Theme: Toy Box #2 – Chalkboard (Sunday 6 Sept, 2020)
Series: Life Lessons from the Toy Box
Bible Reading: 1 John 1:1-9
Preacher: Rev Phil Swain
We continue our sermon series looking at profound Biblical principles and promises that we can learn from our childhood toys. This week Phil pulls out his favourite childhood toy – his lego – to talk about the way we are all connected as a church family.
What was your favourite Toy when you were younger? Dolls? Trucks? Ball?
For me, I would say that one of my favourite toys was lego … and definitely it was one of my son’s Matt’s favourite toys too.
Did you have Lego when you were younger?
It clicks together to build loads of stuff.
This that I am playing with is Duplo … a larger form of lego … but with all of Lego you can build some amazing stuff.
Talk about Lego Masters.
The thing about Lego is that a piece of Lego by itself it is actually quite useless. (Only good for causing pain when you step on it). You can’t build anything with a single piece of Lego.
Lego was made to work with other Lego pieces. That’s the whole point of Lego. It clicks together with other Lego – and when it does you can actually make extraordinary things with many Lego pieces joined together.
You know what? God created us the same way. When he created people the idea was that we were supposed to join together and help each other. We are not meant to be lone rangers in life.
Just as one lego is not much by itself – one person by themselves who never connects or relates to anyone else is not the way that God intended. God wants us to be with other people and to have the benefits that come with that.
But wait there’s more. Not only did God create within us a need or desire to relate to other people, God wanted a family. The bible tells us that anyone who loves God, God adopts as one of his own children and we become part of God’s family.
In our bible reading for today Paul describes God’s family like a body and we are all part of that body and each person is important … and Jesus is the head (or in this case the foundation).
What do you think of Paul’s analogy. Why is it important to be part of God’s family and why are we important to God’s family? It is important to be part of God’s family because that is the way God created us to be – Coal in the fire analogy
We are all important here in the family of Jesus.
We need all people in the family of God.
But we are important in God’s family because we all have a part to play … in 1 Cor Paul takes this analogy of the body further and says that the eye can;t say to the foot, we don’t need you etc
Have you noticed that there are different types of lego … there are small blocks, big blocks, windows, doors, slides, slopes, flowers … all different but all are important … and each has a special purpose to play.
Just before our bible reading, Paul talks about how the Holy Spirit gives each one of us special gifts to use for God’s purpose… 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
And Paul goes on to say that we all work together, using our gifts to serve God, for the common good.
What might your gift be?
Story of Molly … blind, 94, could not leave her room … but she could pray. It was her way of serving the body.
We who love God all belong to God’s family, are part of God’s body with Jesus as the head.
Paul also goes on to say in verse 26 about when one person is suffering, we all suffer, when one is praised, we all praise.
That’s what it means to be a church family. We all rejoice when we hear good news of someone, and we all are sad when one of our members is suffering.
Story of the mum and little boy and the next door neighbour grieving.
So what does this mean in real life. We can all affirm that yes we indeed belong to God’s family, that we are all important and we are have a purpose or roll to play. That we all work together for the common good and share together in our joys and sorrows. But what does this mean in practice?
Paul in Romans 12 gave us some good advice on how to live together as the family of God – after all sometimes people drive you crazy and you can;t pick your relatives…. listen to some of this advice…
- Have sincere love for each other …
- Be devoted to care for one another in family love.
- Honour one another above yourselves.
- Be joyful in good times and patient in tough times
- Pray for one another.
- Generously share with those who are in need.
- Practice hospitality.
- Forgive – Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
- Try as much as possible to live at peace with everyone.
Good advice – and it is worth follow this. When family works well, there is nothing better. It is always part of God’s plan for us to be a family and to love, support and help one another.
Jesus even said that – greatest commandment – love God and love one another as I have loved you…
Its good to see people be a family here at 1045 service – keep it up because that’s what its all about