STICKING TO THE HIGH LIFE
The High Life—Part 6
Life’s major trials seldom send a memo telling us they’re on the way. Instead, like an uninvited guest, they just show up and barge right in. I’ve watched hundreds of people face difficult or confusing circumstances over the years, I’ve noticed a clear pattern in how things work out.
Those who tend to isolate find it hard to get the help or support they need in a timely manner. Often it’s because no one knows. But even if they do, unless it’s a heart-wrenching scenario, no one seems to care all that much. Help and support tends to be too little too late or perfunctory in nature. Consequently I’ve seen many of those folks end up leaving the High Life and returning to the Low Life.
Contrast that with those who have close and transparent relationships. I’m talking about those who have a genuine connectedness to other Christians—a connectedness born of open and transparent relationships. They experience a completely different reality. Crisis hit, confusing circumstances emerge but they seem to stick to the high life despite the crisis and confusion. They seem to be Velcroed to the high life. How does that happen? What are the ingredients that make up the Velcro the keeps them stuck to the high life?
As we looked into this we thought we might find some clues if we learned something about the history or Velcro.
Roll Video “All About Velcro”
So Velcro is a series of loops and hooks. Today I want to talk to you about three materials that make up the loops an hooks that Velcro me to the high life. I don’t want to go back to the low life. I’m not going back. Which new testament book was written with the specific purpose of trying to prevent a group of Christians from going back to the Low Life? Hebrews.
So let’s turn in our bibles to Hebrews 10:19. Remember the author has spent the first part of the book describing the High Life…he says this life the Jesus calls us to is far higher, far better, superior quality than the Low Life that we came out of. He’s trying to encourage them in the midst of their crisis and confusion to not go back. He’s showing them how to Velcro to the high life.
Let’s look at the three main materials that make up genuine connectedness among followers of Christ. These are the loops and hooks that Velcro us. It’s my strong belief, born of experience that you can only find these three materials and this genuine connectedness in one place…Lifegroups. Small groups of Christians that choose to do life together. As we’ll see later, they aren’t too effective at preventing sin. They’re usually not the greatest vehicle for deep and meaningful bible study. Nor are they always the source of the great friendships we’d hope for.
While these do occur, sometimes they don’t. But that shouldn’t matter because the greatest values of being in a Lifegroup—or any other form ongoing, close, open transparent relationships—is found elsewhere. It’s found in their ability to provide us with the genuine connectedness that accelerates spiritual growth and Velcro us to the high life. And it’s awfully hard—maybe impossible—to find anyplace else.
HOW DOES GENUINE CONNECTEDNESS VELCRO ME TO THE HIGH LIFE?
Belonging to a small group—what we call Lifegroup—velcroes me to the people and the information I’ll need when a need-to-grow or a need-to-know crisis shows up. That’s where those of us who choose to treat Christianity as a team sport have a special advantage.
1. I’M VELCROED WHEN I SEE GENUINE PASSION FOR GOD IN OTHERS
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, Hebrews 10:19-22 (NIV)
Have you ever met anyone that you just knew this person really, sincerely, genuinely wants please God with their life? If you’ve been so lucky, how do you know they’re that kind of person? How do you really know? Can you tell by observing someone in church? Just the fact that you’re in church tells me something about you, but quite frankly I can’t really tell by how someone acts in church. Anybody can be good in church! You’re only here for 90 minutes! I can fake just about anything for 90 minutes. How can you tell if that guy has genuine passion for God or if he’s just going through the motions?
Think about it for just a moment. If you have met someone and formed a relationship with someone who was genuinely passionate in their desire for God…how did that person impact you?
I became a Christian when I was 15 years old. I started attending a wonderful little church in Nutter Fort not far from my home. Great people, they taught me love the scriptures and be passionate about sharing my faith with nonchristians. To this day I credit that church for those two passions…the scriptures and the lost.
I attended the church for a grand total of five years and I almost never had interactions with anyone from the church outside of the church building. That all changed when I became friends with a guy named John Carter.
Tell story of John’s passion for the God and how it affected me.
Seeing John’s genuine passion for God helped to Velcro me to the High Life.
Roll Video MXC #1
Roll Video Interviews #1
2. I’M VELCROED BY TRANSPARENCY IN THE MIDST OF GENUINE STRUGGLE
having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:22-24 (NIV)
If I want to Velcro to the high life I must be honest enough to let people in on the issues I’m facing and the reality behind the image I portray. I also need friends who are honest enough to tell me the truth—even when I don’t want to hear it. Even when it hurts to hear it. But that sort of honest is hard to come by.
As much as I might want to be genuine and real and authentic, it’s hard to do when strangers are in the room or people I don’t know well. Plus, I usually need to see others become transparent and open about their struggles before I’ll have the courage to talk about mine.
That’s why Lifegroup foster honest almost automatically. Their environment practically cries out for it, whereas the ambiance in a typical church service doesn’t allow transparency in favor of anonymity or posturing.
Talk about church where I became a Christian…the atmosphere was loving and accepting, but I never knew that people struggled there. I didn’t know how to handle the struggles that I was dealing with. I was busy trying to impress them. I didn’t want them to know if I experienced struggles. I couldn’t be transparent. Consequently, I believe that my life looked good and I could posture with the best of them, but deep emotionally and spiritually I was shallow and immature.
In 1984 I joined another church and quickly became involved as a volunteer in the youth ministry there. I became a small group leader for teenagers.
Roll Video MXC #2
Roll Video Interviews #2
3. I’M VELCROED BY RECEIVING GENUINE ACCEPTANCE FROM OTHERS
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)
Roll Video Interviews #3
Prayer of the Week
I’ve been a pastor for over 20 years, I have a degree in Church Ministries from a wonderful Christian University. I’ve have a Master’s Degree from a wonderful seminary. I’ve attended no less than 40 seminars/conferences to help me grow in my Christian life and I can say without hesitation that as helpful as each of those experiences were nothing has accelerated and sustained my spiritual growth like open, transparent, genuine relationships in a small group setting.
Look, I only want to help you. I don’t get an increase in salary if you join a Lifegroup. We don’t have a denominational hierarchy to impress by telling them that we have 500 people in Lifegroups. I’ve got one motive. Involvement in a Lifegroup will Velcro you to the High Life that Jesus offers you.
Action Step—Sign up for Group
