Sermonette - April 16, 2018

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

A couple of weeks ago I was putting together a puzzle with one of my daughters. When we were finished, we noticed something— there was a piece missing. At our home this is a regular occurrence and very rarely to do we put together a puzzle that has all of the pieces. I am sure random puzzle pieces can be found in the toy box, or perhaps inside the vacuum. Regardless of where the piece is, something was missing and the puzzle will never be complete without it.

Each piece belongs, and in fact, it was designed to fit in a particular spot. That one piece was a part of something greater than itself. It was part of a picture. When all of the pieces come together, as they were designed to, it displays this marvelous scene. In comparison, the church and the people within are very much the same.

We are not called to just show up on a Sunday morning to be part of to a box of random pieces (church), but rather we exist to connect with one another. The church, when it connects with itself, is one of the greatest demonstrations of God’s love to the world—it demonstrates a beautiful picture of grace. This connection happens when we realize two things: 1. We need one another. 2. Others need us.

In the English language, “one another” is two words. However, in Greek those same two words are one word ἀλλήλων (ah-LAY-loan). It is used 100 times in 94 New Testament verses. Think about this, “one another” can never be accomplished alone. “One another” can only be lived out if you choose to connect with people. Sometimes the first step in connecting with others is realizing our self-reliant approach to life, or overcoming the hurts that have happened to us when we’ve tried to connect in the past. If you are not connected, what do you presume to be the obstacle in your life?