Partnering With Others

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Partnering With Others</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id357.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How To Deal With Destructive Habits"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="21"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>"Partnering With Others For Personal Growth" </B></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, February 23, 2003am</B></div> <bR> <div>      "People came early one Christmas Eve for the 11pm service at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York City. Among them was a recovering alcoholic, six months sober, who slipped into the eleventh row. This was his first Christmas since having lost his family. A family of four sat down two rows in front of him. Seeing them together was crushing. He decided he couldn't handle it -- he had to have a drink.    As he moved from the sanctuary to the foyer, he ran into Pastor Thomas Tewell. "Jim, where are you going?" the pastor asked. "Oh, I'm just going out for a Scotch," Jim replied. "Jim, you can't do that," the pastor responded. He knew that Jim was a recovering alcoholic. "Is your sponsor available?" Jim replied, "It's Christmas Eve. My sponsor is in Minnesota. There's nobody who can help me. I just came tonight for a word of hope, and I ended up sitting behind this family. If I had my life together, I'd be here with my wife and kids too." Pastor Tewell took Jim into the vestry to talk with a couple of other pastors. Then he slipped into the auditorium, having no idea what to do. He whispered a prayer: "O God, could you give me a word of hope for Jim?" He welcomed everyone and told them about the church. Then he said, "I have one final announcement. If anyone here tonight is a friend of Bill Wilson - and if you are, you'll know it [i.e., if anyone knows what he stands for] - could you step out for a moment and meet me in the vestry?" Bill Wilson, better known as Bill W., is a co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.  From all over the sanctuary, women, men, and college students arose and made their way out" (from Thomas Tewell, The Communicator's Companion).</div> <div>      The strength of a program like AA is people helping people. They teach that if you want to recover from an addiction to alcohol, you can't do it on your own. They have used a truth that comes out of the Bible and applied it to an addiction. But we must recover this truth for the people of God, so we can grow spiritually - together. Have you ever noticed that the best musicians, the best athletes, the best leaders are always learning from others? They have teachers, coaches and mentors to help them develop further. In the Christian walk, we must always work together and learn from each other, so we can continue to pursue spiritual growth. I trust that as a result of this series so far you have committed to growing spiritually, to dealing with sinful habits in your life. You must remember that you cannot do it on your own.</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. For spiritual growth, you need other believers and other believers need you.</B></div> <div> A. <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Rom+13:8-14" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Romans 13:8-14</U></A></div> <div>      Paul gives a sense of urgency regarding love and spiritual growth. Consider a basketball team. The game clock is winding down and the team needs to score. It is a time for urgency and focus and teamwork. We must not neglect the ongoing obligation to love one another (vs. 8), because love is the fulfillment of the Law's commands regarding relationships (vss. 9-10). We must love each other with an understanding of the times, with a sense of urgency (vs. 11). We must cast off spiritual and relational sleepiness and put aside the deeds of darkness (vs. 12). We must behave properly, not engaging in sinful actions (vs. 13). We are to put on Christ and not look for ways to gratify the desires of the flesh (vs. 14). The times demand that we are urgent about cultivating relationships with others and growing spiritually.</div> <div> B. <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=1Pet+4:7-11" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>1 Peter 4:7-11</U></A></div> <div>      Peter gives a sense of urgency because the end is near and the church is suffering (vs. 7). Above everything else,  we are to love each other deeply (vs. 8), to be hospitable (vs. 9) and to serve one another (vs. 10-11). Don't wait for a crisis to experience this kind of relational connection with others in the body of Christ. We need each other.</div> <div> C. <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Col+3:11-17" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Colossians 3:11-17</U></A></div> <div>      You cannot grow spiritually apart from relationship, both in the sense of <I>getting help</I>, as well as in the sense of <I>practicing spirituality</I>. You need spiritual interaction with others to be fully developed spiritually, and you will not be fully developed spirituality until you can practice the principles of good relationships with others. These verses give us some guidelines for good relationships. Note that our relationship comes from the unity we share in Christ, regardless of cultural, ethnic, social, economic differences (vs. 11).</div> <div>      We are to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (vs. 12). We are to put up with each other (forbear) and forgive each other (vs. 13). We are to practice love, which brings things together in harmony (vs. 14). We must let the peace of Christ be the decisive factor in group dynamics and decision-making.  We are to pursue peace, being flexible and willing to yield (vs. 15). We must let the word of Christ dwell in us abundantly. This is, for the most part, a community experience (vs. 16). It is not merely studying the word on my own, but learning the word in relationship with other believers. We are to teach and instruct <I>one another</I>. As a result, we can do and say everything in the name of Jesus with thanksgiving (vs. 17).</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. How to get involved in and make the most of genuine Christian community:</B></div> <div> A. Practice the principles of good relationships.</div> <div>      Serve others. Act in love. Be interested in others. Forbear and forgive. Confess when you wrong someone. Confront directly when you are wronged. Use words (and a tone of voice) that build up and encourage people.</div> <div> B. Get involved in a group or in someone's life.</div> <div>      Network and meet people. (Opportunities at church include small groups, Bible studies, fellowship times, ministries, etc.) Pray for direction and connection in finding relationships with others. Ask people to get involved in your life. Commit to the relationship. </div> <div> C. Make the time to spend with that individual or group.</div> <div>      We do that which we really think is important. We are able to schedule time for things we think matter (like your favorite TV show?). Schedule time with other people, where you can learn and pray and grow together. Get creative for what works for you - mornings, lunchtime, Saturday mornings, Sunday lunch, etc.</div> <div> D. What to do when you get together:</div> <div>      Pray, study the Word (what it means and how it applies to your life). Admit your struggles and be accountable to each other for them. Encourage, build up, and strengthen one another.</div> <bR> <div>      Significant spiritual relationships are not always fun and games. They are a challenge; they are often work. It requires discipline. It is not entertainment. Sometimes it is preparing for future needs, so you may not feel the "need" right now. But get committed to people, because you need others who will help you grow; and you can help them grow, too!</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2003, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>