Embracing the Blessings of Biblical Community
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, family. Today, we are diving into the profound topic of biblical community. As we prepare to launch our MC groups, it's crucial to understand the immense value and blessings that come from living in community as designed by God. Reflecting on my sabbatical and a memorable hike in Kauai, I realized that just as the breathtaking view at the end of a tough trail is worth the struggle, so too is the beauty of living in biblical community worth the effort.
God has created us to thrive not in isolation but as part of a family, the body of Christ. This morning, we will explore five rich blessings that God has designed for us to experience when we live our lives in community. These blessings are meaningful purpose, spiritual growth, protection from sin, comfort in affliction, and bringing glory to God.
Firstly, meaningful purpose is found when we understand that we are uniquely created to be part of the body of Christ. Each of us has a role, and our lives find true meaning and purpose when we are connected to the whole. Secondly, spiritual growth is a community project. While personal quiet times are essential, true maturity in Christ happens in the context of community where we can speak truth in love and build each other up.
Thirdly, community provides protection from sin. Sin is deceitful and can harden our hearts, but living in close relationships with other believers helps us to exhort one another and stay vigilant against the enemy's schemes. Fourthly, community offers comfort in affliction. God often uses the people around us to provide the comfort we need during tough times, and in turn, we can comfort others with the comfort we have received.
Lastly, living in community brings glory to God. When we live in harmony with one another, we glorify God in a unique and powerful way that we cannot achieve alone. This harmony is like a beautiful symphony where each note, though different, comes together to create a magnificent sound.
As we prepare to respond and go to the Lord's Table, let's repent of our tendencies to isolate and commit to immersing ourselves in the community. God has designed this for our good and His glory. Let's lean into these relationships and experience the fullness of His blessings.
### Key Takeaways
1. Meaningful Purpose: God has uniquely designed each of us to be part of the body of Christ. Our lives find true meaning and purpose when we are connected to the whole, contributing our unique gifts and receiving from others. This interconnectedness is essential for a fulfilling Christian life. [12:48]
2. Spiritual Growth: True spiritual maturity happens in the context of community. While personal devotions are important, the Bible teaches that growth unto maturity requires the input, encouragement, and correction of other believers. Community is where we speak truth in love and build each other up. [19:13]
3. Protection from Sin: Sin is deceitful and can harden our hearts, but living in close relationships with other believers helps us to stay vigilant. By exhorting one another daily, we can protect ourselves from the deceitfulness of sin and the enemy's schemes. [26:32]
4. Comfort in Affliction: God often uses the people around us to provide the comfort we need during tough times. In turn, we can comfort others with the comfort we have received. This mutual support is a profound blessing of living in community. [33:33]
5. Glory to God: Living in harmony with other believers brings a unique and powerful glory to God. Our lives, when lived in community, create a beautiful symphony that glorifies God in a way that we cannot achieve alone. This harmony is essential for fulfilling our purpose of glorifying God. [39:14]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:18] - Gratitude for Sabbatical
[02:13] - Story from Sabbatical: Hiking in Kauai
[05:14] - Introduction to Biblical Community
[06:17] - The Church is Not a Building
[07:59] - Survey of New Testament on Community
[08:58] - Five Blessings of Community
[10:48] - Visual Illustration: River of Grace
[12:48] - Blessing 1: Meaningful Purpose
[19:13] - Blessing 2: Spiritual Growth
[26:32] - Blessing 3: Protection from Sin
[33:33] - Blessing 4: Comfort in Affliction
[39:14] - Blessing 5: Glory to God
[47:17] - Three Tips for Building Strong Community
[54:38] - Call to Response and Communion
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Blessings of Biblical Community
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (ESV)
> "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many."
2. Ephesians 4:11-16 (ESV)
> "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
3. Hebrews 3:12-13 (ESV)
> "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, what metaphor does Paul use to describe the church, and what does this metaphor imply about the nature of our relationships within the church?
