C - Community

Introduction

Well, good morning! It feels great to be here…to able to dig into God’s Word this morning with my family. It’s crazy to think we’re already two weeks into the new year…time literally flies by…but listen, I just wanna say this before we get started…last week, I had you guys make commitments and write those commitments on a sticky note…Of course I went through each of those this week and prayed specifically for each of those things…and I’ll continue to do that…but in going through them, I saw that we had three different people make commitments to follow Jesus! Amen? And listen, I don’t know who wrote those but I just wanna say this…that’s the greatest decision you could’ve ever made, and know that we’re celebrating with you…But listen, don’t try and walk this Christian life alone. We’re actually gonna talk about that this morning. If that was you, choose to get baptized…we even have a baptism service at the end of the month…and if that was you get connected to the church. Our community, it’s necessary for us as believers…its necessary for our growth and it’s necessary for our perseverance in this walk. But praise Jesus, as we talked about last week, He’s not done yet!

Alright, before we get started…let’s recite our new memory verse together this morning…Remember, its Acts chapter 2, verses 42 through 47 and we’re learning it in sections…of course, the first section we’re learning, it’s just the first two verses. And remember, be studying it together, challenge each other around the dinner table. We need to challenge each other to put God’s Word on our hearts. And remember, this passage, it’s a glimpse into what God calls us to together as a church. This is what we’re supposed to be. And so if you’re ready, the verses’ll be on the screen. Let’s read it together.

Acts 2:42–43 (ESV)

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

[Prayer]

Alrighty…if you have your Bibles, keep your places there in Acts chapter 2 but flip over with me to the Old Testament as well…Ecclesiastes chapter 4. That’s where we’re gonna hang out this morning.

If you’ve been with us over the past several weeks, we’ve been looking at our new memory verse here in Acts and what it looked like to be a believer in this first century church. And what we’ve been trying to do, is relate it to FBC and what we have here to help you live out this same lifestyle today. Our mission as a church, its to become a church without walls, right? We want to become a church that prioritizes God’s mission to make disciples around the world. And we believe our responsibility in doing that, its to deliver the message of the gospel to the lost…to disciple those God brings here to our family at FBC…and deploy each other out in their different contexts to reach people. But guys, as we’ve been talking about…we can’t accomplish what God’s called us to, alone. We need the church. We need the family of God. We have a responsibility to each other. And our responsibility, it involves that second thing of our vision statement, right? Our responsibility, its to disciple each other…which is why we developed the ABCDE discipleship pathway here at FBC…We believe if we assemble together and if we devote ourselves to bible study, if we find community with one another, if we disciple one another…if we equip one another, we’ll grow and we’ll be prepared to accomplish God’s will in our lives. And so far, we’ve looked at these first two things…assembly and bible study, right?

This morning, we’re gonna move to “C,” community. Obviously, in reading our passage in Acts, there’s no question these believers, they found community together. I mean just read it, it says they were with each other every day…they sold all their possessions…they broke bread together…they weren’t just devoted to the Word of God and to the assembly…they were devoted to each other. They found community with each other…and guys, pay attention to the text…it was that community that led to the last thing you see there, “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Christian community, its necessary for us as believers to grow in our walk with Jesus and its necessary for us to accomplish the work He’s called us to. I’ve said this before, but if you’ve been one of those people that say “I can have a relationship with Jesus minus the church,” you’re only fooling yourself…you can’t…it’s impossible. And it’s impossible because first, you can’t love Jesus and not the people He calls you to…but second, you can’t grow and persevere without Christian community which takes commitment and devotion to one another. Is our community messy sometimes? Yea…Can the people in this community be hurtful? Absolutely!…But does it remove our obligation? Does it take away the fact that this community’s good for us? Not a chance. We need Christian community.

And so listen, to kind of walk through this idea of community, I wanna us to use Ecclesiastes chapter 4 to show us why community’s so important…why God’s called us to a group of people…why this group of people’s so important in our lives. And to better keep us on track, I have four points for us…number one, Christian community is profitable…number two, Christian community is protective…number three, Christian community is productive…and then lastly, number four, Christian community is powerful.

And so, if you’re ready, let’s look at this first point together.

I. Christian Community is Profitable (v. 9)

Christian community is profitable.

If you haven’t already, turn over to our passage in Ecclesiastes and look at verse 9 with me again. It says, “9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.”

