TITLE: GOD’S PLAN FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
No two people are just alike…
Shortly after I met my wife I went to visit her family in Nebraska. It was a long drive and I was tired. I sat down on their sofa in an empty living room, when all of a sudden 4 eyes appeared around a corner and two 7 year old boys emerged. Identical twins stood in front of me, blond hair, blue eyes, and squeaky voices…You know what they said…. in unison…So, are you going to marry our sister????
I watched those boys grow up and though they were identical at first appearance I soon discovered that they were complete opposites.
Everyone possesses his or her own unique desires, attitudes, and abilities.
WE ARE INDIVIDUALS…
The world knows this and emphasizes it.
· Hot dogs - what kind of kids eat armor hot dogs, fat kid’s, skinny kids, kids that climb on rocks, tuff kids, sissy kid’s, even kids with chicken pox
· Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders won’t upset us, all we ask is that you let us serve it your way….
Why does the world emphasize meeting the needs of everyone.
Because you are an individual…And if they could not meet your needs they could not make any money…
Advertising giants aren’t the only ones focusing on our individuality…
Virtually every aspect of modern thought is consumed with individuality.
Legislation that secures the rights of the individual above all else is now most common,
Judicial rulings increasingly use the same standard as their ultimate aim…placing the needs, desires, hopes, and dreams of the individual as the centerpiece of modern society.
What about the church? On any given Sunday the sanctuary is peppered with new faces
Each coming from his or her own unique background, and facing unique challenges
Each one is here seeking a solution for a wide variety of needs
For some unless those needs are met they move on…Why? Because they did not feel like their individual needs were met. GOD DESIRES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL….
Why because God care about individuals
Psalm 8:3-4 "When I consider your heavens..., the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him…"
God Cares about you and me…
What is GOD’S PLAN FOR THE INDIVIDUAL?
I. They would be saved
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God is not willing that any should perish
Though he ministered to great crowds
Jesus demonstrated his love for the individual and took special care to minister to people personally
And then display that example for us
A. ZACCHAEUS Luke 19:1-10
Jesus was passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus a wealthy tax collector wanted to see Jesus but he was to short to see over the crowds and he climbed a tree to see Jesus
Vs 5 "When Jesus reached the Spot he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately, I must stay at your house today."
So Zacchaeus came down and welcomed Jesus in Gladly
He then gave half his possessions to the poor and promised to pay pack anyone he had cheated 4X
Jesus Said, "Today Salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost."
Put yourself in the place of Zacchaeus for a minute. He had a hearts desire to see Jesus.
But Jesus wanted to see Zacchaeus also.
God knows the needs of your life and the desires of your heart
You may want him to do something about it
Guess what, he wants to do something also
The Next example is the Samaritan Women who unlike Zacchaeus was not looking for Jesus in Fact she was hoping no one would see her at all.
B. SAMARITAN WOMAN
John 4
Jesus went through Samaria, and sat down by a well at noon, which is the hottest part of the day.
The disciples had gone to get food
This Samaritan woman came at the same time to draw water, and Jesus asked for a drink. She reminded Jesus that Jews do not associate with Samaritans.
To which Jesus replied "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.
Living Water = Salvation "The Water of Life"
The Samaritan woman starts looking at the well and asks about this living water as though it were in the hole.
VS 13 "Jesus answered, everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him springs of water welling up to eternal life.
She responds - "Give me the water"
He says, "Go call your husband."
She replies, "I have none"
To which Jesus says, "True you have had 5 and the man you are living with now is not your husband."
She replies, "Sir, I can see you are a prophet."
He then explains to her that OT worship will pass away and now those who come to God and dedicate themselves to God must worship God (Not on a mountain or temple) But in Spirit.
VS 25 The woman said, I Know that Messiah called Christ is coming, when he comes, he will explain everything to us;’
Then Jesus declared "I who speak to you am he."
Why does God take so much care to minister to the individual?
Look at Verse 27 Vs 31 Vs 36 Even now the reaper draws his wages ’
Jesus was overjoyed at the opportunity to lead one little one to salvation
The result of course was not just one - VS 39-42
God intervenes in the life of the individual and lets them know that
Their sins are not so great, He will forgive them…
God’s plan for the individual is that they would be saved Because God Cares for you
Secondly, God’s plan for the individual is
II. THAT THEY WOULD BECOME PART OF THE GROUP - THE GROUP WE CALL THE BODY
Groups have interesting dynamics
They tend to settle toward uniformity
· People cluster around their physical similarities · Shared ideas · The things they have in common
In a crowd the individual will often lay aside their identity that makes them unique in order to melt into the masses around them,.
The Body of Christ is different from a crowd at a football game or a group of people in a meeting
1. Cor. 12:12-14 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but many.
The Body is unique
THE BODY IS A FELLOWSHIP OF INDIVIDUALS OCCURRING AND ORCHESTRATED UNDER THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST…
IN THE BODY THE CREATION IS JOINED WITH THE CREATOR 2 Cor. 5:17 "if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation
In Him we are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His spirit (Ephesians 2:22)
We are united with Christ…
IN THE BODY MORTALITY TASTES IMMORTALITY Romans 2:7 "To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life."
We have a taste of heaven
IN THE BODY REDEEMED SINNERS HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE SINLESS REDEEMER. Philippians 3:10, I want to know Christ and the power of resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in His death.
We can know our God
IN THE BODY YOU HAVE A PLACE IN THE LOCAL CHURCH The Bible says, I Cor. 12:18 "But God in Fact has arranged the parts in the Body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be."
We can know one another
THE BODY IS WHERE WE BECOME MORE LIKE JESUS OUR LORD. -Evangelist Dan Bernard
Remember putting your face above a headless frame painted to represent a muscle man, a clown, or even a bathing beauty? Many of us have had our pictures taken this way, and the photos are humorous because the head doesn’t fit the body. If we could picture Christ as the head of our local body of believers, would the world laugh at the misfit? Or would they stand in awe of a human body so closely related to a divine head? THE BODY -IS A COMMUNITY WHERE OUR INDIVIDUALITY IS CELEBRATED (IT’S IMPORTANT)
and our differences are what make us function as a beautiful orchestra
At a meeting of the American Psychological Association, Jack Lipton, a psychologist at Union College, and R. Scott Builione, a graduate student at Columbia University, presented their findings on how members of the various sections of 11 major symphony orchestra perceived each other.
The percussionists were viewed as insensitive, unintelligent, and hard-of-hearing, yet fun-loving.
String players were seen as arrogant, stuffy, and unathletic.
The orchestra members overwhelmingly chose "loud" as the primary adjective to describe the brass players.
Woodwind players seemed to be held in the highest esteem, described as quiet and meticulous, though a bit egotistical.
With such widely divergent personalities and perceptions, how could an orchestra ever come together to make such wonderful music?
The answer is simple: regardless of how those musicians view each other, they subordinate their feelings and biases to the leadership of the conductor. Under his guidance, they play beautiful music.
In the Body Our conductor is Jesus He is the one that Makes the Body function
I Cor. 8:6 Says "for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
Conclusion:
You are an Individual
And God wants to meet you right where you are
You are an Individual
Your gifts and talents are important
You are an individual
That does not stand in the way of God’s purposes
For he intends that each of us would be able to use our individuality for His Glory in His Body.
His plan is that the individual would be set free and saved from sin His plan is that the individual would be set apart in the BODY as a part of the whole.
God Cares for the individual.
He cares for you
