The Habit of Community

 

 

Spiritual Habit of Community.

We’re connected to everybody……….and somehow deeply known by almost nobody.

This has been termed “the anti-social century.”

And researchers are beginning to tell us this isn’t simply unfortunate. It’s unhealthy.

Psychologists call this problem the

• Friendship depth gap.

Harvard Study of Adult Development,

Several studies found that people’s level of satisfaction with their relationships at age 50 was a better predictor of physical health than their cholesterol levels were.

RELATIONSHIPS AREN’T JUST GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL……….THEY’RE GOOD FOR YOUR BODY.

 

Genesis 2:18 — “It is not good for the man to be alone.”

• You need God. But God also designed you to need people.
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• “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

 

• GOD CHANGES US IN COMMUNITY IN WAYS WE WILL NEVER CHANGE IN ISOLATION
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But there are other things God chooses to do in my life through people.

John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact..

Galatians 5:13 “Serve one another humbly in love.”

Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,….

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other….

James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

YOU CANNOT PRACTICE THE “ONE ANOTHERS” OF SCRIPTURE BY YOURSELF.

JESUS DID LIFE IN COMMUNITY He didn’t do ministry alone.

He called twelve.

discipleship wasn’t simply: “Come hear Me preach.” It was: “COME FOLLOW ME.”  This is His pattern…

THE EARLY CHURCH DID THE SAME THING

Acts 2:40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

DEVOTED.

Acts 2:46  “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes…”

I want you to see the pattern. TEMPLE COURTS……….AND HOMES.

ROWS……….AND CIRCLES.

The early church understood: WE NEED BOTH.

Church is not a place it is the people of God doing life together on mission.

The New Testament word translated church is the Greek word ekklesia

It refers to an assembly……….a gathering……….a congregation of people called together.

Matthew 16:18: “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

• Sunday morning alone can’t provide the relational context you need to grow spiritually.
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GOD USES COMMUNITY TO HELP US GROW HEALTHY……….FIND FREEDOM……….AND EXPERIENCE HEALING.

And one of the ways God brings that transformation is through healthy relationships.

James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

SOME THINGS GOD DOES IN ME WHEN I’M ALONE WITH HIM……….OTHER THINGS GOD DOES IN ME THROUGH HIS PEOPLE.

WHAT STAYS HIDDEN OFTEN STALLS GROWTH.

FREEDOM GROWS IN THE LIGHT.

1 John 1:7  “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

A SAFE PLACE TO BE KNOWN……….A SAFE PLACE TO GROW……….A SAFE PLACE TO HEAL.

WE CARRY EACH OTHER TOWARD FREEDOM

Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

We have moments when our faith gets weak……….when grief overwhelms us……….when temptation gets strong……….when life knocks us down.   “One can help the other up.”

That’s community. That’s the church I want us to be.

Not a church where everybody pretends they’ve got it together.

A church where people who are far from God can find him.

A church where broken people can encounter Jesus.

A church where hurting people can heal.

A church where people trapped in destructive patterns can find freedom.

A church where somebody can finally say, “I need help,” and discover that they’re surrounded by people who will walk with them.

Because our goal isn’t simply to fill a room on Sunday.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO GROW HEALTHY.

COMMUNITY DOESN’T JUST COMFORT ME. IT CHANGES ME

Why? Because when I get around other people as see Gods word at work in them….

IT CHALLENGES ME.

Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Kingdom FRIENDS DON’T JUST TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR. THEY LOVE YOU ENOUGH TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO HEAR.

Hebrews 10:24-25  “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together……….but encouraging one another.”

WE ALL NEED PEOPLE WHO LOVE US WHERE WE ARE……….BUT LOVE US TOO MUCH TO LEAVE US THERE.

That’s community.

COMMUNITY MAKES US STRONGER

Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two are better than one, ……….12 “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO BORROW SOMEBODY ELSE’S FAITH UNTIL YOURS GETS STRONG AGAIN.

 Mark 2  There was a paralyzed man who needed Jesus…..But he couldn’t get himself there.

SO HIS FRIENDS CARRIED HIM.

THAT’S THE CHURCH.

SO WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS?

I don’t want you just attending Oasis…..I WANT YOU CONNECTED.

I don’t want you simply sitting in a crowd……..I WANT YOU KNOWN.

Develop a SPIRITUAL HABIT OF COMMUNITY.