Building a Devoted, Generous, and Joyful Community

"and yet we live in a world where loneliness is at epidemic levels right now people are more digitally connected than ever and yet the studies continue to show that we are feeling increasingly isolated and so we scroll through social media we get a glimpse of other people's lives but it nags at us in the back and we wonder where do i belong who truly knows me and the church has always meant to be the answer to those questions it's not a building it's not an event it is a community a family of a family of people who so embody the radical love of christ in such a way the world has to take notice" [00:31:32]

"See, every community is built around something. Whether it's a shared interest, a political ideology, a common background, people naturally gather around what they value most. And Christian community is no different in that aspect. What's different about it is when the world gathers around, those things can change. My politics can change. What I want to do in life can change. I may be a bike rider young, and then I realize I don't have the knees for it, so I'm not anymore. Well, now I don't have that community. Christian community is different. Because it's built on something radically different. It's built on something that can't change. It's not built around common interests. It isn't even built around a shared personality type or a life stage. It's built around Jesus, the resurrected king." [00:36:58]

"Fellowship is based on a shared commitment to Christ. It is about being bound together, not because we are similar, but because we have been saved by the same grace. So this means that the church is meant to be. It's meant to be a community of people who otherwise might not have anything else in common and they have a shared life. It's the wealthy and the poor, the young and the old, the educated and the uneducated. It is even Longhorns and Aggies in the same room. Like you're welcome, brother." [00:38:40]

"These believers were so devoted to Jesus that their differences faded in comparison to what they had in common. It doesn't mean differences didn't exist. It just faded. It was paled in comparison to the bond that we would have in Christ. It was a transformed life in Jesus. But notice what else they're devoted to. The apostles' teachings. That means they're not just devoted to each other. They're devoted to God's truth. And this is also essential because a community alone is not enough. If our relationships are not shaped by God's word, we will never be the kind of community that truly transforms lives." [00:39:33]

"To us, it sounds radical because we have such liquid assets that they didn't. You have cash in pocket. You can write a check. It's quick turnaround. They didn't have it like that. I would have to sell a mule. I'd have to sell a bull. I'd have to sell a piece of land to make the donation because my money was wrapped up in the objects of it, a field and crops. So that's what it's talking about. When a need came up, the need was met. They were just radically generous." [00:48:09]

"And there's a reason for it. It's a response to the transforming power of the gospel. And the gospel always produces generosity. Always. So where there is no generosity, I would say scripturally, there is no gospel. Because you can't have one without the other. Think about it. When you understand what Jesus has done for you, when you grasp that he has left the riches of heaven to give you everything, you can't help but be a more generous person." [00:49:37]

"And that's what we see in Acts chapter 2. The early church lived as stewards, not as owners. They didn't see their wealth as something to hoard. They saw it as something to share. And why? They had encountered a savior who had given everything for them. But notice something. This generosity wasn't just about money. It was about sharing life. They opened their homes. They didn't just invite people into a building. They invited them into their lives. They shared their time." [00:50:09]

"And oftentimes, at least in our culture, time costs you more than money. And it is a giving of time. And here's what's incredible. This kind of generosity is irresistible. Think about the world that we live in. People are lonely. They're exhausted. They feel unseen and uncared for. They're drowning in an ocean of self-interest." [00:51:25]

"Joy, on the other hand, is deep and unshakable. It isn't tied to circumstances. It's rooted in Christ. And when people see that kind of joy, they take notice because, again, it's rooted in Christ. It's not the circumstances. It's not putting on a fake smile when life sucks. That's not joy." [00:56:07]

"Joy is even when the crap hits the fan and there is nothing happy about it. I still have joy in Christ because I know He went through much worse than anything I'm going through. And I know it's for the joy set before Him that He would do that. And I know it'll be everlasting joy as I step into this eternal heaven. A world takes notice. It's not a fake it till you make it. There's just a difference." [00:56:28]

"Here's how you can imagine it. Imagine worldly happiness as a small candle. A small candle is great, especially in the military. We'd have to go out in survival. Just a little flame, man, that was a morale booster. It's not like it's producing a massive amount of heat, but there was still something to the flicker that just brought hope. But the minute a wind comes, what happens? It snuffs that out. The circumstances change. The rains fall. But joy, biblical joy, is not like a candle. It's like a lighthouse." [00:56:48]

"That's what was happening in the early church. These believers had every reason to be afraid. They were a small movement in the middle of an empire that didn't understand them and would quickly grow to hate them. They had very little power, very little resources, and yet they were filled with joy. Why? Because they knew that the resurrection had changed everything." [00:57:23]