#GOFAMINTDailyDevotion Sun. 17/12/2017
Quarter’s Theme: INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CHURCH
UNIT 1 – Knowledge About Interpersonal Relationship (Lessons 1-4)
ENLARGEMENT MONTH
Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 94, 308
Devotional Reading: COL. 3:12-17
Topic For Adults
HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST
Topic For Youths
BE SUBMISSIVE
Topic For Intermediates
MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
Scripture Lesson
1 PET. 5:1-9; JOS. 1:8; MATT. 7:21;
ACTS 5:22-29
17/12/2017 LESSON 3
KEYS TO RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT
MEMORY VERSE
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Pet. 5:5) NKJV
DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING
Sun. 17/12/2017
Choose To Obey God In All Matters
Acts 5:22-29
As a Christian, know that you will be confronted by situations and circumstances that will be challenging your faith on daily basis. Unbelievers who are your friends or boss will tell you to do things that are not in line with the will of God. You will then be left to choose between obeying your friends or boss and disobeying God, or obeying God and disobeying your friends. When confronted with such situations, the best and right thing for you to do is to choose to obey God, who is your maker, your saviour and one who after killing the body has the power to still send the soul to hell (Matt. 10:28). Always stand for God and stand with God in all matters. This was what the apostles did when they were asked not to preach in the name of Jesus again. They told the religious leaders pointedly that they ought, as a matter of compulsion, to obey God rather than men. Go and do likewise.
Point of Emphasis: Learn to Stand for God and stand with God in all matters in life.
Prayer Point: Lord, give me the grace to obey You and stand for what is right and godly always.
BACKGROUND
As we have seen in previous lessons, interpersonal relationship is of various types and happens in different locations. The Church of God is not exempted in relationship because the members that constitute the Church do interact. However, for interpersonal relationship in the Church to follow God’s pattern, certain key factors or virtues must be displayed by both the leaders and members in the Church. This week’s lesson discusses the attitudinal dispositions that must be displayed by both leaders and members of the Church as they interact with one another.
NOTES ON THE TEXT
PART 1: KEYS OF SHEPHERD-ING (1 PET. 5:1-4)
In every society, depending on which type of system of government is in place, there are usually leaders who direct the affairs of such society so as to ensure peace and order. The Church of God is not an exemption. Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He committed the group He was leading into the hands of His disciples who later became the apostles. Apostle Peter, the author of our text, was one of those leaders and was in better position to admonish other leaders of the Church after him. He exhorts the elders of the Church (v. 1). The word elder literally means one who is old, but in the New Testament it usually refers to the officers of the Church. Elders were the appointed leaders of the Church (cf. Acts 14:23; 20:17; 1 Tim. 5:17,19; Tit. 1:5-6).
As they have been entrusted with the care of members of the Church, their first and primary responsibility in relating with them is shepherding them. They are to feed the flock of God. Members of the church are regarded as God’s flock and leaders are to perform the functions of good shepherds to them. How should they do these things? These they must do by (i) feeding the members with the undiluted word of God; leading and guiding them right to doing God’s will; (ii) they must watch and serve members willingly and not by compulsion. Elders must be accessible to members of the church to be able to perform their roles as leaders. They must not see the function of the office as a burden but as a privilege to serve God and His people. (iii) They must not serve the people for shameful or dishonest gain. If an elder has ulterior motive of dishonest gain for accepting the office, this will definitely affect his interpersonal relationship with members, especially with those members who are not giving him gifts. In addition, elders who are entrusted with church money must not abuse their privileged position to squander the fund. They must serve God and people with a ready mind. (iv) They must not lord it over church members but must be examples to them. Elders lead by example not force. “Lording it over” means “forcefully domineering or subduing.” This attitude must be avoided in relating and interacting with members by the church leaders. Rather, they must be examples to the people in all that is good.
When church leaders perform their duties creditably well to the members, not only will they be respected by the members, not only will they be blessed with earthly goods, but when the Chief Shepherd (Jesus) shall come, He will reward their faithfulness. Faithful leaders will receive the crown of glory that does not fade (v.4). This is an eternal reward which is far better than any earthly reward that one can think of. Every church leader must have these keys for shepherding in their interpersonal relationship with all members of the church.