2. In Ephesians 4:11-16, what roles are mentioned, and what is their purpose in the context of the church community?
3. Hebrews 3:12-13 warns against the deceitfulness of sin. What daily practice does the author suggest to prevent being hardened by sin? [27:13]
4. The sermon mentioned five blessings of living in biblical community. Can you list them? [08:58]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the metaphor of the body in 1 Corinthians 12 help us understand our individual roles and responsibilities within the church community? [12:48]
2. Ephesians 4:11-16 emphasizes the importance of speaking the truth in love. How can this practice contribute to spiritual growth within a community? [19:13]
3. Hebrews 3:12-13 suggests that exhorting one another daily can protect us from sin. What might this look like in a practical, everyday context? [26:32]
4. The sermon highlighted that living in community brings glory to God. How does Romans 15:5-6 illustrate this concept? [39:14]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current involvement in the church community. Are you actively contributing your unique gifts and receiving from others? What steps can you take to become more integrated? [12:48]
2. Think about a time when you experienced spiritual growth through the encouragement or correction of another believer. How can you create more opportunities for such interactions in your life? [19:13]
3. Have you ever felt protected from sin through the support of your community? Share an example and discuss how you can be more vigilant in exhorting others daily. [26:32]
4. When you face affliction, do you tend to isolate yourself or seek comfort from your community? How can you be more intentional about sharing your struggles and receiving support? [33:33]
5. Consider the harmony metaphor from Romans 15:5-6. Are there any relationships within the church that need reconciliation to achieve this harmony? What steps can you take to address these issues? [39:14]
6. The sermon encouraged us to knit into relationships deeply. What practical actions can you take this week to build stronger connections within your small group or church community? [47:17]
7. How can you point others to Jesus in your community interactions? Share specific ways you can bring the encouragement and wisdom you receive from your personal walk with God into your group discussions. [52:49]
By engaging with these questions, we can deepen our understanding of the blessings of biblical community and take tangible steps to live out these principles in our daily lives.
Devotional
Day 1: Meaningful Purpose in Community
God has uniquely designed each of us to be part of the body of Christ. Our lives find true meaning and purpose when we are connected to the whole, contributing our unique gifts and receiving from others. This interconnectedness is essential for a fulfilling Christian life. When we understand that we are not isolated individuals but integral parts of a larger body, we begin to see the significance of our roles. Each person has a unique contribution to make, and the community thrives when everyone is engaged and connected. This sense of belonging and purpose is a profound blessing that God has designed for us.
In a biblical community, we find that our lives are enriched by the diversity of gifts and talents that others bring. We are not meant to walk this journey alone; instead, we are called to be part of a family where we can support and be supported. This mutual dependence not only gives our lives meaning but also helps us to grow and mature in our faith. By being connected to the body of Christ, we fulfill our God-given purpose and experience the fullness of life that He intends for us. [12:48]
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (ESV): "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many."
Reflection: Think about the unique gifts and talents God has given you. How can you use them to contribute to your community and fulfill your purpose in the body of Christ?
Day 2: Spiritual Growth Through Community
True spiritual maturity happens in the context of community. While personal devotions are important, the Bible teaches that growth unto maturity requires the input, encouragement, and correction of other believers. Community is where we speak truth in love and build each other up. In isolation, our growth can be stunted, but in community, we are challenged and inspired to become more like Christ.
In a community, we have the opportunity to learn from others' experiences, gain new perspectives, and receive constructive feedback. This environment fosters spiritual growth as we hold each other accountable and encourage one another to pursue holiness. The relationships we build in community are instrumental in our journey toward spiritual maturity, as they provide the support and motivation we need to stay committed to our faith. [19:13]
Ephesians 4:15-16 (ESV): "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
Reflection: Identify one area of your spiritual life where you need growth. Who in your community can you ask for guidance, accountability, or encouragement in this area?
Day 3: Protection from Sin in Community
Sin is deceitful and can harden our hearts, but living in close relationships with other believers helps us to stay vigilant. By exhorting one another daily, we can protect ourselves from the deceitfulness of sin and the enemy's schemes. In community, we have the support and accountability needed to resist temptation and remain faithful to God.
When we isolate ourselves, we become more vulnerable to the enemy's attacks. However, in a community, we have others who can help us recognize and confront sin in our lives. This mutual exhortation and encouragement are vital for maintaining a soft heart and a clear conscience before God. By living in close relationships with other believers, we can stay vigilant and protect ourselves from the deceitfulness of sin. [26:32]
Hebrews 3:12-13 (ESV): "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent struggle with sin. Who in your community can you confide in and ask for accountability to help you stay vigilant against this sin?
Day 4: Comfort in Affliction Through Community
God often uses the people around us to provide the comfort we need during tough times. In turn, we can comfort others with the comfort we have received. This mutual support is a profound blessing of living in community. When we face trials and hardships, having a community to lean on can make all the difference.
In times of affliction, the presence and support of fellow believers can provide the strength and encouragement we need to persevere. God works through our community to bring comfort and healing, reminding us that we are not alone in our struggles. As we receive comfort from others, we are also called to extend that same comfort to those around us, creating a cycle of support and care within the community. [33:33]
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV): "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
Reflection: Think of a time when you received comfort from someone in your community. How can you extend that same comfort to someone else who is currently going through a tough time?
