothing? In his book, Ministry on the Fireline, Ray Anderson shares his own conclusions when he was presented with a similar dilemma. While somewhat lengthy, I do believe that it is worth including. "...Jesus' ministry was not connected to ministry-related incidents but to his obedience and service to the Father. 'My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work' (John 4:34). 'I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will by the will of him who sent me' (John 5:30). It then became clear. Jesus' calling was not to serve the world but to serve the Father. It was the Father who loved the world and who sent Jesus into the world. "From this I determined that our calling is not to serve the world but to serve God through our participation in Christ's ongoing ministry. I have only one calling, and that is through my baptism into Christ's ongoing ministry, to serve God in Christ. Where and how I fulfill that calling is determined by where God is sending me." 15 While this shift in thinking may at first appear to be subtle, it is actually revolutionary. Our first commitment should always be to Christ. He alone must be the sole object of our focus. We are not called simply to minister to people, but rather to minister to people through the power and presence of Christ. We do not discover needs and then ask the Father to empower us to meet them. Instead, we walk in obedience to the Father's will as he points out those needs along the path. This means that some needs seemingly go unmet. While there are many lives in which we can play a significant role, there will be others that we cannot enter in a dramatic fashion. This understanding, unfortunately, does not remove the feelings of frustration that we will sometimes experience. This truth does not excuse callousness to the suffering. However, we must remember that we are not called to meet needs. We are not called to expend our lives in being only what others require. As ministers of Jesus Christ, we are called to walk in obedience to our Heavenly Father. It is in that calling which we must be faithful (I Corinthians 4:2). Should we then be active in the work of the ministry? Yes, if we understand that it is God's ministry. "The anchor of our faith is not that we believed but that Jesus first believed. Because of his faith I can now participate in his faith through the Spirit." 16 The same is true of the work we do. It is because Christ is still ministering that we even have the opportunity to labor. And it is not "our work." Because Christ continues to minister, the Spirit enables us to participate in his ongoing ministry. 7. Summary of Importance The incarnation is the heart of Christianity. By becoming man, God declared clearly the value he places on humanity. He did not invite us to come to him without first coming to us. In Jesus Christ we have the fullest revelation of God. In the incarnation Christ was both completely God and man. The implications of the incarnation stretch far beyond just the theological and expand to the attitude and manner in which we serve the Father. Our relationship with the Father is restored by the Fathers love expressed through the incarnation and continuing ministry of Jesus Christ.
Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship 8. Evaluation
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True or False 1. God loves really good people only. 2. The incarnation is not really an important doctrine for Christians, but it is good to know. 3. The incarnation is Gods search for us. 4. Jesus did not really become flesh; he just looked like a man. 5. During his time on earth, Jesus was half man and half God. 6. Jesus is more loving and understanding than God. 7. Only God can bring us to God. 8. Jesus is like God in that they have a Father-Son resemblance. 9. The presence of Christ lives in the lives of those who know him. 10. All ministry is Gods ministry. 11. As leaders our most important responsibility is to serve those who are following us. 12. Jesus Christ offers us a long, slow look at the face of God. 13. Only Christs death is important for our salvation. 14. To be perfectly human is to be like Jesus Christ. 15. The purpose of the Christian life is to meet as many human needs as possible.
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VI.
God Reveals Himself as Father.