PART 2: KEY OF SUBMISSION/HUMILITY (1 PET. 5:5-7)
Here Peter turns to the younger people. The word “younger” does not suggest that church members must necessarily be younger to the leaders in terms of age, but it suggests that they are expected to put themselves under the guidance and authority of the leaders. It is possible to see church members who are older in age than the leaders in a church, but as long as they are members, they need to see themselves as younger, not in terms of age, but in terms of roles and responsibility in relation to the leaders.
Apostle Peter’s admonition to church members is in two folds. Firstly, they must submit to the leaders, not only out of respect for their age, but also out of respect for their spiritual maturity. They must accept the leaders’ authority, submit to their decisions and treat them respectfully. Secondly, believers, young and old, should submit to one another. They should be clothed with humility. To be “clothed with” a thing or person is Greek mode of speech for being that thing or person with which a man is said to be clothed. This means that believers are to be truly humble and they must let their outward conduct be a proof of humility from their hearts as they relate both with their leaders and with one another as members. Just as Jesus laid aside His outer garments and put on a towel to become a servant, so each of us should have a servant’s attitude and minister to each other. True humility is described in Phil. 2:1-11. Humility is not demeaning ourselves and thinking poorly of ourselves. It is simply being like Jesus our Lord and Saviour.
In addition, both leaders and members should submit to God. We can never be submissive to each other until we are first submissive to God. Peter quoted Proverbs 3:34 to defend his point. The verse that is also quoted in James 4:6. It takes grace to submit to another believer, but God can give that grace if we humble ourselves before Him. God resists the proud because God hates the sin of pride (Prov. 6:16-17; 8:13). The only antidote to pride is the grace of God, and we receive that grace when we yield ourselves to Him. The evidence of that grace is that we yield to one another. One of the benefits of this kind of relationship with God is the privilege of letting Him take care of our burdens. Unless we meet the conditions laid down in 1 Peter 5:5-6, we cannot claim the wonderful promise of 1 Peter 5:7. The word translated “care” means “anxiety, the state of being pulled apart.” When circumstances are difficult, it is easy for us to be anxious and worried. We need His inward peace if we are going to triumph in the fiery trials and bring glory to His name.
PART 3: KEY OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD (JOS. 1:8; MATT. 7:21; ACTS 5:22-29)
All the people in the Church, whether leaders or members, establish relationship with God by accepting Christ into their lives as their personal Lord and Saviour. Anyone who has not taken this decisive step, irrespective of how many years spent in the church, is not a member of God’s family. Such people can be regarded as bench warmers, and that is a dangerous position anybody can be. However, for those who have established genuine relationship with God, they need the key of obedience to be able to enjoy their relationship with God. The word “obedience,” from both the Old and New Testaments, signifies “to hear” or “to listen.” It carries the ethical significance of hearing with reverent and obedient assent. It also entails the act of commitment to adhere to carry out a particular instruction.
For you to develop a good and working relationship with God, you must be obedient to His word or His law. Joshua was instructed that for him to succeed in his walk with God the book of the law, the Bible, must not depart from his hand and mouth. He must study, meditate, memorise and apply the word to every aspect of his life. It is then that he would have good success (Jos. 1:8). Many believers study the word, meditate and memorise the word, but they shirk in their responsibility of applying the word, and hence miss the blessing. Remember that Jesus said it is not everyone who calls on his name that will enter the Kingdom of God, but only those who do the will of God (Matt. 7:21). To do the will of God is to be obedient to all that He has revealed in the Bible. The key of obedience requires that you must be ready to stand up for the truth any day, anytime, anywhere and before anybody. This was what the early apostles did in the face of persecution. They chose rather to obey God than the decisions of men that oppose the will of God (Acts 5:22-29). Any believer in Christ who wants to enjoy his or her relationship with God must put on the garment of complete and perfect obedience to all the revealed will of God.
CONCLUSION
Believers, both leaders and members in the church, are not angels. They are human beings with blood flowing in their veins. Many had bad habits and conduct before coming to the knowledge of Christ, and if care is not taken, such habits are brought to the church where they relate with others. For there to be peace and harmony in the church, and for the interpersonal relationship between believers to be what God intends it to be, the keys of shepherding, submission, humility and obedience must be put to use by all believers in the church, irrespective of position, age or status.
QUESTION
- Who are the Elders being referred to in the lesson?
- Give three positive habits that an elder must display in his relationship with church mem-bers.
- Who are those referred to as “younger people” by Apostle Peter and why?
- Define submission and humility.
- In what ways can believers demonstrate obedience to God?
