Committed To Caring ... Connected To Each Other

INTRODUCTION

There is nothing more important to us in this life than relationships … a relationship with our Savior … relationships with our friends … relationship with family … relationships in church … relationships!

If there is something that I have noticed among teenagers it is this … they desire to belong!

Most young people today want to be CONNECTED to something or someone … they want to CONNECT with a member of the opposite sex … they want to CONNECT with a certain group … they want to CONNECT with the right people!

As Christians, we are COMMITTED TO CARING … CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER!

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:12, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ.”

Young person … once you accept Christ into your heart YOU HAVE A DIVINE CONNECTION WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS!

Did you ever notice that a Christian will always find other Christians? And they will almost always greet each other with great affection or simple ‘God Bless You?’

Why? Because we are CONNECTED!

Psalm 95:7 reads, “… he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the sheep under his care.”

God has made a COMMITMENT to every person in this room tonight … TO CARE FOR YOU!

Now, to me that is a BIG deal … that the God of creation has become COMMITTED TO CARE for me and for you … for all of us!

And God has placed in our lives certain people that CARE for us … parents, brothers/sisters, family, friends, pastors … all of these have been placed in our lives to CARE for us because of the CONNECTION to us!

Some of you … may not have the privilege of a CARING family … or CARING friends … to each of you I want you to know that this Student Ministry is COMMITTED TO CARING FOR YOU!

Ronald Reagan had the unique ability to develop a great rapport with people, but he also had the ability to touch the hearts of the individuals closest to him. Former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan said that when the president used to return to the White House from long trips and the staff heard his helicopter landing on the lawn, everyone would stop working, and staff member Donna Elliott would say, “Daddy’s home!”

President Reagan who can’t even remember that he was the president of the United States … in his prime … was able to CARE for every person who worked with him!

Why was he able to CARE? Because he allowed himself to CONNECT with people!

ON A PERSONAL NOTE … I know that you guys hear it from me, but I don’t think that you hear it enough … I CARE FOR YOU … I have committed my time here at MSO to CARE for you … not just because I am called here … not just because I love my job … BUT BECAUSE I GENUINELY LIKE EACH OF YOU! I want to CONNECT with you … I want you to look into my life and when I go away or am on a trip and return that you say, “Daddy’s home.” Because you know that I am COMMITTED TO CARING FOR YOU! I LOVE YOU GUYS … ALL OF YOU!

Now some of you who have had some tough times and major let downs by people around you are going to have a hard time understanding REAL CARE … but I am committed to LIVING OUT 1 Corinthians 12:24 … “In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, while other parts do require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.”

If you are feeling like no one cares for me … just know that I am COMMITTED TO GIVE YOU EXTRA HONOR AND CARE … because YOU ARE IMPORTANT!

Friends … ALL OF US need to make the COMMITMENT TO CARE … because you never know what is going on in the mind of the person next to you!

LOOK AT THE PERSON TO YOUR RIGHT … look into their eyes … repeat after me … keep looking in their eyes … “I AM COMMITTED TO CARING FOR YOU … WE ARE CONNECTED.”

Young person, I really believe this … listen … If we cannot care for those in this Student Ministry, how can we expect God to give us MORE students to care for …