A. God Reveals Himself as Father. It is through Jesus Christ the Son that we are introduced to God the Father. When he was teaching his disciples to pray, Christ taught them to pray Our Father. (Matthew 6:9) Numerous Christian leaders throughout history have spoken of the importance of seeing God as Father. It would be more godly and true to signify God from the Son and call Him Father, than to name God from his works alone and call him Unoriginate. Athanasius Your Heavenly Father was there when you first walked as a child. He was there through hurts and disappointments. He is present now at this moment. You were briefly loaned to human parents who, for a few years, were supposed to have showered you with love like his love. But you are and always will be a child of God, made in his image. Your loving Father awaits you even now with outstretched arms. What would keep you from him? John Dawson The Father whom Jesus addresses in the garden is the one that he has known all his life and found to be bountiful in his provision, reliable in his promises and utterly faithful in his love. He can obey the will that sends him to the cross, with hope and expectation because it is the will of Abba whose love has been so proved that it can now be trusted so full y by being obeyed so completely. This is not legal obedience driven by commandment, but trusting response to known love. Tom Smail To approach God as Father through the Son is a more devout and accurate way than to approach him through his works by tracing them back to him as their uncreated Source. Thomas F. Torrance Officially, Christianity is one of the world's great religions. We rank right up there with Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam. But, I, I believe that we do a great disservice to Christ and his teaching by lumping them under the heading of "Religion." In most cases, a religion is man's attempt to reach God. Whether it be by good deeds or by reaching a "higher state of consciousness," religion begins with humanity's search for the Universal Cause. It can be likened to a ladder erected by the world and placed on God's windowsill. By climbing the proper steps, it is believed that man can reach God. Christianity, on the other hand, teaches that man could never reach God. His feeble attempts, regardless of how noble or sacrificial, would never be enough to gain man access to God. Rather than beginning with our search, Christianity teaches that God was the initiator of the relationship. As Christians, we believe that it was God who first reached down to us. Further, through the incarnation, God not only reached down to us, but he became human in order to redeem humanity. This is a far cry from simple religion. This is a teaching revelation that has far greater implications for lives than the reactionary keeping of a sacred moral code. In Christianity, humanity is
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confronted with a God who desires to interact with us on a personal basis. He wants a relationship with those who claim his name. God is not concerned with the unconscious performance of good deeds. As God revealed himself to humanity in the incarnation, Jesus demonstrated that God is not interested in mere religion. God wants us to experience something far better and far more rewarding. Jesus is interested in relationships. When Christ taught others about God, he could have used a myriad of titles for God. He could have referred to him as "your Creator" or "the Almighty." He could have elected to just refer to God as "God." But Jesus wanted to communicate something more about Jehovah. In order to do that, Jesus chose to use the term "Father" (Matthew 6:9). In doing this, he wanted to convey something of the nature of the relationship that God desired to have with his people. Jesus offered humanity a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Not only were we saved from sin, but now we had the opportunity to be a part of the family of God. Salvation was not just a legislative act whereby we were pardoned, but was instead an act of adoption. We were not made spiritual stepchildren, but were placed in a relationship whereby we have become jointheirs with Jesus Christ. B. Human Fathers and the Heavenly Father Unfortunately, using the term Father is considered by some to be sexist. This occurs when people choose to view God anthropologically. God is not a big man. He is not male in gender in the same way that some of his creatures are. God the Father transcends our human definitions of fathers and presents himself as the ideal of what a father should be. Further, to choose not to call God Father because of some perceived sexism is to rob God of his personality. It can easily become a human attempt to fit God into human preconceptions rather than to allow God to be God. And what about those of us who have had less than perfect fathers? To those that have been hurt by a parent, the idea of a heavenly father simply means an almighty abuser. "People with fathers who did not meet their needs will have trouble viewing God as a Father who meets needs and cares about their feelings." 17 But Christ had more in mind than earthly experiences when he referred to God as our Heavenly Father. As J.B.Phillips states: "When Christ taught his disciples to regard God as their Father in Heaven he did not mean that their idea of God must necessarily be based upon their ideas of their own fathers. For all we know there may have been many of his hearers whose fathers were unjust, tyrannical, stupid, conceited, feckless, or indulgent. It is the relationship that Christ is stressing. The intimate love for, and interest in, his son possessed by a good earthly father represents to men a relationship that they can understand, even if they themselves are fatherless! The same sort of relationship, Christ is saying, can be reliably reckoned upon by man in his dealings with God."18 C. The Love of Our Heavenly Father God the Father is a loving Father. Our Heavenly father could have communicated his love for us in numerous ways. He could have given us fabulous riches. He could have written us personalized notes. He could have written us
