'One Anothering, Part 5: Covenant Relationships' by Mal Calladine - 17 January 2021
How can we grow and support each other in committed relationships? In this talk, Mal Calladine looks at ways the Bible tells us to treat each other when we have shared covenants or commitments to relationship. What does it mean to be two people of the same mind? How can we more live in harmony with each other? And what does submitting to one another look like in a healthy relationship?
DISCUSSION NOTES
You can find the previous sets of questions 1 to 4 on connecting relationships here, 5 to 9 on accepting relationships here, 10 to 16 on encouraging relationships here and 17 to 21 on trusting relationships here.
Today’s questions are to help us in covenant relationships - who shares your bedroom or informs your life and vision at home and beyond?
22. Be of the same mind towards one another (Romans 12:16) ‘live in harmony’
Who do you most want to commit to journey with? To do household or shared life with?
Who are you reminded of that you could show more un-conditional commitment to? (like David & Mephibosheph)
What areas do you think in your key relationships could be more agreed on, rather than assumed? To call each other to a standard? What are they?
How could you best have that conversation around ‘being of the same mind, in harmony’?
23. Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21)
In what areas in your key relationships do you think you need to submit?
What ‘mission’ of theirs do you think you are called to ‘come under’?
What could that look like? How could you most easily talk about this & respond?
Other scriptures used
David & Jonathan make covenant (1 Samuel 18: 1-4)
David & Mephibosheph (2 Samuel 9)
Proverbs 18:24 ‘a friend who sticks closer than a brother’
Other links
Introduction to ‘Covenants’ by the Bible Project (they also have an excellent podcast series on Covenant)
Mal’s talk on Covenants, which particularly unpacks the symbolism of the covenant made with Abraham - the 'corridor of blood’ through which people would make their commitments to each other, & fundamentally informs our understanding the covenant role of Jesus.
Messianic Jewish cultural applications of covenant, going through Scripture
And finally
Was the Holy Spirit showing you anything else particularly during the talk?
What’s your biggest take-away for you? Tell someone about it today!
