MAKING THE CONNECTION

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. -1 John 1:7

Connection to God is birth forth when Jesus carried the cross to the calvary is a bridge to link us to God. Through Jesus, we will be in the light and not in the darkness.

Connection is a link or relationship between people or things.

Connecting with people is communicating with people.

It’s like Nokia’s famous slogan = connecting people.

Let me ask you, is your handphone important to you? It is important to me. I need it to get in touch with all of you, my family and friends. When we have connection with people, it’s not just about knowing someone who you just say hi and bye to. It’s about communicating with people to understand the person, to know their needs and to build long lasting relationship with the person. Amen?

When you know how to have a relationship with God, you will know how to have relationship with people.

I want to emphasize to you that all we need to have in order to be able to connect to people is all about our faith.

# Heb 11:1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith supports what we want to do. Faith is a confidence which is not seen. We should have faith that people around us will be saved. It gives us a positive attitude. Faith is holding your own with your peers, Not worrying the person is going to climb over you. We need to have a bigger heart than that, we should rejoice n celebrate for them if others are doing well n doing better than us, even if they're our peers or juniors

The question we need to ask ourselves is this:

If we don’t have church Big Days, or conferences, or guest speakers, or zone outreaches, do we have faith to still win the lost?

It is like when you go to a new place such as you enter a new working place or a new college, do you meet new friends. Yes, isn’t it? It is always about meeting people in our lives. Whether to work with, to stay with or to study with. With the society around us, we can easily be connected to people. Amen?

Do we have the capacity to “birth” a person into the kingdom of God individually?

In Jesus’ ministry, He didn’t have Big Days or zone outreaches, yet He single-handedly led individuals to commit their lives to God.

# John 4:35 (read) It explains that Jesus sees harvest everywhere.

Harvest is a process of growth.

To Jesus, EVERY TIME is HARVEST time.

- He has “harvest eyes.”

Whether we can see it or not depends on whether we have “harvest eyes.”

To have “harvest eyes” is to:

-Recognize that the season for soul-winning is now!
-Identify who is ready to be saved.
-Be involved in the act of soul-winning now!
-Always want to see increase in the number of souls saved.
-Bring a new believer into commitment to the church.

The common problem that we face when we talk to the non believers about Christ are such as

-People who don't have Christ say, “When it's my time I'll know” or “I'm not ready yet.”
-God is not real since God cannot be seen.

But that is not true.

People are always ready even when they are not because they live in denial state when they say they are not ready.. In some area of their life, it's always the right time to meet the Lord. It happened to me. I was ever ready to accept Christ as my savior even when I was 10 but I do not have the chance since my whole family back then were Buddhist. But I DID NOT hesitate receiving Christ as my savior when I had the chance 6 yrs later. The Holy Spirit must have been prompting me all the time and has been stirring up my faith for Him all the while.

We, as Christians, need to able to move in the Spirit with a love for people so that we reach them at all times.

Evangelism is not about winning arguments on evolution or highlighting the evil in a person's life …
- It's about winning people with love.

Love is the biggest winner of them all. God loves people, so we should love people too!

We need to have a faith confidence. An assurance that we know who we are, in Christ, knowing that God loves us, God is with us, God will carry us through our problems in life because nothing is impossible with God. Amen?

How do we win people? Ask yourself, 'what wins you?

1. Believe and be interested in people

Remember their names. Listen to their stories. Be eager to know what is going on in their life. Value their comments. Believe that they want to change and pursue a better life.

2. Empathize with people.

# Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, Weep with those who weep.
Understand what it must be like for people to go through what they are going through.

3. Smile.

Be the friendliest people on Earth.
Be enthusiastic about the people you meet.
Be positive about their life.
Be glad you've met them.

4. Help People.

The quickest way to win people is to help them at your expense, especially if they’re strangers. Show kindness to people. Be sensitive to their needs. If you care, you’ll be aware of their needs. Be supportive, encourage them as they go through a tough time.

5. Don’t argue about theology, share your testimony.

People might be disagree about the truth which we believe in but don't be disagreeable. Accept their opinion and don’t reject their statement. It's not about being clever. It's about being filled with the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that makes us effective witnesses for Christ. Share with them about what has God has done for you and how did you fell in love with God.

Now, how do we make connections with people and what are the benefits of joining a cell group?

Making the connection requires…

1) A recognition of need

As mentioned earlier on, we need to help people in order to win people. We have to know their needs in order to recognize their needs.

2) A response to God’s offer

People has already heard about God, heard about the story of Jesus. It is just a matter of whether do they want to have the salvation.

3) A willingness to receive the gift of Grace

Jesus has died on the cross for our sins to cleanse us with His blood so that we can be saved. We have to have an open heart to receive God’s love which is ever ready for us.

All of you here has already known God. You might know or still do not know your purpose on this earth here. I can tell you that the reason we are here on earth is to prepare us for our eternal life in heaven. In order to learn how to live purposefully on earth, we need to join a cell group besides going to church only. Amen?

What are the benefits of joining a cell group? You’ll get:

Friendship

You’ll get to meet people in cell group who will become your lifelong friend because people in a cell group is ONE family. You will not be alone in your life. You will have support from one another.

Boldness when you face challenge

In a Cell group with accountable relationships we are challenged by those who love us to move on toward what God has for us. If you have difficulties in your life, your members will go through them with you and keep cheering for you.

In Hebrews 10:24-25 it says, And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Growth

Being involved in consistent, growing relationships that are based on Christ, generally improve our health whether in your spirit, mind or soul. You’ll become more mature in your thinking, knowing how to live your life purposefully and able live positively.

Since God uses us, who we are is deeply important. We are not neutral messengers. We have the amazing call of helping people to see that they are indeed seeking something they don't have. God wants nothing more than to connect relationally with you. God choose you for a relationship before the world was created. God’s grace is there when the connection is weakening or lost. Mission is deeply connected with our own discipleship and maturation as Christians. Once we begin to bear fruit, opportunities for sharing the gospel are not so much forced as they are naturally created.

No mankind is alone. Someway somehow you’re connected to people. The first person you’re connected to is your mother is pregnant with you. God has already known you even before you are in your mother’s womb. Amen?

Try to think about who are the people you’re connecting now? Do you think you can actually do something to improve your relationship with the people around you?

Think about whether are you still exploring a connection? Have you made the connection but discovered how hard it is to stay connected?

I want to challenge all of you to think of at least 2 person whom you would want them to know God. Share your testimony with them about how God has touched and changed your life.