Share Life
Becoming a Family of Hope • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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What is the church supposed to be and do? Especially in order to build hope
Suicides (Men / Rural)
Old family life vs new family of God
Avoid conflict
Do your “best”
Look down on weakness
Anxiety dominated relationships
Why church then? Church isn’t supposed to be “just show up on Sunday” or “learn and grow by yourself” nor “figure out how life’s meaning on your own”
The goal of this series is to help the church consider and practice what it means to be the family of God. We have learned a lot from our parents and grandparents about what it means to be a family. But this is often incompatible with what it means to be part of the new family of God. God also wants to move us away from the idea that we can find meaning and purpose on our own and therefore that we don’t need God or the church. In God's family we find hope in what God has done and is doing. We find that hope as we interact as a church family in ways that reflect the new family of God to which we now belong.
Big Idea: Build hope by sharing life - seeing beyond our circumstances and talking about it with one another.
Big Idea: Build hope by sharing life - seeing beyond our circumstances and talking about it with one another.
Recognize the vulnerability of life
Recognize the vulnerability of life
Expect stress
Expect a feeling of isolation
It feels like death. Like being jars of clay.
How did your family talk about the vulnerability of life?
Never be vulnerable. Never do anything hard.
Don’t talk about how you’re feeling. Talk about how you’ll succeed.
Expect everyone to change everything about their lives.
Control everyone around you through complaining.
How is death at work in us but life in you?
Use the stresses of life to speak of your faith in God
Use the stresses of life to speak of your faith in God
10 I believed, even when I spoke: “I am greatly afflicted”;
11 I said in my alarm, “All mankind are liars.”
The problem of social media
The problem of “polite conversation”
Pray and by faith speak knowing the bigger picture.
“I am overwhelmed but that means God wants to produce life in others.”
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t evaluate being overwhelmed.
How do you keep seeing the bigger picture?
Call one another to our hope in God’s mercy and grace by seeing the unseen
Call one another to our hope in God’s mercy and grace by seeing the unseen
Our inner self is being renewed day by day.
Our resurrected body - 5:1, 6
God’s love for us 5:12
Our hidden glory 5:16, 6:8ff
By faith we believe in God’s mercy and grace. And we talk about it. If all you do is come to church, hear about God’s mercy and grace but never talk about it, you’re losing out on growing your hope.
11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open.
12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.
13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
Our hope starts with our salvation by faith in Christ.
It continues to build as we see the unseen.
This is why we do community groups. This is the new family of God.
Here’s a place to talk about the realities of the unseen.
Men, are you talking about this and praying with your families?
Women, are you talking about this and praying with your friends?
Students, are you sharing life with someone?
Let’s talk by faith and not by sight and so build hope in each other.
Let’s talk by faith and not by sight and so build hope in each other.
