SERMON SUMMARY
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Connecting with Others
Sermon given by Senior Pastor, Dan Tabolt
Connecting
with Others
To have
an eternal impact,
we must connect with other Christ followers.
We think of
connecting with other Christ followers as a means to help ourselves. Our
first thought is often, What can I get out of this relationship? But God
wants us to understand that our relationships don’t exist just to benefit
us—community is the way we are meant to live. This study will examine how
we will not be able to have an eternal impact unless we are living in
community with others. We are to become addicted to people.
Having Eternal
Impact: Review
1. Being Driven by God’s Mission
2. Passion and Joy of Your Salvation
3. Connecting with Others
Thank you Lord
for the desire that your people have for you above all else. Thank you for
the desire to lay down our lives for you and for one another. May our love
for you allow us daily to take up our cross, deny ourselves, and follow
you.
“An article in
the Harvard Business Review . . . talked about how some people didn’t
understand what business they were in. For example, the railroad people
didn’t realize they were in the transportation business; they thought they
were in the railroad business. Had they realized they were in the
transportation business they would have invested in the airplane. The
telegraph people thought they were in the telegraph business instead of
the communications business. In 1886 or so, they could have bought all the
telephone patents for $40,000. So obviously these people didn’t know what
business they were in.
I have often
thought that if our goal was simply to get to heaven God would ask whoever
baptizes us to shoot us.
Why, though, does
God leave us here after we have believed in Him? There are several
reasons, but one of which I am certain is explained by a statement
Paul made in his
first letter to the Corinthian church.
Paul wrote, “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave
to everyone, to win as many as possible” (1 Corinthians 9:19).
We are
in the people business!
I. Actively
seek meaningful relationships in the body of Christ.
“The development of meaningful relationships where every member
carries a significant sense of belonging is central to what it means to be
the church”
We need to
develop the kind of relationships that matter.
It is a sad
commentary when you do not show up and nobody notices.
Read Acts
2:42–47.
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came
upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the
apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in
common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among
all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread
from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of
heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord
added to the church daily those who were being saved.
1. If we were
to choose two or three words that best describe the atmosphere of the
church as described in Acts 2:42–47.
a. In Many
Churches today: Predictable, Boring, unfriendly, chaotic, stuffy Scary.
b. In Acts. Exciting, Caring, Fun, Warm, Electric, Challenging
Friendly, Life-changing, Family of God.
2. Pre game
warm ups.
When I coached BB, I would go out and stand under the basket and watch my
players warm up. I could always tell something about the game at that
point. If they were focused then they would be focused in the game, if
they had an attitude, then it would come into the game.
a. They Devoted Themselves: They became broken for Jesus.
John 12:2-3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard,
anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the
house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
b. What does it mean to be devoted?
The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship
(connecting), breaking of bread (eating together/communion), and prayer.
To devote themselves meant to be dedicated, committed, or remain faithful
to these practices.
c. What are the most remarkable qualities of this first-century Christian
community?
II. Be willing
to let God change you and use you in the context of church and community.
a. First Let God Change You.
What does God need to change in you? We all need a revelation that God is
not here to serve us, but we are here to serve Him
“A cross is an” I” with a line through it”
b. Let God use you.
When we are connecting with people we speak to them, love them and, more
important, live out our faith before them.
2 Cor 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls;
though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. NKJV
III. Becoming Emotionally Involved With God.
Col 3:1 set your sights on the realities of heaven, NLT
Col 3:2 Set your mind on the things that are above, ASV
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.KJV
Verse 43 says,
“Everyone was filled with awe…” Why do you suppose they were filled with
awe?
Things that can
fill us with AWE!
1. The Unity of Community
2. The Power of Lives being touches.
3. The Revelation of the preached word “The”
What were the
results of their connecting (v. 47)?
“And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. “
2 Cor 2:15 For we
are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and
among those who are perishing.
Jim, an elder at
a church, was given the responsibility of overseeing the evangelism of new
people who moved into the area near his congregation. Sun Lee and his
family were Vietnamese refugees who had recently arrived in the community.
They had no possessions, knew no one and needed help in every way. Jim
began by helping them get food and then spent much time helping Sun Lee
find a job. Jim wanted to tell Sun Lee about Jesus, but he didn’t know
Vietnamese and the refugee knew very little English. Both men sought to
learn the other’s language so they could become better friends. One day,
Jim felt that he knew enough to tell Sun Lee about Jesus. Jim began to
explain about God and the story became frustrated by his inability to
communicate in Vietnamese. He gave up, deciding to try again when he knew
more Vietnamese. Then Sun Lee blurted out in English, “Is your God like
you? If He is I want to know Him.” Jim felt he had not been communicating,
but he had in the most powerful way—with his life.
Verse 47 says they were “enjoying the favor of all the people.”
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