Living for Jesus in Community

Romans 15:1–7 CSB

1 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

Romans 15:1–7 CSB

4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus,

Romans 15:1–7 CSB

6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice. 7 Therefore welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed you, to the glory of God.

A Picture of Christ-Centered Community

2000 years ago, the church started with a relatively small group of people who had followed Jesus up until His death and resurrection.  50 days after His death, something incredible happened. 

We are going to dive into Acts 1 more in a few weeks, but Jesus, before He ascended to heaven, promised His followers that soon the Holy Spirit would come upon them, and that He would empower them to be witnesses for Him. 

In Acts 2, 10 days after Jesus ascended, Jesus’s promise was realized.  Luke says a “sound like that of a violent rushing wind” rushed through the house they were staying in.

Tongue of fire rested on them and they began to speak in languages that none of them had spoken before. (real languages that people groups spoke that they would come into contact with in the  days to come).

All the commotion caused a crowd to gather who were blown away that these simple men were speaking in such bold ways and in languages the people could understand.

And then Peter stands up among the crowd, flanked by the other eleven, and starts to preach the very first Church sermon.

It was probably more than 20 minutes, so don’t start looking at your phone and counting the minutes in 15 when I’m not finished yet.

At the end Luke says the people were “pierced to the heart” and asked Peter “what should we do?”

Take note of that as well at the end of this message...

Peter calls them to repent and be baptized, and 3000 people (more than the population of Hartford) responded in faith.

In one day a group of about 120 exploded into 3000.

And the Church was born.

Luke then pauses the story and gives us a glimpse at what those early believers did together, and the end of Acts 2 gives us a snapshot not only of the early church, but at the rhythms of life that were at the core of the early church.

Acts 2:42–47 CSB

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.

— — —

Acts 2:42–47 CSB

45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

That’s what living for Jesus together looked like then—and it’s what it should still look like now.

At the core, the Church was built around four essential rhythms:

LIVING for Jesus in community.

LEARNING about Jesus through the Word and prayer.

LOVING others like Jesus through real relationships and real sacrifice.

LEADING others to Jesus by being a living invitation to the gospel.

That’s not just what they did—it’s who they were. And that’s who we’re called to be.

Our 4Ls are a concise summary of the core element of a healthy church and a growing disciple of Jesus.

This snapshot of the early church reminds us that living for Jesus means living in community, where we don’t live just for ourselves but for one another.

Now, in Romans 15, Paul gives us the keys to how this kind of life actually happens.

What LIVING Looks Like

1) The POSTURE of LIVING

We are picking up at the end of a section where Paul is dealing with a specific issue happening in the church in Rome.

There are 2 groups of people struggling to coexist in the same church family.

One group is likely converted Jews who are struggling to fit their Jewish faith traditions with this new Christianity.

Particularly with diet and which day to practice the Sabbath.

Paul is specifically speaking to the “strong”, meaning the ones who are not convicted about the the dietary laws and such.

They feel free to eat what they want and aren’t so caught up in which day is more important than the others.

He writes, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not please ourselves.”

That simple phrase, not please ourselves, is the heart of the Christian life.

The world tells us fulfillment comes from satisfying our personal needs, pursuing what is most comfortable, and protecting our time.

That is the radical individualism of our world that Paul is pushing against, and that exists so prevalently in our world.

In Rome, the “strong” were right that they could eat whatever they wanted (see Acts 10)

But to take that attitude would have hurt the community as a whole.

Paul is challenging the “strong” to humbly and sacrificially serve their brothers and sisters in Christ.

The, in verse 2, he is challenge both groups to not be so hyper focused on themselves.

Paul says in Philippians 2

Philippians 2:3–4 CSB

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.

If Paul was writing this letter to the modern church in America the principle would be that same, but the specifics would be different.

It wouldn’t be about diet, it would be about how we prioritize our time.

It would be about our generosity with our money and resources.

It would be about our willingness to serve and our willingness to open our homes to others.

The Christian posture is not self-satisfaction, but self-sacrifice.

To follow Christ is to lay down ourselves for the sake of others.

In order to BUILD them UP in the faith.

If you build something them you leave an imprint on it. Fingerprints, maybe some blood.

We have an obligation to build one another up Romans 14:19)

Romans 14:19 CSB

19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.

Whose fingerprints are on your faith? And whose faith are your fingerprints on?

The way we view the church changes our relationship with the church.

If we are focused on what we get out of it, what helps us, what serves us, what fits within our schedules, budgets, and comfort levels, then church becomes about us.

But when we see church as God see its, His people, His family, and His body, it becomes less about us, and more about others.

So you don’t come to church ONLY to serve yourself or satisfy your own spiritual, emotional, or physical needs.

You come to a church service to be in community, because you need the people in this room and they need you.

And you sign up for a life group not JUST because it meets your need (even though it will), but also because you being there helps the other people in the group be built up in their faith.

2) Our EXAMPLE for LIVING

This posture is a reflection of the posture of Jesus, look at verse 3

Romans 15:3 CSB

3 For even Christ did not please himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

Look also at Philippians 2

Philippians 2:5–8 CSB

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.

