Sermon: 2 – Synergy – “We are stronger together.”
Illustration: A Bugs Life!
From Group’s Blockbuster Movie Illustrations - pages 133, 134.
Points are also used from their outline in their book.
Overview – Hopper explains to his gang that one ant may be harmless and unable to stop them, like throwing one seed at a gang member. Hundreds of ants joined together, though, could bury them as surely as hundreds of seeds do. This speech rallies his gang to crush the ants’ spirits before they can rise up.
Point of illustration: Christians sometimes think they can’t change the world. We ask, “What can one person do?” Yet a timid Christian voice can become a roar when the voice joins together with the voices of others in a congregation and the voices of the entire body of Christ.
Voice illustration: One person say “Jesus” not this section say “Jesus” now this section say “Jesus” now everyone say “Jesus.”
We will only truly impact the world by joining forces with other believers. The mission of a coordinated body of Christ can change the world on an unimaginable scale.
Thesis: Get energized to synergize! Synergy – “We are stronger together.”
Introduction:
A synergy is where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. Simply defined, it means that the effect of the whole is greater than the sum of the effects of the individual parts. If used in a business application it means that teamwork will produce an overall better result than if each person was working toward the same goal individually…The term is derived from the Greek syn-ergos, óõíåñãüò meaning working together.
Human synergy relates to humans. For example, say person A alone is too short to reach an apple on a tree and person B is too short as well. Once person B sits on the shoulders of person A, they are more than tall enough to reach the apple. In this example, the product of their synergy would be one apple.
Another case would be two politicians. If each is able to gather one million votes on their own, but together they were able to appeal to 2.5 million voters, their synergy would have produced 500,000 more votes than had they each worked independently.
A song is also a good example of human synergy, taking more than one musical part and putting them together to create a song that has a much more dramatic effect than each of the parts when played individually.
Synergy usually arises when two persons with different complementary skills cooperate. The fundamental example is cooperation of men and women in a couple.
T.S. – Lets go back to our movie clip tonight for a moment.
1. How is Hopper like the Devil and the ants like Christians in our world today?
a. What thoughts are racing through your minds?
i. Many have fallen prey to the deception of the enemy of the church and to the foundation of Christianity.
1. We have Christianity divided into many separate groups today in the world.
a. According to David Barrett et al, editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200," there are 34,000 separate Christian groups in the world.
i. There are about 1,200 Christian Organizations in North America.
ii. We in Christianity have allowed ourselves to become divided over trivial and minor issues within the Body of Christ.
1. We have refused to work together and it has affected the greater good of the world and of our own community.
2. We have allowed the Devil to place us in His trap of division –the trap of offense – which divides us so as to weaken us and to minimize our effectiveness in this society.
a. I Cor. 12:25-27: “25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
i. We are challenged here by Paul to unite – to synergize with each other.
b. Ephesians 4:27: “25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.”
i. To many in the church have given the Devil a foothold in their life and it is called the spirit of offense.
c. 1 Peter 5:8-11: “8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith…”
i. Remember the Devil is looking to devour people and he uses the spirit of offense and the veil of deception.
b. The foundation of Christianity is Jesus and Jesus pushed and prayed for unity among His followers. Jesus knew that the success of the church would be connected to their synergy with each other. Jesus knew that the Devil would try to divide and conqueror. He warned the church of this and prayed for us to be unified not divided! Jesus knows the power and the energy which comes from synergy.
i. John 17:20-23: “20My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
1. I find it utterly amazing that with death breathing down his back and the cross in the very near future Jesus was concerned the most about unity in His community. He wholeheartedly wanted the church to be one, synergized, together, intertwined with each other working together as a TEAM. This was his primary prayer and concern for the church. Jesus knew that if you can divide them then you can conquer them. Jesus still today cries out for teamwork in His community. He knows if Christians could work together and synergize - then the world would be a better place. I believe the Gospel would be more effective, more energized, more empowered in our world today.
a. Henry Ford: “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."
