You Belong Here

If you're anything like me, it becomes very obvious that you do not belong to the world.
We can see why we don't belong to this world by turning to John 17, verse 14.
It's John 17, 14 through 16. We'll be reading from the ESV. John 17:14.

I have given them your word,
and the world has hated them,
because they are not of the world,
just as I am not of the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world,
but keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

So then if we do not belong to this world, we belong to God's family.
Today I want to talk about how Jesus shows us and that we belong here in his family.
I recently read a book by Cody Coyle called The Culture Code.

In this book, that he points out that there are three subconscious questions 
we ask ourselves to see whether we belong to any group.
We start off by asking, are we connected?
Next, we ask ourselves, are we safe here?
And last, we ask, do we share a future?
So when I say are we connected, I mean, are we welcome here?
And do we share a common thread that helps connect us all together?

To see this common thread, let's turn to Romans 8, verse 14.
It's Romans 8, verse 14 through 17, again from the ESV. Romans 8:14,

For all are led by the Spirit of God, are sons of God.
For you did not receive the Spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received the Spirit of adoption as sons, for whom
we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ,
provided we suffer with Him in order that we may all be glorified with Him.

Here we can see that it is through the Holy Spirit that we are connected to God.
We should lean on this Holy Spirit when we are feeling disconnected
and ask God to help us grow closer to Him. But not only are we connected to God
through the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit
also connects us to each other as the body of Christ.
We also see that it is not just the Holy Spirit that connects us,
but also we're connected through our sufferings and through the suffering of Jesus.
Because it was Christ who was tempted in every way, yet did not sin,
yet still bore our sins and suffered on that cross.

And I think today we can even take a bit of a deeper look into Christ's suffering.
because He knows what it's like to suffer in every way.
If you're feeling physical pain and suffering, then Christ will understand,
for He died a horrible and painful death.
And if you're feeling emotional pain, or even if you're feeling disconnected from God
through your trials, Understand that Jesus understands,
for He separated from God so that He could bear our sins.
Let's consider that Jesus, His whole existence, even before creation, was one with God,
but chose to be separated so that He may pay the cost of what we owe.
There is no greater agape love than this.

So this leads us to our next point.
Let's see how we are safe with God.
If you will, turn with me to Isaiah 41, verse 9.
That's Isaiah 41, verses 9 and 10.
Isaiah 41, verse 9.

You who I took from the ends of the earth are called from,
and called from the furthest corner, saying to you,
you are my servant. I have chosen you, not cast you off.
Fear not, for I am with you.
Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you. I will help you.
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Here we see how God will protect his chosen people.
how we should not fear, but instead surrender our fears to God so that He can strengthen us.
Even though this sounds easy to say, it's one of the hardest things to do.
This means you must get to the point
where you understand what you're feeling and what you're going through,
all while still facing it, and then bring that before God
and lay that down and surrender that to God.
All your fears, all your anxieties, all your anger, your hopes, your will,
and surrender it to God.

All while still feeling these feelings and not knowing what the outcome might be.
And saying to God that your will be done, not mine.
And slowly, over time, You will start seeing God move in your life.
And you will start feeling safe with Him.
And part of feeling safe with God is Him being consistent in how He works with you.

So to see God's consistency, turn with me to James 1, verse 17 and 18.
That's James 1, verse 17.
James 1:17, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or
shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth.
that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

Here we can see that by God's unwavering love and through
His word of truth, we are safe as first fruits.
Speaking of first fruits, let's look and see some of our
future with God and His family.

If you will, turn with me to Revelation 19. We'll start off in verse 6.
It's Revelation 19, verse 6.
Then I heard what seemed to be a voice of a great multitude,
like a roar of many waters, like a sound
of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, 'Hallelujah, for the Lord Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exalt and give him the glory.
For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
It was granted to her clothes, granted to her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure.
For the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

We are to be that bride of Christ. And we will have the joy of partaking
in this. But let's continue down to see some of the more future that we have in Revelations 20, verse 4.
It's Revelations 20, verse 4, just a page over.
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those whom the authority to judge was committed.
I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony
of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast, nor its image,
and had not received its mark in their foreheads or their hands.
They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.
The first resurrection, or this is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is the ones who share in the first resurrection.
Over such The second death has no power.
But they will be priests of God and Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Wow!
Isn't this such a great joy to be considered to be a part of this?
It's truly a blessing to have such a wonderful promise ahead of us.
So, to conclude, you belong here, right here in this church, but also in this season of life.
God has given you the trials that you're going through
so that you can grow and become who he wants you to be.
It is through the sharing of our trials and God's Holy Spirit
that we are connected both to each other as well as God.

And it is through the sharing of these testimonies that we endear ourselves to one another.
This shows each other that we are safe here in our church family,
and God is just to protect us and keep us safe as He has chosen us
to come through this world that we might testify and might testify of the glory of God.
All while looking towards our future that we hold together.
That when God returns, we are to be that good and faithful servant.
and be joined together as the bride of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this shows me that I belong here,
and I belong to a wonderful, loving Father.