Sunday, November 22, 2009
Heres this weeks lesson for those who missed it =).
Why is support so important? Think about it. If a lame person didn’t have the support of his wheelchair, how would he get around? If a child didn’t have the support of his parents, would he be able to survive, getting food and water as an infant? Everyone has weaknesses, and that’s why support is so important. To cover our weaknesses, and, to help us tide through times too hard for us to handle alone.
God wants us to support one another too! 2Corinthians 1:3-6 Praise be to God and father of our lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
Okay, so how do you even get a friend? You choose one. You make the first step, You. You are the one who goes forward, takes the initiative to talk to the person, share a bit of yourself with the other person. (John 15-15) I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything I have learnt from my father I have made known to you. You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit- fruit that will last.
I was thinking about what it meant to support one another, when I looked at the cell blog. The phrase that has become so associated with our cell group. Friendship sour estate. It started out as friendships our estate, and somehow twisted into friendship sour estate. And it struck me. Friendships, true real friendships, should be based on love for each other. (John 15:12) This is my command: Love each other as I have loved you. We all know that love is wonderful, love is great, but love is more than just a tingly feeling you get all over your body when that special person walks past. Love calls for sacrifices, for caring, looking out for each other, for support. Friendship sour estate. We share everything we have, even through the most sour lemony times.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Now let me tell you something. God chose us. He chose the imperfect man to be his friend, came down, sacrificed himself on the cross for us, just to support us in our time of need, and then he left for heaven again. All he did on earth was this, SUPPORT, SUPPORT, SUPPORT, SUPPORT, SUPPORT. He did it sometimes harshly, with reprimands, sometimes with compassion, providing for us. But ultimately all for us, to aid us, help us. And in the end, he died, just for us. He gave us the ultimate sacrifice a friend can give. I’m not asking you to go say HEY!, Lets go kill ourselves cause its good. No, I’m saying at least build up that relationship in cell, bond with one another, support one another, and learn to have that understanding and respect that is crucial in a friendship.
Understanding, respect, trust, and love. With only respect, we can only gravel at the achievements of others, but never get close to them. With only understanding, we will understand what the other person lacks and needs, but never have the motivation to help them, or look at them as an equal. With only trust, we can only rely on others, but never really get to know them as a real person. With all four, (Love encompasses all the other 3 really) we have a really strong friendship, that understands, is patient and faithful, believing in them to do the right thing, sees them as an equal, and allows for sacrifices. Hebrews 4:14-16: 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. They knew that Jesus was the son of God, respected him as a great high priest, understood that he had been tempted and yet was without sin, and trusted him to deliver them, and help them graciously in their time of need.
So, who do you choose to be your friend today? I choose you. I put my blood, my sweat, my work, my love into building you up, and making you into a stronger better person. I hope you can do the same, and show Christ's compassion and love for one another. I hope that you can build each other up to be one unit, one army of Christ, that functions together, sacrificing and support one another the whole way.
In his love,
-J
Why is support so important? Think about it. If a lame person didn’t have the support of his wheelchair, how would he get around? If a child didn’t have the support of his parents, would he be able to survive, getting food and water as an infant? Everyone has weaknesses, and that’s why support is so important. To cover our weaknesses, and, to help us tide through times too hard for us to handle alone.
God wants us to support one another too! 2Corinthians 1:3-6 Praise be to God and father of our lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
Okay, so how do you even get a friend? You choose one. You make the first step, You. You are the one who goes forward, takes the initiative to talk to the person, share a bit of yourself with the other person. (John 15-15) I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything I have learnt from my father I have made known to you. You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit- fruit that will last.
I was thinking about what it meant to support one another, when I looked at the cell blog. The phrase that has become so associated with our cell group. Friendship sour estate. It started out as friendships our estate, and somehow twisted into friendship sour estate. And it struck me. Friendships, true real friendships, should be based on love for each other. (John 15:12) This is my command: Love each other as I have loved you. We all know that love is wonderful, love is great, but love is more than just a tingly feeling you get all over your body when that special person walks past. Love calls for sacrifices, for caring, looking out for each other, for support. Friendship sour estate. We share everything we have, even through the most sour lemony times.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Now let me tell you something. God chose us. He chose the imperfect man to be his friend, came down, sacrificed himself on the cross for us, just to support us in our time of need, and then he left for heaven again. All he did on earth was this, SUPPORT, SUPPORT, SUPPORT, SUPPORT, SUPPORT. He did it sometimes harshly, with reprimands, sometimes with compassion, providing for us. But ultimately all for us, to aid us, help us. And in the end, he died, just for us. He gave us the ultimate sacrifice a friend can give. I’m not asking you to go say HEY!, Lets go kill ourselves cause its good. No, I’m saying at least build up that relationship in cell, bond with one another, support one another, and learn to have that understanding and respect that is crucial in a friendship.
Understanding, respect, trust, and love. With only respect, we can only gravel at the achievements of others, but never get close to them. With only understanding, we will understand what the other person lacks and needs, but never have the motivation to help them, or look at them as an equal. With only trust, we can only rely on others, but never really get to know them as a real person. With all four, (Love encompasses all the other 3 really) we have a really strong friendship, that understands, is patient and faithful, believing in them to do the right thing, sees them as an equal, and allows for sacrifices. Hebrews 4:14-16: 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. They knew that Jesus was the son of God, respected him as a great high priest, understood that he had been tempted and yet was without sin, and trusted him to deliver them, and help them graciously in their time of need.
So, who do you choose to be your friend today? I choose you. I put my blood, my sweat, my work, my love into building you up, and making you into a stronger better person. I hope you can do the same, and show Christ's compassion and love for one another. I hope that you can build each other up to be one unit, one army of Christ, that functions together, sacrificing and support one another the whole way.
In his love,
-J
what we could have been, 6:57 AM.
