The Domino Effect

The Domino Effect

How You Can Make A Difference Through Connections

11/19/03

I. Introduction

On Monday, August 18th, 2003, a 24-year-old woman from China tipped over 303,621 dominos, breaking a long-standing record for the world’s longest solo domino topple. Beijing-born Ma Lihua broke a 19-year-old record set by Germany’s Klaus Friedrich, who set up and toppled 281,581 dominoes.

“There was a time when I was not feeling well but I had a goal to achieve so I continued to persevere,” said Ma, who calls herself a “dominologist.” Ma said she put in 13-hour days for nearly seven weeks to lay out the dominos.

Bugs and rats meddled with her work. In one instance, a bug knocked over 10,000 tiles. Organizers spread pungent leaves from a local tree — thought to repel insects — around the Singapore Expo hall where Ma staged the record attempt. They also laid down rat traps. It took just over four minutes to knock down the series of white, red and yellow tiles that revealed the words “World Record” and images of electrical appliances.

How exactly does a domino topple work?

You see, it begins with one domino falling over to impact another domino which falls over to impact another and so on and so forth until all the dominoes have toppled over.

The domino effect, in essence, begins with one domino, who impacts another. And that domino impacts another, so that the original domino not only impacts one other domino, but it impacts ALL of the other dominoes.

And tonight, we’re talking about “How You Can Make a Difference Through Connections.” We’ve spent the past few weeks talking about how to make connections, and how to continue the connection, but it’s also important to know WHY we’re doing it. Why put all this effort into making a connection with somebody?

You may think, “I’ve got enough friends, I don’t need anymore.” Or “I’m happy with where I’m at, I don’t feel like connecting with anybody.” “What’s the point in making a connection?”

Well, we’re going to show you the point and the impact that you can have if you’re willing to do this thing called connecting.

II. Domino Disciples

Matthew 9:9-12 “9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?’

12On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ’I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”

Jesus Christ knew the power of connections. In fact, he chose twelve men to connect with. And in turn, those men were to connect with others. Who, in turn, were to connect with others, and the domino effect began with one man, Jesus, and the disciples began to domino.

A legend recounts the return of Jesus to heaven after his time on earth. He returned bearing the marks of his earthly pilgrimage with its cruel cross and shameful death.

The angel Gabriel approached him and said, “Master, you must have suffered terribly for people down there.”

“I did,” said Jesus.

“And,” continued Gabriel, “do they now know all about how you loved them and what you did for them?”

“Oh, no,” said Jesus. “Not yet. Right now, only a handful of people in Palestine know.”

Gabriel was perplexed. “Then what have you done,” he asked, “to let all people know about your love for them?”

“Well, I’ve asked Peter, James, John, and a few others to tell people about me. Those who are told will in turn tell others, and the Gospel will be spread to the farthest reaches of the globe. Ultimately, all of humankind will hear about me and what I have done on their behalf.”

Gabriel frowned and looked skeptical. He knew that people weren’t dependable. “Yes,” he said, “but what if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? And what if, way down in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, people get too busy to bother telling others about you? Haven’t you made any other plans?”

“No, I’ve made no other plans, Gabriel,” Jesus answered. “I’m counting on them.”

Matthew 28:18-20 “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.’”