Day 18 7/9/2015: What's on earth am I here for?

YOU’VE GOT TO GET CONNECTED

Essentials for 21^st Century Living

Rick Warren

 

“It is not good for man to be alone.”  Genesis. 2:18

God’s word for “connecting with others”:

 

I.  WHY IS IT VITAL TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS?

 

II. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE SPIRITUALLY CONNECTED?

4 metaphors for being part of a church

 

 

       1.  IT’S LIKE BEING A BRICK OF THE BUILDING.

 

               “You believers are like a building that God owns… Jesus is the most important stone in the building and the whole building is joinedtogether in Christ… You are being built into a place where God lives through the Spirit.”  Eph 2:20+22 (ICB)

 

               “We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.”  Eph. 2:21 (NLT)

 

·         In a BUILDING, the connected parts ___________________

 

 

       2.  IT’S LIKE BEING A PART OF BODY

 

               “Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ’s Body.  We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do.  So we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.”  

Rom. 12:4-5 (LB)

 

               “In Christ’s Body we’re all connected to each other…”  Eph. 4:25b (Mes)

 

               “We are joined together in His Body by His strong sinews, and we grow as we get our nourishment and strength from God.”  Col. 2:19 (NLT)

 

·         In a BODY, the connected parts ___________________

 

 

       3.  IT’S LIKE BEING A FLOCK OF SHEEP

 

“God made us, and we are His.  We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.”  

Ps. 100:3 (NLT)

 

               “Take care of God’s flock, His people, that you are responsible for.  Watch over them because you want to, not because you are forced to do it.”  1 Peter 5:2 (ICB)

 

·         In a FLOCK, the sheep are ___________________

 

 

 

4.  IT’S LIKE BEING A MEMBER OF A FAMILY.

 

               “I want you to know how people who are members of God’s family must live.  God’s family is the church…”  1 Tim. 3:15 (GWT)

 

               “Love each other like brothers and sisters.”  Rom. 12:10 (NCV)

 

·         In a FAMILY, the members ___________________

 

 

 

How can I get connected to this church family?

 

“First they gave themselves to the Lord; and then, by God’s will, they gave themselves to usas well.”  2 Cor. 8:5 (GN)