Day 5: Bringing Glory to God Through Community
Living in harmony with other believers brings a unique and powerful glory to God. Our lives, when lived in community, create a beautiful symphony that glorifies God in a way that we cannot achieve alone. This harmony is essential for fulfilling our purpose of glorifying God. When we come together in unity, despite our differences, we reflect the love and grace of God to the world.
The beauty of a harmonious community lies in its diversity. Each person brings their unique gifts and perspectives, and when we work together in love and unity, we create a powerful testimony of God's glory. This collective witness is far more impactful than any individual effort, as it demonstrates the transformative power of the gospel in our lives. By living in community, we fulfill our purpose of bringing glory to God. [39:14]
Romans 15:5-6 (ESV): "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Reflection: Reflect on your relationships within your community. How can you contribute to the harmony and unity of your community to bring greater glory to God?
Quotes
1. "Our faith is not a spectator sport where you just come in and watch a guy preach a sermon once a week or watch somebody on a screen. It's not that. It's a family. It's meant to be a people that live their lives among each other in that life-on-life closeness in order to experience God and spur each other on towards closeness with Him in our walks with the Lord." [06:17] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God has designed you to find your place in community with the saints. You are made to belong to a body and without it in a real sense, your life will lack meaning and purpose. And I see this most clearly. If you want to join me in our first text for this morning, first Corinthians chapter 12, where we'll see the apostle Paul give us a very helpful metaphor where he shows us. This reality and the metaphor is that of a body." [12:48] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When God saved you, he did not only save you into a personal relationship with him. He did that. He started a personal relationship with with God. That's happens when you put faith in Christ. You're redeemed of your sins. You can be reconciled with God. You can live your life with God from that day forward. That's a beautiful reality. It's personal, independent, autonomous. You and the Lord yourselves. But he didn't just do that. He also saved you into a family. Your salvation brought you into his body, the body of Christ, which means your faith is inherently communal." [13:31] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Your growth unto maturity as a follower of Jesus, as a man and a woman of God, you're only going to experience that in full when you exist amongst the body in close relationships with other believers. Now, this is not to say you can't grow on your own. You can. You know, when you're at home with God's word, having a quiet time in the morning, absolutely, you can grow. God can speak to you, and you can glean things, and you can apply them, and you can grow strong. But hear me, the Bible is really clear. Growth unto maturity requires community." [19:13] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "When you choose to go at life. Alone, spiritually speaking, you are missing out on God's design for your good. You're living outside of the river. You're standing on the banks and letting the growth God wants in your life just fly right by. If you try to go at life alone spiritually, you will inevitably reach a place of plateau spiritually in your life. If you get too busy for community, you stop investing in people to know them and to be known yourself. You will inevitably wake up one year, maybe 10 years older, maybe a little grayer, a little more wrinkly. When you look into the mirror, but the same basic you right in there." [23:04] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "True community means living close enough to a brother who you see you're close enough in life, life on life, that you see he's looking to his job, his career, to money, to the opinions of man. Man for his security. And you can step in and help lift that shield and say, man, your identity is in the Lord. You're looking to the wrong things. It doesn't happen unless we live in community." [31:13] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "God has purposes for your pain. Your affliction in life is not accidental. He wants to comfort you in those seasons of affliction. So that he can then turn around and use you. To comfort others when they walk through their own seasons. Like what the enemy only means for pain and evil in your life. When you choose to live your life in community. According to God's design. God like hacks it all for good. He takes the enemy's plans and just turns them into good fruit. For you and for others. Like grace just bouncing around in community. Just multiplying like loaves and fishes in there." [34:55] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Your life if lived in profound fellowship offers. Powerful worship to God. You can worship God with your life. Bring him greater glory corporately than you can individually. And glory to God is what you were made for. I mean that's what we've all been made for." [39:14] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "If you are coming to church this morning anonymously. If you're here in this room right now. But you're not involved in anything. You only show up on Sundays. Nobody really knows your name. You're not involved in a group. You're not involved in a Bible study. You haven't sought to know anybody. You don't come early. In fact you trickle in late. So nobody sees you. And then right when it ends. Announcements are starting. You sneak out the back door so that nobody talks to you. If that's the approach you're taking to your faith. I'm telling you. You are hamstrung in your ability to glorify God. He made you to be a voice that glorifies him in community with each other." [43:24] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Knit in means deep integration. It means like wrapping your life around other people. Getting to know them. Letting them get to know you. Learning their kids names. Learning that they care about cats. You don't care about cats at all. But learning their cat's name. Because cats are important to them. It's like sacrificing yourself to know someone better. But as you do. You knit in. You go to group. And you don't just knit in. You just go. You bring your heart." [48:26] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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