Connected: Developing Relationships Beyond the Church - March 2, 2025

It is my privilege to invite you to today's sermon podcast.

I have made the Apostle Paul's prayer request my own.

When he states in Ephesians 6.19, Pray also for me, that whenever I open my

mouth, the words may be given to me, so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.

May today's sermon come alive to you and aid you in your understanding of God's plan for your life.

Reminds us of what we've been talking about really the last month or so,

when we talk about being connected,

and we talked first and foremost about being connected to God and loving God

the way that He loves us through that agape love and loving others the same way.

And we did talk about, for two weeks anyway, what it means to love other people

and to be connected to one another, especially not only within our own families,

but the family of faith as well here at the church.

And we've also talked about the global church that we're a part of.

And today, I just want to challenge you a little bit further,

and I want to talk to you about being connected and developing relationships beyond the church.

Now, it seems a little different to talk about this, because usually in what

the messages you've heard is, come out from among them and be separate.

And that's scriptural, and that's what I do believe we ought to do,

but we also need to go back out.

We just can't be a holy huddle in here enjoying our worship times together,

but we need to go out. And so I want to talk a little bit about that today and

really look at the Scripture and see what it says.

But I'm reminded of a story that I heard, and I've got it written down here

so I don't forget a thing.

But I want you to imagine for a moment a small town nestled in a beautiful little valley.

And in this town, everybody knows each other. And, you know,

kind of like maybe Homedale for some of you all. You've been around here for a while.

You can't go to the drugstore and get something from the drugstore and bring

it home without someone calling and saying, Hey, are you okay?

Reminds me of the first church I pastored in Springville, California.

Where a guy went down and got some cranberry juice from the Chevron.

By the time he got home, someone said, hey, I heard you got a urinary tract infection.

He said, what? I just was thirsty, craving cranberry juice.

This is one of those kind of small towns. And in this small town was a coffee shop.

And in this coffee shop, it belonged to a man named Frank.

Frank owned this quaint little shop right there on Main Street,

but it wasn't just any coffee shop. It wasn't one of the dime a dozen ones that

you see out there, but this was a very special one because this was the hub

where everyone would gather together.

No matter what was going on in their day, they would start there,

or sometimes they would finish there.

It wasn't just for their daily caffeine fix, but this place was a place of friendship.

This place was a place of conversation, and this place is where they found community together.

And Frank, he was a special guy. He had this way of making everybody feel welcome,

whether they were a regular or just passing through town.

He really, truly had the gift of hospitality and could make everyone feel at home.

He had the uncanny ability to remember everybody's name, whether you went through

town once a year or you were there every day.

But not just your name, he could remember your order as well,

no matter how complicated it was.

This was Frank. Frank, when we think about Frank, there was this one time that

it was one of these winters where it's just really snowy, and it just really

socked into this little valley, and people had to dig out.

They had to clear the snow before they could get down to the local coffee shop.

And get down to the local coffee shop, they did. Even though most of the roads

were impassable, they had to meet together with other people because they had stories to share.

They had to share stories about how they weathered the storm and how many inches of snow they got.

And it's interesting with every person that shared, it seemed they got more

and more and more snow, perhaps, than they really did.

Well, when they gathered there, they offered to help someone who really couldn't

get out of their driveway.

And from the coffee shop, they would go to help an old lady get unstuck.

They would go and they would help others to shovel and to even get the snow

off of the roof, afraid that it would cave in.

And this was Frank's place, his coffee shop, where they would gather to do all this.

People also found support there at Frank's place, this little coffee shop.

This was a unique, unique place.

I think you can get the idea that Frank's coffee shop was more than just a place to get coffee.

And Frank's coffee shop, it was a place where people connected,

where people shared life together and where people found encouragement.

It was a place where love and genuine relationships flourished.

Maybe you know a place like that.

Maybe you have a place like that. But friends, I just want you to know,

doesn't this sound like what a church could be or what a church should be?

Not just because we have coffee down in the fellowship hall,

but for all the other elements that go into this.