Now, just a little context before we dig into this together. I don’t think I’ve preached any passage from this book since I’ve been at FBC…but we know, Ecclesiastes, it was written by Solomon who was the son of David…and listen, Solomon, was a very interesting man. The Bible considers him to be wise. At the start of his reign, after his father’s death, he started by faithfully pursuing God and leading the nation of Israel to follow the law. And of course, in the story of Solomon, we see God approach Solomon and offer him anything he could possibly want. He could’ve asked for more power or wealth or fame or whatever, but instead Solomon asked for wisdom. And he didn’t seek this in attempts to be the smartest guy in the room, he wanted godly wisdom so that he might rule Israel in a way that pleased God. And of course, if you know the story, God honored that request, right? Which is why Solomon is considered the wisest man to have ever lived apart from Jesus.

And listen, even today, we still benefit from Solomon’s wisdom…He, of course, wrote this book, but he’s best known for Proverbs…a book that’s looked to for wisdom…even by those that don’t consider themselves Christians, right? He wrote sections of Psalms…he most likely wrote the Song of Solomon. We benefit from him to this day. And listen, in those writings, Solomon really shares his life experiences with us. You see, Solomon, he searched for the purpose of life…he tried to find it’s value in everything he possibly could…even to the point of falling away for some time…and his writings they’re meant to show us the emptiness he found in all of those worldly things…All the things Solomon threw himself into…wealth, or possessions, or fame, power, sex, work…you name it…he says it was all in vain…it was empty. And he actually concludes this book by showing his reader that apart from God, there’s no true meaning in life. It’s all empty when it’s divorced from the Creator and Designer.

And listen, in our immediate context…what he’s speaking about in our passage this morning…its about work and how often times, our pursuit of it, leaves us alone…and so, he uses this section of his book to show us the value of community and friendship…how it’s actually beneficial to the work we’re called to. Now, of course, we’re speaking in Old Testament terms here…but guys, these values that Solomon speaks about here…it’s rolls over into what God’s called us to together. It’s a principle that’s been the same since God created us…We’re just better together.

And the first reason that’s true, it’s because our community…it’s profitable. Guys, we’re stronger together…and as result…we just accomplish more. Our work, it’s more fruitful the larger our community is. I mean that’s what he’s saying here in verse 9. And Solomon’s logic here, it’s pretty simple to follow…two people, they’re just better than one…they can accomplish more together than when they’re separated.

Years and years ago, when I worked for Lowes, I had the opportunity to work on a Habit for Humanity project where we worked with about 50 other Lowes employees to build a house for a needy family. And listen, together we built that house in three days! That’s crazy, right? I mean literally from the foundation, to the finished product, the house was built in three days. It’s hard to believe even with 50 people. But guys, could you imagine what it would’ve looked like if I showed up to the job site and I was the only one there? Not only do I not have a clue what I’m doing, but how much longer, even if I did know, would it have taken? Heck, I’d probably still be working on it today.

Guys, the work we’re called to here at FBC…as any Bible believing church…it’s to advance the kingdom of God by sharing the greatest news ever. And guys, that’s an incredibly difficult task…It’s difficult when we’re all together, doing what we should be doing…but imagine trying to do that all alone. The constant state of defeat you’d feel. We can’t take the gospel to the ends of the earth, without each other.

But the great news of that calling, its that God never called us to do it alone. God gave us people…people we’re called to, people that share the same mission, people motivated by the same Spirit…people uniquely gifted to help in this mission. We’re stronger together…and just as Solomon shows us here, we accomplish more together.

And let me just be honest for a moment…those that kind of shrug off the church so to speak…thinking it’s not necessary in their life…they’re either ignorant of the high mission in which they’ve been called to as believers, they’re ignorant of what it actually means to take the gospel to the ends of the earth…they’re ignorant of what God actually expects of them…or listen, they’re just plain arrogant…they’re arrogant enough to believe they can accomplish all of this on their own…they’re arrogant in their own abilities, causing them to lose focus on the cross…and the family God’s called them to. And quite frankly, that’s the problem with American Christianity today…there’s too much ME and not another JESUS.

Guys, let us not be ignorant of what we’re called to as believers and as a church…and let us not be arrogant of our own abilities…let’s not take our eyes off Jesus. Let’s embrace what God’s called us to, here at FBC, so that we can accomplish more, all for the kingdom and glory of God…because that’s what we care about.

