“My Big Brother”
                   Matthew 12:46-50

Lorraine Peterson- “If God loves me why can’t I get my locker open?”


The story is told of a little boy who had to walk past the house of a bully each day as
he went to school.

Often this older boy would come out of the house and hit him or beat him up.

The little boy had an older brother and when he found out was going on he began to
escort his little brother past the bully’s house each day.

The bully never showed his face, he stayed inside and watched.

The little boy was safe.... as long as he was accompanied by his big brother.

After a while the little boy grew confident and decided to go past the house unattended.

The bully appeared before him and once again beat up the little boy.

The little boy went home and hid from his older brother but it was not long until his
brother found out what had happened and when he did... He went to the home of the
bully and taught him a lesson.

When the older brother got home he told his younger brother never to walk by that
house again.


For this younger brother, the most important relationship he had was with his older
brother, the one who loved him and would protect him no matter what situation arose.

Today I want to spend a few minutes thinking about our relationship with our older
brother Jesus.

A relationship that is vitally important to our lives here... and in our eternal lives to
come.

Truly, the most important relationship we can build, and must build correctly, is our
relationship with Jesus Christ.

In a very real sense we are much like the little boy who walked past the bully and was
beaten up.

Life often beats us up and wounds us, leaving us hurt and embarrassed.

We need a relationship with one who will walk by our side each day and protect us as
we face the bullies of this world.

But... How do we build a right relationship with our Savior as we walk through this
life?

And, what keeps each of us in a right relationship with Jesus after we have obeyed His
plan of salvation?

I would suggest first of all that we remember that prayer is our communication line
between Heaven and Earth.

So for each of us to maintain a right relationship with our Creator we must:

Offer Proper Prayers

Prayer is a privilege enjoyed only by those who have been born into the family of God.

I think of prayer as a life-line that we cling to in a world that surrounds us with Satan
and his bullies.

In any relationship, regular communication is absolutely vital.

Communication is the key that we use to share our thoughts and feelings with those we
care about.

Prayer is our avenue to talk with God and it strengthens our relationship with Him

And our relationship with Jesus will grow in direct relation to our prayer life.

If our prayers are sporadic and distant
Our relationship with Jesus will be merely as an acquaintance.

However... if we are praying regularly and often, our relationship with Jesus will
become stronger.

Prayer is an essential part of our daily lives as Christians.

The Apostle Paul knew the importance of prayer and by inspiration of God wrote in I
Thessalonians 5:17 that we are to:
“pray without ceasing”
That is, we are to constantly communicate with God.


James tells us that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”  
James 5:16

How do we offer “Proper Prayers”

A dear brother in Christ shared something with me called the
“Five Finger Prayer”

I have found it a valuable reminder, and I wanted to share it with you.


It reads:


1) Your thumb is the nearest to you. So begin your prayer by praying for those closest
to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis
once said, a "sweet duty."

2) The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct, and heal.
This includes teachers, doctors, ministers and Elders. They need support and wisdom
in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3) The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the
president, leaders in industry and business, and administrators. These people shape
our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4) The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our
weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those
who are weak, in trouble, or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You
cannot pray too much for them.

5) And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all. Which is where we
should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "the least
shall be the greatest among you." Your pinky should remind you to pray for yourself.

How can we build our relationship with Jesus Christ?
We can start by offering “Proper Prayers”.

Next we can build our relationship with Jesus by:

Learning from His word

Our relationship with Jesus is based on being familiar with His word, His commands
and His life.

There was a popular movement among the youth of this nation that included the
wearing of various items that said “WWJD”

That stood for: What Would Jesus Do?

But we can only know what Jesus would do, if we know what He did do, And we can
only gain that knowledge by a study of His word... the Bible.

Our relationship with Jesus is based upon our faith in him and our faith increases as
our knowledge increases.

Romans 10:17 says that “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.

Our relationship with Jesus grows
Our faith in Jesus grows by regular study of His word.

II Timothy 2:15 tells us “Be diligent (study) to present yourself approved to God, a
worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

And Jesus says in Matthew 11: 28-30
“ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
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.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Learning of, about, and from Jesus, will build a closer relationship with Him.

If you really want that relationship then study and learn from His word.

Finally.... we can build our relationship with Jesus by:

Living a Pious Life

Living a pious life means that we live a life that reverences God, A life that shows
honor to God.

It means that we practice what He has taught us
We follow His way and His commands
And we set ourselves aside to follow Him.

I submit that a life of piety is evidenced in at least two ways:

One way is correct and regular worship.

Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship
Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Correct worship means that we worship the right person... God!

And we must always remember that worship is not about us,
It is not about our likes or dislikes
It is not a place to “show off our abilities” or “dress up”
It is not to gain attention...
the focus of worship must be the Almighty God!

And, the right attitude in worship... “In spirit”

God is a spirit, He does not dwell in temples made with hands

God is not worshipped with men’s hands as though he needed anything


Acts 17:25 says that God “gives to all life, and breath, and all things,

A pure, a holy, a spiritual worship, is what He desires...

It is the offering of our souls

The honor of the heart, rather than that of the lips.

When my attitude is right in worship, my relationship with Christ is strengthened.

And the right way... “In truth”

If my worship is not according to the New Testament pattern, then my relationship with
Jesus cannot be strengthened!

By God’s instructions, (truth) not by the commands or innovations and inventions of
man.

My relationship with Jesus grows as I worship Him in the right way.

Evidence of a pious life before Jesus, which strengthens my relationship with Him, is
seen in right worship!


The second evidence of a pious life is seen in my love of others.

John, the Apostle of love, said “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God;
and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” I John 4:7

Respect and love of the Brethren is evidence of my love for God.

In other words, if I do not love others, I do not even know God!

And how can I have a strong relationship with others when I do not even take the time
to get to know them!

My relationship with Christ is made stronger when we know and love His people!

And I must maintain those relationships.
Take time for those relationships
And sometimes I must repair those relationships!

Jesus said “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your
brother has something against you,
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
Matthew 5:23-24

Our worship can be made wrong by our feelings about our Brethren!

God says “go fix it and then come to worship”.


If we really want to know Jesus...

If we want a strong relationship with the Christ...

We must live a pious life!

Evidence of that is seen in correct and regular worship and in our relationships with
each other.


You know...the most important relationship we can have is with Jesus!

He is our “Big Brother”, our protector and defender
He is our Redeemer and Savior!

Today if you have never obeyed the gospel...

If you have never been immersed for the remission of your sins

You cannot claim Jesus as your Savior
You do not have a relationship with the Christ

Jesus Himself said “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He
who believes and is baptized will be saved...”  Mark 16:15-16

And in John 14:6 Jesus stated “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through Me”

If you have never obeyed from the heart I beg you to come today

Or, if once you have obeyed but have fallen away or need the prayers of your Christian
Brothers and Sisters

I encourage you to come as well.  

Whatever your need    

Please come as we stand and sing.


Earl Ash
8/5/07 pm

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