Synergy The Churchs Best Kept Secret Bill Perry

Synergy: The Church’s Best Kept Secret Bill Perry

YOUTH You represent perhaps the biggest threat to Satan’s dominion precisely because you are young and teachable. Right now you are probably the most teachable you will ever be for the rest of your life. Much of that depends on attitude.

The Bible says that God seeks 2 primary things, one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament.

New Testament “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship him. ” -- Jesus to the woman at the well, John 4: 23

Old Testament “But did he not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. ” -- God in Malachi 2: 15

Consider Malachi 2: 15 Explanation “But did he not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. ” �God made marriage – “make them (Adam and Eve) one” – for the very purpose of having children – “a godly offspring” – a generation that would follow and obey the Lord.

Consider Malachi 2: 15 Explanation “But did he not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. ” �In Malachi’s day Jewish husbands were leaving their wives or divorcing them (verse 16) for other idol-worshiping women (verse 11). This broke God’s law and their marriage vow. Even more, it broke the family structure.

As bad as divorce is on the spouses, it always hits the children harder.

Other Things Destroying Marriage

Other Things Destroying Marriage • Same sex “marriage”

Other Things Destroying Marriage • Same sex “marriage” • Plural marriage or polygamy

Other Things Destroying Marriage • Same sex “marriage” • Plural marriage or polygamy • Gender dysphoria (distress)

Other Things Destroying Marriage • • Same sex “marriage” Plural marriage or polygamy Gender dysphoria (distress) Unfaithful spouse

Other Things Destroying Marriage • • • Same sex “marriage” Plural marriage or polygamy Gender dysphoria (distress) Unfaithful spouse Addictions of all kinds

Other Things Destroying Marriage • • • Same sex “marriage” Plural marriage or polygamy Gender dysphoria (distress) Unfaithful spouse Addictions of all kinds Spiritual indifference or worse

Guess What? God is still looking for worshipers and that godly seed (or generation).

Which One? Young We have 2 candles pictured. Which one represents young people and why? Old (Geezer!)

Young people are the most dangerous to Satan’s dominion when they join together to serve God.

Here’s Why:

Synergy is a New Testament Word! • The English word synergy comes from the Greek word sunergos: – Sun = with – Ergos = work } Work/Workers together

Example of Synergy From Nature In the last century researchers did an experiment: the first determined how much weight an average horse could pull on an average cart. They learned that a single horse could pull about 2, 000 pounds.

Example of Synergy From Nature So they naturally thought 2 average sized horses pulling the same cart would pull 4, 000 pounds. But they were wrong! 2 horses together pulled 24, 000 pounds! What was going on with that? !

Example of Synergy From Nature So they naturally thought 2 average sized horses pulling the same cart would pull 4, 000 pounds. But they were wrong! 2 horses together pulled 24, 000 pounds! What was going on with that? ! They realized that when the horses understood they were together pulling the same weight, there was an energy released that wouldn’t happen if they pulled alone. But together they pulled 6 times what they could do alone!

Example of Synergy From Nature When they put blinders on the horses so they could not see they were pulling the same object together, they managed to pull only 4, 000 pounds. So knowing they are working together was the only difference!

Example of Synergy From History After the flood of Noah God told him, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 9: 1). To fill the earth is to spread out all around. Life-sized ark replica at Ark Encounter, Williamstown, KY

Example of Synergy From History Many years later Genesis 11: 4 describes why the Tower of Babel was built: the people said, “Let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth. ”

Example of Synergy From History And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them” (Genesis 11: 6).

Example of Synergy From History And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them” (Genesis 11: 6). Look at what can happen when people are truly unifi “Nothing they propose to d will be withheld from them In other words, whatever th can think of they can do! A this is God’s commentary on this event, not a human perspective. He knows how he made us. AND they wer being completely disobedi not following God’s ways.

Example of Synergy From History And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them” (Genesis 11: 6). While the word “synergy” is not found in this story, this is still Synergy in action!

How Synergy Works: 1 Corinthians 3 For when one says, "I am of Paul, " and another, "I am of Apollos, " are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. (verses 4 -7)

Consider 1 Corinthians 3: 4 -7 For when one says, "I am of Paul, " and another, "I am of Apollos, " are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Explanation �Corinthian Church members rallied around their favorite Christian personality (not unlike today). They seemed to be very loyal, almost like political parties. Paul said this was “carnal, ” a worldly kind of thinking and behaving.