And so, that’s the first thing we see here…we embrace Christian community because ultimately we understand the great responsibility we’ve been given and we understand our community with one another, makes us better, because ultimately, it makes us more profitable.

II. Christian Community is Protective (v. 10)

The second thing we see here…its that Christian community, it’s protective.

Look at verse 10 with me again. Solomon writes, “10 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!”

Guys, community with other likeminded people…it leads to godly help and protection. The reality of our Christian life, it’s that we’re not perfect…no matter how much you try and paint that picture…no matter how hard you try to show us that your marriage is perfect, or your kids are perfect…you can try your best and show us that you got it all put together…that your life’s this fairy tale…but guys, it’s bologna! The Bible’s clear, “All fall short of God’s glory…there’s none righteous.” Paul says, “No not one.” John says in one of his epistles, if we believe we’re without sin, than we don’t know truth, right? That’s in 1 John chapter 1. We’re deceiving ourselves if we really believe we have it all together.

Or maybe you realize you’re not perfect, but you still think, “Well, I’m not as bad as…” You fill in the blank. We’re deceiving ourselves, guys! Every one of us, we fall…we make mistakes.

In my quiet time this week, I’ve been going through the church reading plan…and I read about Abram in Genesis chapter 12…of course, we know the story, he was chosen by God and God promised to make his name great…to give him the Promised Land…to bless the nations through his seed, right? And of course, Abram was considered righteous because of his faith in God. But you see, we miss the point here…he wasn’t considered righteous because of his faith in what we think…he was considered righteous in his faith that God would honor the promises he made…His faith didn’t make him perfect…instead his faith made him hopeful…You see, in the same exact chapter, Abram has to leave and travel to Egypt because of famine…and in doing so…he’s met by the Pharoah there and he takes things into his own hands and he lies about his wife Sarah, saying that she’s his sister because he’s afraid that he’ll be killed…Now, the text there, it says God curses Pharoah despite Abram’s lie, right? And he does that because ultimately…God made a promise to Abram…and He made that promise despite Abram’s faith or lack their of. God is a faithful God! But guys, what I’m trying to show you here…just because you’re a Christian…just because you’ve turned your life to Jesus, it doesn’t mean things are always gonna go right. It doesn’t mean you’re always gonna do what’s right. It doesn’t mean that you’re not gonna struggle with your faith at times. It doesn’t mean that you’re gonna live perfectly. In fact, the Bible, on the contrary…its shows us that we’re gonna fall…it’s not if…it’s when. We all succumb to temptations. And we’re all gonna struggle with the flesh at times. And listen, I’m not trying to guilt you…the gospel’s all about grace…but what I’m trying to tell you…it’s that you have to acknowledge your need for protection…you have to acknowledge that you need help and you need accountability…God’s gonna be faithful to you just like He was with Abram…but guys, He’s doing that by connecting you to this body.

The first part of this…it’s acknowledging who we are in the flesh…It’s acknowledging that we actually do struggle and that we do need help. Guys, I get it…we’re proud…and we wanna be these self-made people…and we don’t wanna have to owe anyone anything…and we don’t wanna be viewed as weak…we wanna think that we can handle things on our own…but guys, that’s denying reality. That’s exactly why Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:18 that pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Our pride, it brings about this destruction, it causes us to fall because we fail to acknowledge our ability to experience these things…it happens because we fail to acknowledge when we do fall…and quite frankly, it causes us to deny the gracious gift of God in the church. And listen, some of that…its because of the perception the church has given…we’re quick to judge and slow to show grace. But guys, look at what Solomon says here in verse 10. WOE to the person that’s alone (not if they fall…listen to this…when they fall)! Woe to that person when they’re alone! Woe to him that doesn’t have someone to pick him up. Woe to them that sweep it under the rug and move on. Woe to them that doesn’t have community around them that cares enough about their soul to show them grace and help them up. Woe to the man without community.

But guys, here’s a fun fact for you…we’re not alone…God brought us together for this very reason. Yes, we’re gonna mess up sometimes…and yes, we’re gonna fall sometimes…but we’re together to protect each other…we’re together to help each other up when we do fall…that’s what community’s all about. We’re here for each other’s security. And it’s a means of God’s growth in our life. Denying the church…denying your ability to fall or your need for protection…it again means you’re ignorant of what the Bible says about sin…or you’re arrogant thinking you can do it all on your own.

Guys, we need community to protect us. That’s the second thing.

III. Christian Community is Productive (v. 11)

The third thing here…its that Christian community, it’s productive.

