Refocus: Community, Acts

Refocus: Community

Acts 2:42-47 & Various Texts

 

Community as Central to the Church

• As the Church, we are, by definition, to be in community with one another
  • Sharing life together
• The commands to Christians in the NT are overwhelmingly communal in nature
  • There are 56 verses that center on how the church is be in community by using the expression ‘each other’ or ‘one another’
    • Love (21), encourage (8), be patient (6), be at peace (5), build up (2), be kind (2), serve (2), be concerned (1), accept (1), carry burdens (1), forgive (1), don’t lie (1), confess (1), pray (1), be devoted (1), don’t judge (1), instruct (1)

 

The Early Church as an Example (Acts 2:42-47)

• They learned together
• They prayed together
• They ate together
• They worshipped together
• They did life together!
• And they shared everything they had with one another
  • Not out of compulsion
  • But out of genuine love
• And because of the work of the Holy Spirit through that community, they grew constantly!
• There is nothing that the early Church had that we lack
  • In fact, we have greater opportunities and less hardships than they did

 

The Need for Community

• We are not created to live life alone (Gen. 2:18)
  • We do not only have a God-shaped hole, but also a people-shaped hole in us
• We only reach our potential as individuals when we share life together (Rom. 12:4-5)
• Community keeps us humble and grounded in the truth
  • And it allows us to be alone without falling into despair or pride
  • Because it keeps us accountable to one another

 

The Enemy of Community

• The number one thing that keeps us from doing life together: Busyness!
  • We let other things get in the way
• The irony is busyness leads to emptiness
  • Community leads to fullness
• The solution is intentionality!

 

Opportunities for Community

• Sunday mornings
  • Not just about worship, but also about fellowship
• Bible Studies/Small Groups
  • Men’s group, Women’s Bible Study, Adult Bible Study (Th)
• Events
  • Thanksgiving Event
  • Monthly events to be planned
• Serving
• New ideas:
  • Small groups based on the sermons
  • Celebrate Recovery
  • Others?
    • Always open to suggestions
  • It doesn’t have to always be events
    • Eat meals together
    • Go visit those you haven’t seen in awhile
      • Visitation ministry?!

 

So What?

• Let’s do life together!
• Let’s be intentional about it!
• Make a point to connect with someone from the Church this week that you haven’t before
  • Let’s share some of those stories next Sunday night!

 

Meditation Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:11