Thank you once again for listening to the Cultivating Growth podcast. Each and every week, John and I will discuss a topic where we can grow in that topic. Ultimately, as we've said, to get closer to God and closer to one another. And so that's exactly, specifically even, what we're going to talk about a little bit today. 

Cultivating the growth, growing closer to each other. And I'm looking forward to that conversation here in just a moment. A little bit of housekeeping before that, just to take note. We're gonna actually take off the next two Mondays, the 4th of November, the 11th of November. And we'll be back with a brand new episode on November the 18th.

So, be looking forward to that. I wanna make note of that, no, no, no. Episodes the 4th of the 11th. We'll be back on the 18th. Well, let's get into this conversation growing closer to each other. 

Jeremy last week We talked about the importance of of growing closer to God and and how we go about doing that And we made the point that that should be the most important relationship that we have because it's an eternal relationship, but it's not the only relationship that we are to have. And we even made mention in that episode, we talked about the relationships that we have with our spouses, with our children, with our parents.

One of the things that we see throughout Scripture, specifically in the New Testament, as God, uh, talks about His family, the church, He talks about the importance of us growing closer to one another. He talks multiple times about the importance of us, Having unity with one another, being of the same mind with one another, spending time together.

That's one of the things that stands out to me in the early pages of Acts, in Acts chapter 2, as the church is beginning for the first time, and we see the Christians there who have given their lives to Christ, spending time with one another daily, and taking care of one another, making sure all of the needs are met.

And there's this beautiful pictures of men and women who are united in Christ, but also are building and nurturing the relationships that they have with one another. And that's an important aspect of our walk as Christians that I think can't be overlooked. We should be serious about developing and strengthening the relationships that we have with one another.

as we also grow closer to God. You know, there's some doubt about that. You know, I'll add, you know, kind of, you know, the point that we made last week about, you know, our relationship with God being an eternal relationship. Well, our relationship with each other is an eternal relationship, right? I mean, we're certainly not going to be the only ones, you know, the only, I'm not going to be solo in heaven.

It is the Lord's church. All of those that, uh, are be, uh, that are saved will be there.  It, it, it is a, it is a unique relationship that we have with God, and because of that unique relationship, it, it then makes our relationship unique. I, I always love, you know, the book of one John, especially at the very beginning of that in one John chapter one, he has so much to say about God's for sure in that book, but in a lot of ways he.

He always pivots from the love that we are to have to God with the love that, you know, we are to have for each other. I mean, you have all these pivots throughout the book. And one of those you almost get immediately in 1 John 1, verse 7, where he makes the point if we walk in the light as he is in the light, that's important to do.

But then he says, we then have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sin. And so you have that very Bibly word fellowship, but it's a really important word for our discussion today.  Because it, it, there's so much more in there than just a casual acquaintance or relationship, that fellowship.

We're bonded together. And the reason we're bonded, or what is bonding us together, is the blood of Jesus. And so if I'm walking in the light, and you're walking in the light, Well, we then have fellowship with one another, and now because of our unique relationship with Christ, you and I now have a unique relationship, and we've got to certainly foster that as well.

And that relationship should supersede any other physical things that may pull us apart in this life. I mean, we're right on the heels of an election season, and In which the differences among us are highlighted to the extreme, almost seeking to divide us along party lines when it comes to an election.

Well, our bond, as you put it, with Jesus, And the unity that we have in him should supersede all of those things. There should never be a scenario in which politics drives a wedge between two Christians, because our relationship should rise above politics, sports, money, whatever, none of it should ever Pull us apart because our relationship should supersede all of those things.

And if we ever find ourselves at odds with one another, a brother or sister in Christ, then we need to remember that whatever we may be arguing about should be put to the side so that we can have the unity in Christ that he's calling us to have, that he died for us to have. And that we see in scripture being presented to us.