Look at verse 11 with me again. It says, “11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?”

And so listen, the illustration here, it’s of two people trying to stay warm in the cold. By themselves, they’d just continue to be cold, right? But together, huddled up…they’re able to take advantage of the body warmth they both produce and they’re able to be warm…The idea here, it’s that we all bring resources to the table, resources that we can use to aid the body in our common mission.

The reality about our Christian life, it’s that we’ve all been uniquely equipped with different gifts, and different resources, we’ve been equipped with different situations. And listen, we’re all able to come to the table, together with something different to offer. As Paul mentions in many of his letters, it’s only through us coming together, using our gifting, can we truly accomplish what God wills us as a body. We’re each a vital piece of FBC.

Listen, when I worked on that Habit for Humanity house years ago, they selected certain workers based on their areas of knowledge. And believe it or not, I worked in plumbing at the time and that was what I was sent to assist with. But guys, we had all kinds of people, people with diverse skillsets. We had carpenters and electricians. We have millwork people, roofers. Listen, it took a variety of differently skilled people, coming together for us to be productive.

Guys, a church…its the same. We need those skilled in teaching…we need those called to work with kids…we need those gifted in hospitality…we need those with musical capabilities that can prepare our hearts for worship…we need those that give generously and sacrificially…we need those that are natural encouragers…we need everyone, coming together…otherwise, we’re incomplete and we won’t accomplish the mission laid before us. We’re just more productive together.

And I’ll say this too, we’re more productive in taking care of each other’s needs, together. Looking at this verse again…we see there’s a need here too, right?…The two people, they’re cold and they need to find warmth. We can’t care for each other alone…we need the entirety of the FBC family to properly and productively care for each other…We need each other when someone needs help…we need each other when another can’t cook meals…we need each other when someone needs to be taken to the doctor…we need each other in order to actively and productively care for each other’s needs…And our community, it allows us to biblically care for each other in these ways. Yes, we’re called to advance the gospel…but in doing that properly, we’re caring for each other first, all so that we can advance the gospel together.

And so, that’s the third thing…our community is productive.

IV. Christian Community is Powerful (v. 12)

The fourth and final thing we see here…its that Christian community, its powerful.

Look at verse 12 with me again. Solomon says, “12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Now, you’ve probably heard this verse used in a wedding ceremony. It’s pretty popular for that…Of course, speaking to the strength of a husband and wife and Christ in the center…but listen, that’s not what Solomon’s saying here. Of course, a marriage is only strong with Christ in the middle…but this verse, it means simply what it says…with one, there’s no strength there. It can easily be broken…but with two, there’s a little bit more there…but listen, three…three aren’t so easily broken. They’re strong together…they’re powerful.

Listen, one of my biggest fears is being in the dark alone, right? And so, when I started hunting…it was hard for me to go when everyone else went…It wasn’t the waking up early part that made it hard for me…it was the having to walk to my tree in the dark and then of course putting my climber on the tree and trying to get up that tree before something in the dark got me first…that was the thing that made it hard for me. It scared me. And so, what I’d do…immediately after I got out my truck…well, first I’d beep my lock a couple times just to make sure everything around me heard me coming. And then I’d shine the biggest brightest light I could find at Wal-mart…and then I’d walk to my tree like Bigfoot just in case something didn’t get the hint I was there. And then when I got to the tree, I’d give a good shout as I put my stand on the tree and climbed up. And I did those things because if there was something in the woods, I realized just how powerless I really was there all by myself…Honestly, I still can’t figure out why I never killed anything by myself.

But listen, when I went with Brittany’s dad or with some other friends…I was the guy telling them they were walking too loud as we went through the dark…what changed? Our numbers, there’s just power in numbers, right? If something came at us then, I knew I could outrun Brittany’s dad. There’s protection there…there’s strength…there’s great comfort in knowing that it would get him first.

But listen, on a serious note…we have to understand that there’s a real spiritual fight happening all around us…and the powers of that spiritual darkness…they want us to fall…they want us to stumble…and don’t think for a minute they’re not working toward that aim. That’s why Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.”

