Thriving Together: The Power of Small Groups

Devotional

Day 1: Community as Our Spiritual Life Support

In our journey through life, God never intended for us to walk alone. Just as astronauts, deep-sea divers, and soldiers rely on life support systems, we too need a support system to navigate the challenges and pressures of life. This support system is found in community, specifically in small groups. God designed us for relationships, emphasizing that it is not good for man to be alone. Whether or not we are married, we need people in our lives. The church, as the body of Christ, finds its life in these small groups, much like the cells in a body. Jesus himself highlighted the importance of small communities, stating that where two or three gather in His name, He is present among them. [01:04]

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: Who are the people in your life that form your spiritual support system? How can you intentionally invest in these relationships this week?

Day 2: Enriching Our Understanding Through Collective Bible Study

Studying God's Word in a small group offers insights and perspectives that we might miss on our own. Just as multiple witnesses see more details in an event, group Bible study enriches our understanding and helps us grow spiritually. In a small group setting, we can ask questions, share insights, and learn from each other's experiences. This collective study not only deepens our knowledge but also strengthens our faith as we see how God is working in the lives of others. [06:53]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: What new insight or perspective have you gained from a recent group Bible study? How can you apply this insight to your daily walk with God?

Day 3: Learning to Love in Community

Small groups are a laboratory for learning how to love. We practice relational skills and learn to love others, even those who might be difficult to love. This is crucial because the primary purpose of our lives is to learn how to love God, others, and ourselves. In the context of a small group, we are challenged to extend grace, patience, and kindness, reflecting the love of Christ in our interactions. This environment helps us grow in our ability to love unconditionally, as we are loved by God. [10:39]

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling." (1 Peter 4:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone in your small group who is difficult to love. How can you show them Christ-like love this week?

Day 4: The Fellowship of Food

Sharing meals in small groups creates a relaxed environment where barriers are lowered, and receptivity to truth is heightened. Jesus often taught while eating or walking, emphasizing the importance of fellowship in learning and growth. The act of breaking bread together fosters a sense of belonging and community, allowing for deeper connections and open conversations. This fellowship of food is not just about physical nourishment but also about feeding our souls through shared experiences and spiritual discussions. [19:11]

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42, ESV)

Reflection: How can you use the act of sharing a meal to deepen your relationships within your small group this week?

Day 5: Practicing Unselfishness in Community

Small groups encourage us to practice unselfishness by helping each other in practical ways. We use our God-given abilities to support one another, growing in love and becoming more like the people God intends us to be. This practice of unselfishness involves putting the needs of others before our own, serving with a joyful heart, and using our talents to bless those around us. In doing so, we reflect the selfless love of Christ and build a stronger, more supportive community. [23:24]

"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: What is one practical way you can serve someone in your small group this week, using your unique gifts and talents?

Sermon Summary

In our journey through life, God never intended for us to walk alone. Just as astronauts, deep-sea divers, and soldiers rely on life support systems, we too need a support system to navigate the challenges and pressures of life. This support system is found in community, specifically in small groups. God designed us for relationships, emphasizing that it is not good for man to be alone. Whether or not we are married, we need people in our lives. The church, as the body of Christ, finds its life in these small groups, much like the cells in a body. Jesus himself highlighted the importance of small communities, stating that where two or three gather in His name, He is present among them.

Small groups serve five essential purposes that are vital for our spiritual health and growth. First, they provide a space to study God's Word together. While personal Bible study is important, studying in a group allows us to see different perspectives and insights that we might miss on our own. Second, small groups are a laboratory for learning how to love. We practice relational skills and learn to love others, even those who might be difficult to love. This is crucial because the primary purpose of our lives is to learn how to love God, others, and ourselves.

Third, small groups offer the joy of sharing meals together. This fellowship of food creates a relaxed environment where barriers are lowered, and receptivity to truth is heightened. Fourth, we pray for each other in small groups, experiencing the additional power that comes from collective prayer. Finally, small groups encourage us to practice unselfishness by helping each other in practical ways, using our God-given abilities to support one another.

In essence, small groups are where we experience the fullness of community, grow in love, and become more like the people God intends us to be. They are the life support system that sustains us spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.

Key Takeaways

1. given abilities to support one another, growing in love and becoming more like the people God intends us to be. [23:24]
** [23:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - Life Support Systems
[01:04] - God's Design for Community
[02:30] - Jesus on Small Groups
[03:20] - Purpose of Small Groups
[05:00] - Studying God's Word Together
[09:37] - Learning to Love
[12:57] - The Power of Gratitude
[14:09] - Extra Grace Required
[17:38] - The Fellowship of Food
[21:01] - Praying for Each Other
[22:34] - Encouraging and Helping Each Other
[24:49] - Using God-Given Abilities
[26:03] - Partnering in Gratitude

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Acts 2:42-47, what were the five activities the early church engaged in that are also emphasized in small groups today? [05:00]
How does Matthew 18:20 highlight the significance of small groups in the context of Jesus' teachings? [02:30]
What does 1 Peter 4:10 suggest about the use of our abilities within a community? [24:00]
In the sermon, what analogy is used to describe the importance of small groups as a life support system? [00:12]

Interpretation Questions

How does the concept of small groups as a "life support system" relate to the idea of community in the early church as described in Acts 2:42-47? [05:00]
What might Jesus' promise of His presence in small gatherings (Matthew 18:20) imply about the nature of spiritual community? [02:30]
How can the practice of using our God-given abilities to help others, as mentioned in 1 Peter 4:10, transform our experience in small groups? [24:00]
The sermon mentions that small groups are a "laboratory for learning how to love." How does this idea connect with the biblical command to love God and others? [10:39]

