Embracing Community: The Power of 'One Another'
Summary
In this sermon, I was reminded of the importance of community and fellowship within the body of Christ. The speaker emphasized the concept of "one another" found in the Bible, highlighting that there are 57 instances of this phrase. This phrase, he explained, is a call to mutual submission, encouragement, comfort, teaching, and love among believers. He stressed that we all belong to each other as parts of one body in Christ, challenging the individualistic mindset that is often prevalent in our society.
The sermon also highlighted the significance of small groups or life groups within the church. These groups, the speaker explained, provide a safe space for believers to learn, grow, and practice their faith together. They are places where we can learn to love, forgive, bear burdens, and do life together. The speaker encouraged everyone to get involved in a life group, emphasizing that it is in these small communities that we can truly fulfill the "one another" commands found in the Bible.
Key Takeaways:
- The concept of "one another" in the Bible is a call to mutual submission, encouragement, comfort, teaching, and love among believers. This is a reminder that we all belong to each other as parts of one body in Christ. [01:19:20]
- Small groups or life groups within the church provide a safe space for believers to learn, grow, and practice their faith together. They are places where we can learn to love, forgive, bear burdens, and do life together. [01:44:40]
- The Trinity (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit) serves as a model for community within the church. Just as they are a community, so too should we strive to be in community with one another. [01:45:58]
- The "one another" commands found in the Bible can only be fulfilled in relationship with others. This emphasizes the importance of fellowship and community within the body of Christ. [01:47:09]
Study Guide
Takeaways from the sermon:
1. Life groups are a place where we can grow together, develop our gifts, and put our faith into practice. It's a place where we can share, develop leaders, and have fun, food, and fellowship. It's important to stay connected to our faith community, especially in these tumultuous times. ([01:36:36])
2. We all have seasons in life where we might not be able to participate in a life group due to various reasons such as living out of state, taking care of parents, working in the evenings, or being too busy. However, it's important to remember that these seasons are supposed to end and we should try to get back into the habit of participating in a life group when we can. ([01:31:23])
3. It's important to have a supernatural mindset like Jesus so that we can learn to walk in the supernatural rather than the natural. As it says in 1 John, "as a man thinks, so is he". We should strive to learn how God thinks so we can follow Him. ([01:55:59])
Bible Reading:
1. 1 John 3
2. Romans 12
Observation Questions:
1. What does 1 John 3 say about how we should think and act?
2. How does Romans 12 encourage us to use our gifts and serve others?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does 1 John 3 relate to the idea of having a supernatural mindset like Jesus?
2. How can we apply the teachings in Romans 12 to our participation in a life group?
Application Questions:
1. How can you apply the supernatural mindset of Jesus in your daily life?
2. How can you use your gifts to serve others in your life group?
3. Can you share a time when you were unable to participate in a life group due to a season in your life? How did you manage to get back into the habit of participating?
4. How can you encourage others in your life group to develop their gifts and put their faith into practice?
5. How can you make your life group a place of fun, food, and fellowship?
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Fellowship
The sermon emphasized the importance of fellowship in our spiritual journey. It's not just about individual growth, but also about growing together as a community of believers. We are all parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. This mutual belonging fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose, which is essential for spiritual growth and maturity ([01:22:04]).
Romans 12:5 - "So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."
Reflection: Reflect on your role in your spiritual community. How can you contribute to the growth and unity of your fellowship?
Day 2: The Supernatural Mindset of Jesus
The sermon highlighted the need to adopt the supernatural mindset of Jesus. This involves learning to think like Him and walk in the supernatural rather than the natural. As we align our thoughts with God's, we can better follow His lead and experience His power in our lives ([01:55:59]).
1 John 3:2 - "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a supernatural mindset in your daily life? What changes might this require in your thinking and actions?
Day 3: The Importance of Serving One Another
The sermon underscored the importance of serving one another in the body of Christ. Each of us has unique gifts and insights to share, and none of us is above receiving from others. Serving one another is a practical way to express love and foster unity in the body of Christ ([01:20:00]).
Galatians 5:13 - "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
Reflection: How can you serve others in your spiritual community? What gifts or insights can you share to bless others?
Day 4: The Joy of Shared Worship
The sermon highlighted the joy and power of shared worship. When we come together to focus on God, there is an exponential increase in the power and impact of our worship. Shared worship fosters a deep sense of awe and unity among believers ([01:37:45]).
Psalm 133:1 - "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!"
Reflection: Reflect on your experiences of shared worship. How does worshipping together with others enhance your experience of God's presence?
Day 5: The Call to Conversion Growth
The sermon called us to strive for conversion growth, not just transfer growth. This involves reaching out to non-believers and inviting them into the family of God. As the church becomes healthier and more unified, we are better equipped to welcome new believers into our fellowship ([01:39:46]).
Acts 2:47 - "Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."
Reflection: How can you contribute to conversion growth in your community? What steps can you take to reach out to non-believers and invite them into the family of God?
Quotes
1. "We make time for what we value. Sometimes we get out of the habit of things and we do try to do life groups in such a way that we understand the seasons that we do take. We take Summers off, it gives our leaders a little bit of a rest and sometimes people need to spend time with their family." - 01:32:07
2. "Marriages have been saved, financial blessings have happened, healings have happened, community has happened. That is for us a celebration of seeing what God is doing in our life groups and that for me is my highlight." - 01:59:20
3. "We're going to be going to the word and exploring the supernatural mindset of Jesus so that we can learn to think like him and learn to walk in the Supernatural rather than the natural." - 01:55:59
4. "Life groups is where we learn to do Kingdom in a safe place. If we can't do it with our group, how are we going to do it outside these walls? It's a safe place and we're still learning to be prophetic, we're still learning to walk in that and how to pray." - 01:45:17
5. "There are over 57 one and others in the Bible. How do you love if there's no one to love? How do you learn to forgive? How do you learn to Bear burdens? These things we have found are only fulfilled in relationship and how we get relationship we spend time with one another." - 01:47:09
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