When we think about a community where people need each other deeply and need to know and be known,

when we think about a community of people that care and care about one another

sincerely, and where we can spur one another on to love and good deeds.

That's what the church is all about.

But today we're going to explore just briefly, as I said, what we're supposed

to do outside of these walls when we leave the coffee shop, if you will,

when we go out, because God does want us to go out.

I think like Frank's Coffee Shop, we want to be in a place where genuine relationship

and the love of Christ is served up daily, don't you?

Listen to the scripture this morning. You can stand if you'd like, if you're able to.

Scripture's from Matthew 5, verses 14 through 16.

Matthew 5:14–16

This is Jesus' words. You are the light of the world.

A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your

good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Let's pray. Father, thank you for the words of Jesus here. God,

your word, the living, the active word of God.

And God, we pray that it will just impact our hearts today.

Lord, your message is the same for all of us, but it's also unique and different for all of us.

And so, God, we just ask your Holy Spirit would speak to us today in the way

only, God, that you can. And it's in Jesus' name that we dedicate this time to you again. Amen.

You can be seated. Thank you for honoring the Word of God. And,

you know, when we think about,

Talking about being connected, not just to God, not just to the church,

but even to those outside of these walls in our communities.

And I know we're from a lot of different areas, so we're just not talking about

Wilder or just Homedale or just Parma or Marsing.

I mean, we go to Caldwell and Napa and all kinds of places in between.

And really what we're talking about is we're just trying to reflect the love of God to other people.

And we can reflect it in here, look like a disco ball was spinning around.

You know, so much light reflecting here and there. And I know we don't really

have that style of worship or music.

Some people may do, but it would be the disco ball effect.

Well, God wants us to go out and really just to shine the light wherever we

are, to go and to shine the light and to be the light.

And so this morning, just real quickly, three points I have.

The first one's easy. It's just be the light of the world.

Be light in the world. Go out there, and as the old Sunday school song says,

this is the line of mine, I'm going to let it shine. Just shine.

As the great theological group DC Talk, but really the newsboys would sing,

shine, make them wonder what you've got.

Let them think about what is different about you.

Why are you always so joyful and happy? And why are you always carrying a book

around that's this ancient book to read and just sharing with people who you

really don't have to share with?

And being nice to people when, why are you nice to them? I mean,

really, make them question, what do you have?

The scripture again, verse 14 and 15.

You're the light of the world. A town on a hill cannot be hidden.

A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

What I want to encourage you to do is to live lives that naturally attract attention to God's goodness.

Just be natural in the way God's made you. Just be who God's made you.

You know, there's enough Christians out there that draw negative attention to

the church, that draw negative attention to God.

I'm not talking about them. Have you ever watched those news stories,

and the first person they interviewed, you're like, oh man, why'd they interview that person?

I mean, the worst example. If someone's lining up to talk to the camera,

that's not the person you want to interview.

I mean, you want to be around people that.

Man, they're so humble, they don't want to be on camera. They don't want to

be a part of all this hullabaloo out there that's, oh, be in the mix of everything.

We just want to live our lives as God wants us to, and using our gifts and our

talents and our strengths just to do the job He's given us to do.

Because Jesus does call us to be a light in the world, not hidden.

We've got to be out in the world if we're going to do any good.

We've got to be seen so that others can see the reflection of God in our lives

and really be intrigued by that.

There's a scripture, Philippians 2, 14 and 15, says, do everything without grumbling or arguing.

I hope that my children have memorized

this verse now because I quote it often, or I did quote it often.

I'm quoting it again for another child in our house.

It's scriptural. It's biblical.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, complaining, so that you may become

blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.

Then you will shine like them among the stars in the sky.

Oh, how beautiful is that? To go out there and to shine like the stars in the sky.

I don't know if any of you saw the other night the lineup of,

I think, six or seven planets along with the moon, a celestial event,

they called it. And it's been happening off and on.

Everything's just kind of lining up to where you can see them in the sky.

Now, you can't see the rings and all that unless you have an aid to help your

vision, but just kind of neat to see them all lined up out there,

a testament to God and to the glory of God.

