Community

Good morning! Lets pray -

Do you guys remember the little rascals movie that came out in 1994, I would always crack up at that club they had the He-man Women haters club MAYBE LEAVE THIS PARTICULAR DETAIL OUT or for those of you remember the “finer things club” With Pam, Toby and Oscar. Andy wanted to join but they wouldn’t let him. THIS ISN’T REALLY NECESSARY TO YOUR POINT AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DISTRACT PEOPLE WHO WILL START THINKING ABOUT THOSE SHOWS INSTEAD OF TRACKING WITH YOU, MAYBE CONSIDER JUST STARTING WITH “Have you been in a club?”

Have you been in a club? On a team, camping with a group of friends? Always such a fun experience you feel like you are part of something that is bigger than yourself. It makes you feel included, wanted and special. It makes you feel like you matter.

What is a club? According to Websters its an association of persons for some common object usually jointly supported and meeting periodically. today I would like to take some time and talk about these clubs or better said community, you might say that sounds pretty seeker friendly type church stuff. But bear with me I’m going somewhere with this.

AN ALTERNATIVE MOVE INTO THE MEAT OF THE SERMON THAT SOUNDS LESS LIKE THE INTRO TO AN ESSAY WOULD BE “Clubs are great, but that feeling is because we have a deeply rooted need for something - and that something goes beyond just being part of something, it’s what the Bible frequently describes as community.”

What is Community

First time I ever really became aware of the term community was when my brother worked for the Rancho Cucamonga community center and he was tasked with setting various events with the community in Rancho Cucamonga. He helped plan fun family events that brought together people of the community. Community by definition is a social unit (or group of living things) that share something in common, such as customs, identifying characteristics, values, beliefs, or norms (Mah & Carpenter, 2016).

So you might be asking me so what?? Well Community is critical to our overall wellbeing and mental health issues are on the rise. In a study by Queen’s University, 27% of people said they were suffering from loneliness, and research from Washington State University found all ages suffer from social anxiety and FOMO (fear of missing out) which are correlated with low self-esteem and low self-compassion. THIS ISN’T SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO PROVE TO PEOPLE, ANYONE WHO DOESN’T THINK COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT IS LIKELY NOT GOING TO BE SWAYED BY A STATISTIC OR TWO - SO YOU CAN PROBABLY KEEP MOVING

Covid made the need for community felt more strongly. As suicide rates rose because of the lack of Community. Community gives us meaning and purpose. People’s roles have meaning in the bigger picture of the community and each member of the group understands how their work connects to others’ and adds value to the whole. As members of community, people don’t just want to lay bricks, they want to build a cathedral. Regardless of what you are a part of, for you it could the PTA, Neighborhood watch, Rec league, the scouts you know what I mean.

When we are part of a thriving community, we feel a sense of kinship, camaraderie and connectedness. There is a place and a role for each person, and group members feel they can bring all of themselves to their work and their team.

You might be saying hmm Joel that sounds so similar to what we are doing now, at Edgewater. And I would say yes you are exactly right. In reading the lectionary this week. I was reminded of community and of what we do. For this weeks reading it was Acts 2, not just some verses but the whole chapter. And it has some really exciting stories in this chapter. We read about the holy spirit coming at Pentecost. We get to read Peter’s “sermon.” Which when He finished many people received Christ. And then there are these couple of verse on community, fellowship, get togethers, a big old Christian club! The word community comes from the greek κοινωνία, ας, ἡ - koinonia means which community or fellowship.

Koinonia

When we first moved to the United States and lived in student housing our complex was called koinonia, I wondered then what it meant and looking back now it definitely encapsulated the sense of the word. More that a 100 families from all over the world at Fuller to study how to be missionaries! I remember, the spontaneous worship times and bible studies and how I was able to hang out with children from all over the world, what wonderful community we had then.

And here at Edgewater we are creating that same thing these verses exemplify it.

Acts 2:42-47

Verses 42-47 give us a template, a guide a blueprint for how to have community. I will briefly highlight these to give us a sense of what this section is saying.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

1. They learn about God and communion, which back then was a full meal, and after church was over and for the believers.

43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

2. Quite simply miracles happened, God supernaturally moved within this community

44All the believers were together and had everything in common.

