#GOFAMINTDailyDevotion Sun. 21/1/2018
Quarter’s Theme: INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CHURCH
UNIT 3 – Sustaining Interpersonal Relationship (Lessons 8-12)
CONSECRATION AND DEDICATION MONTHS
Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 94, 244
Devotional Reading: COL. 3:8-14
Topic For Adults
RELATIONSHIP CAN DRAW UNBELIEVERS TO CHRIST
Topic For Youths
BE CAREFUL IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP
Topic For Intermediates
DEVELOP GOOD RELATIONSHIP
Scripture Lesson
HOS. 3:1-3; 1 PET. 3:1-4; EPH. 6:5-9; ROM. 12:17-21
21/1/2018 LESSON 8
BELIEVERS’ RELATIONSHIP
WITH OTHERS
MEMORY VERSE
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14) NKJV
DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING
Sun. 21/1/2018
Relating With Unfriendly Neighbours
Ps. 120
Sometimes the Christian has to deal with people who are all out for war. Even when the Christian sues for peace, they are not interested. These people may be neighbours who hate the Christian because of what he stands for. Even when such people speak softly with their mouths, their hearts are full of deceit and wickedness. They are implacable because the Christian reminds them every time the standard they cannot attain – it is like hating a mirror because it shows one his defect. How should the Christian relate with such people? “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom. 12:18). The Christian should try his utmost to be at peace with such people. This will require going the second mile without losing your cool. It would be difficult but it is possible.
Point of Emphasis: Be ready to go second mile to live at peace with difficult neighbours.
Prayer Point: I receive the grace to live at peace with all those I come across, in Jesus name.
BACKGROUND
Jesus Christ is the believer’s model in their relationship with others. Though Jesus suffered unjustly and endured it without complaint, He related well with people both within and outside His ministry. Nobody ever accused Him of any wrong. This week’s lesson aims at tutoring us on how we must relate with others for God to be glorified.
NOTES ON THE TEXT
PART 1: RELATING WITH UNBE-LIEVING RELATIVE (HOS. 3:1-3; 1 PET. 3:1-4)
A Christian will have to relate to a close relative who is an unbeliever either by wrong choice (a born again Christian deliberately going out to marry an unbeliever for whatever reason) or by reason outside the control of the Christian. In the case of Hosea marrying a harlot, it was a clear instruction from God and no Christian should use it as an excuse for being unequally yoked with an unbeliever. Whatever the case may be, God can use the believer to change the life of the unbeliever. It takes going not just the second mile, but going the extra miles for the Christian to yield himself or herself to be used by God to change
the heart of the unbelieving relative.
Sometimes the unbeliever may be one’s parent, spouse, child, or sibling. The unbeliever in this case is not someone one can choose to avoid or ignore. The ungodly lifestyle would bring unpleasant repercussion that one does not desire. The Christian will have to pray for God’s intervention in the unbeliever’s life and for the grace to continue to patiently bear with the ungodly relative, hoping for the best. There are testimonies of people who have prayed for decades, and God answered.
PART 2: RELATING WITH UNBELIEV-ING BOSS/EMPLOYEE (EPH. 6:5-9)
It has become very difficult to get Christian brethren as employees displaying high integrity. It has become so bad that Christian emplo-yers would rather hire unbelievers than the so-called Christians. The other side of the story is also bewilde-ring when a so-called born again employer displays inexplicable harshness bordering on wickedness towards employees. A Christian, either an employee or an employer needs to realize that God is interested in how he relates with people around him. The basis on which his relation-ship is built should not be to please himself or to please people around him. His relationship should be based on a desire to please God, the author of relationships.
God is not just interested in how we relate, He is going to judge us and reward us according to how we have made use of the privilege given to us to bring other people, whom we work with, close to God. That unbelieving employer or employee was brought into our sphere of influence for a purpose – to influence him/her to turn to God through our genuine relationship.
PART 3: RELATING WITH UNBELIEVING NEIGHBOUR (ROM. 12:17-21)
A Christian does not live in a cocoon secluded from unbelieving neighbours. He will have to relate to both nice and not-so-nice neighbours. Some neighbours will go all the way to offend the Christian. The unbeliever does unbelievable things most times. The unbeliever can even hatch evil plots against the Christian. Sometimes the evil is not perpetrated by an unbeliever but by a so-called born again Christian who allows his carnality to take the upper hand in his life. What is the Christian supposed to do in the face of such assault?
It is natural to want to revenge when someone does something bad to us. We are however called to a life of the supernatural. We are to live above what the carnal mind dictates. God is calling us to overcome evil with good. Instead of revenge we are to show love, instead of curses we are to bless. Of course going against what the natural self wants is difficult, but God wants to give grace for us to do His will. A life fully yielded to God will look beyond himself and seek how to glorify God in every situation. Can your relationship with your neighbours draw them close to God? Are you a good ambassador of Christ to the unreached souls around you?
CONCLUSION
God has placed us in an environment where unbelievers thrive that we may be the light drawing men close to God. Our carnal flesh will be a cog in the wheel of what God wants to do if we fail to fully commit our lives to Him.
QUESTIONS
- Why should any Christian use Hosea marrying a harlot as an excuse to marry an unbeliever?
- What should a Christian, whether an employee or employer, realize?
- On what basis should we build our relationship?
- Why do we have unbelieving employer or employee in our folds?
- What should a Christian do when he or she receives an assault from either fellow Christian or unbe-lievers?