And when we think about us being shining points of light wherever we're at,

I mean, in here, if we were all lit up, it would be bright.

But we go out into a dark world, a world that needs to know the light of Christ,

that needs to see the reflection of love in your life, in your heart, in the way that you live.

Again, do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you can become blameless and pure.

Boy, I know we've got district assembly coming up. the first time they unrolled

the digital voting system.

I don't know that people remembered this verse. There was a lot of grumbling

and arguing, complaining about having to vote instead of on paper,

having to vote for the different things online on this little app.

I mean, they had reason to because the app didn't work for anything.

But when we think about it, we don't want to be those Christians.

Hey, I think there's times when we need to assert ourselves,

but there's also a time just to be quiet and let the Holy Spirit work and move.

Like Ecclesiastes said, there's a time for this and a time for that,

a time for this and a time for that. Just know about the appropriate time.

We want to live lives that naturally attract the attention to God's goodness

that He works through us and through our actions and through our attitudes.

Secondly, this morning, not only do we want to be the light or be light in the

world, but we also want to build authentic relationships with people that are out in the world.

It's just not like you're going to go out with your little light and just stand

on the street corner and shine.

Hey, look at me. I'm an example of a Christian. Look at me. I'm a little Jesus.

Look like the Statue of Liberty or something. What are we supposed to do?

We're supposed to be engaged in relationships with other people,

not just keeping to ourselves, but really reaching out to others,

especially those that don't know Jesus,

especially those that don't have a clue who Jesus is or the plan that he has.

Some may be even antagonistic toward Christ or Christianity,

but the idea is that we forge genuine connections with those outside the church.

I'm using these words intentionally, authentic, genuine, because we're not just

using people as a means to an end to fill a church.

We're just not trying to meet people so that we can chalk up another salvation on a board or something.

No, what we're doing is we believe God loves them, and there's a place for them

in heaven, and we want to be with them for all eternity.

We want their lives to be so transformed by the love and the grace of God that

it's really transformed eternally, and they've got a place in God's family,

free from sin, free from the death, but alive in Christ.

That's our motivation. That's what I'm talking about. These are people we want

to be with for all eternity, people that we want to develop friendships with,

people that we really want to see, like I said, in heaven.

Our role is to forge those connections with folks.

Listen to this verse, Colossians 4, 5, and 6. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders.

Make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of

grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

When we think about this verse, it tells us as believers in Christ, we've got to act wisely.

We have to speak graciously to others. and we want to help facilitate meaningful

interactions with other people.

I think this kind of skill in today's world is so vital because we are always

trying to be divided amongst how we look, amongst which groups we associate with.

We're trying to be divided constantly by the world.

When we come into the church, the common unity we have, no matter how different

we are, whatever our opinions are, we come under the banner of Jesus Christ here.

And as a result of that, all that other stuff is really meaningless because

I'm going to love my brother and sister no matter what.

There's something that I got from Greg Laurie. Not only should we listen actively,

show empathy, and engage in an act of kindness, but in 2009,

Greg Laurie wrote this, and I've given you the link there if you'd like to see

more. But it's called Think.

Think before you speak, and I just put in parentheses, or post.

Post anything. thing. So many times I've had to hit the delete button,

and it has saved my bacon a lot of times, I think, to think.

So when we think, we just start to develop this discipline within our own life.

One, the first one, T, is what I'm about to say true. Do you know it for a fact?

Basically, is it truthful?

Two, is it helpful? The fact that something is true doesn't mean that it should be said.

I refer you to some Snickers commercials that are on TV currently,

especially the one where the wife says, does this make me look fat?

It is time for a Snickers bar at that time or other candy of your choice.

It might be true, but it's not always helpful. All right. Number three, is it inspiring?

Will it bring someone down or will it lift them up?

We want to inspire people, folks. We want to lift them up. We want God to lift

them up. Four, is it necessary?

Would this thing be better left unsaid, no matter how much I really want to say it, or should I not?

Five, is it kind? Will it touch someone's heart?

