Masquerade: Building Real Relationships

2018-10-07 
Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Key Verse: Colossians 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection

Colossians 3:12-17 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

We are continuing in our series, Masquerade, with a discussion today on the masks we wear in our relationships. This is not specifically a sermon on marriage relationships, while this could certainly be relevant within some marriages. It is a discussion on all relationships such as our families, our work relationships, friendships and more. Today, let’s allow the Bible to give us a clear definition of healthy relationships. But before we talk about what’s healthy, we must recognize and identify what is unhealthy.  

How we wear masks in our relationships that create toxic and unhealthy futures?

A. False presentation and unrealistic expectations

– making people believe what is not true

– expecting from others what is impossible 

B. Self-serving motives

– your desire in every relationship is to see what you can get out of it

C. Secretly holding on to past hurts instead of forgiveness

– acting as if we’re okay while continuing to harbor pain and anger

D. Treating your relationship in a defensive manner

– expecting the worst in every situation and every person

E. Hiding what’s truly going on

– basic deception in life

Building Real Relationships

1. Approach every relationship with holiness

vs 12a Since God chose you to be the holy people…

– we have been “set apart” by God

– this consecration is what allows us to have the Godly relationships we desire

Vs 12b …He loves…

– it is possible because of how He has shown us love

2. Approach every relationship with the right motives

Vs 12c you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

– this is a six point outline for healthy relationships 

– if we would simply put these elements into practice daily, it would change everything

3. Approach every relationship putting others first

Vs 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

– forgiveness is a picture of recognizing the value in others

4. Approach every relationship as an opportunity

Vs 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

– every relationship is an opportunity impact others in a positive way

5. Approach every relationship with Him at the center

Vs 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father

– this is probably the most critical element of this entire discussion

– if we treat others incorrectly, we are not only giving ourselves a bad reputation, we are 

reflecting poorly on Christ Himself