Embracing Community: The Heart of Christianity

Devotional

Day 1: Christianity is a Shared Journey

Christianity is not a solitary path but a shared journey with others. The misconception that faith is solely about an individual relationship with God undermines the essence of Christian community. Romans 12:3-8 highlights the importance of humility and the diverse gifts within the body of Christ. Each believer is called to be part of a community, sharing their gifts and growing together in faith. Our spiritual growth is deeply connected to the community, and we cannot fulfill God's purpose in isolation. The church is a living body where each member plays a vital role, and our presence and participation are essential for its health and mission. [30:29]

"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." (Romans 12:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively engage with your church community this week to foster spiritual growth and unity?

Day 2: Your Unique Role in the Church

Every believer has a unique role in the body of Christ, and thinking that the church doesn't need you is a dangerous mindset. The gifts God has entrusted to you are for the good of the body, and your absence affects the whole community. Each gift, whether teaching, serving, giving, or leading, is a manifestation of God's grace and is essential for the church's health and mission. Embrace your role with humility and contribute to the unity and growth of the church. Your presence and participation are not just beneficial; they are necessary for the church to thrive. [47:11]

"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: What unique gifts has God given you, and how can you use them to serve your church community this week?

Day 3: Embracing Humility and Community

Pride often tells us that we don't need anyone, but humility recognizes our need for others. We are called to be part of something bigger and to grow together in faith. The church is not just a place we attend; it is a living body where each member plays a vital role. Our spiritual growth is intertwined with the community, and we cannot fulfill God's purpose for us in isolation. Embrace the beautiful interdependence that God has designed for His people, and together, be a powerful witness to the world of Christ's love and grace. [42:43]

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you practice humility in your interactions with others this week, acknowledging your need for community?

Day 4: Discovering and Using Your Gifts

God has given each of us spiritual gifts for the edification of the church. It's our responsibility to discover these gifts and use them for God's glory and the benefit of others. The gifts we have been given are not for our own benefit but for the edification of the church. Whether it's teaching, serving, giving, or leading, each gift is a manifestation of God's grace and is essential for the church's health and mission. Let us commit to using our gifts for God's glory and the good of others. [57:41]

"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching." (Romans 12:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take this week to discover or further develop your spiritual gifts for the benefit of your church community?

Day 5: Mutual Care and Support

The church is a place where we share each other's burdens and joys. We are called to actively engage in each other's lives, offering support and encouragement. Our presence and participation are not just beneficial; they are necessary for the church to thrive. Embrace your role with humility and contribute to the unity and growth of the church. Together, we can be a powerful witness to the world of Christ's love and grace. [16:42]

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your church community can you reach out to this week to offer support or encouragement, and how will you do it?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound truth that Christianity is not a solitary journey but a communal one. We delved into Romans 12:3-8, where Paul emphasizes the importance of humility, community, and the diverse gifts within the body of Christ. The notion that "Christianity is just about me and God" is a misconception that undermines the very fabric of our faith. We are called to be part of a community, to share our gifts, and to grow together in Christ.

Paul's message is clear: we need each other. The church is not just a place we attend; it is a living body where each member plays a vital role. Our spiritual growth is intertwined with the community, and we cannot fulfill God's purpose for us in isolation. The gifts we have been given are not for our own benefit but for the edification of the church. Whether it's teaching, serving, giving, or leading, each gift is a manifestation of God's grace and is essential for the church's health and mission.

We also addressed the dangerous mindset of thinking the church doesn't need us. Every believer is a crucial part of the body, and when one member is absent, the whole body suffers. Our presence and participation are not just beneficial; they are necessary for the church to thrive. We are called to embrace our roles, to serve with humility, and to contribute to the unity and growth of the church.

As we reflect on our place within the church, let us commit to using our gifts for God's glory and the good of others. Let us reject the notion of spiritual independence and embrace the beautiful interdependence that God has designed for His people. Together, we can be a powerful witness to the world of Christ's love and grace.

Key Takeaways

1. Christianity is Communal: Our faith is not meant to be private. We are called to be in relationship with other believers and to reach out to the world. This communal aspect is essential for spiritual growth and fulfilling God's purpose. [30:29]
2. The Church Needs You: Every believer has a unique role in the body of Christ. Thinking that the church doesn't need you is a dangerous mindset that ignores the gifts God has entrusted to you for the good of the body. [47:11]
3. Embrace Humility and Community: Pride says, "I don't need anyone," but humility recognizes our need for others. We are called to be part of something bigger and to grow together in faith. [42:43]
4. Discover and Use Your Gifts: God has given each of us spiritual gifts for the edification of the church. It's our responsibility to discover these gifts and use them for God's glory and the benefit of others. [57:41]
5. Mutual Care is Essential: The church is a place where we share each other's burdens and joys. We are called to actively engage in each other's lives, offering support and encouragement. [16:42]
** [16:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:53] - Visitor Information and Meals on Wheels
[02:41] - Committee Announcements
[03:37] - Business Meeting Schedule
[04:18] - Spaghetti Fundraiser
[04:58] - Trunk or Treat Event
[05:40] - Drive-Through Nativity Setup
[06:18] - Opening Prayer and Psalm 83
[11:29] - Prayer for Protection and Guidance
[12:35] - Exalting God's Name
[16:57] - Prayer Requests
[27:00] - Sermon Notes and Bible App Instructions
[28:19] - Romans 12:3-8 Introduction
[29:35] - The Danger of Individualism
[31:22] - The Importance of Community
[34:20] - Renewing Our Minds
[35:46] - What Every Christian Should Not Think
[37:14] - The Need for the Church
[40:09] - Addressing Church Hurt
[42:13] - Humility and Honest Self-Assessment
[45:41] - Embracing the Church and Using Gifts
[47:11] - The Church Needs You
[49:11] - The Danger of Neglecting Gifts
[51:11] - Loving Jesus Through Community
[57:11] - Discovering Spiritual Gifts
[60:12] - The Holiness of Everyday Acts
[66:42] - The Hard Work of Ministry
[72:12] - Spiritual Gifts as a Call to Serve
[76:12] - The Importance of the Local Church
[80:12] - Personal Commitment to the Church
[84:47] - Answering God's Call to Serve

