Connected for a Purpose

Problems this message is trying to solve:

Perspective: How I view life. Seeing how I fit into God’s plan.

Purpose: What is my role.

Maturity

Love

Unity

Support

https://slasherpastor.wordpress.com/2014/10/21/dependence-independence-and-interdependence-in-church-life/

Introduction

There is an African saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

The eight quality characteristics deal with what we do as a church. What we want to look at today is how we do them. How is it that things grow all by themselves?

Today we’re going to look at the principle of interdependence. How does what I do relate to everyone else in the body.

There are three steps of maturity, dependence, independence and interdependence.

Our options:

Dependent:

Individual members desire to be fed but don’t do any feeding. This may be because of immaturity, poor teaching or lack of empowerment.

Independent:

Individual members take responsibility but don’t work together as a team. This can lead to a silo ministry mentality or to divisions. The extreme view is that “I don’t need the church.” This view forgets Jesus’s words, “I will build my church.”

Interdependent - connected

We are not alone.

Ephesians 4:4–6 NIV

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Jesus is the model of interdependence

John 5:19 NIV

19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

We don’t grow alone.

We don’t function alone.

1. The plan for connections

Genesis 2:18; 2:24, 3:8-9

Genesis 2:18 NIV

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

It’s not good for us to be alone.

Genesis 2:24 NIV

24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Even those who are single have a family connection. We are born into a family with relationships.

Genesis 3:8–9 NIV

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

It’s good for us to be in relationship with God.

God’s plan has always been for us to be connected with others and with God.

2. The power of connections

Genesis 11:1-7

Genesis 11:1–7 NIV

1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

3. The reality of connections

1 Corinthians 12:12-30

1 Corinthians 12:12–30 NIV

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

We are connected with Christ.

We are connected with each other, which is every other member of the Church throughout time!

4. The result of connections

Ephesians 4:14-16

Ephesians 4:14–16 NIV

14 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. 15 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. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

The church grows in maturity. Ephesians 4:15

This verse is speaking of the maturity of the church, not individuals. Do you think the Church is more mature today than it has ever been?

The church grows in love . Ephesians 4:16

The church grows by interdependence. Ephesians 4:16

“as each part does its work”

5. The opportunities for connections

Worship Hebrews 10:25

Hebrews 10:25

Hebrews 10:25 NIV

25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Small Groups Acts 2:42-46

Acts 2:42-46

Acts 2:42–46 NIV

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

Service 1 Corinthians 12:7

Using our gifts

1 Corinthians 12:7

1 Corinthians 12:7 NIV

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

How does this decision affect other areas of life?