SAVED TO SERVE: Through relationships 2-19-23

SAVED TO SERVE: Through relationships 2-19-23

 

We are saved to serve.

 

We are trusted servants of God.

 

We are to serve in whatever we do.

 

We are called to serve all of our life.

 

We are called to serve others.

 

We are called to serve the world.

 

We are intended to share our lives with one another.

 

We serve others through relationships.

 

I.  RELATIONSHIPS

 

In the 60’s Simon and Garfunkel wrote this:

 

I am a rock,

I am an island.

I’ve built walls,

A fortress deep and mighty,

That none may penetrate.

I have no need of friendship;

friendship causes pain.

It’s laughter and it’s loving I disdain.

I am a rock,

I am an island.

 

But that is not how God wants us to be – God has built us for relationships!

 

“The need for human relationships is a deep as anything humans experience. Infants who are given adequate amounts of food and water die if they do not receive human contact. Adults surrounded by people all day long cry out for friendships that will break down the walls of loneliness around them. Although some people seem to function without intimacy or personal relationships, we all yearn for deep and meaningful connections with others. In the absence of intimate and satisfying personal relationships, our quest for relatedness turns towards things. Money, homes, clothes, cars, and many more…we are incomplete in our self….Many people spend more time with their computer than they do with all the other people in their life put together….If truth is told, their computer is their closest friend…Often technology makes these interpersonal connections safer by rendering them less personal.” 

               David G. Brenner, “Understanding Soul Care”, p.114-15

 

So many people in relationships try to change the other person. Reminds me of the young fiancé who, after learning that her husband to be didn’t believe like she did, cried to her mother saying, “Mom, what should I do? How can I change his thinking? He says he doesn’t believe in hell?” The Mother said, “Honey, that’s alright, you marry him and both of us will make him believe in hell.”

              Unknown

 

             A.  Mutual trust

 

             B.  Mutual respect

 

             C.  Mutual affection

 

Treasure your relationship, not your possession.

               Anthony J D’Angelo

 

II.  TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS

 

I recently read some interesting statistics that show how IMPORTANT relationships are in our lives. The American Institute of Stress conducted research on 232 patients who had undergone cardiac surgery. Of those patients, 21 died within six months.

 

Here are two of the significant mortality predictors that they listed: "a lack of participation in social or community groups" and "the absence of strength and comfort from religion."

 

Author Randy Frazee cites this report as indicating that social activity can predict cardiac mortality as strongly as elevated cholesterol levels. He said the studies show that social isolation contributes to illness and death as much as smoking. Then he gave this humorous advice: "So if you feel you must smoke, for goodness sake, don’t do it alone!"

               Randy Frazee, “Making Room for Life”

 

              A.  Family

 

While many people hunger for family closeness, we often miss the opportunities that stand immediately before us.

 

Tammy Harris of Roanoke, Virginia, began searching for her biological mother when she turned 21. A year of searching proved fruitless. Tammy did not realize, however, that her mother, Joyce Schultz, had been searching for her for 20 years--the same Joyce Schultz who worked alongside her at the same convenience store. When Joyce overheard Tammy speaking with another coworker about her search for her biological mother, Joyce's ears perked. The two compared stories and birth certificates. When the coworkers realized they were, indeed, mother and daughter, "We held on for the longest time," Tammy said. "It was the best day of my life."

              Unknown

 

               B.  Friend

              

“A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden.”

              Unknown

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”                      Eleanor Roosevelt

 

C.  Acquaintance 

 

         D.  Romance

 

               E.  The family of God

 

“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

               John 1:11-13 NIV

 

In many stores you find merchandise in a certain section marked with a 2 word phrase. This 2 word phrase is a is a tip off about the merchandise being offered – The phrase? “As Is”. What the store is basically say is these items are damaged goods. Another phrase they like to use is “slightly irregular” The store is issuing a warning – something went wrong. You are going to find a flaw, the size is wrong, the zipper does not work, buttons are missing, there is a stain that will not come out – there is a problem. The store is saying if you are looking for perfection, you are in the wrong section. If you buy t here, you are getting it as is.

 

When it comes to the church, you have come to the “as is” section of the universe. Everyone one of us has a tag that simply says, “as is”. In other words, there is a flaw here. For some it is envy, jealousy, greed, temper, pride – but we all have a tag that says “as is” The problem in the church is we don’t like to admit we are “as is” people. We want to pretend everything is normal or fine even perfect and we will do anything to keep up the disguise of normal. We come to church and pretend everything is normal, but inside we know it is not. And we are so afraid others will fin out we are not the perfect dad, mom, husband wife, child, family, student or _______________

 

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 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.”

               Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV

 

III.  DISCIPLESHIP

 

What is Discipleship? A disciple is someone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, intentionally learns from Him, and strives to live more like Him. Discipleship is a widely-used word to describe a journey of spiritual growth.

               The Navigators website

 

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

              Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

 

To be a disciple is to make disciples

 

David Platt in “Defining Disciple-Making” says, “Disciple-making is what happens when we walk through life together, showing one another how to pray, study the Bible, grow in Christ, and lead others to Christ.

 

Biblically, to be a disciple is to make disciples. But if you were to ask Christians today what it means to make disciples, you’d probably get jumbled thoughts, ambiguous answers, likely even some blank stares. This is a problem.

 

If we’re going to know how to do anything as Christians, we need to know how to make disciples. So what does it mean to make disciples? Here’s my best attempt to sum up disciple-making based on Matthew 28:19. There are four things we do.”

 

               A. We Share the Word.

 

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

               Mark 16:15 NIV

 

               B.  We Show the Word.

 

Disciple-making is not about sharing the gospel with people and then leaving them to figure out the Christian life on their own. Instead, we show them how to follow Christ on a day-by-day basis. This is why we can never limit disciple-making to a weekly meeting in a classroom.

               David Platt, “Defining Disciple-Making”

 

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

               1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV

              

               C.  We Teach the Word.

 

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

               2 Timothy 4:2 NIV

 

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

               2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

 

               D.  We Serve the World.

 

“Panta te ethne” = “all nations”

 

Today there over 11,000 people groups in the world. These are groups of people that share a similar language, heritage, and cultural characteristics. So this is not just a general command to make disciples among as many people as possible. This is a specific command to make disciples among every people group in the world. And there are 6,000 people groups who still have not been reached with the gospel. Making disciples of all nations necessarily involves intentionally going after these 6,000 people groups.

 

CONCLUSION

 

We all need relationship.  We need a variety of relationships.  We need discipleship.

 

INVITATION

 

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.