BIG IDEA
God renews connection with others.
MESSAGE NOTES:
WHAT:
We’ve all suffered at the hands of “but then the pandemic.” And we all know the events and gatherings that we’ve lost, but I want to talk about another loss that many of us are suffering. That’s the loss of connection with others.
Real human interaction and connection doesn’t always come easy these days. In fact, many of us feel disconnected from other people. And we’ve all suffered disconnection to people.
SO WHAT:
Here is the good news. Whether or not you have felt social. Whether or not you feel like you’re good at making friends or bad at making friends. You were made for connection. God is a relational God and he made us relational people. So our ability to connect with others doesn’t ride on our social skills. God wired us for relationships. The ability to connect with other people doesn’t ride on us, it’s something God made us for.
If you feel disconnected from people, start with renewal in God.
Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, Ephesians 4:23-26 NLT
As much as I need others and God made me for relationships. If I only pursue people and good community, I’m still leaving the ultimate connection untouched. But if I pursue my relationship with God first, all of my relationships benefit from being renewed by Him.
God renews connection with others.
NOW WHAT:
If you feel disconnected from people, I feel your pain. My encouragement is this: get reconnected with God and your disconnection to others won’t last long. Here’s my warning to you about spending time with and being renewed by God: it will make you more passionate about connecting with people. People that you were apathetic to reach out to, you’ll suddenly be passionate to reach out to. People that used to annoy you, now you can even find common ground with them and enjoy your time with them too.
Start the reconnection with God. Then look for ways to reconnect with people.
Text someone, call someone, reach out to someone. With your parent’s permission, put a mask on and go hang out with someone, 6 feet apart. Be renewed by God, and reach out to other people. Great community is cultivated in someone’s life, it doesn’t just happen.
Get creative in how you connect with people, and fight for valuable connection in your life. You can't wait for when it will be more convenient again. Wake up and see the people around you. And choose one person today, no matter what, to connect with.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Q1: Do you feel a sense of disconnection in your life right now?
Q2: Who do you feel disconnected from? And what happened?
Q3: Who will you connect with today? And how?
Q4: What are some ways you connect with God?