Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus
Relationship Goals Part 2
We will be purpose driven
Locations & Times
Church of The Nazarene- East Rock
East Side Hwy, Elkton, VA 22827, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Over the next few weeks, we will work through several relationship goals that we can see in the scriptures.
By naming this series Relationship Goals, we are acknowledging from the very beginning that our relationships have room to grow. They may need work, maybe even a lot of it. We also recognize that WE need work. that ME in relationship, needs work.
The purpose of this series is not to make you feel guilty about yourself or the quality of your relationships. Our desire is to offer hope, to set some goals and find practical tools that will help us work on our relationships.
As the old saying goes “If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.” So why not set some goals to get us where the bible is calling in our relationships?
Today we continue with relationship goal #2 "We will be purpose driven"
By naming this series Relationship Goals, we are acknowledging from the very beginning that our relationships have room to grow. They may need work, maybe even a lot of it. We also recognize that WE need work. that ME in relationship, needs work.
The purpose of this series is not to make you feel guilty about yourself or the quality of your relationships. Our desire is to offer hope, to set some goals and find practical tools that will help us work on our relationships.
As the old saying goes “If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.” So why not set some goals to get us where the bible is calling in our relationships?
Today we continue with relationship goal #2 "We will be purpose driven"
As followers of Christ, we believe that we are called together for a purpose. We are called to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, to do things that we could otherwise not do alone. Our relationships should have purpose.
As we dive into our goal of purpose driven relationship, I think it’s important that we first establish what our individual calling and purpose as followers of Jesus. As we establish that, we can begin to re-imagine our relationships in light of that core calling and purpose.
To help us see these things come together, I want to look at the story of Peter and John. Two very different people who had a shared calling and a shared purpose in Christ.
As we dive into our goal of purpose driven relationship, I think it’s important that we first establish what our individual calling and purpose as followers of Jesus. As we establish that, we can begin to re-imagine our relationships in light of that core calling and purpose.
To help us see these things come together, I want to look at the story of Peter and John. Two very different people who had a shared calling and a shared purpose in Christ.
This moment marked a new day in the lives of these men.
Peter recognizes his sinful heart and his need for a savior. He is ready to leave his old life of sin, to find forgiveness in Jesus. Affirming that desire in Peter, Jesus replies with a new calling for Peter “follow me.”
The invitation to follow Jesus was that they would literally go be with Jesus. Stay where he stayed, go where he went. To learn from him, and most importantly to become like him.
“From now on, you will fish for people.”
The focus of Peter’s life was changing. His number one goal was to leverage his life for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
The calling and purpose we see in Peter, is representative of the call for each and every one of us today. As we seek Jesus as our Lord and savior, we too share in this same calling.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
As this is true of our lives, it’s certainly true of our relationships too.
When we enter into relationship, we don’t leave behind our calling and purpose in Christ, we bring it into our relationships.
That’s the essence of purpose driven relationships.
Peter recognizes his sinful heart and his need for a savior. He is ready to leave his old life of sin, to find forgiveness in Jesus. Affirming that desire in Peter, Jesus replies with a new calling for Peter “follow me.”
The invitation to follow Jesus was that they would literally go be with Jesus. Stay where he stayed, go where he went. To learn from him, and most importantly to become like him.
“From now on, you will fish for people.”
The focus of Peter’s life was changing. His number one goal was to leverage his life for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
The calling and purpose we see in Peter, is representative of the call for each and every one of us today. As we seek Jesus as our Lord and savior, we too share in this same calling.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
As this is true of our lives, it’s certainly true of our relationships too.
When we enter into relationship, we don’t leave behind our calling and purpose in Christ, we bring it into our relationships.
That’s the essence of purpose driven relationships.
As you trace the story of Peter and John through the gospels, you can see it was a work in progress. For them personally, and for their relationships. It took years…
But by the grace of God they remained committed to their calling, and to their purpose in the world. As this shaped their lives, it shaped their relationships too. The impact of this commitment over the long haul comes to light in the book of Acts.
In Chapter 4, Peter and John are on trial before the supreme court of the religious elite because they healed a man who had been paralyzed or lame for 40 years.
Of course, this creates quite a stir and they end up being arrested. As we get further into chapter 4 they are standing trial before the religious elite of the day. And after giving their defense of their actions, verse 13 tells us something of a purpose driven relationship.
But by the grace of God they remained committed to their calling, and to their purpose in the world. As this shaped their lives, it shaped their relationships too. The impact of this commitment over the long haul comes to light in the book of Acts.
In Chapter 4, Peter and John are on trial before the supreme court of the religious elite because they healed a man who had been paralyzed or lame for 40 years.
Of course, this creates quite a stir and they end up being arrested. As we get further into chapter 4 they are standing trial before the religious elite of the day. And after giving their defense of their actions, verse 13 tells us something of a purpose driven relationship.
This friends, is purpose driven relationship.
The officials look at these two men, they know that they haven’t had any training or schooling, they are just ordinary men.
But yet, as they looked at Peter and John, they looked beyond the men standing before them, beyond their words, beyond their actions and they see something familiar. They see Jesus. And the bible says the religious leaders were astonished.
This ruling council didn’t know Peter and John, but they could tell they had been with Jesus. Friends, that’s purpose driven relationship.
That people would see beyond our relationship, beyond our actions and words, to see Jesus.
There is no limit to what God can do through your life and through your relationships when you commit to your calling, and live into your purpose.
That’s the invitation of this Relationship Goal- We will be purpose driven.
Let’s see what God can do.
The officials look at these two men, they know that they haven’t had any training or schooling, they are just ordinary men.
But yet, as they looked at Peter and John, they looked beyond the men standing before them, beyond their words, beyond their actions and they see something familiar. They see Jesus. And the bible says the religious leaders were astonished.
This ruling council didn’t know Peter and John, but they could tell they had been with Jesus. Friends, that’s purpose driven relationship.
That people would see beyond our relationship, beyond our actions and words, to see Jesus.
There is no limit to what God can do through your life and through your relationships when you commit to your calling, and live into your purpose.
That’s the invitation of this Relationship Goal- We will be purpose driven.
Let’s see what God can do.