Believers Living In Community Belonging To God And To His Family Series

Sermon – Believers Living in Community Belonging to God and to His Family

Scriptures: 1Corinthians 6:19,20 “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

Psalm 100:3 “Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are His; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

Isaiah 43:1 “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.

Introduction: Many of us are familiar with the fables attributed to an ancient Greek named Aesop. In one of those fables, "The Tortoise and the Hare," a hare constantly boasted that he was the fastest of all the animals. So, tired of the hare's arrogance, a tortoise challenged him to a foot race. Now, the hare clearly could have won, but because he was so certain of his victory, so full of pride in his great abilities, he took a nap in the middle of the race. And while the hare was sleeping, the tortoise crossed the finish line ahead of him.

In certain ways, many Believers living in the city of Corinth during the first century were like the hare of Aesop's fable. Just as the hare counted himself the winner before the race was over, many in the Corinthian church thought of themselves as winners before the race of their Christian lives was over. Their earthly prosperity, their status in society and their special spiritual gifts deluded them into believing that the Lord had made them superior to everyone else. They thought that God had blessed them with the gifts of his kingdom far more than he had blessed other Christians who had fewer earthly treasures, less social status, and less spectacular gifts. And the apostle Paul warned them that they were in danger of losing the race of the Christian life and missing out on the benefits of companionship with others.

What is the beauty of belonging to God and what does it means to belong to God? In the beginning, humanity was created to be in perfect union with God and belong to Him, for we are His creation (Genesis 1:26). There is an intimacy that was always part of His original design for our relationship with Him. We are His masterpiece and reflect the image of God in this world (Ephesians 2:10). To belong to God is to feel safe and secure. Trust and connection are felt more deeply in this relationship than any other. It makes sense that our Creator would know what we need and be able to offer it. We have been created by God, selected by God, and accepted by God. Belonging to God is our deepest need, and yet God himself calls creation and life without human companionship and community “not good”. Believers need God and one another.

Because Believers belong to God by His choice, they are fearfully and wonderfully made, placed in his body in the best possible place. He chose their nationality, ethnicity, giftedness, and even their looks! He thinks each one is a masterpiece, with unlimited potential, who has been given everything they need to fulfil His assignment. You see, to belong is to be accepted. To belong is to feel secure. Without belonging, we are alone.

Humanity’s greatest desire is to know and be known, to love and be loved and to feel confident that those who know and love us will be there for us through the joys and troubles of life. It is the desire for connection. That’s why relationships are such an important part of life. We all desire to be connected to others. One of the greatest joys of life is the joy of being securely connected or attached to others. One of life’s greatest pains is relational disconnection. Disconnection causes us to experience loss, rejection, and loneliness. Human beings are wired for connection. That’s why belonging to God, our people, and to each other is so important. We all need a place to belong, and the greatest joy in life is to feel the safety and security of this type of connection. Belonging to God means being in relationship with God and with God’s children.

1. Believers Are in Relationship with God and Others. 1Corinthians 6:19,20 “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body.”

Although God is not human, He is a relational being. The Bible says that as humans, we are made in his image. It is evident through scripture and through the experience of countless people that God is very interested to have relationships with us. In the scripture, God calls people to Himself; God calls believers into His Family; and then God calls believers His very own family, His “children.” God calls believers into relationship with himself and in relationship with other members of his family. Together his family makeup His body. Believers need God’s headship for life, support, and direction. Believers need one another to function. Just as the body needs every member to carry out its functions, believers need each other to function properly.