Honk if you love Jesus!

Topical - Better together   •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  1:04:36
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Natures examples

Ants, lilies, birds, God has no shortage of examples that we can learn from. This morning we are going to look at some lessons we can learn from a skein, a gaggle of geese.
(Insert honk if you love Jesus picture here)
Do you remember the bumper sticker honk if you love Jesus. It was quiet big years ago, and you can still see some of them around today. Honking in today’s society is a warning not an encouragement, I will expand on that more in a little bit.
A skein is a a flock of geese in flight, a gaggle is a flock of geese on the ground, in case you are wondering.
Solomon said learn from the example of the ant (Pro6:6-11)
Proverbs 6:6–7 NASB95
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler,
Proverbs 6:8–9 NASB95
8 Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest. 9 How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
Proverbs 6:10–11 NASB95
10 “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest”— 11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.
Jesus said look, consider the birds and the lilies (Mt6:26-28)
Matthew 6:26–27 NASB95
26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
Matthew 6:28 NASB95
28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
(Insert flock of geese picture here)
In an article lessons we can learn from geese by Robert McNeish there is some great lessons and application we can gather.
Here is my aim for us this morning on lessons from a flock of geese.
Geese practice
They practice synergy
Geese edify
They benefit from mutual edification
Geese share
They share the burden with one another
Geese encourage
They encourage those who lead
Geese care
They care for one another

Greece practice synergy

Synergy: Two or more agents working together to produce a result not obtainable by any of the agents independently.
(insert flock of geese picture here again)
Did you ever wonder why geese fly in a “V” formation? That is synergy! For as each goose flaps its wings in flight it creates an updraft for the birds that follow.
This updraft created by the “V” formation adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird were to fly alone. They exert less energy hence why can fly longer distance. Together is better!
Lesson from flock of geese regarding synergy (Mk6:7, Lk10:1; Act13:2; Ecc4:9)
Jesus sent the apostles out two by two
Mark 6:7 NASB95
7 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits;
And that was not an isolated incident and not only to the apostles
Luke 10:1 NASB95
1 Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.
Then the Spirit lead this synergy type with others too
Acts 13:2 NASB95
2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
But wait, how about even an earlier example
Ecclesiastes 4:9 NASB95
9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
McNeish in his article states “People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.”
As Christians we strive together (ref. Php1:27)
For the mind of Christ, sharing the heart of Christ to bring people into the body of Christ.
We strive together, work together, have synergy in accomplishing God’s will for the church.
Honk if you love Jesus to show we are all in this together!

Geese benefit from mutual edification

We are better together, just as geese operate and move better together. What does edification mean? Edification. noun. improvement, instruction, or enlightenment, esp when morally or spiritually uplifting. the act of edifying or state of being edified.
(Insert flock of geese picture here, again)
Fact according to McNeish is that when a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It will quickly move back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
Lesson from Flock of geese
If we have the sense of geese, we will stay in formation, or get back into formation with others that are going the direction, place we are.
We are willing to help, be help and be helped by others.
Christians appreciate, know the value, the benefit of mutual edification. (Heb3:12-14; Heb10:24-25)
We need one another, to build up, to encourage, to edify one another so we stay together as the church.
Hebrews 3:12–13 NASB95
12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:14 NASB95
14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
Honk if you love Jesus, honk to warn one another to protect one another!
Hebrews 10:24–25 NASB95
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Honk if you love Jesus to encourage one another!

Geese share the burden

Geese can get tired, just as we can get tired. We can learn a lesson again from geese as they share the burden with one another.
(Insert flock of geese picture, again)
We have talked about being in formation and the draft created by those in front. But what about the lead bird? What if he tires?
According to McNeish when the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position. Hence taking on the burden. This is similar to what is called pace lining in bicycling.
Lesson from a flock of geese
Remember Moses friends and do that (Exo17:12)
Exodus 17:12 NASB95
12 But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.
Consider Paul’s words to church at Galatia (Gal6:1-2)
We are to carry one another burdens, to be help one another, I will get to this passage itself shortly.
Do our part in sharing the burden, doing our part for the body (Eph4:16)
Ephesians 4:16 NASB95
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
As the church we should be willingto share the tasks, rotate the tasks, help with the burdens of one another.
Geese are interdependent of one another, we as a church are too, we are created to be! We all have skills, capabilities, talents and resources that we can use to help one another.
We do best, when each does his/her part as noted in (Eph4:16)
Let’s be honest there is much burn out that happens within servants, leaders within the church and if we have the attitude of help out it helps to avoid burn out.
Honk if you love Jesus by sharing the burdens and helping one another!

Geese encourage the ones who lead

According to the Ibid (International Bible Dictionary) the power of encouragement is: To stand by one’s heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others. What can we learn from geese on this? Let’s find out.
(Insert flock of geese picture here, again)
McNeish notes the reason that geese honk is not to say hey you are going the wrong way, but to encourage the one who is leading to keep it up! Keep up the speed, keep up the pace, you have lots behind you following your lead!
Lessons from the flock of geese
We need to make sure our honking is encouraging! - that is what McNeish says.
Ibid states “in groups where there is encouragement the production is much greater.”
The power of encouragement is the quality of honking we seek.
Our words (our form of honking) should build others up (Eph4:29; Col4:6)
Ephesians 4:29 NASB95
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
oh yeah! Honk away if you love Jesus!
Colossians 4:6 NASB95
6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
Honk if you love Jesus to demonstrate the grace of God that is in you and working through you for the edification of others.

Geese care for one another

Geese help and protect one another, in other words care for one another. We can learn a lesson from them for our application as the church.
(Insert flock of geese picture, again)
Here is another fact, when a goose gets sick, is wounded or shot down, two other geese will drop out of formation and follow the injured goose down. They will go to help and to protect it. They will stay with the goose until it is better or until it dies then it will join another flock, stay in that formation until they get to the desired destination. Remember they are all heading the same place even if they are of different flock, different formation.
Lessons from a flock of geese
Follow their lead they stand by one another in the difficult times as well as the strong times.
Rejoice, weep, do it together in the good times and the trying times (Rom12:15)
Romans 12:15 NASB95
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Remember we are all in this together!
We need one another (Ecc4:9-12; Gal6:1-2)
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 NLT
9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
Ecclesiastes 4:11–12 NLT
11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
and just one more
Galatians 6:1–2 NASB95
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Sin, trespass, that would be hurting would it not? Need help, and protection? We fulfill the law of Christ which is love when we carry one another burdens.
(Insert Honk if you love Jesus picture here again)
We have looked at some lessons from a flock of geese and God has given them what they need to succeed in their flight and migration.
God has given us, by His word and by His creation what we need to succeed in our spiritual journey.
Our honking like the geese can be an Amen! It can be a prayer, a word of encouragement and a confession of faith that leads to an obedience of faith and a new life.
Geese were meant to flock together to be a skein, to be a gaggle, we are to be a church, a body of believers who are dedicated to strive together toward the upward call of Christ.
Do you need to honk for Jesus today? Do you need to say I surrender? Do you need to get back into formation?
(Song) (Prayer) (Exit)
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