Audio

7 year old girl taken to the hospital in a coma after spending 20 minutes at the bottom of swimming pool.  All the test indicated that death was imminent and the doctors said there was little they could do.  So when the little girl survived the doctor was amazed but more extraordinary still was the girl was able in accurate detail to describe the emergency room and what happened. One of the doctors began a study on children who had near death experiences at the Children’s Hospital in Seattle. While he could not determine what caused these experiences he was able to document that something strange – beyond explanation - was happening.

“At times, it seems as if the universe itself is preventing him from finding the answers he seeks.  ‘I tell you there’s a mind at work here,’ he says, ‘One that is perversely skewed toward keeping us from ever proving its existence.”

Matthew 18:19-20 “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

God designed you to live in His Presence.

God desires you to live in His Presence.

Stages of development – the garden, the nation of Israel, Christ, the church, Revelation

The idea of God’s continued presence was a new idea.  O.T. much of their faith was acted out because of fear or duty.

The presence of God a new idea to those outside of the church.

Abraham the only one in the Old Testament called the “friend of God”  John 15:   “I no longer call you servants, but friends.”

He created the church for relationship - I John 1:3  We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

The Power of Small Groups.  But Jesus is with me when I’m alone – of course, but he is uniquely present when I am in fellowship with others.

When we gather in the name of Jesus.

Covalent vs. Ionic bonding

The experience of belonging –

            Tumbleweeds vs. vines

10 people committed will make far more impact than a 1,000 uncommitted.

The joy of acceptance – I Peter 4:8

Strength of support – Acts 14:20  “the disciples gathered around him”

The priority it brings to commitment and discipline “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also”

Life giving-relationships.

John 14:16,17  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—  ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Three metaphors

            Family – belonging/identity

 Being a Christian is more than believing, it involves belonging.

            Body – I Cor 12; Eph. 4; Romans 12 – function/purpose

Not independent, not dependent.   Interdependent – in giving I receive.

            Building - I Peter – God’s dwelling

Some good groups/Sunday school record attendance

Groups that want to start

            Young adults

            Singles

            Blended Family

Functioning well, accomplishing their purposes (encourage the ones that are meeting)

Personal Growth

Outreach

Ministry

Come because they like the pastor/music/location.   Stay because of relationships. 

How do you know when someone has really become a part of the body.  Scribbled down in the inside cover of their phone book are the names of at least a half a dozen people they can contact.

God created us for relationship. 

John 17:20  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.

I am not going to be able to know everyone who attends here.  Most people can know about 60 people.  On an intimate level if you are like most people, you know about 8-10 people.

We’ve expanded the sanctuary – not just to go to less services, but to reach more people. We want to see this become a place where people grow and are brought to wholeness. But to be effective we also have to become smaller – meet together in small groups. The large group is a great time of celebration, worship, inspiration, but small groups are where life giving relationships are built.

Visiting with Mabel Lang. 99 years old, no longer responding. She responded to the Scriptures and to the songs, it wasn’t me, but the presence. There was the presence of the Lord.

The presence of Jesus makes the difference.

            If you were here our brother wouldn’t have died.

            The power of the Lord was presence to heal.

Acts 4: ¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

            From mundane to powerful, ordinary to extraordinary.

We’ve have elevated them to sainthood, but they were ordinary people.  People who struggled and at times failed,

A handful of ordinary people

            His presence could not be kept a secret.

Seek Him with all our hearts.

To know God and become like Him and to help others know Him.

I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

James 5:16 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”  We are forgiven because we confess to God, we are healed because we are in authentic, transparent relationships with other believers.

It is this passage and others that form the foundation for prayer time. Two or three agree. Can’t I just pray at home? Yes, you should pray at home, but when we join together Christ is uniquely present (Is there more power?)