Pastor Mark
Mikels – October 15, 2006
“WE
MAKE EACH OTHER BETTER!”
Church Under Construction – Relational Phase #4
Intro … One of the most complementary things and most coveted
things that can be said about a professional athlete is … “He makes
those around him better”. Usually those to whom those words are
addressed wind up in their respective sports Halls of Fame …
In my lifetime, it has been said of Magic Johnson – he made every
member of the Showtime Lakers better because of his play; it was said
of Michael Jordan – he lifted and practically willed his teammates on
several Chicago Bulls teams to championship level; and it has also been
said about my personal favorite athlete John Elway who on numerous
occasions brought championship efforts out
of a bunch a pretty average players.
Each of them has been enshrined in the Hall of Fame not only because of
their personal skills but also because of the effect they had upon
those around them.
If there had been a Hall of Fame in the first Century and if
Christianity had been considered a sport, then Jesus Christ would have
made it in on a unanimous first round ballot because there has never
been a player in any venue to whom this designation more rightly
belongs.
Jesus made everyone associated with him better … He elevated their
game to levels they never thought possible – he took a motley
assortment of fishermen and rebels and government workers and
visionaries and practical, hard-nosed “I don’t believe it until I see
it” types of people and built them into a team of men who “turned the
world upside down” playing the game he taught them to play.
He turned cowards into heroes – doubters into believers willing to die
for their faith – he turned common ordinary working men into
world-class proclaimers of the Gospel and administrators of
His Church.
And now here’s the thing for us today … He says that we should “play
our game” the same way that he played his!
He says in effect that we should be able to look around at those with
whom we share this Christian experience and say (as the title of this
message puts it) … “We Make Each Other Better”.
Here’s the way, one of Jesus’ most well-known protꨩs, the Apostle
Paul, put it in his letter to the Thessalonian Church …
Biblical Relational Directive #4 … “BUILD One Another UP”
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Now that’s our fourth directive in this series of “relational
messages”. It’s added to the first three which
were: “Be Devoted To One Another”
“Agape One Another” and
“Encourage One Another”
Each of these “directives” can be expressed in the form of a personal
reflection …
“These People Are So Special To Me”
“I Would Do Anything For Them”
“We Keep Each Other Going”
And now to those three we add today’s reflection … “We Make Each
Other Better” or to use the exact Biblical wording “We Build One
Another Up”.
That Biblical Directive and resulting Personal Reflection zeroes our
attention squarely upon …
Today’s Key Concept …
God calls us to play significant ROLES in one another’s SPIRITUAL
GROWTH!
To some degree, all of us in this room this morning (who are committed
to this particular local fellowship) are dependant upon the others for
our spiritual growth …
We will not reach our full maturity in Christ without them.
On the other hand, all those others are equally dependant –
They will not reach their full maturity in Christ without us!
Those twin realities lie at the heart of all these “relational
directives” … we need one another … we can’t become all that Christ
would have us be without each other – we are engaged in a “team sport”
and we cannot be successful playing alone.
And so the Word of God instructs us …”Build One Another Up”
You build me as I build you!
This morning I want us to consider Two Strategic Roles God would have
us play as we build one another up – as we “make each other better” …
First of all, consider the Role of
1. THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTOR – providing INFORMATION – (Romans 15:14)
“I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of
goodness,
complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.”
Note the other things that Paul includes in that Scripture:
“full of goodness” … Your intentions are positive and loving as you
seek to involve yourself in someone else’s life – you truly do “cherish
them” and are only “seeking the best for them”. You truly do desire to
“encourage them” and help “keep them going”.
“complete in knowledge” … No matter who you are, there is someone in
this room who knows less than you about something relevant to the
Christian Life … your knowledge is more “complete” than theirs.
It may involve Christian Truth … something the Bible says that they
have not heard or have not remembered and yet applies to their current
circumstances.
It may involve Personal Testimony … some situation where the Lord or
the Lord’s People provided for you in some significant way –
particularly in your personal conversion.
But be sure of this … there’s a “completeness” in your personal
knowledge that the Lord can use in the building up of someone else.
Pray every day that the Lord will “hook you up” with someone who needs
to know what you know about Him and His Gracious Workings.
And when He does, be ready to assume the role of “instructor” in their
lives for you possess knowledge that can “build them up”.
Now consider with me secondly this morning
2. THE ROLE OF MOTIVATOR – providing STIMULATION – (Hebrews 10:24)
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and
good deeds.”
Now that’s what those Hall of Fame athletes that I mentioned at the
beginning of this message were particularly good at … they knew how
to motivate their teammates and their methods were as different as they
were …
A playmaker like Magic Johnson motivated his teammates by his uncanny
ability to get them the ball at the very moment that they were prepared
to take a comfortable shot – they knew that if they got to their spot,
he would get them the ball and they would have an excellent chance of
success – they worked hard to get to that spot!
A passionate competitor like Michael Jordan motivated his teammates by
bringing such intensity on to the court that they simply threw
themselves into the flood of energy that he brought and played at
levels beyond what they had ever done before.
A never-say-die quarterback like John Elway simply kept plays alive by
evading would be tacklers until even the slowest receivers could find
some open spot on the field where he could get them the ball. They
learned to never give up on a play and as a result they participated in
many memorable moments over the years.
Each of these “Hall of Famers” stirred their teammates – spurred them
on – by their own example to high, high levels of achievement.
And so, of course, in the most important game of all, did Jesus Christ.
He said to his followers … “As I have loved you, so you must love one
another.” John 13:34
In other words … “Do for one another what you have seen me do for
you”.
The Apostle Peter picked up on that when he wrote in 1 Peter 2:21 …
“Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example,
that you should follow in His Steps”
And when we get right down to it – that’s still the most effective way
to “spur one another on” …
Be an example – a faithful, passionate, informed example of a follower
of Christ!
You seek to be an example for me and I’ll seek to be an example for you
and together we will
“make each other better”.
You approach me when you see something that needs to be addressed and
I’ll approach you … we will be one another’s eyes and ears and as a
result the cause of Christ will flourish in our midst!
Final Thot …
The building of a LIFE just like the building of a CHURCH is intended
to be a GROUP EFFORT!