LESSONS THE CHURCH CAN LEARN FROM GEESE
Here's an outline of yesterday's sermon. It's really interesting how we as a church can learn so much from the instinctual behavior of one of God's creations - Geese.
As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" or a strong current of wind for the birds following from behind. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% more flying range or traveling distance than if each flew alone.
Lesson:
Churches who share a common vision and direction with a strong and healthy fellowship with one another will accomplish their goals and get where they're going quicker and easier because they are motivated by the excitement, energy, and faith of one another.
Acts 2:42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
When a lead goose gets tired, it rotates at the back of the formation and another goose flies at the point position.
Lesson:
Churches that are unhealthy and not growing only have 20% or less of the people doing all the work. Healthy Churches share the workload and the majority of members use their God-given gifts to help one another and to accomplish the tasks needed to do.
1 Peter 4:10 says, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
The geese in formation "honk" from behind to encourage those up front to maintain their speed.
Lesson:
We are on this long journey and our destination as Christians is heaven, and so we must be encouraging to each other to make our journey easier.
Hebrews 3:13 says, "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
Whenever a goose gets sick or is wounded by hunters, 2 or 3 other geese would fall out of the formation and follow the weak or wounded goose to the ground to help and protect it. The geese will stay with that goose until it is either able to fly again, or dies. Then they would fly out again to find another formation to catch up with.
Lesson:
If we had the sense of a goose, then we would stand by each other and help each other if we're down. People need to know that when they need someone, that they have a brother or sister in Christ that would be there for them.
Galatians 6:2 says, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Whenever a goose falls out of the "V" formation for whatever reason, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone because it is no longer taking advantage of the strong wind current that the wings of all the other geese are creating. If that goose stays away from the flock long enough, it will get tired and decide to land on the ground for a while. On the ground, it may start to feel too comfortable and be tempted to eat a lot which in turn causes the goose to delay joining the flock. Next thing you know, winter comes along and the goose ends up dying because it didn't fly south for the winter.
Lesson:
Christians who just go to church once every month or once every 3 months put themselves into a "spiritual coma" and the things of God like going to church, worshipping God, bible study, or prayer is no longer a priority. The longer they stay away from church, the easier it becomes to not go to church, and when that happens - the easier it becomes to "mingle" with the world.
Hebrews 10:25 says, "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."
