Sermon Central
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The Perks Of Being Chosen
Contributed by Michael De Rosa on Jan 2, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: to show the church how to allow God’s word to so richly dwell I them that they will relate well with one another, for Christ tells us that if His name is lifted up He will draw all people to himself
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Introduction
One of the greatest experiences we can ever have is to get along with one another.
One of the greatest thoughts we can ever embrace is that God not only wants the same thing but gives us the tools to do it.
Today I want us to explore part of God’s word for us that shows us just what we, by God’s grace and power, are capable of when it comes to fellowship
Illustration
Porcupines are interesting animals. Aren’t they? Getting stuck on you Babe, has an entirely different perspective if we were made like porcupines.
Unfortunately, though we don’t have those quills, we nevertheless have other sharp points, don’t we, and those things can and do hurt.
Purpose
When Christians get together God’s way, than Jesus is lifted up and people will be drawn to Him. This is one of the purposes of the church, and one that we will look at this morning.
1. Looking Good Enduo From The Inside Out
One perk is being able to have access to His wardrobe. My dear friends, the very thing man craves, acceptance, is one of the very purposes of Christian fellowship.
As a child of God, look for the good stuff in your closet: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (v. 12). And if you can’t find any, pick out a different closet, because by rights you got it, Now just put it on! So make up your mind today to Just Say NO! to the power of Evil BECAUSE YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, and go ahead and start Looking Good. Looking Read Good
2. Bearing Anechomai Up Not And Not Caving In
Illustration
When Christina was much younger she looked up at her mother and with great seriousness told her, Mom, I only got one nerve left, and you are standing on it
The idea here,, though, is not along the lines of grin and bear , but along the lines of ‘just let this happen in your life’ as you see how Christ has suffered for you, then bear with your brother and sister. The World does not know how, BUT YOU DO, because you are a child of God. AMEN? AMEN!
3. Letting Go Charizomai But Not Falling Back
Illustration
When my relative went to prison, my family needed to make an important decision. Were we going to shun him for his wrong as other family members did, or would we forgive him and reach out to him. Though it was not easy, we choose to forgive and this allowed us to build a bridge of frienship to him…again.
Forgiving alerts the offender that a wrong has been commited, but it also works on restoring the relationship, and not fall back to anger.
This is another perk, my dear Christian friend as a child of God. So while you are putting on those new duds of Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, consider how God in Christ went out of his way to restore you….and show it to that brother or sister that just really messed up.
4. Gift Wrapping Sundesmos In Love Without Falling Head Over Heels
Illustration
A minister was speaking to the Sunday school about the things money can’t buy. “It can’t buy laughter and it can’t buy love” he told them.
Driving his point home he said, “What would you do if I offered you $1,000 not to love your mother and father?” Stunned silence ensued. Finally a small voice queried, “How much would you give me not to love my big sister?”
Isn’t it true that it is easier to love some people than others. Imagine though what kind of fellowship we would have if God actually allowed us to pick and choose: We might need something akin to one of those metal detectors, but it would be a love detector. And each Sunday, you and I would have to walk through it, and if it beeped, we would just ask our Greeter, Bernie, to show you the door telling you to try again, next Sunday.
What do you think? Would it catch on? We are in process, my dear friends, and it is during this time that BECAUSE we are His children that one of our perks, per se, is to be able to love one another unconditionally, and in doing that to show to one another just a little bit more of what Heaven is all about.
5. Letting His Peace Direct Without Going To Pieces
Didn’t Christ say ‘Peace I leave with you, not as the world gives’ (John 14:27). Yet, too often, though we know He left Peace, WE misplaced it, and instead of allowing room for peace in the midst of the storm, we allow the stress to push out the peace.
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