Bible Text: Matthew 18:19-20 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: Stewardship
Matthew 18:19-20 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
One of the great battles of the 21st century, in the midst of amazing technology and electronic connection is this huge relational contradiction:
LONELINESS!
We expect more from technology and less from one another. Our technology provides us with the illusion of companionship without the demands of relationship.
Always-on/always-on-you devices provide three powerful fantasies:
we will always be heard and available
we can choose where to put our attention
we never have to be alone
By becoming good stewards of our community we know:
No one has to be alone
Together with the Lord we find grace & strength
One of places we can find God is in a community of other Believers
The truth is that people, marriages and families do better in a community environment
Romans 12:5…so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.
1 Corinthians 12:27 Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.
We need to learn how to get along with each other!
1 Corinthians 1:10 I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common (The Message).
Acceptance is the environment that helps people to grow
Hope is an anchor for the human soul
An anchor is secure and immovable when anchored in the Lord as a ship’s anchor holds firmly to the sea floor
The need to belong is a powerful force in most people
Hebrews 6:17-20
What does acceptance mean?
Acceptance is not approval
John 8:1-11 …When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman…Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you? No, Lord, she said. And Jesus said, Neither do I. Go and sin no more.
Affirmation is encouraging, building up each other
1 Thessalonians 5:11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
Sharing in the struggle together
Philippians 3:10 …that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…
We can help each other stay healthy
Ephesians 4:14 Under Christ’s direction, the whole body, that means the church, is fitted together, and each part helps the other parts, so that the whole body, that’s the church, is healthy and growing and full of love.