Sermon Clips

1. "In recent decades, a demonic idea has spread. Now, it doesn't sound demonic. But I promise you, saints, if you study this book, it is deceitful and it is delusional if you study the Bible. And here's the statement. You can write it down. Christianity is just about me and God. Where we have privatized our faith to the exclusion of sharing it with others, either who are other believers or unbelievers. When you study this book, you will not come to the conclusion that Christianity is just about your relationship with God. It's not." [29:35] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Think about this. You can't come to faith without someone sharing the gospel to you. Reflect on your own conversion. Wasn't it the result of someone else's words and actions? It could have been your mother. It could have been a sermon from a preacher. It could have been a stranger, a neighbor, a coworker. Somebody communicated the gospel to you. Well, let's take the next step. If you repent of your sins and trust Christ as your Savior, according to that book, what's the next right step in your walk with the Lord? Baptism. Now, can you baptize yourself? No." [31:22] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We cannot fulfill the most basic commands to love God, love others, and fulfill the great commission without other people. Now, let's put this into perspective, though. Now, this is shocking to me. Since the year 2000, that's 23 years ago. 24? Y'all, it's been a long year already, ain't it? Lord have mercy. But since 2000, write this down. I'll put it in your notes. 40 million Americans have stopped attending church." [32:35] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Our world pushes self-reliance. We hear over and over again, I don't need the church. I can worship God alone. But that is how God, but is that how God designed us to grow spiritually? Paul tells us, this thinking stems from pride and calls us to humility and community instead. Notice what Paul says. This is actually pretty profound here in verse three. He says this, for by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you. Now, Paul speaks with the authority, because he's an apostle. And yet at the same time, he acknowledges that it's God's grace behind him that makes him an apostle." [37:14] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Thinking that we can spiritually grow alone is like an ah pretending that it doesn't need the rest of the body. Now some of you here, I know what you're going to say. But Josh, I've been hurt by the church. And I will be the first to tell you, believe it or not, pastors will be the first to acknowledge, church hurt is a real thing. It is. Maybe you were judged unfairly. You were excluded. You were let down by leaders like myself or other pastors. And those wounds matter. They leave spiritual scars." [40:09] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Recognizing your need for the church is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of wisdom. It's a wisdom. I hope every man, woman, and child in here can go, I need God's people every week. That's not weakness. Saints, that's the wisdom of God. You're speaking about things the way God speaks about them. We need one another." [45:11] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Thinking that the church doesn't need you, it's not just wrong, it's dangerous. Write this down. This mindset leads you to ignore the gifts God entrusted you for the good of the body. This is where I think the devil is in the details. When you say, when you say to yourself, in that mind, the church doesn't need me, I'll tell you why that's demonic, because the Holy Spirit has given you a spiritual gift, and I'll be very specific about it, I'll tell you this in a minute. For this church, for Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Demarest, Georgia." [49:11] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "You can't love Jesus by yourself. Now some of you go, I don't think that's right. Well you just have to take Jesus' word for this. Loving Christ involves loving other believers. Picture a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece is a believer. If one piece of that puzzle is missing, the picture isn't complete. When you pull away from the local church, you create gaps in the picture of Christ's love for the world." [51:11] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Christian ministry is hard work. Do not think, do not think that just because you have a gift, a special, supernatural, miraculous ability from God to benefit your other believers, brothers and sisters here, that it makes the work easy. It does not. Look at what it says in Hebrews 6, 10 through 12. For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for His name by serving the saints and by continuing to serve them." [01:06:42] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "Spiritual gifts are God's summons to serve the local church. This is the thing, cause y'all know I get angry and riled up. I have a hard time understanding how believers can disconnect from the local church. And one of the things that drives that thought in my mind is this. Is when you claim to know Christ, this is what I need you to understand how it hits my ear theologically. When you claim to know the Lord Jesus, you're saying you've repented of your sins, placed your faith in Christ, and according to my Bible, the minute you place your faith in Christ, the sweet Son of God pours out the Holy Spirit into your heart." [01:12:42] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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