Sermon - You Belong to God
I Corinthians 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, 20 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.
The Beauty of Belonging to God and what it means to belong to God. We have been created by God, selected by God, and accepted by God. Because I belong to God by His choice, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. He chose my race, my giftedness, and my looks! He thinks I am great the way I am and have all I need to fulfil my 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 joy and trouble of life. It is the desire for connection. That’s why relationships are so 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 pain is relational pain we experience of loss, rejection and loneliness.
We are wired for connection. That’s why belonging to God, our people group 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.
1. You are in a Relationship with God that is Restorative.
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 believers His “people” or His “children.”
Some believers who have known God or walked with God for a long time, may not feel close to him. Many people know about God, but don’t feel known or know God in a personal and intimate way. With an understanding that we are connected to God opens the door to a life-giving and joyful connected and reciprocal relationship. When this type of relationship is formed, it is truly transformational.
2. Your Relationship with God is Transformational.
Your relationship with God, more than any other has the power to transform. The reason for this is that God is perfect, and he is always present. This is not true of others. Even the most faithful connection, or the most well-intentioned friend, will sometimes fail, disappoint or be unavailable to us. The truth about God is that he is the most secure connection we can possibly have. That does not mean we don’t need human relationship, but human connection without a lifeline to God will cause us to put too much reliance on others. We will expect our family and friends to be something for us that they can never be…because they weren’t meant to fulfill this role. There is truly a void in all of us if we don’t have this spiritual bond.
When we interact with God, we stimulate the portion of our brains enabling us to experience the feeling that we are known, understood, loved, and accepted. Then we care assured that we are not alone. This is how our joyful bond with God grows, and we become secure in our identity in Him. If we truly understand the character of God, that he is good, always available for connection and truly wants to be with us, we will be comforted in our grieving. We will also be hopeful no matter the circumstance and peaceful in all situations.
So, to belong to God is to feel at home. 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. The joy of knowing you are loved and accepted just as you are, and you are enjoyed just because you exist, is not only restorative but also transformative.
3. Your Relationship with God Increases Our Value.
You are somebody special because you belong to God. “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, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body.
The Bible says that you’ve been purchased with a price. The blood of Jesus paid the full penalty for your sin and allows God to have you as His own. You Are God's Treasure. Never forget that you’re God’s treasure. He loves you and wants to be with you. The Bible reveals God as the perfect father, husband, friend, shepherd, and savior. You are God’s own possession designed to give glory to God. But how?
How can we give glory to “the King of glory” (Ps. 24:8)? Glory belongs to God (John 17:5; Acts 7:55). God reveals His glory (Ex 24:17; 40:34; Ps. 19:1). We can observe His glory (John 1:14). But how do we give Him glory? To glorify God is not to bestow glory on God or add to His glory, but to recognize and acknowledge His glory. We glorify God by recognizing who God really is and to respond appropriately. We have within us the ability to Glorify God: 1. Praise Him with your lips. 2. Obey His Word. 3. Pray in Jesus’ name. 4. Produce spiritual fruit in our lives. 5. Remain sexual pure. 6. Seek the good of others. 7. Give generously. 8. Live honorably among unbelievers. 9. Be faithful when persecuted. 10. Face future and even death with faith and confidence. It’s all in our treasure chest. You are valuable and fully loaded.
You belong to God, you really do. Because of that relationship you are being transformed. You are loved, accepted, secure and at home in Him. Your relationship with God increases you value. You are somebody special because you belong to God. You are valuable and fully equipped to glorify God.
