Excerpt from tomorrows sermon:
Acts 2:42-47
How many of you remember the song "We are Family"?
The question is what does a real model family look like?
Today's society, dysfunctional families are the norm, not the exception. There are families with absent parents, single parents, step-parents.
There are even "families" with 2 dads or 2 moms. Is it any wonder our society is in such deep trouble when the family unit is breaking down at such a rapid pace?
Loneliness is so prevalent today that people are paying for others to sit and listen to them!
30% of Americans say that they have experienced long periods of painful loneliness.
70% of Americans don't know their neighbors.
Internet chat rooms are booming.
But where is the family in all of this? Where is the togetherness?
...This Church is a family, not a building. We're the family of God that happens to meets in the Siuslaw Valley. And together, we can do so much more than separately.
When we function as a body, a family, we are able to make a huge difference in each others lives and the community.
Illus. When geese fly, they fly together in a V shape in order to help each other. It creates an upward thrust that helps the bird behind. In fact, scientists have discovered that the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
When we are together, we can do so much more than when we're alone. We get where we're going on each other's effort. Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone.
When we fall out of formation with God's family, we also feel the resistance pull us away from our fellowship with Christ.
D.L. Moody once called on a leading citizen in Chicago to persuade him to accept Christ. They were seated in the man's parlor.
It was winter and coal was burning in the fireplace. The man argued that he could be just as good a Christian outside the church as in it.
Moody said nothing, but stepped to the fireplace, took the tongs, picked a blazing coal from the fire and set it off by itself. In silence the two watched it smolder and go out. "I see," said the man.
Acts 2:42-47
How many of you remember the song "We are Family"?
The question is what does a real model family look like?
Today's society, dysfunctional families are the norm, not the exception. There are families with absent parents, single parents, step-parents.
There are even "families" with 2 dads or 2 moms. Is it any wonder our society is in such deep trouble when the family unit is breaking down at such a rapid pace?
Loneliness is so prevalent today that people are paying for others to sit and listen to them!
30% of Americans say that they have experienced long periods of painful loneliness.
70% of Americans don't know their neighbors.
Internet chat rooms are booming.
But where is the family in all of this? Where is the togetherness?
...This Church is a family, not a building. We're the family of God that happens to meets in the Siuslaw Valley. And together, we can do so much more than separately.
When we function as a body, a family, we are able to make a huge difference in each others lives and the community.
Illus. When geese fly, they fly together in a V shape in order to help each other. It creates an upward thrust that helps the bird behind. In fact, scientists have discovered that the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
When we are together, we can do so much more than when we're alone. We get where we're going on each other's effort. Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone.
When we fall out of formation with God's family, we also feel the resistance pull us away from our fellowship with Christ.
D.L. Moody once called on a leading citizen in Chicago to persuade him to accept Christ. They were seated in the man's parlor.
It was winter and coal was burning in the fireplace. The man argued that he could be just as good a Christian outside the church as in it.
Moody said nothing, but stepped to the fireplace, took the tongs, picked a blazing coal from the fire and set it off by itself. In silence the two watched it smolder and go out. "I see," said the man.
No comments:
Post a Comment