Relationship Reveals God’s Glory

Pastor Phil Derstine 2-1-26

Declare His Glory among the Nations – Psalm 96:3 

  • II Corinthians 3:18 – We are being changed into the image of Christ, from Glory to Glory… by the Spirit of the Lord.  
  • We are carriers of the Holy Spirit to manifest God’s Glory in the earth today.   

The Family Church – Growing Life Together

  • D.R.I.P. Growth Model:  DISCOVER – RELATE – INSPIRE – PROVE
  • 4 Words that reflect the culture of our church and growth process of our Faith
  • Drip Irrigation – Invented in Israel, innovative, strategic, surgical (I.V. drip for medicine), systematic.
  • RELATE – Your Life to God’s Family (Connection)
  • Acts 2:42 (New Testament Church) “They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (46) Every day they continued to meet together in the temple court.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. (47) Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Relationship brings Synergism – When the total effect is greater than the sum of the individual parts. (1+1=3)

  • Matthew 18:19 “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
  • Two or three + Christ = Synergism that manifests the Glory. (Christ is the Source of multiplication)
  • Daniel 3:12 – Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego – Would not bow to worship a false god.
  • They stood together, answered together, thrown into the fire, together, walked out together, with Christ!
  • Acts 16:23-34 – Paul & Silas freed from Prison, as they sang and prayed together
  • Acts 12:5-7 – Peter freed from Prison as the church prayed fervently together.
  • Exodus 17:12 – Aaron & Hur held up Moses’ arms together and the battle was won.
  • Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: (10) If one falls down, his friend can help him up. (12) Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
  • Christ = The 3rd Strand (not human effort)
  • T.E.A.M. (Together Everyone Achieves More) - A Group organized to work together for a common goal.
  • I Corinthians 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.”

Relationship brings God’s Blessing

  • Psalms 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.  (3) …for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”
  • Hebrews 10:23-25 “Let us hold fast to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
  • I Corinthians 10:16 “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?  The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (17) For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”
  • Communion (Koinonia) – participating together, in spiritual union with what Christ accomplished.