As this beautiful body of believers, all working together, striving together, growing together. That's the, that's the relationship that we should be seeking to have. And we have to constantly be on guard because this world is going to try to pull us apart. Yeah. I mean, listen, Jesus makes that point himself and he does so in a pretty powerful, you know, kind of way.

And I think we read that passage and we kind of miss You know, really, the punch behind it, you know, where, you know, Jesus is there and some, you know, people come to him and say, Hey, listen, your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside and they're, they're looking for you. Your physical family is outside looking for you.

And he almost dismisses it. And he makes the point that those who do the will of my father, those are my mothers and my brothers and my sisters. Now  he's not. hateful or dismissing them in that kind of way, he's making a point. And the point that he's making is the relationship that he has, that he shares with those who share a relationship with his father, as you eloquently put, supersedes all others.

And so he's elevating the seriousness and the importance of that relationship. And I think you're right on.  We, over way too much, look to sever those relationships over inconsequential things. I mean, silly little things. When Jesus is making a point that my physical mother and brothers and sisters aren't even getting in the way of what this relationship here that I share with those who share a relationship with my father.

And when I think about. Then growing in that relationship with one another. That means that I've got to take proactive steps to make sure that these things aren't going to come between us. Because if I'm just constantly reacting to that, that's when division is going to occur. But if I'm taking proactive steps.

to make sure that, hey I know you and I disagree about who should be the next president of the United States, I want you to know that does not matter when it comes to the relationship that I have with you. We may have to have those kinds of conversations with one another to make sure that everyone is on the same page. 

That our relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ is way more important than who the next president's going to be. It's way more important than practically anything you can think of in this world that's going to potentially divide us. Our relationship is more important and we, we may need to talk like that with one another to reinforce that notion and to let others know.

So, to let our brothers and sisters know that I'm willing to fight for this relationship. If that means I have to sacrifice in order for the relationship between you and I to be what God wants it to be, I want you to know that I'm willing to do that. That may mean that those could be challenging conversations at times, but if we understand just how important it is to truly be unified in Christ as brothers and sisters, to truly be a family the way that God does.

to be, then we have to be willing and ready to have those kinds of conversations, and we have to be willing and ready to sacrifice on our part in order for these relationships to grow stronger. Yeah, you've been using a phrase a couple of times now, one another, and it's a phrase that is all over the New Testament.

I mean, it's a boatload of times. I mean, we do not have the time, you know, here in this episode to hit every single one of those one and other passages in the New Testament. I mean, when I say there's a boatload of them, there are loads of them. And if you're listening and you want to take a look, I mean, it would be an easy, just, you know, kind of cross reference, you know, to cross reference those one and other passages.

But one of the points I do want to make about this them is that when you go through those one another passages, the way that they're presented is they are presented as directives, that this is the relationship that we're going to have with one another. And this is what that relationship is going to look like.

And so whether that is a patience or whether that is forgiveness or whether that is love, whether that is time, whether that is a preference, you know, there are again, a boatload of them, but all point to the, you know, that relationship. And I I'll add,  because God gave us so many of those, and he says so much about our relationship with one another, I think that showcases how much he knows, not just how important that relationship is, that's a part of it for sure, but also how much we need, then, that relationship.

We need one another, and God knows that better than anybody. Yeah. Well, I'll take that. Take you to one of those passages. You're right. There's so many that, you know, it would take forever to go through all of them. But I had my Bible open to Hebrews chapter 10 and I was specifically looking at verses 24 oftentimes that passages turned to as a warning, not to neglect worship times together.

And that's an important lesson that can be taken from this passage. But I think what's more telling is the why, why should we not neglect or forsake the time we get to spend together? Well, he says, and let us consider one another. In order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some.

And so why should we prioritize worship because of the relationship with one another? Let us consider one another. Am I, when I make my decision to come and worship God collectively, I'm absolutely thinking about my relationship with God and the opportunity that I have to praise and worship him. I also need to consider. 

