C2—Connect
We believe everyone needs to CONNECT with
GOD and ONE ANOTHER who are in Christ. Our
acceptance and celebration of God's grace, love and presence provides the
opportunity for two vital connections
that can bless and enrich our lives. Jesus
spoke of these two connections one day when a man came to Him with a
question. 36“Teacher, which is the greatest
commandment in the Law?”
37Jesus replied: “‘Love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And
the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All
the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew
22:36-40 (NIV)
These
are more than just two commandments that Jesus identified as the greatest.
They are two connections that are vital. Without these two relationships we cannot fulfill our purpose for existence.
We were created to CONNECT with GOD.
God
formed man from the dust of the earth and breathed the breathe of life into
him (Genesis 2:7). He loved the man so much that He would come and walk with
the man in the garden of Eden that God had created (Genesis 2:19 & 3:8).
This continued until man disobeyed God's command (Genesis 2:17 & 3:23).
This severed the close relationship between God and man. But God restored
that relationship through His Son, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-13). God
wants to have a vital relationship with everyone who accepts Christ as
Savior and Lord.
We
also were created with a need to CONNECT with OTHERS. In
Genesis 1, the word "good" is used to describe the things that God created on
each day. But Genesis 2:18 reveals something that was not good in God's
creation. It was not good for man to be alone. God formed animals from the
ground and brought them before the man for him to name. But no suitable
companion was found. So God created another human being for the man (Genesis
2:19-22). We are social beings who need to CONNECT with OTHERS.
We
need a vital connection with God and with one another. We place CONNECT at
the bottom of the triangle to remind us of this vital connection.
We
need to connect to God on the Lord's Day as we worship (CELEBRATE), hear the
Word of God preached and remember Christ's death, burial and resurrection.
But we also need to CONNECT with GOD
daily. We need to read, meditate and study His Word and connect in a daily
quiet time. But this is only part of the vital connection we need. We
also need to connect
with others who
are in Christ. We need to encourage one another, build up one another
and grow together to become the body (church) Christ wants. Studying together in mid-sized and
small groups helps us draw closer to God and to one another. The insight
that others share while studying together can help us form a better
connection with God. It also helps us to fulfill all of the "one
another" commands given throughout the New Testament. Both of these
connections help us
make sure that Christ is central in our lives every day. How
can we connect with God? How
can we CONNECT with OTHERS who are in Christ? These
two commitments are only two thirds of the commitment that Christ wants us
to make. There is one more commitment we need to make if we are going to be
complete and mature in Christ. The third commitment we refer to as Commitment-C3.
COMMITMENT-C3
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