We have been “Centered on Christ” for several lessons now

• Implications of several prepositions used in NT

• Christian’s relationship to Christ like a diamond with many facets & many colors

• We’ve been looking at those facets– Through

– In

– Under

– With

– For

– To

– Like Christ

“To” normally renders a simple dative in Greek

• What do we mean when we say our lives are lived “to Christ”?

• We mean that, as Christians, we are to set Jesus Christ constantly before our minds– Our lives are directed by him

– Our ambition is to serve him

– Our concern is to please him more and more

But living “to Christ” does not just shape our relationship with Christ

• It is the key to every human relationship

• Only when we learn to live to Christ can we learn to live with one another

• The horizontal relationships of our lives depend on the vertical relationship we have to Jesus

• Today – three three relationships & three texts

Relationships within the church are right only when we live to

Christ

The local church is meant to be a family

• Members are related to one another in Christ– We should know one another

– We should love one another

– We should support one another

• Many congregations are characterized by critical rejection, not loving acceptance

Romans 14:1-12 NIV

• Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2 One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Romans 14:1-12 NIV

• 5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Romans 14:1-12 NIV

• 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Some engaging in practices others could not conscientiously engage in• Flaunting their “rights”

• Criticizing others’ scruples

• We won't agree on everything till heaven

• Paul was not disturbed by the existence of trivial differences

• He was disturbed by the intolerance of one another

Dealing with the problem theologically

• The life of the church is a reflection of the doctrine of the church

• No appeal to be kind

• Rather, appeals to doctrine that Christ is Lord

• Notice the repetition of “to the Lord”

Romans 14:6-8 NIV

• He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Secret of harmony is that we live to the Lord & not one another

• Jesus is Lord & we are brothers & sisters

• The issues that divide us are minor compared to the great truths that unite us: God, Christ, grace, faith, obedience to Christ

• When issues become central to a church, the real problem is a denial of the Lordship of Christ & a presumptuous attempt to usurp his authority

• We live to Christ and we must allow others to live to the Lord, as well

Relationships at work are right only when we live to Christ

Colossians 3:22-4:1 NIV

• Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

Colossians 3:22-4:1 NIV

• 4:1 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

The text does not justify slavery

• Rather, it sets forth the very concept that ultimately eliminated slavery – the principle of fairness

• The principles of behavior in the text are equally applicable to modern employer/employee relationships

• The key idea is that we live “as to the Lord and not to men”– Colossians 3:23 NIV Whatever you do, work at it with

all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,

The slave/employee principle is “you live to another master”

• Colossians 3:22 NIV Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

• The master/employer principle is “you live to a master, too”– Colossians 4:1 NIV Masters, provide your slaves with

what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

For both, the principle is: “Living to Christ transforms the relationship”

• The slave knows he serves another– Colossians 3:23-24 NIV Whatever you do, work at it

with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

• The master knows he serves another– Colossians 4:1 NIV Masters, provide your slaves with

what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

As each looks at the other, he sees Jesus

• This transforms the relationship

• The worker becomes more conscientious; the boss becomes more just

John Newton said it this way:

• “If I were a shoe shine boy, I'd be the best in town because I'd shine every pair of shoes as though Jesus would be wearing them.”

As a boy, Samuel Chadwick heard a preacher quote John Newton

• Samuel’s job cleaning his father’s shoes

• Next day was muddy

• Started on the work shoes first – get the worst job done first

• Then he remembered the quote

As a boy, Samuel Chadwick heard a preacher quote John Newton

• Asked self, “Would these shoes look good on Jesus’ feet?”

• Then did the job over

• Later, said, “It was the most important thing I ever did. I got into the habit of doing even the simplest duties as to Christ.”

As a boy, Samuel Chadwick heard a preacher quote John Newton

• It is possible to clean a room, visit the sick, type a letter, serve a customer, care for a patient, or cook a meal, as to Christ

• “To Christ” transforms everything we do

Relationships in the world are right only when we live to Christ

Matthew 25:31-46 NIV

• "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

Matthew 25:31-46 NIV

• 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

Matthew 25:31-46 NIV

• 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

Matthew 25:31-46 NIV

• 44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

A day is coming when Jesus will return as king and judge

• On that day, he will separate the righteous from the unrighteous

• The focus of the text is not on the judge, nor on those who are judged, nor even on the judgment

• It is on the evidence produced in court as the basis for judgment

• The evidence is our attitude toward Christ, as demonstrated by our action or inaction toward the down-and-out

Everyone in the scene saw the same need

• Some ministered; others failed to minister

• Those who failed to minister are found guilty of criminal neglect – scandalous indifference toward their fellow-man

• They are judged not for what they've done, but for what they've left undone

• If you show no compassion for the unfortunate, you show that you have no love for Christ

A right relationship to Christ leads to right relationships with

others

Living to Christ transforms every relationship

• In the church family – no rejection, but respect– Other Christians are not responsible to me, but to

Christ

– I'm not responsible to others, but to Christ

• At work – conscientiousness and fairness come from having our eyes fixed on a heavenly Master

• In the world – we seek to love and serve the needy because in serving them, we serve him

Our great need is to learn to see Jesus in every relationship

• Don't restrict him to Bibles, buildings and church business

• See him in every moment & live to Christ