Series: Made For This
Sermon Title: Made for Relationships
Passage: Genesis 2:18-25

Reno Campus
Pastor Dave Pretlove

Carson Campus
Pastor Dusty Braun

Campus Announcements / Service Moments

Reno Campus

• Baptism Class
• Kids Baptism Class
• Baby Dedication Class
• LifeGroups begin the week of 1/19/25

Carson Campus

• Baptism Class
• Kids Baptism Class
• Baby Dedication Class
• LifeGroups begin the week of 1/19/25

Series: Made For This
Sermon Title: Made for Relationships
Passage: Genesis 2:18-25

SERMON POINTS: 

• Being made in the image of God means my very essence is relational.
  Genesis 1:26-27
  Genesis 2:18

• Sin’s destructive impact on my relationships cannot be overstated.
  Galatians 5:19-23

• The gospel is about so much more than “my PERSONAL relationship with Jesus”.
  Ephesians 2:8-19
  Hebrews 10:19-25.

• • I’ve been adopted into Gods family. 

• • I have brothers and sisters.  

• • One day everything will be made new and right- including human relationships. 

• • I am not meant to do this alone 

• Learning to love well (God and people) must be our greatest ambition.
  Matthew 22:37- 39.                                                                              

• • Focus deeply on experiencing and understanding Gods love for you.
    Ephesians 3:17b-19… “And I pray that you, being rooted”.            

• • Ask the Holy Spirit to cause God’s love to flow through you.          

• • Create energy and time to focus on loving well.                                

• • Ask people what would communicate love to them.

 

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• What does it mean to be relational by essence?
• Genesis 2:18-25 highlights that it was not good for Adam to be alone. How does being made in the image of God reflect our deep need for relationships? How does this challenge a culture that often prioritizes independence over connection?
• What prevents you from allowing others to truly know and love you?
• Reflect on the barriers you face in being vulnerable within relationships. Is it fear of rejection, past wounds, or pride? How does trusting in God’s love and acceptance help you overcome these obstacles and experience deeper connection?
• How has sin impacted your relationships?
• Reflect on Galatians 5:19-23, which contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. How do you see sin manifesting in your relationships, and what steps can you take to allow the Holy Spirit to transform those areas?
• How does the gospel reshape your view of relationships?
• Ephesians 2:8-19 and Hebrews 10:19-25 reveal that salvation is not just about individual faith but about being adopted into God’s family. How does this truth change the way you view your role in the body of Christ?
• What does it look like to live as part of God’s family?
• If you’ve been adopted into God’s family, what are some practical ways you can live out your identity as a brother or sister in Christ? How do these relationships prepare us for the restoration of all things?
• Why must learning to love well be our greatest ambition?
• Jesus called loving God and others the greatest commandments (Matthew 22:37-39). How does this calling challenge your current priorities or actions in relationships?
• How can you grow in experiencing and sharing God’s love?
• Reflect on Ephesians 3:17b-19. How does rooting yourself in God’s love impact your ability to love others? What practices help you focus on His love daily?
• What steps can you take to create space for loving well?
• Loving others takes intentionality. What adjustments in your schedule, habits, or focus can help you invest more time and energy into relationships that reflect God’s love?
• How can you better understand what communicates love to others?
• One way to love well is to ask others what makes them feel loved. Have you ever done this in your relationships? How might this change how you express care for those around you?

 

PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What is keeping me from fully trusting God’s love for me?
• Reflect on Ephesians 3:17b-19. Are there fears, doubts, or past experiences that make it difficult to believe in the depth of God’s love? How can rooting yourself in His truth bring greater freedom and trust?
• How have past hurts or fears impacted my ability to trust others?
• Considering Genesis 2:18-25, relationships are part of God’s design, yet sin has distorted them (Galatians 5:19-23). Are there wounds or disappointments that keep you guarded in relationships? What steps can you take to surrender those areas to God’s healing?
• In what ways am I prioritizing independence over community?
• The gospel calls us into God’s family (Ephesians 2:8-19). Are there areas where you resist relying on or being vulnerable with others? How might trusting in God’s design for community reshape your approach?
• How can I intentionally create space to love and be loved by God and others?
• Matthew 22:37-39 calls us to love God and others as our greatest ambition. What changes can you make in your daily rhythms, relationships, or mindset to focus more deeply on experiencing and sharing love?

 

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:

• Hebrews 10:24-25 
• Galatians 6:2 
• 1 Peter 4:8-10

 

RESOURCES:

• BOOK | Janet Hagburg  | THE CRITICAL JOURNEY
• BOOK | Plass and Cofield | The Relationsal Soul: Moving from False Self to Deep Connection
• PODCAST | Emotionally Healthy Discipleship | Make Love the Measure of Maturity

Spiritual Discipline Practice: Longing For More

 Breaking Through the Wall: An Invitation to Spiritual Intimacy

We all encounter seasons in our spiritual lives where progress feels stalled, routines feel dry, and the relationship with God seems distant. It’s as if we’ve hit a wall. Yet, if God is always drawing near and working to bring us closer, why do we feel stuck?

This wall, as many spiritual directors, authors, and pastors explain, is not a dead end—it’s an invitation. In The Critical Journey, Hagberg and Guelich describe the wall as an opportunity for transformation. It is God inviting us to experience His healing presence, surrender our tightly gripped control, and embrace His unconditional love. This moment is not about God’s absence but about His deeper work in us—a work that calls for new methods, a new posture, and a new intimacy with Him.

