I Believe, I Belong and I Become Part II
Improving your Music Ministry with Faith, Hope and Love
Jerry
January 5, 2007
Part 2 - I Belong
The recent events surrounding the deaths of Gerald Ford and Saddam Hussein are exceptional thought provoking material to begin this week's article. Jesus wants us to belong to his kingdom, his holy people. The acid test will be the day we die. Death is universal to mankind. All of us will meet God when we "go the way of all the earth." (Joshua 23:14) Every person on earth will either have a greeting from the Lord that likens the funeral of Gerald Ford, or the death of Saddam Hussein. And that awakening into eternity will be a reflection of our lives on earth - every detail of our heart, our deeds and our thoughts.
Gerald Ford was a man who became the most powerful leader in the modern world. I knew before last week, that he was never elected to President of the US. However, I did not know, that he was never elected to the office of Vice President either! Imagine that, he was raised up by God's providence to preside in the most powerful position on earth, and never once campaigned to win people's votes and approval to get there! Never. And look at the impact his life had. Look at the thousands and thousands of people who waited for hours on end, just to shake the hands of his children and spend a few seconds of respect filled silence in front of his flag draped casket. And to think he never once shook a hand or did a media advertisement to become either Vice President or President of the most powerful nation on earth.
In contrast, we saw the death of another man last week all over the news. With no regard to his fellow man, this man decided to make himself the ruler of a people. He forced his way to the top and enjoyed decades of self-deliberated ruling. Think of how his life ended.
All mankind will have an eternal reception that will either resemble the death 
of one of these men or the other. Will we be welcomed with honors because of selfless service and self-effacing toil? Or will we be cast aside due to arrogant self-focused living that was ultimately responsible for the spiritual death of hundreds and maybe thousands of others? Jesus said he has a kingdom for us to belong to. If we decide to war against him, we need to realize there is no way to win. While he "is still a long way off" let us ask him for his terms of peace. "In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has, cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:33)
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BELONG?
A sense of belonging is so crucial to joy. Our souls belong to God. We were created to belong in God???s family. Our hearts long, deep down inside, to belong to a community, mutually loving and serving others.
In Christ, a sense of belonging is not solely a benefit to be enjoyed - it is a spiritual responsibility given to us by God???
We find some keys in Romans chapters 1,7,8,12, and 14 to help us develop a biblical understanding of what it means to belong. Instilling this into all of our hearts will help facilitate effective ways for us to build a strong sense of belonging through our music and arts ministries.
Romans 1:6 We are Called to Belong to Jesus
"Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ." Romans 1:5-6
Belonging is God's will for us in Christ. We made Jesus Lord. And he called us to discipleship which includes belonging to him.
Romans 7:4 We Belong to God to Bear Fruit
"So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. " Romans 7:4
Bearing Fruit to God is Boundaryless in righteousness..
Fruit of our Lips - Heb 13:15, Prov 12:14, 13:2
Fruit of our Labor - Psalm 128:2
Fruit of our Deeds - Isaiah 3:10
Fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22
Fruit of our Repentance - Matt 3:8
Fruit of the light - Eph 5:9
Fruit of Righteousness - Phillipians 1:11
Bearing fruit in Every Good work - Col 1:10
Still bear fruit in Old Age - Psalm 92:14
ISA 27:6 In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.
We belong to God to bear fruit to God.
"This is to my father's glory that you bear much fruit showing YOURSELVES to be my disciples." John 15:8
Romans 8:9 Belong to God to Be Spiritual
"The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." Romans 8:6-9
Time and space do not allow for a whole section on the Spirit. Study it out! I like Luke 11:13 and the related principles found in this study.
Romans 12:5 Belong to God to Belong to Each Other
"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." Romans 12:5-8
What do consider to be your most precious possession? Children? A Diamond Ring? Family? Something that belongs to you is close to your heart. What about other Christians? God says we belong to each other! Discipling takes on a whole new perspective when I realize that the ones trying to help me share a mutual ownership with me! My gifts are theirs. Their gifts are for me. I am responsible as a brother to take care of "MY brothers and sisters."
Another aspect of this the joy of "gift discovery." As we work together in Christ, we can help each other see our strengths and gifts. Then, as we put these to work in the church - our sense of fulfillment grows. We see how we belong. We sense how others are blessed by God through us and we become stronger together!
In Worcester, we opened up our Christmas service preparation to all and one sister, Patryce Hudspeth, volunteered to choreograph a dance. Our Music Ministry leader, Rich Evans, by faith simply told her to "make it happen."
What a blessing it was for the church! The dance pulled in a lot of new faces and totally enthused the congregation. It was one of the most moving parts of the worship service. One visitor from a sister congregation was so excited they asked how we could get a visiting performance done in their church! The new faces up front performing were "unexpected artists" and their faith was turned up to high!
The overflow is impacting our Kids' Kingdom too, as we want to let the young people experience dance and more of the Arts over the next few months. The children will develop a sense of esteem and discover how they belong as we set them up to have faith!
We belong not only to God, we belong to each other. And God wants us to take care of each other with the gifts and abilities he has built into us!
Romans 14:8 We Belong to be Unified in Our Differences
"For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." Romans 14:7-8
Unity is Not Uniformity! We can be different from one another. We can think differently than our brother. We can have completely different perspectives, and still be unified! Why? Because we still belong to God and one another.
If you think differently than I, "AMEN". I need to see and appreciate othert perspectives! Jesus is Lord of all. Jesus accepts all who surrender to his Lordship. There is enough truth to bind us all together that when we strive to be "perfectly united in mind and thought" we can be so, and still have differences!
Praise God for every disciple! Thank God for the differing races, nations, social statuses, ethnic groups and perspectives on planet earth! Do you appreciate the fact that you are not the only Christian around? In humility to Jesus, submit to others "out of reverence" to him. Ephesians 5:21
Everybody is your superior in something. If they belong to Christ, you belong to them and they to you. See Jesus in them and thank God for his diverse family. He let you in. He let me in. How can we look down on others he has let in?
Do you see the call from God to belong? It is not a feeling that comes from the flesh. It is a spiritual reality that we would all do well to seek as part of God's righteousness and kingdom.
As mentioned last week, the root of belonging is LOVE; agape love, phileo love and familial love.
It is love for God. It is loving our neighbor, as we love ourselves. It is Christlike devotion to God's will and to our brothers and sisters. This is how we belong!
I believe. I belong. Next time... I become: How hope impacts our lives.
In Christ,
Jerry Maday
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