“And” How?

Powerful Little Words, part 4 of 4
Another word that can be useful when “yes” or “no” cannot completely or appropriately deal with a situation is the word “and”. “And” is a powerful word because it can take a situation from an average level to an above average level when you use it creatively in your life. It’s life by addition. Jesus did this in a very famous passage, Matthew 22:34-40, when one of the Pharisees asked Jesus what the greatest commandment of the Law was. Jesus said “…love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind…. This is the first and greatest commandment.”. At that point, up until verse 38, Jesus had answered the Pharisees question. Knowing that that was kind of vague and nebulous, and that the Pharisees could always claim that, Jesus threw in the powerful word “and”. ” The second is similar to the first, …love your neighbor as yourself …” all the laws of the prophets hang on these two commandments. Jesus used the word “and” to do two things, to answer more than the questions the Pharisees raised so that in effect he could give them the teaching they needed in that point in their life. He also did it because to answering with only one commandment would not be a complete answer to understanding the Law. In a similar fashion, we also can use the word “and” powerfully and effectively to help people and achieve the double win in a situation of life. In this talk will provide principles on when and how to use an “and”. Pastor Vince DiPaola

Download the notes.

I. “And”… how?

“Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two things.’” (Matthew 22:34–40, NIV)

Instead of using just “yes” or “no”, consider using an “and” to expand!

II. What “and” can do

1.Use “and” to deepen thinking on information.

2.Use “and” to offer options to proposals.

3.Use “and” to advance ideas with improvements.

4.Use “and” to turn disagreements into agreements.

III. He power of “and”

Using “and” to expand the impact of your life

1 Our “and” to our life: “Lose your life and you’ll find it__.”

“Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Who- ever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:38–39, NIV)

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10, NIV)

2. Our “and” to others: “Serve others and experience joy.”

“…’ And who is my neighbor?’ In reply Jesus said, ‘A man was going down from Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by the other side. So too, a Levite… But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him… Bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him… ‘Look after him… and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”” (Luke 10:29b–35, NIV)

” [Jesus] did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom.” (Mark 10:45, NIV)

3. God’s “and” to us: “Follow Me and discover blessing.”

“Peter said to him, ‘We have left everything to follow you!’ ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields– and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.’” (Mark 10:28–30, NIV)