Consider 1 Corinthians 3: 4 -7 For when one says, "I am of Paul, " and another, "I am of Apollos, " are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Explanation �Paul said that he and Apollos were simply church servant leaders that God gave to the church. Making servant leaders greater than God really turns things upside down.

Consider 1 Corinthians 3: 4 -7 For when one says, "I am of Paul, " and another, "I am of Apollos, " are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Explanation �The Corinthians had their eyes on their favorite leaders, automatically taking their eyes off God. The church would not grow under that situation. Paul says only God gives the increase, no matter how good or bad a leader might be.

How Synergy Works: 1 Corinthians 3 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building…But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ” (verses 8 -9, 10 b)

Consider 1 Corinthians 3: 8 -9, 10 b Explanation Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building…But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ” �Paul explained that all of Corinthian church leaders (and the members too) were all “one, ” meaning they were united in purpose and effort. There was no competition or rivalry. Different ministry efforts but the same goal: God blesses with growth.

Consider 1 Corinthians 3: 8 -9, 10 b Explanation Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building…But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ” �Finally Paul tells them why he says these things: they (and we) are all God’s fellow workers! This sunergos in the Greek. So if God is using us in multiplying the impact for his glory, we should be diligently working together united for his kingdom.

Consider 1 Corinthians 3: 8 -9, 10 b Perspective Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building…But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ”

Consider 1 Corinthians 3: 8 -9, 10 b Explanation Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building…But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ” �This point about being God’s fellow workers (united with all believers to serve God and extend his glory in the world) is so important he adds a warning: “take heed, ” or seriously look at what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.

Did the Corinthians Get It? We then, as workers together with him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. – 2 Corinthians 6: 1

Consider 2 Corinthians 6: 1 We then, as workers together with him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. Explanation �In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul reminds them that they are workers together with God, drawing their minds back to his first letter and his warning to “take heed. ”

Consider 2 Corinthians 6: 1 We then, as workers together with him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. Explanation �The Corinthians already had received God’s grace for salvation. But they were in danger of not going forward with their walk with God, growing in grace and actively working as God’s fellow workers. That’s not a good place to be in or a good thing to do.

How Synergy Works: 3 John 5 -8 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for his name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

Consider 3 John 5 -8 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for his name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. Explanation �John wrote to Christians that showed love to their spiritual brothers and strangers (foreign visitors) and they testified to others about their good works.

Consider 3 John 5 -8 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for his name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. Explanation �John tells them if they send these visitors on their journey in a godly way, that will be good because they went in Jesus’ name and needed no help from the Gentiles. That was the way Paul did his ministry – not charging those he helped.

Consider 3 John 5 -8 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for his name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. Explanation �Now John says if we receive these travelers, they’ll become “fellow workers” (sunergos in the Greek) “of the truth. ” In other words, they will be on the same team assisting those that carry Jesus’ name to other areas (missionaries). Everyone can have a role.

Titus 3: 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Consider Titus 3: 8 Explanation This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. �A faithful saying was a common expression in the early church that everyone agreed with. There are 5 such sayings in 1 st and 2 nd Timothy and this one in Titus.

Consider Titus 3: 8 Explanation This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. �Paul knew and reminded Titus to tell the church people he worked with that their testimony was critical to reach outsiders. The best way to do that was to “maintain [doing] good works. ”

Consider Titus 3: 8 Explanation This is a faithful saying, �Such good works were and these things I want not only a way to be you to affirm constantly, noticed that you were that those who have different, they also served believed in God should be as a vehicle to bring good careful to maintain good to the larger community. works. These things are “All men” found such good and profitable to men. activity to be “profitable. ” It was undeniable.

Titus 3: 14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Consider Titus 3: 14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful. Explanation �Paul repeats to Titus the reminder about the necessity of continuing doing good works. And even though the word “people” is not in the original Greek, the plural “our” means people doing them together: the power of synergy at work!

Consider Titus 3: 14 Explanation And let our people also �Paul closes his letter to Titus concerned about learn to maintain good the well being of the works, to meet urgent larger community as well needs, that they may as the fruitfulness of the not be unfruitful. church. Synergy is God’s blessing and gift the church today has sadly lost sight of.

Will you be that godly seed, that “chosen generation” (1 Peter 2: 9) that he is still seeking? Are you aiming to be the kind of worshiper that not only worships God in church or youth group but also out in the community by doing good works. God is doing some of his best work in the world right now. You have nothing to lose except bad stuff and have everything to gain that will last forever. Make the right choice while you’re still young. You’re the most dangerous to Satan’s dominion of darkness when you say…