The last two weeks we looked at our value through God’s eyes, “ You are God’s Treasure” and What value God has placed on you. What price was He willing to pay for you? This week we are going to look at “What is your relational value with God and with Others?”

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONAL VALUE WITH GOD?

Have you ever heard anyone say, “I don’t need that Jesus stuff! I’m a good person, I’m going to heaven. If I become a Christian I won’t have fun anymore, I will have to give everything up?? These are Satan’s lies to keep you from a relationship with God and Jesus Christ.

What value is there having a relationship with God and Jesus Christ? You get:

 1. Salvation; John 14:6; “ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  (John 3:16,  Acts 4:10-12, Romans 1:16, Eph. 1:13, 1 Thess. 5:9)

 2.Rest, peace, and comfort;   Matthew 11:28 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”                                                                                

     Philippians 4:6-7, “ 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  (John 14:27; John 16:33; Romans 5:1;                 Romans 15:13; 1 Cor. 14:33)

 3.Guidance and Direction;  Prov. 3:5-6,  5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He shall direct your paths. (Psalm 25:9; Prov. 11:5; Prov.      16:9; Is. 28:29; Is. 58:11; John 16:13; 2 Thess. 3:5)

 4.Provision and Protection; Psalm 18:2, The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Joshua 1:9; Gen 15:1; Ex.        16:4; Deut 29:5; Matt. 6:31-34)

5.You become a child of God; John 1:12, 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,   nor of the will of man, but of God.  ( Phil. 2:14-16; 1John 3:1-2)

 6.As a child of God you are an heir along with Jesus Christ; Romans 8:16-17, “ 16 The Spirit Himself bears   witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (Gal. 3:26-29; Gal 4:7; James 2:5)

 7.Eternal life–God’s love is poured out upon you instead of God’s wrath!  Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is  death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

   John 10:28, And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

   Romans 8:39, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of  God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Matt 19:29; John 3:15-16; Eph 2:4-10)

Make a list. On one side write everything you did or will give up for a relationship with God and Jesus Christ, and on the other side, write everything you have gained or will gain through a relationship with Jesus Christ and God.

Is there anything on your “Gave Up side” that you really miss and want back?

How does your “ Gain Side” give you assurance, strength, and encouragement? 

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONAL VALUE WITH OTHERS?

God loves you so much He created you in His image. God also created everyone else in His image too. In the way we treat others, we are treating God!

Matt. 25: 34-40, “34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Jesus told us the greatest commandment “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

You are blessed when you are obedient to the Lord and love one another. (Mark 9:50; 1 Peter 3:8; Matt 5:44)

Our relationship to others can bring them to salvation

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Phil 2:14-15, 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world

You can store up treasure in heaven by how you treat others: Matt 6:3-4, But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. ( Matt 6:14,19-20; Matt 5:21; 2 Tim. 4:7-8)

How does the value you place on others benefit you and how does it benefit them?