The Key To Healthy Relationships

Introduction

In today’s hyperconnected world, it’s easier than ever to connect with others. Yet, despite easy access to social media and technology, many people still feel isolated. This is also true for Christians, who may attend church and fellowships regularly but still crave deeper connections. The truth is, the key to overcoming loneliness lies in authentic, loving, and healthy relationships, but these cannot be achieved solely through human effort. We need to learn from Jesus and this is the focus of our new series.

As we begin a new month of learning, we’ll explore what the Bible teaches about healthy relationships, starting with Jesus’ encounter with a teacher of the law in Mark 12:28-34. We’ll understand why discipleship to Jesus is the key to experiencing healthy relationships. By opening our hearts to God and listening to His message, we can learn how to pursue and develop healthier relationships as followers of Christ.

Two Reasons Why 

1. Only Jesus can define what truly matters to God. (Mark 12:28-33) - After being challenged by the teachers of the law, a scribe was impressed by Jesus’ answers and asked him about the greatest commandment. Jesus replied that loving God with all one’s being and loving one’s neighbor as oneself are the greatest commandments. The scribe agreed. This passage clearly shows that only Jesus can define what truly matters in relationships: love for God and love for others. The teachers of the law failed to understand this because they did not believe in Jesus’ wisdom and authority. They prioritized burnt sacrifices and offerings over love. To experience healthy relationships in our lives, we must follow Jesus, for only He can teach us what truly matters. By being His disciple and following His example of loving God and our neighbors, we can learn to be a people of love and we can become a blessing to others. This will result in better and healthier relationships not only within the church but also with our families and friends.

2. Only Jesus can enable us to truly love God and others. (Mark 12:34) - When Jesus heard the scribe’s answer, He acknowledged that the scribe was close to the kingdom because he recognized Jesus’ wisdom and authority and understood the truth of His teachings about love. However, Jesus’ words also meant that though the scribe understood it, he lacked the capacity to obey, as he had not yet believed in Jesus as the Messiah. Without Jesus in our lives, even if we speak of love or understand its importance, we cannot truly live it out. We must follow Jesus and learn from Him as His disciples, for only He can enable us to love God and others. By following Jesus, we experience His love first and foremost, which transforms us to become more loving in our interactions with others, regardless of the relational challenges we face. We can only love because God first loved us, and if we have experienced that love, we can share it with others. A loving relationship with Jesus is essential for experiencing healthier relationships with others. 

Conclusion

We all long for authentic, loving, and life-giving relationships, but these are impossible without Jesus. Today, we’ve learned that discipleship is the key to experiencing healthy relationships. If we truly desire deeper and healthier relationships with God and others, we must be disciples of Jesus. We need to learn from Him and follow His example of prioritizing love for God and others above all else in our lives. Without experiencing God’s love through Jesus, we cannot truly love others. And without love, no one will know that we are Jesus’ disciples (John 13:35). Starting today, let’s reflect on our relationship with Jesus and commit to prioritizing our time with Him this week. This will help us experience God’s love as we continue to learn how to pursue healthy relationships this month.

Discussion

1. How does Jesus’ teaching about the greatest commandment (love God and your neighbor) challenge your understanding of relationships? In what ways might you need to adjust your priorities?

2. Why is Jesus essential for experiencing healthy relationships? How does He enable us to love God and others in a way that we cannot on our own?

3. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? How does following Jesus’ example impact our ability to love others?

4. How have you experienced God’s love in your life? How has this experience shaped your relationships with others?

5. How can prioritizing your time with Jesus in your daily life help you experience God’s love more deeply? What practical steps can you take to spend more time to learn from Him starting this week?