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each a song. Yet, despite all those opportunities, God has chosen to give us the gift that matters most, he has given us his life. We see this first of all in Jesus. Christ had every right to arrive on earth demanding to be served. He was well within the bounds of his proper place to have commanded us to do his bidding. Yet, "the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28) Christ invested his time, and thereby his life, in us. And culminated that great expression of love with his death on the cross--t. The ultimate love gift. But it did not end there. Jesus continues to live his life through us. He continues to give us his life. With each breath we draw, we are reminded of his undying love and commitment to us. David tells us in the 139th Psalm that God continually watches over us in love. The Psalmist tells us that while we are asleep God continually sends a stream of loving thoughts about us. D. The Attentiveness of Our Heavenly Father God the Father is an attentive Father. When you were a child, did you ever draw a picture or make a card for your parents? Do you remember selecting just the right colors of thick construction paper? You tried to cut along the lines with your tiny blunt scissors. With your tongue pressed between your lips you did your best to color inside the lines. There you sat at the table with crayon, paper, and glue constructing a pintsized Rembrandt for one of your parents. At last, after what seemed like hours, you were finished. You held it up before your child eyes to inspect the newborn masterpiece. It wasn't perfect. You may have gone outside the lines here and there. There was a glue smudge or two. But, overall, you judged that it looked okay. Slowly you got up from the table and tottered toward your parent. With an excited grin on your face, you stood before them with your gift hidden behind your back. "I got sumpthin for you," you said trying to contain your excitement. The face before you gazed down seeming to mirror your excitement. "What do you have?" came the inquisitive voice. Then, with great preschool drama, you unveiled your labor of love. Do you remember the look of joy as those eyes you loved inspected your work? Would they like it? Would they see the glue smudge? At last you heard those words that you longed to hear, "Its so beautiful; Iit's just what I always wanted." For a child, no words can compare to a parent's approval. Someone you love noticed what you accomplished! What you did was appreciated. However wonderful many of our memories may be, there are those who have never known the joy of an interested parent. There was no interest in report cards, athletic achievements, or artistic accomplishments. But the Bible tells us that God always sees. No matter where we are, God sees the accomplishments of our lives. Jesus tells us three times in Matthew 6 that "Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." While many of the Christian disciplines are practiced in secret, they are not secret to God. While much of our obedience takes place apart from the gaze of men, it does not go unseen by our Heavenly Father. God not only sees our accomplishments - he sees our struggles. Moses was a great leader. He was used mightily by God. Yet his life contained struggles. His parents gave him up at his birth. He committed a murder that ultimately resulted in him having to flee for his life into the countrysidedesert. He withstood the hostile Egyptian government in order to secure the liberation
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of God's people. He led a grumbling, often faithless nation of Israel through the wilderness. Moses' life was not a series of steps from mountaintop to mountaintop. Moses often found himself in the valley. So how did he get through it all? How did this great leader persevere when life dealt him a losing hand? Hebrews 11:27 gives us the answer. Moses "persevered because he saw him who is invisible." Throughout the struggles in Moses' life, he was able to rely on the presence of his invisible Father. Nothing would happen to him of which God was not aware. Rather than pacing the floors of Heaven wringing his hands in despair, Moses knew that God walked with him. As Jesus reminds us, "And surely I will be with you always." Just as a child works on the crafting of a card, we work on the construction of our lives. We desire to live in a way that demonstrates our obedience to Christ. But along the way, we color outside the lines a few times. There are a few smudges here and there. Yet we know that as we stand before our Heavenly Father and present to him the picture of our life, we can hear God say, "It's just what I always wanted." E. The Acceptance of Our Heavenly Father God the Father accepts us as we are. "We live in a performance-oriented society. Acceptance is always conditional." 