2. This characteristic of synergy is always common in revival – you see revival birthed out of the community of believers who are united - synergized.
a. There are no divisions in the Body of Christ. Thigpen states it well when he says, “The Christian Community that can’t overcome its divisions can’t expect to grow up” (Discipleship Journal, issue 101, pg.36). He goes onto add “The heart of God is broken with grief over His fractured family.” Dissension and disunity have hindered more revivals, more relief programs, more community impact.
b. The lack of synergy has squelched more revivals-more energized lives, more community transformation than we could even imagine.
3. This society is not looking to be a part of another organization that is battling over irrelevant issues. They just say, “If you can’t even agree on the truth among yourselves, how could you possibly teach us the truth?” It’s so sad that we who call ourselves Christians can and do become stumbling blocks to those looking to be energized by the Spirit.
a. We push people away rather than draw them in by the love and unity that Christ preached, lived and even died for.
b. Don’t deceive yourself people are watching --they are looking for a community with unity. They are looking for synergy!
i. Listen to this quote from the Amery Free Press, “…The other thought that stands out for me is how lucky this community is to have the number of sharp, smart clergy willing to minister to the needs of the community, as a whole.” Jerry Sondreal, Amery Free Press.
ii. Reference: Community Crossroads meeting at the end of the month.
iii. Reference the meetings with the Orland Mayor and the local ministers.
ii. People see the need for synergy today because in synergy there is power!
2. If the Body of Christ could unite together as one could anything stop us?
a. Illustration: reference the Movie – “Remember the Titans.”
i. Movie is focused on bringing together different cultures, races and developing them into a team. The coaches do this by hard work and intentional focus. The team does come together and becomes and unbeatable High School football team. It’s a team that is different but one that learned to function by practicing teamwork.
1. The team went undefeated in their High School season because of the concept of synergy!
a. Remember this movie is based on a true story!
ii. Today and tomorrow are the NFL playoffs – I am excited that the team I root for the Vikings are in the playoffs – tomorrow.
1. They will face off against the Dallas Cowboys and I want you to know that the team which synergizes the best and the most completely will be the team which wins this playoff game.
2. Vince Lombardi stated, “Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
3. A football team – a church – a Christian organization will only be truly effective as they work together as a team – a synergized team.
a. Individuals do not win football games! Synergized teams do!
b. Individuals are not God’s plan for reaching the world with the Good News. Synergized teams are!
i. Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.” “I add and work together.”
b. Jesus knew that the power – the energy to change this world came from a synergized team of people. This is why he recruited the 12 disciples.
i. When He started his ministry the first thing he did was to start forming his team, the 12 disciples:
1. Matt. 4:18-22: “18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20At once they left their nets and followed him. 21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”
ii. Jesus knew God intimately, and he was directed to use the team to change the world. Today this is still the will and plan of God for the Kingdom of God. The Lord is the coach and He is putting us through training camp so that we can learn to become an unbeatable synergized team.
1. Jones states, "I once had a discussion with a gentleman from another country who said he was envious of Americans' ability to form teams. "When your people want to get something done, they gather a group and assign the tasks. In my country, unfortunately, we do not have it so easy. Many of us cannot even seem to sit down together at the table. We spend years playing King of the mountain, while your people have already figured out how to move it, save it, or make it bigger.”
2. If you want to accomplish anything for the Lord you need to comprehend that you must be a part of the team (The Church – the whole Body of Christ). The next step toward unlocking the door to transformation in a community is found in synergized teamwork.
3. There are many teaching spoken today that God uses super men and women to do his work. They focus on rugged individualism as the key to success in ministry. They promote the lone superman image, the lone ranger image. But if you read the book of Acts you discover it takes a synergized team to build a church and to spread the Kingdom of God.
a. Acts 6:1-7: "The choosing of the seven" Note the team grew bigger, and more effective!
b. Acts 11:19-30: Teamwork in action when Barnabas took Saul under his wing to work together!
c. Acts 12:12-17: Teamwork in prayer when Peter was placed in prison and the believers gathered at John Mark’s mother’s home to pray for a miracle! And it happened!
c. Jesus role modeled how we are to build teams and work in the team concept because that is where the power comes from! The book of Acts verified that God uses synergized teamwork to spread the Gospel.
i. He uses synergized teamwork to unleash and sustain relief efforts to this world.