The person next to me, my brother and sister, am I putting myself in a situation to stir them up to love and good works? Am I putting myself in a position to be there and to grow closer to one another? If I neglect. those opportunities, forsake those opportunities, then I am suggesting that those relationships aren't that important to me, that I'm not really interested in helping you stir up love and good works in your life.

I'm going to do something for myself instead. I'm neglecting that opportunity that God has presented to us. To grow closer to each other, to help one another, encourage one another, build one another up, and those relationships grow stronger. So, worship, while certainly our attention is directed towards God as we worship Him, it's also a beautiful opportunity for us to grow closer to each other.

Our relationships grow stronger during times of worship. And so we need to make sure that we're not neglecting that. those opportunities that God's given to us. And again, we see that, and it should make sense when then we read passages like we see in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, you know, when Paul uses the analogy of the body, the physical body, in making reference to the Lord's church, because one of the strong points that he makes in there, very similar to, you know, what you had just made mention of, is the, the need that we have for one another.

And, you know, the intertwining, if you will, of, of, you know, each other. And, you know, I need you, you need me, we need to be there for one another. You know, it, it all fits within that analogy that we get. Ephesians 4 certainly points to that, you know, a little bit as well. And, you know, if you start to understand those things that, listen, I'm no one, I'm no more important than, you know, than anyone else.

Certainly Romans chapter 12 points to that. I'm, I'm no important than, you know, all of us are needed. All of us are important. When you start to really realize that,  It should propel us into growing closer. And again, you know, I made reference last week. You know, let's not overcomplicate how you grow closer with another. 

Or you grow closer to God. You know, it's the same way here. Listen, you want to grow closer, have a conversation. Right. Uh, you know, ask some questions, listen, uh, spend time with, you know, all of those things that we know how to do is the way that you go about growing closer, you know, to one another. Yep.

There was a, there's an example in first Corinthians in the first chapter where Paul's writing to a church in Corinth where there is a lot of division. Where relationships are dissolving between Christians because of some of the differences they have, Jew, Gentile, because of sin that others are engaged in.

There's a lot of different reasons. Who baptized them? There's all kinds of division that's taking place in the church in Corinth and relationships between brothers and sisters. are breaking down as a result of that and Paul writes to them. I think as I've studied this passage, I'm more and more convinced that what he writes in verse 10 is intended to shock them, intended to just Throw them for a loop as they read this, considering the situation that's in Corinth, Paul writes to them and says, now I plead with you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined in the same mind.

And in the same judgment  again, when you consider who he's writing this to and all the division and the lack of relationship among these people to write the words, not only, hey, I want you to be nice to one another, he's not. He's not saying I want you guys to spend a little bit of time together. I want you to be joined together, perfectly joined in the same mind.

That's, that's the kind of relationship that he's asking these Christians to have. I want all of you who are split among all of these different things, I want you perfectly joined together in the same mind. That takes a lot of effort, a lot of time, a lot of work on our part to truly live into what Paul is encouraging these Christians in Corinth to do.

Yeah, and when we're able to do that, things like in 1 Corinthians 12, can happen, right? We are weeping with those who weep, rejoicing when those who rejoice. If we are perfectly joined together, all of those things will begin to happen naturally. Yeah. Well, let's close in Ephesians chapter four. It's a passage of scripture that's in a lot of ways, closely linked to first Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, as Paul uses some of the same imagery here as well.

But I want to turn our attention to the first three verses. Ephesians chapter 4, as Paul writes to a group of Christians in Ephesus, pleading for their relationships with each other to continue to grow. And so I'll leave us with these words, Ephesians chapter 4, beginning in verse 1. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, 

for listening this week. If you haven't already done so, we'd appreciate it if you would take just a second to subscribe to the podcast, whatever platform you're listening, rate and review the show so we can continue to spread the good news of Jesus widely and effectively as possible. Thanks again for joining us this week, and we'll talk again next week.