19 Some of us can remember trying to make the football team. For others it may be a memory of trying to achieve a certain grade in school. Still others know the pain of trying to gain the love of a certain individual. In one way or another, all of us know what it means to have to perform in order to gain acceptance. This is the basis for our society. What you do determines where you go and what you get. We sometimes transfer these feelings to God. We believe that God would accept us more if we were just a little more spiritual. We are convinced that God would love us more if we were more consistent in our daily devotions. Just as the world accepts us based on our performance, we believe that God uses the same standards. But this is not so. "The kingdom of this world is a kingdom of rejection. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of unconditional love." 20 God loves us with a love that is pure and unconditional. And while some of his blessings are based on our faithfulness, his love is not. As God's children, we have already gained our acceptance through the finished work of Christ on the cross. God cannot love us more because he already loves us so. God was not ignorant of who we were when we became his children. God does not look at us in astonishment at our failure and say, "If I had only known who he was, I would never have allowed him to be a part of my family." God is not surprised by our limitations. Jesus tells us that he knows us thoroughly (Matthew 6). Just as we are saved by grace, we are kept by grace (Ephesians 2:810). Christianity is not a performance trap that causes us to do more and more in an effort to impress our Heavenly Father. Our Christian life is a response to the love of God as we allow Christ to reach out through us. F. Our Adoption by Our Heavenly Father - God the Father has adopted us to be his children When another adopts someone into his or her family everything changes. Their relationships, home environment, name, and much more is transformed. When God adopts us as his children, he makes changes in our lives that last forever. Everything is made new.
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John 1:12, Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God Romans 8:15-17, For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself testifies with our Spirit that we are Gods children. Now if we are Gods children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. See also: Galatians 4:1-7 and Ephesians 5:8 G. The Affection of Our Heavenly Father - God the Father is an affectionate Father The Bible tells us in I John 4:8 that God is love. This is who our Heavenly Father is - he is love. Our Father is someone who loves to be with us and who loves to dote on us. Further, Psalm 139:18-19 tells us that God is constantly thinking a stream of loving thoughts about us. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. I John 3:1 H. The Authority of Our Heavenly Father - God the Father has authority over his children Because God is our Father, he has the right to authority over our lives. God is not someone who is abusive in his guidance or discipline, but rather he is a loving Heavenly Father who desires what is best for us. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. II Corinthians 6:14-18 I. The Affirmation of Our Heavenly Father - God the Father is an affirming Father Our Father in Heaven desires that we succeed. He wants us to have lives that are full of purpose. God does not delight in our failures. Instead, when we fall, God is the first one to reach out his hand to help us back on our feet. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2
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You may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. Phillipians 2:15 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. darkness. I Thessalonians 5:5 We do not belong to the night or to the
9. Summary of Importance In the Lords Prayer, Christ taught those who are his disciples to pray Our Father. This is the relationship that God desires with his children. He desires that we see him as our Father and to see ourselves as his children. We become aware of the Father through his relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son. This relationship will revolutionize our Christianity as we become imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children (Ephesians 5:1). God reveals himself to us as Father. K. Evaluation True or False 1. God really doesnt care how we see him as long as we acknowledge him. 2. Human fathers provide the perfect illustration of our Heavenly Father. 3. Our Heavenly Father is very attentive. 4. Our Father accepts us as we are. 5. Gods commandments are important to think about, but sometimes we can disagree and God wont mind. 6. Calling God Father is sexist and we should call him our Heavenly Parent. 7. It is through Jesus Christ the Son that we can discover God the Father. 8. Someone who has had a bad experience with his or her human father may have a difficult time calling God Father. 9. God will accept us more if we are just a little more spiritual. 10. Jesus offered humanity a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. 11. Salvation was not just a legislative act whereby we were pardoned, but was instead an act of adoption. 12. Because God is our Father, he has the right to authority over our lives. 13. God is really just a big man; therefore we call him Father. 14. God doesnt just love others - he is love. 15. Jesus was able to obey his Heavenly Father, not because what God was asking was easy, but because Jesus knew the character of his Heavenly Father and trusted that he would not make a mistake.
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VI.