1. A recent example is all the relief work and rescue work going on in Haiti – today.
a. This disaster necessitated synergized teamwork from the world. One person and one nation could not meet the need required in this nation.
ii. Jesus does this by using different people at different positions on His Dream Team. Some will play Defense, some offense, some will coach, some will be special team players. Some will be ready to get up off the bench and fill in for one who gets injured.
1. Championship teams know the importance of placing the right people in the right position so they can win the game and eventually win the Super Bowl. This takes many people with different shapes, sizes, speed, agility, gifts, abilities and the like. The more diversity a team has on its team the more able they are to win games. If a football team only had large players they would lose because speed would run around them.
2. Maxwell notes, “The (Dream) team members are (ones) willing to pay the price” and “Success comes down to sacrifice-willingness to pay the price” (148).
a. He also adds, “Each member of the team must be willing to sacrifice time and energy to practice and preparation. He must be willing to be held accountable. He must be willing to sacrifice his own desires. He must be willing to give up part of himself for the team’s success. It all comes down to the desire and dedication of the individuals on the team” (148).
3. There are players on each of the teams who played today who are playing hurt and they do this to sacrifice for the team so they can win. Dream team players know how important it is to play even if you are hurt!
iii. Jesus knew that the best team was a team with different types of people. Jesus knew that people contribute their uniqueness to churches and therefore they make it stronger.
1. Each person in the body contains a host of knowledge, insight and experiences to a scenario, a situation.
2. Mike Murdoch makes this observation, " Look at those who surrounded Jesus: A tax collector, a physician, fishermen, a woman who was a prostitute and at one time possessed with seven demons. Some were poor. Some were wealthy. Some were very energetic, while others were passive. Some were explosive like Peter. Others, like James, were logical" (pg. 101).
iv. Jesus also knew that Teams create a vision of something larger than one can see individually: The Great Commission is a team vision cast by Jesus to reach the world for the kingdom, point it's not a one man job!
1. Matt. 28:16-20: “18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
a. Vision is given to the ones who are team players! The Bible does not tell us to go out one by one but two by two (teams).
d. The answer to this question is the following:
i. “No” - That’s why the enemy focus’ so hard on splitting the Community of Jesus Christ apart.
Conclusion:
What types of things keep Christians from synergizing?
Personal preferences in worship, style of service
Legalism which looks at peoples flaws rather than their potential.
Un-forgiveness which refuse to forgive other who are different or make mistakes.
Selfishness which focuses only on self not on others.
Minor doctrinal issues in Scripture
What teaching should the church rally around- what main points should we all agree too?
That salvation comes from Christ alone.
That the Bible is the Word of God.
That we need to live by the Bibles teachings.
Altar challenge: “How can you help to create synergy in the Biblical community?” By being an answer to Jesus’ prayer from John 17.
“The Church (TEAM) does not exist for the member, rather the member exists for the church (TEAM)."
Some of you need to see your potential for making a difference for eternity – You need energized by the Spirit to see your gifts. Some need to come forward tonight for prayer so that the Spirit opens your eyes to your energy potential.
Question – What is your position on God’s Dream Team?
1. Are you gifted in music?
2. Are you gifted in encouraging others?
3. Are you gifted in teaching God’s Word?
4. Are you gifted in filling in for one who is injured or needs a rest?
5. Are you gifted in Coaching?
6. Are you gifted in receiving?
7. Are you gifted in preparing the field to play on like our maintenance team here does?
8. Let me assure you – there is a position you are to fill for God’s Dream Team but are you willing to step into that position and play with all your heart for the Lord. How bad do you want be energized by His Spirit?
Final thought before we pray: Get energized to synergize! Why? Because we are stronger together.