And so, how do we fight it? We fight it together! Guys, we’re being hunted everyday. And these attacks, they’re not just coming from the outside, but the inside as well. Our desires and our flesh, they begin to form idols and we begin justifying ourselves. We combat that, together. The moment, we try and do this Christian life alone…that’s the moment we put our guard down, that’s when we fall, that’s when we stumble…and for the record, the powers of that darkness doesn’t necessary win by causing you to fall into some unthinkable sin…sure they do that too…but typically, it’s just by making you become complacent in the church or in your family. That’s where they want you…that’s where they win. And listen, in these moments, we need our brothers and sisters who can speak truth into our lives and who can call out where we’re straying or taking our eyes off Christ in the pursuit of something lesser. We’re stronger and more powerful together…and guys, that’s why God’s called us all to a church…that’s why our faith family’s so important in your walk. We can’t do it alone.

Closing

And so listen, I just wanna close with this…how can you build community here at FBC? Guys, I’m just gonna say this…I have mentors who lead mega-churches and pastor thousands of people…heck, some of us, we’ve been enticed to go to a church like that…but guys listen to me, it’s impossible to do the things we’ve talked about, fully, over the last three weeks in a church like that. Again, church isn’t something we do…it’s something we belong to, it’s the people…and we can only do these things together.

And so, what’s that mean? Well, we’re not a big church and there’s plenty of opportunities to build community with the people here. Now, that doesn’t mean you’re gonna be best friends with everyone here, right? Even Jesus called the twelve but He had a closer, more intimate relationship with three of those twelve. You need a circle…a circle that’s connected to FBC…Sunday school, that can provide that for you. Home groups are specifically meant to help build community. I know in ours, we eat every time we meet…we joke, we play games, of course we study Scripture…but, honestly we just hang out and do life. And that’s some of my circle here. Knot groups…that’s another thing. Now, that’s a little smaller but that’s on purpose, it’s for you to build strong relationships with others. I have several Knot groups I meet with and listen, those guys, they’re the closest relationships I have here at FBC. I trust them to have my back…I trust them to be honest with me…they care about my walk…Listen, very soon, we’re gonna have a Knot group workshop to show you how to start one of those for yourself.

There’s men’s and women’s and youth and young adult groups…there’s a group for our Young at Heart (which is for our 60+), and for the record, those guys have FUN! It’s my favorite time of the month. Look in the bulletin, go to our website and look at events…get connected. There’s all kinds of ways to build community here at FBC. And remember, we need that community because we’re profitable together, we’re protective, we’re productive…and we’re just more powerful together.

And so, reflecting on our passage this morning, would you bow your head and close your eyes with me?

Guys, last week, I asked you to make some commitments about God’s Word. I want you to do the same this week about community…because honestly you can’t have one without the other…I don’t have sticky notes for you. But listen, I just want you to seek the Spirit and just see what He’s leading you to…and listen, right where you’re at this morning, make a commitment to Him…make a commitment that you’re gonna invest in this Christian community He’s called you to in some way.

But listen, if you’re here this morning…and you’re still confused about all this spiritual stuff…you’re not quite sure about church or religion or Jesus. I just wanna share with you what the Bible tells us about who we are. It says we were created by God…who’s loving, and kind, and gracious, and holy, and righteous, sovereign. It says, He created us good and perfect. He gave us everything we could have possibly wanted or needed…and yet, we still rebelled and we still turned our back on Him, thinking we knew better…thinking we could become even greater than Him. And in that moment of rebellion, we allowed His creation to impacted by our sinful flesh…and through that, we corrupted all…and from that moment, we’ve all been born into that sin…and we’ve all made the same decisions to show that we think we know better than God…we’ve demonstrated the wickedness of our hearts, the selfishness that exists there. The Bible tells us, that all fall short of God’s glory and that none are righteous…and for those reasons, the result of sin, it’s death and separation from that which is good, which of course is God…But the Bible also says, that God loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus…who was God Himself, according to John…He became like us, and lived like us…all so that He could go to the cross and pay for the penalty of our sins…He died there so that He could defeat death and remove that eternity for us. And it says He rose again three days later. And the Bible tells us that when we simply repent and believe…when we forsake ourself…acknowledge who we are and that we need a Savior…when we ask for forgiveness…and confess that we believe in Jesus Christ. We will be saved! And we will be risen from dead and we’ll be connected to the goodness of God for all eternity.

And so listen, if you haven’t done that…if you haven’t turned your life to Jesus…what’s holding you back? Why are you waiting? Take the free gift today. Repent and believe.

And so listen, our praise team’s gonna play…I’ll be down front at these steps this morning if you need me…you take this time to respond and we’ll close in just a moment.

[Prayer]