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Error 404 – Connection Not Found

by | Sep 20, 2026

Sermon Notes
  1. John 13:34 CSB
    I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.
  2. 1 John 4:10 CSB
    Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
  3. Genesis 2:15 CSB
    The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. 
  4. Genesis 2:18 CSB
    Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.”
  5. “God is stating that the task is too large for him to do on his own – he needs an ally to help him”
    – John Walton, The Lost World of Adam & Eve
  6. The Design: From the beginning, God created us for connection
    The Problem: Relationships became complicated because of sin and evil in the world
    The Danger: Living disconnected from others means missing out on the fullness of life that God has for us
  7. Ecclesiastes 4:7-8 CSB
    Again, I saw futility under the sun: There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. “Who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself of good things?” This too is futile and a miserable task.
  8. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 CSB
    Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
  9. Monkey Stress Study:
    “The level of stress hormones in the brain had dropped in half. The lone monkey was only half as good at handling stress as the pair was together”
    – Henry Cloud, Boundaries for Leaders
  10. Harvard’s Study of Adult Development:
    The clearest message that we get from this 75 year study is this – good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period…. Social connections are really good for us and loneliness kills
    – Robert Waldinger, TED Talk on What Makes a Good Life
  11. Psychological Findings on Relationship between Social Support & Stress/Trauma:
    Social support is the most powerful protection against becoming overwhelmed by stress and trauma. Social support is not the same as merely being in the presence of others. The critical issue is reciprocity: being truly heard and seen by the people around us, feeling that we are held in someone else’s mind and heart.
    – Bessel Van Der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score
  12. We were not created for isolation, but for healthy connection with God and one another
  13. The Challenge
    1. Ask Yourself: Who might God have already put in my life that I can love and build a genuine connection with?

    2. Ask Yourself: Who is someone I don’t know very well who God might be calling me to let into my life?

    3. Ask Jesus: Jesus, what is one thing you are calling me to do this week to build greater connection with the people around me?

    4. Pray: God, help me to not live in isolation, but to live in community.

Discussion Questions
  1. In Genesis 2:18, it says “It is not good for man to be alone”. What do you think this teaches us about God’s design for our lives? Why do you think our connection with others is so important to God?
  2. In his message, Darien describes a “relational 404” as being surrounded by people, but still feeling alone. In your experience, what are some things that can cause us to become disconnected from others, even when we have opportunities to connect?
  3. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 describes the practical benefits of having people walk alongside us – they can help us when we fall, support us in difficulty, and we are stronger together. How have you experienced the value of having someone walk through life with you? What impact did those kinds of relationships make on your everyday life?
  4. Healthy connection requires us to be seen and known by others, but vulnerability can feel risky. In your experience, what makes it difficult for us to let people genuinely know us? What might help us build that kind of relationship with others?
  5. God calls us to healthy connection, but not every relationship will be healthy or safe. What is the difference between pursuing healthy connection and simply tolerating unhealthy or harmful relationships?
  6. Who might God be calling you to connect with intentionally in this season? What is one practical step you could take this week to build a deeper connection with that person?

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