ReUnited In Love

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning,  9:30am Stream

06/12/22 (2nd Sunday Message)

 

{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}

 

Today’s Title:

ReUnited In Love

 

Today is a special service.

 

Bishop wanted a day where we could all come together.

 

If you are a current member of GLC…welcome!

 

If you were a former member of GLC…welcome back!

 

I’m thankful you decided to join us today.

 

So when it came to the idea of a “reunion service,”

 

It make me think of people coming back together again.

 

“Re-uniting”

 

There is something special about that.

 

Something special God loves.

 

Because we all have a purpose.

 

And we are more powerful together.

 

1 Corinthians 12:27

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

 

We are individuals.

 

We have names.

 

We have identities.

 

But we also have a role and purpose in the Body of Christ.

 

1 Corinthians 12:12

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

 

The body is a unit.

 

Made up of many parts.

 

My son likes cars and trucks and especially firetrucks.

 

He asks questions of the different parts of cars.

 

Things we may not think about.

 

Example of a car:

 

Tires

 - Hold up the car and allow it to move.

 

Body

 - Gives the car its looks and protects the insides.

 

Brakes

 - Helps to regulate the speed of the car.

 

Engine

 - Makes the car move on it’s own power.

 

Windshield

 - There to help protect the driver and allow them to see at the same time.

 

All of these are parts…

 

But this is all considered a car.

 

If you buy a car.

 

You expect it to have an engine.

 

Why?

 

Because these parts are necessary for the function of the car.

 

If the engine doesn’t work…the car is hard to move.

 

If the brakes don’t work…the car is hard to stop.

 

It’s approaching the summer…

 

What if your AC doesn’t work?

 

So every car part has a purpose.

 

The car can operate without some things…

 

But the car works best when ALL parts work like they should.

 

This is how it works in the Body of Christ.

 

It can work when all the parts aren’t functioning…

 

but it works BEST when all the parts work correctly!

 

YOU are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.

 

God tells us that all of this is for him.

 

Colossians 1:16

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

 

ALL THINGS were created BY him…

 

 You were created by God.

 

ALL THINGS were created FOR him.

 

{repeat:}

“I Was Created By God!”

 

God created me to be part of his body.

 

The word says that EACH of you is part of the body of christ.

 

If you are a part…then you have a function.

 

You have a reason to exist.

 

You have a purpose!

{repeat:}

“God Gave Me A Reason To Be Here!”

 

We can live in a world where we can be made to feel worthless.

 

But true value comes from the one who created it.

 

We were created by GOD.

 

FOR Him!

 

We are ALL a part of the Body of Christ.

 

If you’re new here…

 

 If you’ve been here from the beginning.

 

 If you haven’t been here in years.

 

 If you haven’t been to church in years.

 

We are all a part of the SAME body!

 

We ALL work for the benefit of the whole body!

 

1 Corinthians 12:14-20

14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 

 

All parts belong to the body.

 

If you are a foot…there’s nothing wrong with that.

 

Your function is the support of the body!

 

God Made You Unique And Important!

 

God has a plan for you.

 

God has a purpose for you.

 

If you attend church every Sunday.

 

If you haven’t been to church in years…

 

God had a plan for you before you got here.

 

Jeremiah 1:5

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

 

If God knew Jeremiah before he was formed…

 

If he already had a plan for Jeremiah before he got here.

 

Don’t you know God had a plan for you also?

 

1 Corinthians 12:18

 God arranged the parts where he wanted them to be.

 

God created each of us with or own purpose.

 

We EACH have a role of importance.

 

THIS is why it is important we love each other.

 

This is why if there has been hurt in the past we say apologies and forgive.

 

Because we are needed.

 

We Need Each Other!

 

You are important!

 

Psalm 133:1-3

1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.  For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. 

 

The Lord bestows his blessing where people dwell in unity.

 

This is what the Lord wants.

 

Regardless to where we’ve been.

 

Many of us may be doing very well in life right now.

 

Many of us might be in desperate need of God to work some miracles in our lives.

 

Scripture says if the body can be unified…

 

That’s where the blessing comes.

 

Blessings Come When We Live In Unity!

 

God’s design was that we would live in unity.

 

That we would live to help one another.

 

Not just in life…but to encourage one another.

 

Galatians 6:2

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

 

We Need One Another!

 

God didn’t place us here to go through life alone.

 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

 

2 are better because they can help one another.

 

3 strands aren’t easily broken.

 

What can 4 do?

 

You might have one person who can pray for you.

 

What happens when you have 3 people praying for you?

 

What happens when you have an entire church of people praying for you??

 

This is why love is so important.

 

Galatians 5:14

14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

 

We are each others neighbor.

 

We are each others brother and sister.

 

If you’ve been here a while you already know:

 

 Decades ago…Bishop wrote a song.

 

We are family.

 

I love you and you love me.

 

We are family and that’s the way God wants it to be.

 

Where Ever You Are,

Whatever You’re Doing,

You’ll Be Family Here At GLC,

Because That’s The Way God Designed It!