"Relationships: You Can't Live Without Them!"

Relationships: You Can’t Live Without Them

About Relationships

A good relationship is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden. (Unknown)

Many relationships will come in and out of your life, but only true relationships will leave footprints in your heart.
(Eleanor Roosevelt)

Relationships are important to us because we are called to love/respect each other as individuals and society.

1 Peter 4:8 (NLT)

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 
As humans, the relationships we form with other people are vital to our mental and emotional well-being, and
really, our survival. Just take a look at the folks in the New Testament for example. Jesus made the Apostle John
responsible for the care for his mother Mary. Relationships such as marriage, friendships, familial
relationships, co-worker, pastor, teacher, mentors and sometimes a total stranger should be kind and loving to
each other.

Humans have an inherent desire to be close to other people even if in our past something was broken. Even
then we want to connect and build relationships even if it’s hard for us. While a man stranded on an island,
talking to a volleyball like in the move isn’t necessarily “healthy,” his compulsion for company is. That’s because
the fact of the matter is this: healthy relationships (romantic relationships, friendships, familial relationships
— they all count!) can help make for a healthier overall life for us.

But what exactly does a healthy relationship look like?
Equal and Reciprocal (100% to 100%)

Teddy song (When Somebody Loves You Back)
So good lovin; somebody
And somebody loves you back and that’s a fact
It’s so good needin; somebody
And somebody needs you back
Said now 70-30
Now 60-40
Talkin bout a 50-50 love

The song is wrong!

Relationships require 100/100

I don’t want less than 100% of anything

2 Corinthians 6:14-16 (NLT)

Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can
light live with darkness?  15  What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a
partner with an unbeliever?  16  And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of
the living God.

Four types of love

Eros – the Greek word for sensual or romantic love. Love in the form of Eros seeks its own interest and
satisfaction. God is very clear in the Bible that Eros love is reserved for marriage.

Storge – This Greek word describes family love, the affectionate bond that develops naturally between
parents and children, and brothers and sisters.

Philia – This Greek term describes the powerful emotional bond seen in deep friendships. This is the
type of intimate love in the Bible that most Christians practice toward each other.

Agape – the highest of the four types of love in the Bible. This term defines God’s immeasurable,
incomparable love for humankind. It is the divine love that comes from God. Agape love is
perfect, unconditional, sacrificial, and pure.

True love has no motives or expectations

Challenge: are we able to demonstrate agape love?

No, because we are human and we are sinners

We still have motives and expectations

Examples (taking out the trash, cooking or we
do something nice because we want something)

We still struggle with forgiveness

Pastor Julius: “You will never know the depth of your love until you now the depth of your forgiveness.”

Only Jesus can offer true agape love

Romans 13:10 (NKJV)

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Love is a moral principle. A principle covers all the world’s moral activity. There are a few other moral
principles, such as be holy, do justice, do no harm, and so on. These principles apply in all times and places. We can
never say, “No, I don’t have to love here,” or “I don’t have to do justice there.” In all cases moral principles
apply.

When we love someone, we should not need to be reminded not to steal from them, or lie about them, or
cheat them. Such reminders are almost impertinent for someone who loves another.

Paul says, “Love does no harm to a neighbor.” But doing no harm, or merely observing the law, is not enough.
Only the perfect love that Christ showed when he gave his life for ours is sufficient to fulfill the law. Christ removed
the curse of lawlessness and has given us everlasting life.

To love as Jesus did means that we incorporate God’s self-sacrificing love into our hearts. In Christ, God
showed us not only perfect obedience to the law but perfect love.

And only Christ fully lives out that perfect love. We who live in this hostile world still struggle with desires to
make gains for ourselves or to harm others. Since we still live with this tension, we still need the law.
A positive, loving relationship can be shared between any two people who love, support, encourage, respect and
help each other practically as well as emotionally.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NLT)

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.  10  If one person falls, the other can reach
out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.  11  Likewise, two people lying close together can
keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone?  12  A person standing alone can be attacked and
defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not
easily broken.

Personal Examples:
• Listen to each other
• Communicate openly and without judgment

Matthew 7:3

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your
own eye? (NIV)
• Trust and respect each other
• Consistently make time for each other

Closing
Remember:

Ephesians 4:2-3 

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the
unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (NLT)

Tell Your Neighbor – Relationships are essential. You can’t live without them!