We begin a new series this week on emotional intelligence and the roles this plays in our relationship. This week we take a look at the role Jesus plays in our relationships and the importance of letting Christ be the source of where we fulfill our need for love.
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Hunger Games
• Greg Boyd
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This week we begin our Heart Smart sermon series. This week we will be focusing on what it means to love others as Christ loves us. In order for us to live in healthy relationships with others in our lives, we must first understand what it means to be fully loved by Jesus. Our troubles in relationships begin when we seek others as our source of life. Every person has a desire to be loved in the way only Christ can love them. We can often identify this need to be loved in people around us. Sometimes we see people looking to their spouse, families, or friends to get life outside of Christ. This searching to be filled by others results in damaging effects on our relationships, as well as on our own self-worth. Our hunger to be love can only be met and filled through the true source of life–through Christ.
Our job as Christ followers is to recognize the only way we are able to truly satisfy our need to be love is through our relationship with Jesus. In cultivating our intimacy with Christ, we will begin to grow closer to him. As we begin to do this, we will learn to see ourselves the way Christ sees us. We will find the love we are looking for in him and our self-worth will pour forth from his love alone. By filling our hunger in the way God desires for us to be satisfied, we will no longer have to rely on other people to tell us who we are or what we are worth. While it may still be painful to deal with people who hurt us, we will no longer be defined by what they think of us. In short we can say it like this: The health and beauty of our relationships with others will never outrun the health and beauty of our relationship with Christ.
Hide Extended SummaryTopics: Family, Love, Relationships
Sermon Series: Heart Smart
Downloads & Resources
Focus Scripture:
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John 10:10
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
11 thoughts on “Hunger Games”
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"Thank you for this ministry! It has transformed my life in some really radical ways. God has broken down so many barriers and exposed so many lies that have taken some serious burdens from my heart. It has given me hope, freedom and purpose I never could have imagined possible."
– Jenny, from Wisconsin
I almost shared this on social media, but what stopped me was the mention of MONEY slipped in at the end of this talk! What a shame!! Such an accurate portrayal of our society followed by what will look to others, especially non-believers, like a totally cynical tout for DOLLAR, please don’t finish your message by asking for money! Surely there is a better moment in your service for this.
Caroline,
I just have to say that having attended WHC on occasion, they are the most non-coercion, non-pressure to give, body of Believers out there! When the bucket was passed around, it was a completely optional to give what you can, when you can give from the heart kind of thing. No weird looks, stares or comments – It was totally a “Chillax” kind of thing!
And you should check out the incredible Kingdom Building things they’re doing with what we do give! The Food Bank partnership alone is helping hundreds of families, not to mention the “Catastrophic Care”, “Loafer Ministry”, Meals of Love, etc… Dude!!! Virtually every dime goes to help someone that’s in need physically and spiritually or empowers other Kingdom Builders to do so!
I have also appreciated how Greg has brought in other organizations that are asking for support and openly admitted this is counter to what most churches would do on a Sunday morning. After all, it will likely drop the free will offering to the church! Greg has often emphasized that it is important to give and if your family is supporting other ministries or organizations than that is “kingdom” work. He has also emphatically stated how our offering to the church can go beyond monetary donations. As a single mother of four children, I have little to give financially but I can give in so many other ways. In the process, I am blessed!
Caroline,
Sounds like a usual offering call… different churches do offering at different times during the service. It certainly doesn’t sound like Greg is asking for money like you made it sound like.
The message was on how to Love – I can’t imagine a better use of what has been given on to me through my Creator – in order to support those who give of themselves to feed, heal, clothe and love those in need. Oh yea and teach me how to walk in Christ like love. Lord’s Blessing upon WH Staff and Partners.
You did it again, you convicted me to stay closer to Jesus. I just listened to the song “Just a closer walk with thee.” I love some of those old hymns. Thanks for your faithfulness to keep reminding us that as Jesus told Martha “One thing is needful and Mary has chosen that good part that shall not be taken away” to sit at His feet and learn of Him. If that is all we know it is enough. I was reading about church history and there was one point I loved. St. John lived to about the age of a hundred. He was at last so weak that he could not walk into the church; so he was carried in, and used to say continually to his people, “Little children, love one another.” Some of them, after a time, began to be tired of hearing this, and asked him why he repeated the words so often, and said nothing else to them. The Apostle answered, “Because it is the Lord’s commandment, and if this be done it is enough.” Amen Thanks again
Thanks Greg. Sermon reaffirming what I’m reading in ‘Repenting of Religion’ (my fifth read – haha – love that book XX)
@ Caroline; money is a necessary evil. We need it in the church to make the Kingdom happen in practical ways(we are In the world but not Of the world). Born again Kingdom people, who offer their whole selves to God want to give. The Spirit gives us discernment as to how we give, when we give and where we give. Out of all the ministries in the world, this one bears much more fruit and does more to further the Kingdom of God than any other i know of….so why not give to them? I agree that we are berated by ministries basically coercing us out of our hard earned dollars; the only question a true follower of Jesus needs to ask is ‘where Lord?’
Kevin,
Amen Bro – Right ON!!!
Thank you Greg! lotsa love for you from Brisbane, Australia. We’re hoping that you can come Australia someday!
Wow, very good sermon!