Christian discipleship is the establishment of and growth in relationship with the Father and with others through Jesus Christ. Our continuing ministry as disciples is to allow Christ to accomplish his ministry of reconciliation through us for the reconcilement of humanity to the Father and the reconcilement of people to each other.
A. Salvation is the Beginning, Not the End It is easy to see salvation as the end of the struggle. Christians invest a great amount of resources and time to bring people to Christ. We try to tell as many people about Christ as we can. In many ways, our goal is to tell has many as we can That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). We understand that no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3) But Jesus is Lord is not the only cry that the Holy Spirit enables believers to confess. The other confession of the Christian church is Abba, Father. As Romans 8:15 tells us, For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, Abba, Father." And again in Galatians 4:6 Paul writes, Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father." Jesus is Lord is the beginning of the Christian life. It is the recognition that all of our lives fall under the lordship of Jesus Christ. It is the moment when we admit that we are sinful and that we have tried to live our lives apart from the Father. Jesus is Lord is said when we bow before the cross of Christ and acknowledge his rightful place in our lives. Abba, Father is the cry of the heart that seeks to continue deepening the relationship with the Father. This is the essence of the life of discipleship. Our walk with the Father only begins at the moment of salvation. The New Testament is full of encouragement to the believer to continue to grow and deepen in the relationship with Christ. We must understand that being born again means being born into a new life. Birth is the signal that life has begun. And for that life to survive and thrive there must be growth. The Father invites us to grow in our new life with statements such as: Ephesians 3:14-19, For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 4:11-16, It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is,
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Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Hebrews 10:25, Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 1 Peter 2:2, Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. We are able to read these words because we have grown in learning. When we were born, we could not feed ourselves or care for ourselves. But, because of the encouragement and care of others, we are able to live and learn. This is true of the spiritual life. Unfortunately, because many do not grow in their walk with the Father, they remain spiritual infants. For them the words of Hebrews 5:12-13 are true: In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. We should grow beyond milk. This is true discipleship. We must become acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. B. The Ministry of Reconciliation As disciples we continue on in that walk and help others to be reconciled to the Father and, consequently, to each other. As the knowledge of the Heavenly Father grows in us, we deepen our connection with him and with each other. That deepening connection then naturally spills over and touches the lives of those around us. We become agents of reconciliation. Our lives become paths to help others be reconciled to the Father and to each other. Paul writes of this in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 when he says: So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. We are called to be Christs ambassadors for reconciliation to a world that is separated from the Father and from each other. As disciples we are engaged in the ministry of reconciliation. As Christians we understand that the only way we can be reconciled to the Father is through Jesus Christ. As Jesus says in Matthew 11:27:
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"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Friendship with the Father can only happen through Jesus Christ and reconciliation with each other can only occur when our peace is made with our Heavenly Father. Pauls understanding of the need for reconciliation is based on Christs teaching on lifes priorities. When asked to explain what is really important in the Christian life, Jesus pointed to the need to be reconciled to the Father and to each other in Matthew 22:35-40. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." C. The Command to Share The ministry that the Father has given us is to help others love the Father and to love each other. And Jesus is very serious about our need to share this truth with others. In Matthew 28:18-20, just before his ascension, Jesus commanded us to continue to share this Gospel of Reconciliation with the entire world. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Think, for a moment, how a commitment to sharing the ministry of reconciliation with the world would change our understanding of Christian ministry. Ministry would no longer be concerned almost completely with evangelism, but would understand that becoming a Christian is only the beginning. The focus in our churches and youth groups would be on deepening our relationship with the Father and with each other. Our motivation for sharing Christ with others would be to help them to become the Fathers children and to repair the damaged relationships in their lives. Ministry would become more complete, more holistic, and less concerned with counting numbers and sponsoring programs. Paul encourages us to consider this approach to ministry when he shares his priorities in Colossians 1:28-29. Paul was not just trying to get people to accept Jesus as Lord, but he was committed to helping them to grow in this newfound relationship. His desire was the same as ours should be when he writes, We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