3. Everyone had the same mind and heart , they had the same focus

45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

4. They shared everything that they had, if there was a need they would provide for each other.

46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

5. What I find interesting about this is that it wasn’t just as church, at homes also, like our bible studies we have during the week.

47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

6. Everybody loved them, many of the romans of the time were quite envious of how the christian treated each others and the the poor and destitute. As a result the church grew

We wonder what is the key to churches growing, we are given a blueprint here in the book of acts its called community -

Why Community?

Community allows us to be part of something bigger than ourselves, and if that something has spiritual implication it is even more powerful. Jesus through out his ministry had a community around him, his disciples, on-lookers and the women like Mary and Martha that financially supported his ministry. If Jesus used community effectively, shouldn’t we follow that example.

Let’s get personal

The last eight months or so I have really experienced that here. Fact is when you are in a leadership position you don’t always participate in community. I have been guilty of that. But starting in late November, I started being transparent with some of you here regarding where our life journey was at. Fact is I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for some of you that I have shared with. I learned and realized that part of what community is a place where we get be encouraged and get strengthened to go out there and face another day. This community includes bible studies, cigars, sushi nights, or talking to one of you after church or in your car. It has been what I have needed.

So when I saw this set of verses, it struck me that my success in making it through these more difficult times in my life was made easier by this community of believers, doing exactly what the church did in Acts 2.

What does the Bible say about community?

Galatians 6:2 reminds us to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” That what I experienced here.

Even as recently as last Sunday, my wife was sharing that our son Andrew would be driving to Texas for his internship by himself because we could afford an airline ticket for my wife to drive with him and then fly back. God provided through this community of believers. I was speechless and thankful. That was an example of the church in Acts 2.

So you can see community is important it strengthens Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us that Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. We are stronger together.

Community also makes us better, it sharpens us proverbs reminds us “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17. This can only be done in community.

And then Matthew reminds us of this, “ Matthew 18:20, For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” THIS VERSE IS A LITTLE OUT OF CONTEXT FOR THIS SERMON, I’D LEAVE IT OUT.

God Loves Community

God is in community. He loves being in community with us. I was reminded of the book of genesis where God would walk with Adam in the cool of the day to spend time with Him. Let that sink in, the Maker of the universe the creator of everything would hang out with humans .

Well that is until they sinned, it cause separation. Our sin made it impossible for God to have community with us, our sin alienated us from God. Because perfection cannot co-exist with imperfection, because if it did it would cease to perfect, and if God entertained anything sinful he wouldn’t be God.

Perfection cannot Co-exist with imperfection

Do you remember when Moses asked to see God, But God said no. He hid him in the rock and he saw his glory from behind. This is because in order for perfection to stay perfect it will decimate, destroy anything that is not perfect in its presence. If Moses would have seen him he would have died.

Sin separates

Our sin separated us from God. But his love for us was so great that he found a way for that relationship to be restored. Through the sacrifice of His son on the cross. A gift we can’t ever repay. Because of Jesus we are able to enter into community with God

God was willing and did send his son to die for us to be able to have community with us. This tells us that God values community. We are made for community,

The world punishes us for wrong doing by taking us from community

Think about this, How does the world punish someone who has been bad? You are taken out of community and put in prison, and then if they feel that you need more punishment they put you in solitary confinement, to separate you from community even more. Even our secular world recognizes the power of community.

God wants community with us

God’s plan us to draw people into community with him through his son Jesus Christ. That is our purpose as church, to give people a chance to hear about the sacrifice God made to allow us community with him.

But the reality is that people will not come and hear what you have to say about Jesus unless they feel part of your community, unless they feel you care about them.

Acts 2:42-47 is a great blueprint

The fact is being in community is not difficult, all it takes is you being nice and caring about someone other than yourself. These verses from Acts give us a great blueprint as how to do that.

As we are called to go out and make disciples of all nations let us start doing that by building community here.