Jesus didn’t live to please Himself.

He didn’t protect His comfort, guard His time, or hoard His resources.

He gave Himself up in love.

If we’re serious about living for Jesus, that’s the same direction our lives must take.

Romans 3. Among the Weak and the Strong (14:1–15:13)

If Christ, the very Son of God, did not order his life so as to please himself, how much more should we forego all personal advantage and follow the path of the Suffering Servant. — Robert Mounce “NAC Romans”

The quote at the end of the verse is from Ps 69, a Psalm that points to Jesus.

By referencing this psalm, Paul underscores that Jesus did not seek to please Himself or avoid hardship but took upon Himself the rejection and reproach of others out of love for His people—for us.

There are at least 53 statements in the New Testament that use the Greek word “alleelon” which translates to “one another”.

And each of them is an instruction on how we are to relate together.

Love one another

serve one another

bear one another’s burdens

confess our sin to one another

celebrate with one another

mourn with one another

hold one another accountable

you get the picture

These statements are each a reflection of posture of Christ toward us.

Jesus wants us to look like, sound like, serve like, and live like HIM, especially toward one another.

That’s what happens when we come together on Sunday mornings.

We’re saying, “My life isn’t just about me—I need the body of Christ.”

It’s what happens when we gather in Life groups.

We practice the selflessness of Jesus by showing up, listening, caring, praying, and sharing life with one another.

1 John 4:7–8 CSB

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:21 CSB

21 And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.

if you love Jesus you will love you brothers and sister in Christ.

Your involvement and engagement with your church family isn't optional, it is a sign of the genuineness of your faith.

3) The AIM of our LIVING

And there is an aim (a goal/aspiration/desired result) for us Living Like Him together.

That AIM is HARMONY and UNITY in order to bring GLORY to God.

Our unity is meant to bring spiritual harmony grounded in grace.

When we gather Sunday, our AIM is to put Jesus on display together. To help each other to make Jesus bigger in our lives.

To help each other “be transformed to the image of Jesus” more and more

When we study God’s Word together in groups (like we are about to start), we are helping each other “not be conformed to the way of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds through the Word of God.

When we study together, serve together, sing together, pray together, confess together, repent together, and celebrate together, we proclaim to the world that Jesus is alive and His Church is alive.

Community doesn’t exist because it’s convenient and comfortable.

It exists because it’s necessary.

It’s where God grows our patience and obedience, deepens our compassion and our commitment, and teaches us humility and generosity.

Living for Jesus in community means allowing others to need us and allowing ourselves to need them.

When we live selflessly, when we bear with one another, when we choose unity over pride, God is glorified. Our gatherings stop being just meetings; they become living testimonies of Jesus’ love.

That kind of community shines bright in a dark world. It’s countercultural. It’s supernatural. It’s beautiful.

4) The HINDERANCES to our LIVING

Of course, there are barriers that stand in the way of that kind of life. Every one of us feels them.

Busyness. We fill our calendars to the point that community feels optional.

We make time for we what see the most value in.

It might not be valuable to us, but if it is valuable to our spouse or our kids, then it is valuable to us to keep them happy.

We can unknowingly begin to view a packed schedule (even one full of "good things") as proof that we are productive and performing well. (I am a good mom because we are always busy. I am successful because I always have somewhere to be. I am needed, so I am valuable.)

Comfort. It’s easier to stay home, stay quiet, and stay uninvolved.

Since Covid, home has become a safe haven for many. A retreat from the world.

Though we view it like that, it can also be a fortress we unknowingly build to keep people out of our lives.

At the heart, we have made personal comfort and entertainment idols we worship.

Family. Even our natural families—though good gifts from God—can become self-contained circles that unintentionally keep us from our spiritual family.

Why do we need the church when we have mom, dad, siblings, and cousins so close to us?

There is nothing wrong with having a close family and the support of your family, but it is a hindrance to growing in deeper community with a Christian family.

Who are you going to call when difficulty comes? Who will you turn to for wisdom, guidance, prayer, or accountability?

Most often we turn to our natural families, and rightfully so, but God has placed us not just in earthly families, but also into spiritual families (sometimes they overlap).

Fear. For some, it’s the fear of being known or getting hurt.

We struggle with vulnerability because they fear judgment or rejection if our sins are exposed.

We are imprisoned by shame, convinced that if others really knew us—our thoughts, our weaknesses, our sins—we would no longer be accepted or loved. So, we keep our struggles hidden and avoid getting too exposed.

But Jesus calls us out of isolation and into something better.

Jesus welcomed us in all our weakness; now He calls us to welcome others in theirs.

So, what does it look like for our church to live this way? It’s simple, but not easy.

We make gathering together on Sundays a priority, even if it means making sacrifices that keep us or our kids from things other families and other kids might be a part of.

We free up our schedules and open our homes to others—even when it might be inconvenient or uncomfortable.

We lean into vulnerability and accountability, practicing forgiveness, grace, and generosity.

When we live this way, the Church becomes what it was always meant to be: a community of people living for Jesus, learning about Jesus, loving like Jesus, and leading others to Jesus.