THE LINC COLLECTIVE

It’s All About RIGHT-Relationship (Mature Week One)

IT’S ALL ABOUT RIGHT-RELATIONSHIP – TES JAHNIG

Scriptures:
Leviticus 26: 3-12 NIV
Ephesians 4: 4-15 NIV
Philippians 3: 12-15 NIV
Matthew 5: 6 NIV

Points:
1. Our RIGHT-understanding of righteousness matures us.
2. Maturity happens when we believe it’s all about RIGHT-relationship.

In this powerful message, we’re called to embrace spiritual maturity through a deeper understanding of righteousness. The key scripture, 2 Corinthians 5:21, reminds us that we become the righteousness of God through Christ. This isn’t about our actions or feelings, but about our identity in Him. We’re challenged to shift our perspective from ‘doing right’ to ‘believing right’ and living in right relationship with God, others, and ourselves. This journey of maturity isn’t solo; we’re growing together as a church, pressing on towards the prize of knowing Christ intimately. As we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we’ll find true satisfaction that the world can’t offer.

Leviticus 26 – IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. IT WILL ALWAYS BE ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.“ Ephesians 4:14 -15

The world says being MATURE is about:
– age
– experience
– knowledge and information
– qualification,

but this is not true of Spiritual maturity. We cannot work our way to maturity.

IT IS LESS ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW and ALL ABOUT WHO WE KNOW.

Our maturity as believers is primarily linked to our relationship with God – FATHER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT. The qualities of maturity – what we need to grow up in ARE NOT NATURAL IN NATURE. This means we can not and do not produce them.

Spiritual maturity HAPPENS when we come into regular contact with the Spirit of God and relate to HIS WILL, HIS GOODNESS, HIS FAITHFULNESS, HIS TRUTH, HIS WAY, HIS LOVE and HIS LIFE, and we surrender all of our humanity to all that He is.

We mature spiritually when we become more and more like JESUS. And the essence of who Jesus is – is LOVE AND RELATIONSHIP.

There is no maturity if there is no love.
There is no maturity if there is no right-relationship.

Phil 3: 12-15 – so, what does maturity look like? It looks like eyes on the prize – pressing on. Who is the prize? Towards what do we press on? JESUS. Pressing on towards Him is the ultimate goal.

Maturity does not come in our knowledge about Him but in our KNOWING HIM.

Maturity grows WHEN WE PURSUE a relationship with HIM – when we live in  “right relationship” with our God.

1. Our RIGHT understanding of righteousness matures us

RIGHTEOUSNESS is not a feeling. It is an identity given to us by the Father through Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – “God made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in HIM, WE may become THE RIGHTEOUSNESS of God.”

RIGHTEOUSNESS is not about what we do or don’t do. It’s all about what the Father asked His Son to become and do on our behalf so that we can live in the right relationship with Him and with others.

Do you live with a right understanding of righteousness or does your identity flow from your behaviour or what you believe about yourself?

It is not based on our right doing; it’s entirely based on Jesus’ right doing- HIS PERFECT NATURE. We don’t do right to gain righteousness- we believe right and become the righteousness of God.

And it is this revelation of who we are in proximity to HIM that grows us up.

1. Maturity happens when we believe it’s all about RIGHT relationship

Righteousness means RIGHT RELATIONSHIP.

Jesus is the great reconciler. His life and death all purposed to make things right between us and the Father and our other primary relationships. He will not leave us in relational chaos. He will not abandon us in relational disorder.

He came down to earth so that we could be made right with Him primarily, and then the other relationships will follow. Scripture tells us that we are created for 4 relationships:
– Created earth (Gen 2:7)
– Other human beings (Gen 2:18,22)
– Ourselves (Genesis 2:25)
– God

“The gospel is the good news that the Righteous God, the God of all relationship, has not given up. The Creator’s intense passion – that all of creation enjoy right relatedness will not be denied. In Jesus, God enters our unrighteous world and begins to reconstruct our fourfold relational experience.” – Darrell Johnson

Jesus comes as the righteousness of God to restore to us RIGHT RELATIONSHIP / RIGHTEOUSNESS so that we would have reconciliation in all of our relationships. With Father God. With ourselves. With the world With other human beings.

We are being matured as we take hold of the revelation that WE ARE RIGHTEOUSNESS.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for RIGHTEOUSNESS – for they will be satisfied.” Matthew 5
There is no consolation for a discontented soul outside of GOD AND HIS GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
And it is freely available for all who would open their hands and hearts to receive.

Key Takeaways:

  • Spiritual maturity is primarily linked to our relationship with God, not our age or knowledge.
  • Righteousness is an identity given to us by God through Jesus Christ, not based on our feelings or actions.
  • Maturity happens when we believe in right relationships – with God, others, ourselves, and creation.
  • Hungering and thirsting for righteousness leads to satisfaction and contentment.

Discussion Questions

  1. How does the sermon’s definition of spiritual maturity differ from common perceptions? How does this change your understanding of growing in faith?
  2. The speaker emphasizes that righteousness is not about what we do, but who we are in Christ. How might this truth impact your daily life and relationship with God?
  3. Discuss the four primary relationships mentioned in the sermon (God, others, self, environment). Which of these areas do you find most challenging, and why?
  4. How can we practically pursue a deeper relationship with God to grow in maturity?
  5. The sermon mentions “hungering and thirsting for righteousness.” What does this look like in your life? How can we cultivate this desire?
  6. Reflect on the statement, “There is no consolation for a discontented soul outside the presence and person of Jesus Christ.” How does this resonate with your experiences?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of righteousness through Jesus Christ. Help us to grow in spiritual maturity by deepening our relationship with You. Teach us to believe rightly, not in our own works, but in the righteousness You have freely given us. May we hunger and thirst for more of You, finding true satisfaction in Your presence. Guide us in right relationships with You, others, ourselves, and all creation, as we press on toward the prize of knowing Christ intimately. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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