Wisdom for Living: “The Wisdom of Connecting” | Mac Hammond
 
 
Recap
 
Pastor Mac taught his 10th installment of his series “Wisdom for Living.” We’ve been chasing the truth about wisdom that it is the ability to discern the best ends and the best means to achieve those ends. As believers, we acknowledge the best ends are what God says He has for us in our lives. In this message, we’re looking at “The Wisdom of Connecting” and how connection occurs on two levels.
 
Dive Deeper
 
Not only does God want certain ends for your life, but there is a best way for you to attain those best ends.
 
In other words, there is a particular road for you to travel in order to attain the best ends and the best way to attain them.
 
It’s at this point, you need wisdom to know the road to travel. How do we know which road to travel? We follow the Bible which says if you lack wisdom, you ask God for wisdom. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” God will give you wisdom and unbraideth (reproach) you not.
 
This is where one needs “the wisdom of connecting.” Connection occurs on two levels.
 
The First Level of Connection…
 
The first level of connection will be the body of Christ. The Bible says there is a place in the body of Christ where it pleases God to put you. Meaning, what church does the Lord want you to attend? This is the first connection that He mandates for you and for your life.
 
Scriptural text:
 
1 Corinthians 12:12–18, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”
 
Our natural human desire is to hang with people that look at life like we do. But there is a church for you that it pleases God for you to be a part of. That is a surprise for some people. Many people church hop, cruise around to various churches never committing to any one church. But God wants you to be committed to a part of the body of Christ, so that you can become a contributing member to the body of Christ.
 
The Second Level of Connection…
 
The second level of connection is individuals. The first is with the church. And then to make your supply and work effectually… to become part of a ministry of service in the church body. This is the will of God for every member.
 
Different people view things differently. Some think, “Well, I give a lot of money, so I don’t have to serve.”
 
There are two different considerations: one is making your supply and the other is working effectually.
 
You need to do both in order to contribute to increase of the local body and participate in that increase in your own life.
 
Read About It
 
James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
 
1 Corinthians 12:12–18, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”
 
Ephesians 4:16, “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
 
Discussion Questions
 
We learned that connection happens on two different levels: in the church and then as individuals. When you examine your life, can you honestly say you are connected on those levels?
 
Are you connected on one level and not the other?
 
Perhaps you are not connected on either level and have no desire to make those connections. What is the reason (or reasons) that is stopping you from making those connections?
 
 
 
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Recent Sermon Notes

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