Sermon Theme
It is something that every human, as those created in God’s image, crave and need without it, especially when coupled with cyber bullying that leads some children & youth to suicide
“Suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 24 years, but rates in this age group have declined by 48 per cent between 1997 and 2007 – National Strategy for Young Australians 2010 – youth committing suicide = 296 –‘ Reporting Suicide and Mental Illness – Resource for Media professionals’
In Scripture our need to BELONG to the body of Christ is spelled out in 1 Cor. 12
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)
Our text centres on this very great NEED we have – not just socially, but spiritually “… he [Jesus] gave the right to become children of God—” (John 1:12) cf. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)
Today we want to understand:
- Christ’s humiliation and sacrifice when it came to ‘belonging’ – what it means re: our belonging
- The truly astounding grace of God through Christ, that we would come to belong to His family
- What this means for us all: those being baptized, teens, longstanding Professing member, seeker
Sermon outline
- BELONGING!
- CHILDREN OF GOD!
- BECAUSE I BELONG TO HIM…
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Readings
John 1:1–13 (NIV84)
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.
8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Text
John 1:12–13 (NIV84)
12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