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D. Summary of Importance It is not enough for us to concentrate our efforts solely on evangelism. We are called to more than just conversion. The twin confessions of the Christian life are Jesus is Lord and Abba, Father. The Holy Spirit works within us to bring our lives under the lordship of Christ and to deepen our walk with the Father. Therefore, the life of discipleship is walking in these relationships and sharing these truths with each other. We are given the ministry of reconciliation. Our continuing ministry as disciples is to allow Christ to accomplish his ministry of reconciliation through us for the reconcilement of humanity to the Father and the reconcilement of people to each other. 5. Evaluation True or False 1. Reconciliation with each other can only occur when our peace is made with our Heavenly Father. 2. We are called to be Christs ambassadors for reconciliation to a world that is separated from the Father and from each other. 3. Jesus is the best way to God, but he is just one of many ways to God. 4. Friendship with the Father can only happen through Jesus Christ and reconciliation with each other can only occur when our peace is made with our Heavenly Father. 5. As Christians, we should focus exclusively on helping others become Christians. 6. The twin confessions of the Christian are Jesus is Lord and Abba, Father 7. Jesus is Lord is the recognition that all of our lives fall under the lordship of Jesus Christ. 8. The focus in our churches and youth groups should be on deepening our relationship with the Father and with each other. 9. Friendship with the Father can only happen through Jesus Christ. 10. Paul was concerned only with helping to people to accept Jesus as Lord and he trusted that others would help them to grow in this newfound relationship. 11. Our walk with the Father only begins at the moment of salvation. 12. Our motivation for sharing Christ with others should be to help them to become the Fathers children and to repair the damaged relationships in their lives. 13. Only some disciples are called to the ministry of reconciliation. 14. Jesus is Lord is the only cry that the Holy Spirit enables believers to confess. 15. Pauls understanding of the need for reconciliation is based on Christs teaching on lifes priorities.
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Bonhoeffer has a helpful discussion of this subject in Part One of Ethics entitled The Love of God and the Decay of the World. Here Bonhoeffer argues that any knowledge apart from God is not really true knowledge and eventually results in shame and decay. 2 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Ethics (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995), p.73. 3 T.F.Torrance, The Trinitarian Faith (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1988), p. 150. 4 T.F.Torrance, The Trinitarian Faith (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1988), p. 150. 5 Ray Anderson, Theological Foundations For Ministry (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1979), p. 585. 6 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Christ The Center (San Francisco: Harper, 1960), p. 48. 7 Phillip Yancey, Disappointment With God (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988), p. 125. 8 Alister McGrath, T.F. Torrance: An Intellectual Biography (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1999), p. 74. 9 Christian Kettler, Class Notes from Theology of Ministry, March 23, 1992 (Friends University). 10 Ray Anderson, Ministry on the Fireline: A Practical Theology for an Empowered Church (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1993), p. 69. 11 Christian Kettler, Class Notes from Theology of Ministry, March 23, 1992 (Friends University). 12 Ibid. 13 Thomas F. Torrance as quoted in Theological Foundations For Ministry edited by Ray Anderson (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1979), p. 126 14 Karl Barth as quoted in Theological Foundations For Ministry edited by Ray Anderson (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1979), p. 153. 15 Ray Anderson, Ministry on the Fireline: A Practical Theology for an Empowered Church (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1993), p. 51. 16 Christian Kettler, Class Notes from Theology of Ministry, March 23, 1992 (Friends University). 17 Donald Sloat, The Dangers Of Growing Up In A Christian Home (Nashville: Nelson, 1986), p. 64. 18 J.B.Phillips, Your God Is Too Small (New York: Macmillan, 1961), p. 22. 19 John Dawson, The Father Heart Of God (Lindale: Last Days Ministries), p.3. 20 Ibid.

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Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship Syllabus Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship Outline / Implications I.

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship C. Summary of Importance D. Evaluation V.

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship 8. Evaluation

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

God Reveals Himself as Father.

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

Foundations for Relationship: The Core of Discipleship

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