Connected

Good morning! Are there any visitors with us this morning? Where are you from? Could I have a

show of hands what churches are represented here this morning? Any one from Celebration

Church? Church of Christ, Fertile Lutheran, any others? With all the different variables of

schedules and responsibilities that pull us apart- what are the chances that all of us happened to

show up here together this morning?

virtually anyone – anywhere. We text, e-mail, post on Facebook and Twitter and a host of other

social media, and yet we still seem to be just as disconnected if not more.

Some have hoped that the answer is to become better educated and gain more information about

issues and others so that we would be able to understanding each other more- and that would

bring the world together. But ironically, the more information we get and the speed at which it is

shared, information seems to have had the opposite effect. The more information about people’s

opinions and stands on social issues and religion have divided us even more than mountains or

oceans ever did in the past.

Even those of us who follow Jesus- have allowed traditions and ways of worship to separate us.

And yet God created us to be connected- to be in close fellowship- to be connected with himself

Dr. Henry Cloud- wrote a book called: “The Power of The Other”, and in it he boils a

complicated issue down to something more manageable. He talks about four choices mankind

has.

The first is to simply choose to be disconnected from everyone and go through life isolated from

everyone- both from God and others. Isolation not only chooses to not connect with anyone, but

is an attempt to hide their hearts from others. As a result, there is no giving or receiving- no

dependence on anyone. Isolation attempts to avoid ever having to be vulnerable to anyone with

the idea that at least they will not be hurt– but in the process, they miss the experience of a rich,

full life that God intends us to have through being connected.

What would drive anyone to choose an isolated life? There are any reasons-fear of rejection- fear

of what others might think of you- fear of not measuring up to someone’s standards or even your

self-imposed standards- and unresolved hurts and grudges held.

Then there is choice number two- that of seeking out any relationship- even if that means

choosing a relationship that is not healthy- a relationship that makes you feel inferior, bad or not

good enough and that there must be something wrong with you. It is a lie of course, and with any

There maybe people involved, but bottom line, it is all about things. We call the obsession of

wrong reasons. And the common denominator of all those things is that they may make you feel

good and important for the moment, but they do not last, nor do they bring us together but rather

tear relationships apart- alienating and dividing us even more.

What is it that divides us? The bible says that the reason for being unconnected, divided,

separated, is because of sin. Listen to what James says in chapter 5:1-3. “What is causing the

quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it the whole army of evil desires at war within you” You

want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others have,

and you can’t possess it, so you fight and quarrel and take it away from them. And yet the reason

you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it, and even when you do ask, you

don’t get it because your whole motive is wrong- you want only what will give you pleasure.”

To repent means to turn around- to change goals in life. Sincere people may implement a plan to

become more disciplined, more obedient to do what is right, vowing to put forth more effort on

their part- to serve more and sacrifice more- even try to pray harder and strive to get more faith-

hasn’t changed, it is doomed to fail if the whole plan depends on our own effort- our own

strength, our own success.

The apostle Paul was once relied on his own strengths and abilities- but met Jesus Christ on the

road to Damascus-and he had been set free and could now confess that he was weak- but when

he was weak- then he was strong- because it was when he admitted that he needed help- that he

needed a savior- that is when he sought the Lord- and others- and that was when he was able to

get through things. Not by his strength- but by God’s. It is in surrender to God- confessing our

sins-and trusting and believing in what God has said in His word.

Think about gravity for a moment. It keeps us in the seats you are sitting on- and enables you to

walk. Gravity is a strong force and holds us firmly in it’s grip and that is a good thing. For a

rocket to leave the pull of earth’s gravity, it takes great force and effort. They tell me that the

amount of force and the speed that it takes to leave the pull of the earth’s gravity called “escape

by exerting great will power and force. But- ironically, it is not in doing- but in resting that sets

already done for us- finished in full once and for all by God’s own son, Jesus Christ on the cross

and the empty tomb.

The good news of the gospel is that God so loved the world that he gave his only son- that

whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We are saved by grace, not

works. It is a gift of God- and nothing we have or can do can save ourselves, lest anyone should

boast it was their own doing. It is in surrender to God that brings us close to God. “Humble

yourselves before God” James wrote- “draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

That means surrendering your strengths and will power and pride to God and trust Him. To be

connected with God means being willing to be real- to take our masks off that we hide behind-

and confess our sins and desire to draw close to God.