Psalm 42:1-5 captures this longing beautifully:

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God… Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

This yearning is a signpost—a recognition that God is calling us beyond our comfort zones, asking us to unpack the barriers that hinder our intimacy with Him. To respond to this invitation, we must stop, reflect, and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate the obstacles that hold us back.

A Step-by-Step Practice to Invite the Holy Spirit into the Journey

1. Recognize the Wall

•   Sit quietly and acknowledge the feelings of stagnation or distance in your relationship with God.
•   Pray: “Lord, I recognize this moment where I feel stuck. Help me to see this wall not as an obstacle but as an invitation.”

2. Ask for Revelation

•   Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal what may be blocking your spiritual growth.
•   Prayerfully reflect:
•   Is there a pattern of control or fear in my life?
•   Am I harboring unforgiveness or wounds that need healing?
•   Have I become too reliant on past methods of connection with God without seeking His fresh work?

3. Surrender and Release

•   Name the obstacles that the Holy Spirit brings to mind and surrender them to God.
•   Pray: “Lord, I release my expectations, fears, and barriers to You. I trust You to guide me into deeper intimacy.”

4. Reflect on God’s Invitation

•   Meditate on Psalm 42 or another passage that stirs your soul.
•   Consider:
•   What is God inviting me to let go of?
•   How might He be leading me into a new rhythm of dependence on Him?

5. Embrace Newness

•   Experiment with fresh practices that stir your connection to God. This could include silence, journaling, praying Scripture, or seeking Christian community.
•   Pray: “Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me. Mold me, fill me, and draw me deeper into Your presence.”

6. Rest in God’s Acceptance

•   End your time with the assurance that God meets you as you are—with your imperfections, struggles, and longings. His desire is not for your perfection but for your heart.
•   Pray: “Thank You, Lord, for Your faithful love and for inviting me into deeper intimacy. I trust You to lead me through this season.”

God is not distant in this season; He is drawing you nearer. This wall is His invitation to step into something greater—a fresh, transformative experience of His love. Take the step. Trust the process. And let the Holy Spirit lead you into the fullness of life with God.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: 

Why are relationships so hard? Why does it feel so challenging to make friends, sustain the relationship long term, and truly let myself be known? The comforting thing in this, is that we are not alone. The Bible is full of messy relationships. Joseph and his brothers, Matthew and the other disciples, Jacob and Esau, The prodigal son and his dad and brother, Moses and Pharoah, and Jesus and Judas. Even Jesus, the spotless lamb, experienced relational hardship and betrayal. Everybody will experience relational conflict at some point in their lives, because we live in a broken world. But sometimes, the Lord allows relationships to be tested and experience hardship for Him and His glory, and for our growth. 

When the Lord called Moses to return to Egypt and confront Pharaoh (his brother) and tell him to let God’s people go, and that he was doing harm to them, I am sure he was terrified. The man he grew up alongside, ran around the palace courts with, experienced love and loss with, and even ruled alongside, he now was about to confront at the Lord’s request. I am sure in addition to his concern for his speech impediment, he was scared. Scared of what Pharaoh would say, how he would be perceived, and probably ruining his relationship with his brother. Nevertheless, Moses obeyed, and Pharaoh did not listen. God knew this would happen, yet still called Moses to do a really hard thing, ultimately losing his brother forever because of his rebellion and refusal to listen despite several chances to heed Moses’ warning. Moses went on to deliver the Hebrews from centuries of slavery and onward towards the promised land, cementing him as one of our ‘heroes of the faith’, but it cost him something.

Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery and passed off as dead to their father. Almost killed by his master’s wife for refusing her advances, landing himself in jail, and eventually, as the King’s right hand. Upon his brother’s return, what happened? Joseph had been through such a transformation that he forgave them and welcomed them into the palace, restoring their relationship. He did not hold what they had done to them against him, because according to Genesis 45:5, Joseph believed that He had been placed there during the famine in the land to save his family, But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.” He trusted God’s hand in his life even when there was betrayal.

We often lose faith in God, others, and even ourselves when relationships go south. How can I trust anyone again? How could I possibly forgive this offense? Why do I keep finding myself in the same situation with the same kind of people, what is wrong with me? When we invite God into these scary, wounded, or sinful places, it can feel even scarier. We are not able to hide from him, and since the garden, this has been a problem for humankind when it was meant to be a blessing. We wish to hide our hurts, sins, and shortcomings from God, pretending that they are not as damaging as they are. 

I love the quote “boats are safer in the harbor but that’s not why boats were created”. We may feel ‘safer’ alone or in hiding, but that is not why we were created. We were created to be fully known by a loving God, and to know Him fully. We often swear off relationships all together, feeling that we are better alone, where nobody can hurt us. But God himself is a relational being – Father, Son, Holy Spirit- and being created in His image, are intended to live in community. It is when we fully come into trust with God, healing our relationship and concerns with Him first, letting Him get deep into our wounds and our past, that we can begin to trust others. We can trust others because we trust God’s plan for others in our lives, and our role in theirs. When we are wounded, we can retreat to the comfort of a loving father who knows how it feels to be betrayed and alone. When we confess our sin and our role in damaging relationships, we can know we have a loving and grace-filled savior to help us restore them. – Emma Menicini Spiritual Formation and Connection LifeChurch Sparks

 

Rob Hans | Spiritual Formation and Connections Pastor