It’s All about Relationships
Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles…When they came down the slopes of the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over….Luke 6:12-18
JESUS LIVED A 3-DIMENSIONAL LIFE SIMPLY COMMUNICATED UP, IN AND OUT.
1) Jesus’ relationship with God, His Heavenly Father; “Jesus . . . prayed to God all night.” This is “UP.” UP is about abiding, spending time with God, prayer, worship, and going deeper. UP is our relationship with God.
2) Jesus’ relationship with the disciples: “…he called together all of his disciples…While they weren’t always faithful, “the disciples stood with Jesus.” This is “IN.” IN is about community, the people with whom you share your life, your community of faith, friends, family, people you love, people who “stand with you.” IN is our relationship with friends.
3) Jesus’ relationship in the world: “the crowds. There were people from all over . . . .” This is “OUT.” OUT is about our influence, contribution, mission, engagement with other people — people with whom we hang out, work, play and go to school. OUT is the dimension of relationships in the world.3D focus, the triangle of relationships.
The life of Jesus is the life of a disciple. It’s a healthy, balanced life that will “bear fruit that will last (John 15:16).” 3D life is relationship with God, friends and others and is renewed again in time with God. This “triangle of relationship” is the premise and emphasis of our devotional trek together this year. The life of a follower of Jesus is all about these three relationships.