Spiritual Habits: Let's Get Together

Scriptures: Acts 2:42-45, Hebrews 10:24-25

Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Introduction

We are designed for community, created to journey together in fellowship and mutual support. Hebrews 10:24-25 urges us not to forsake gathering together, but to encourage one another in love and good deeds. Through authentic community, we find strength, accountability, and encouragement to persevere in ourfaith. This final week, in the series, Spiritual Habits, we will explore the significance of cultivating meaningful relationships within the body of Christ, nurturing a community where love and unity abound.

SLIDE 1. COMMUNITY: LET’S GET TOGETHER

Introduction

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been opening doors—doors that lead to a fuller, deeper, richer life with God. We started with prayer, learning that God invites us into daily, personal conversation with Him. Then we opened the door to Scripture, discovering the living Word that speaks, anchors, and transforms. Last week, we stepped into simplicity—learning to unclutter our lives so we can focus on what really matters.

And now, we come to our final door: community.

Here’s the truth: you were never meant to do life alone. From the very beginning, God declared, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Even Jesus—though fully God—lived His life in close relationship with others. He called disciples. He shared meals. He wept with friends. He showed us that faith was always meant to be lived out in relationship.

In a world that values independence and self-reliance, the call to community is radically countercultural. But Scripture reminds us again and again: we are one body (Romans 12:4–5). We belong to each other.  We grow together.  We need one another.

Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV) urges us: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

When we gather together, when we encourage one another, when we share life in real and vulnerable ways—we create space for the Spirit of God to move among us.

So this week, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate an authentic, Christ-centered community—because we grow better when we grow together.

Are you ready?

Let’s step through this final door.

SLIDE 2. 1 - Community Reflects the Heart of God

Read Acts 2:42–45

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… All the believers were together and had everything in common… They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts…”

From the earliest days of the Church, believers were never meant to live in isolation. The picture we get in Acts 2 isn’t just of individuals pursuing God alone—it’s of a community devoted to one another. They studied together, ate together, prayed together, and met each other’s needs. Why? Because that’s what love looks like when it moves beyond words.

The early church didn’t just believe the gospel—they lived it out together.

And when you look at the nature of God, this kind of life makes sense. God Himself exists in eternal relationship: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That means community is not just something God commands—it’s something God is.

So, when we live in loving, self-giving relationships with others, we reflect the very image of God to the world. Jesus said in John 13:35:

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 

Community is more than just shared interests or casual friendships—it’s a spiritual practice, one that mirrors the Trinity and becomes a witness to a watching world. Community Reflects the Heart of God

SLIDE 3. 2 - Community Strengthens Us in the Struggle

Read Galatians 6:2; “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

If Point 1 reminded us that community reflects God’s heart, then Point 2 shows us this: community is where we experience God’s care in tangible ways.

Life is hard. And sometimes, even when we’re praying, reading Scripture, and trying to follow Jesus, we find ourselves overwhelmed—by grief, by doubt, by failure, by stress.

That’s when we most need the strength of others.

Paul’s words in Galatians are so simple, yet so powerful: Carry each other’s burdens. That’s not a suggestion—it’s a calling. It’s one of the ways we live out “the law of Christ,” which is the law of love (John 13:34).

In true community, no one walks through pain alone. In true community, someone sees your tears. Someone checks in when you ghost us. Someone prays when you’re too exhausted to find the words.

Think of the story in Mark 2, where the paralyzed man is carried by his friends to Jesus.

“Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof... and lowered the mat the man was lying on.” (Mark 2:4)

That’s what real community does. It lifts. It carries. It finds a way when you’re too broken to move forward on your own.

We all need that. And we’re all called to be that for someone else. Community Strengthens Us in the Struggle

SLIDE 4. 3 - Community Propels Us Toward Mission

Read: Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

Community isn’t just a support group—it’s a launchpad.

When the writer of Hebrews urges believers not to give up meeting together, it’s not just about staying connected—it’s about stirring one another up to love and action.

Healthy community isn’t stagnant. It moves us. It challenges us. It calls out the gifts God has placed within us and says, “Use that. Let’s go. The world needs what God has given you.”

Think of Barnabas and Paul in Acts. Their partnership wasn’t just friendly—it was fruitful. Barnabas believed in Paul before others did, encouraged him, traveled with him, and helped launch a ministry that would change the world.

That’s what happens in God-centered community: We push each other toward purpose. We lift each other up, but we also send each other out.

Ecclesiastes 4:9 says: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.”

When we live in isolation, our impact is limited. But in community, our influence multiplies. We’re not just meant to sit in circles—we’re called to move forward together on mission for Jesus. Community Propels Us Toward Mission

Conclusion

Over the past four weeks, we’ve stood at the threshold of something deeper. We’ve talked about spiritual habits—but more than that, we’ve explored the open doors God places before us.

● In Week 1, we saw that prayer is not a performance, but a lifeline. God invites us to come close, not with perfect words, but with honest hearts.

● In Week 2, we opened the pages of Scripture and remembered that God’s Word is not a dusty document—it’s alive. It anchors us in truth and transforms us from the inside out.

● In Week 3, we looked at the practice of simplicity. In a culture of clutter and noise, we heard Jesus invite us to travel light—letting go of lesser things to make room for what matters most.

● And today, in Week 4, we’ve seen that community is not a bonus to the Christian life—it’s essential. We were never meant to walk alone. We were created to reflect, strengthen, and propel one another in faith. Each of these habits is a door. A way in. A rhythm that leads us into a fuller, freer, more faithful life with God. But here’s the thing: no habit will change your life unless you walk through the door. You have to show up. You have to open your heart. You have to commit—not to perfection, but to practice.

1 Timothy 4:7 says, “Train yourself for godliness.” That’s the invitation. Not to earn God’s love, but to live more fully in it.

So as we close this series, here’s the challenge: Don’t let these four weeks just be a sermon series. Let them be the beginning of a new spiritual rhythm. ● Keep praying. ● Stay in the Word. ● Pursue simplicity. ● Invest in community.

Let these doors remain open. Keep walking through them.

Prayer: “Lord, thank you for the gift of community and thank you specifically for this church community. Help us to honor one another above ourselves, to strive for unity amongst each other, and most importantly, to glorify you in all we do.”