'One Anothering, Part 4: Trusting Relationships' by Mal Calladine - November 29 2020

How good can it be to trust people to stretch us? In this talk, Mal Calladine looks at more ways the Bible tells us to treat one another - these ones are for within relationships of trust. Sometimes we need challenging or instructing, other times we need correction or the chance to confess where we have made mistakes. Can we get better at doing this lovingly and prayerfully so our lives can be better?

Discussion notes

You can find the previous sets of questions 1 to 4 on connecting relationships here, 5 to 9 on accepting relationships here and 10 to 16 on encouraging relationships here.

Today’s questions are to help us in trusting relationships - who sees your bedroom? And helps you get clean?

17. Spur one another on (stimulate) to love & good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)

Who comes to mind that you can most take a stretch or challenge from?
How could you better define that relationship?
What could you do to specifically frame that relationship for challenge? (give permission or ask them to be open to challenging you in anything they observe?)
Any other situation that you can imagine yourself being ‘apprenticed’ by someone ‘further down the road’? What could you do about that?

18. Instruct one another (Romans 15:14)

Whose wisdom do you most want spoken into your life? (that you think of as “full of goodness, complete in knowledge; competent”)
How could you tell them, or access that instruction?
Is there anyone that comes to mind that you DON’T want their input? (who isn’t those 3?!)
How could you most make that clear to them?

19. Admonish one another (Colossians 3:16)

Who are you reminded that carries the Word deeply, with wisdom? That you think you can take a rebuke from?
Who could you ask for feedback of ‘where am I showing up badly at the moment’?

Have a look at some of the verses in Proverbs 27-29 & the input that goes with it from Bible In A Year:

“better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted” (27:5-6a)
“the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel” (27: 9b)
“as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (27: 9b)

Challenge & instruction - the where & how:

Giving it (28:7a; 28:23), & Receiving it from others (29:1), & the Lord (28:9).

20. Confess your sins to one another (James 5:16)

Who comes to mind that you could most share your ‘secrets’ with?
Who are you reminded of that will point you to Jesus’ forgiveness & healing, more than just empathise? (1 John 1: 4-9)
How could you have a better accountability structure with those trusted people in your life?

21. Pray for one another that you would be healed (James 5:16)

Who do you think you of that is most for you, even when they have heard your worst?
Who comes to mind that has faith to pray for your healing? (whose prayers are powerful & effective?)