Will it really touch them at their deepest depth and really be seen as an act of kindness?

Now, I failed at this this week, And I'm willing to admit that.

My wife and I were texting back and forth, and I texted something I thought was so funny.

You want to hear the text that I got back?

There's no profanity. We don't use profanity in our family.

But it said, that is very hurtful. And my big lie grin went to, uh-oh.

I'm in the doghouse. I'm in trouble. And I heard you say Wednesday night to

someone else that I was in the doghouse.

That's why. I don't know if I've made up for that text yet.

But had I thought about this, if I had implemented Think, it was truthful.

But man, it was not helpful in my relationship with my wife.

Don't worry, I ain't going to tell you what I texted. Neither will Melanie, right?

Maybe. It didn't inspire her. It was not necessary.

And really, it wasn't kind. And so I just want to say, I'm sorry, honey. I love you.

No pressure to forgive me or anything, but okay.

Okay, I'm in the doghouse again.

Is there another marriage conference we can go to sometime soon?

I think it helps you to remember Philippians 4.8, where it says,

whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent,

praiseworthy, think on these things.

And I think we could save us a lot of trouble. And we could really build authentic

relationships if we begin to work this into our life.

And just exercise that. Let's do that. Point three this morning,

we need to demonstrate the love of Christ.

I love John 13, 35. I think I used it last week or the week before where Jesus

says, by this will all men, all people know that you are my disciples if you love one another.

That's the mark. If you're going to demonstrate the love of Christ,

you're going to show people that you're a Christian, you've got to reflect this love of Christ.

Reflect Christ's love through your acts of service, through the ways that you

love people, that you serve people.

I mean, I see it demonstrated here a lot, especially with our young people,

holding doors open for others that come through.

Making sure that you're okay, that you've got a bulletin, making sure that you're

comfortable, making sure if you need a cup of coffee or some of the hot chocolate

stuff that that's available to you. I mean, we have it in our classrooms even.

That spirit of hospitality, that love that is demonstrated.

I read this, I think, a couple weeks ago, but Galatians 6, 9,

and 10, let us not become weary in well-doing or in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let's do good to all people,

especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

The idea here is that we want to participate together in the demonstration of God's love for others.

Taking that time that it takes to help someone else out is not a waste of your

time. It's an investment of your time.

Investing your time to help make someone's life a little bit easier,

to make someone's day a little bit brighter, that's a great investment,

believers, that you can make.

Now, there's other things that you do that are very sacrificial,

that go a long way into blessing others.

I'm not just talking about the

offerings that you give. Those are very beneficial. Those do bless others.

But just in the way that you take a time out and you go help someone get out

of a sticky situation, The times

you've stopped on the side of the road to see if someone needed help.

The time that you were in a grocery store and someone in front of you just didn't

have the money to pay for their whole grocery order. And you said,

hey, don't worry about it.

And you took out your little tappy card and you tapped it and you paid for their groceries.

I mean, those kind of sacrificial acts that weren't necessary.

It wasn't your business. You didn't ring up the grocery bill.

But you love them and you wanted to bless them.

Folks, we've got to be out blessing others, demonstrating the love of Christ.

And it's not just all about your words, it's about your actions, about what you do.

Remember, Jesus said, by this will all men know that you are my disciples if you love one another.

Not just saying I love you, but the demonstration of that. And Jesus gave us the ultimate example.

Romans 5, 8 tells us that God demonstrates his love in this the demonstration

of His love for us while we were still sinners, separated from God,

not deserving of His love or His grace.

He demonstrated His love for

us by stretching out His arms and dying on a cross. He did that for you.

He did that for me. This morning, if you're ambivalent toward God,

you're like, yeah, I could take Him or leave Him.

I want you to know that He's not ambivalent towards you and that He truly loves you.

He's truly interested in you and truly interested in the path of your life.

I want to thank you for joining today's sermon podcast. You can find a copy

of today's sermon as well as other sermons and the sermon outline from today

on our church's website,

www.mvcnaz.org.

It is my prayer also that you will seek out a church home that recognizes the authority of the Bible.