Application Questions

Reflect on your current support system. How can you strengthen it by engaging more deeply with a small group? [01:04]
In what ways can you contribute to a small group Bible study to ensure a diversity of perspectives and insights? [06:53]
Think of a challenging relationship in your life. How can participating in a small group help you practice love and improve that relationship? [10:39]
How can you incorporate the fellowship of food into your small group to create a more relaxed and open environment? [19:11]
Identify a specific ability or talent you have. How can you use it to support someone in your small group this week? [23:24]
Consider a time when you felt the power of collective prayer. How can you encourage more prayer within your small group? [21:01]
What practical steps can you take to practice unselfishness in your small group, especially when someone has a need? [22:34]

Sermon Clips

God never intended for you to go through life on your own facing your problems your your difficulties your tragedies your pressures by yourself in fact the very first thing that God said when he made man is it's not good for man to be alone now whether you ever get married or marry again is irrelevant the issue is you need people in your life you need relationships we're better together God wired us for community and the basic unit of community is the small group. [00:01:04]

The life of every church is in the cells in the small group this is a crowd that we see right now this is not a church this is a crowd the church is actually in the cells in the small groups now this is not a new concept Jesus talked about the importance of small community in Matthew 18 look on your outline Matthew 18 verse2 Jesus said this wherever two or three gather together in my name I will be read it with me aloud right there with them. [00:02:30]

Small group Bible study is more important to your spiritual health than personal Bible study say are you kidding me no I'm not why here's why if you go home from a church service today and you see an accident a car accident who's going to see more details one witness or six Witnesses who who yeah six why six pair of eyes are going to see more details than one pair of eyes and the same is true of Bible study when you study the Bible with other people in a small group you get far more out of it than when you just read it by yourself. [00:06:53]

The number one purpose of your life the number one purpose of your life is to learn how to love it's why God put you on this planet Earth instead of creating you and taking you instantly to Heaven you ever thought about this why does God put us here for 80 years or 90 years or 100 years at the most why didn't God just make us and take us instantly to Heaven if that's where we're going in anyway he puts you here to learn how to love because God is love. [00:10:39]

Small groups are the laboratory for learning how to love they're learning relational skills you did not learn relational skills growing up some of them that did you learn the wrong ones you didn't learn how to resolve conflict you didn't learn how to make your point with uh get a cross without being crossed a lot of those things you learn relational skills in a small group it's a laboratory for love. [00:12:57]

In every small group there are people who really get on your nerves and we call them egr's that means extra Grace required and you got to have extra Grace to be nice to these people they're kind of like Heavenly sandpaper you know they rub you the wrong way okay and they irritate you it's like finger Nails on a Blackboard and they may not have all of the social skills that you do maybe maybe they don't know the issue about personal space they kind of get up really too close to you and then when they talk they kind of spit on you you know that's not cool okay or or maybe they talk too much and they dominate the conversation or or they're whining all the time and you're just going why did I get in this group with this person so you could learn to love that's why. [00:14:09]

We eat together in small groups they did that in the Bible and we're going to do it too this is the fellowship of food a small group without food is a small group I don't want to be a part of okay okay I want to know what are you serving all right now the Bible says this they shared in Fellowship meals they did this in the house to house home to home in their small group the Bible says they broke bread together. [00:19:11]

When you're eating and walking you're relaxed and when you're relaxed your tension goes down your barriers and resistance goes down and your your your mind gets more open and your receptivity to truth is much wider it's why we don't have like adult Sunday School classes like a lot of churches do where people come on Sunday morning and sit in a classroom and study the Bible you put a guy on a Sunday morning in a classroom in a suit and tie he's going to sit there like a bump on a log and say nothing it just seems unnatural but you put that same guy in a home on Friday night and flipflops t-shirts cut offs Coke or a cup of coffee and something in his other hand he'll talk his head off why because he's now relaxed so food is important part of Fellowship. [00:20:01]

We pray for each other it's the greatest thing in the world to know there's other people praying for you they did that in the first group they spent time praying together and that's what we do we pray together we pray for each other now there's an amazing thing about this when it comes to prayer and groups there is additional power I don't know how this works but there is additional power when we pray together that's what Jesus taught us. [00:21:01]

We practice unselfishness in the group we're unselfish with each other by in practical ways supporting each other in times of need the Bible says about these first groups they shared everything with each other they helped each other when anyone in the group had a need so I'm talking here about practical needs when they had a need I I look at our group small group I'm in we've done all kinds of things for each other brought a meal to someone when they were having a busy time or someone was sick gone shopping for someone to get groceries into their home when things were going on in their life help people move taking people to the hospital when someone in their family wasn't in town and someone else needed to take him there just all kinds of different practical things helping each other out. [00:23:24]

God has made every one of us with abilities with strengths that can help other people that's the value of being in a small group we can help each other with the strengths that we have look at this next verse in the outline 1 Peter 4:10 says God has has given each of you some special abilities be sure to use them to make a lot of money now is that what it says no no no no that's not why God gave you those abilities God gave you those abilities to help each other God gave me some abilities that you don't have and those are for your benefit I can help you he gave you some abilities I don't have those are for my benefit and in a group you're able to share with each other and help each other. [00:24:49]

In a group this large I don't even know what abilities you have you have I don't know what they are you have lots of them you got to get in a small enough group that you can help each other and by the way when we say small when we talk about small group we really mean small if a group gets too big it really can't help each other even at eight or 10 if you get a group of eight or 10 someone will stop talking it always happens and someone will dominate the talking because they feel like I got to lead this group it's so big and you're not able to help each other so a small group three four five that's a great siiz group because then you can help each other then you can strengthen each other. [00:26:03]

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