Sermon Central
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Church As Community Series
Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Nov 19, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: A final message on the church using the phrase 'perichoresis.'
Connecting Community
November 20, 2022
As I conclude my series on the church, I was thinking about what would be most helpful for us. I was thinking about a key word or words to propel us forward.
What really struck me, was what we need to hear over and over and over again. Because it’s really easy to lose sight of this one message.
It’s the theme of the Bible. For me, it always comes back to the Good News of Jesus Christ — it’s the most quoted passage. One we should commit to memory.
16 God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. – John 3:16-17
This is the main point of scripture and everything flows out of this central truth - -
God loves you! He sent His Son for you! He died for you! He doesn’t want to condemn you!! He wants to save you!! He wants you to experience His love, joy, power and presence!
That’s a message that has to give us hope! And I’m confident that when we have this hope, we have a great deal of power from God. The fact that God loves us in the most powerful way should give us confidence that we can’t go anywhere where God is not!
We have the promise of God’s presence, His grace and mercy, the gift of forgiveness AND the promise that God didn’t come to beat us down and destroy us, but to redeem us through His Son.
On this Sunday before Thanksgiving, I want to take a look at the early church and give thanks for the example they gave us and what I believe we’re called to strive after as a church. We need to understand the importance of community, what it is and why we need it.
I believe the best scripture to describe what the early church looked like when it came to community is found in Acts 2. Luke wrote the book of Acts, and we’re going to look at the last 6 verses of Acts 2. Luke tells us - - -
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
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. – Acts 2:42-47
What an amazing description of the early church by Luke. And he basically repeats himself in Acts 4. The fact is, we live in a broken world. A world filled with sin, hurt, pain, injury, illness and ultimately, death.
And as a result, we need the church community. We need to be surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who walk alongside of us. And for me, that great cloud is found among the living and the dead. Many of you who I’ve learned about faith and trust, commitment and power. One of the beautiful and powerful aspects of the church is the fact that we are called to be a community.
Luke uses the Greek word KOINONIA in Acts 2:42, when he referred to their fellowship. Fellowship is what forms our community. It’s an intimacy which is based on our faith in Jesus.
Everything could be off on a Sunday, but you walk out of here feeling good about being in God’s presence because we shared kononia, fellowship. An intimacy in the Spirit of God.
Someone said hello, and you needed that all week. Someone gave you a hug, someone simply noticed you and you’ve felt un-noticed. Someone saw sadness in your eyes and gave you a hug, or asked you how you were doing and you knew they really meant it. Maybe someone prayed for you.
That’s what Luke’s talking about here. It’s an intimacy which is based in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We’re not a club, we’re not a clique, we’re a community, the fellowship of believers. There are times we’ll mess up, but we get it right way more often than we get it wrong.
I want you to be able to nurture deep friendships with a handful of other Christ followers who encourage you to draw closer to God, who know the good and the bad about you, whose love isn’t contingent upon either, people you can call at 2:00 a.m. if you’re in a crisis. This should be one of the joys, really one of the benefits of being part of a church.
