Christlike Community

Introduction:

Most of the time the reason people give for leaving a church is not really the reason they are leaving.

I do know that when people find it easy to leave it is because they either never really got plugged in to the family or they have isolated themselves over a period of time. They feel a loss of community and they think that the solution is going somewhere else to find it.

The truth is the community they are looking and longing for is right in front of them. They just can’t get out of their own way in order to see it.

Fellowship

Longing for Fellowship

Romans 15:22–23 “This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you,”

The reason Paul had been hindered: His calling was to reach previously unreached people, but Christians in Rome were already an established church.

Though he was hindered he still had a great longing to see them.

The need for Christian community

Fellowship as presented in the Scripture is a mutually beneficial relationship between Christians.

It is impossible for believers to have that same relationship with people outside the faith.

Community is built upon shared ideals, morals and goals.

The reason we will always be unequally yoked with unbelievers is that our ideals, morals, and goals will never be truly aligned.

They might be what we would call a good guy. Their chief priority will never be and can never be the glory of God.

It is tempting to say, but we have so much in common. You both might really like baseball or woodworking or knitting, but the most important thing about you couldn’t be more opposite.

Community is costly.

If you want to be a part of a community there are things that you will have to give up, preferences that will become secondary.

There are people who you will have to hold at arms length to retain your Christian community.

You cannot grow as a Christian without true Christian fellowship.

Trying to grow as a Christian without fellowship is like trying to bake a cake without flour.

We need each other.

This explains why Paul longed for fellowship. - Do you?

If you miss a couple of weeks at church do you miss it? If not something is wrong either with you or the church and its probably you.

Working for Fellowship

Romans 15:24 “I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.”

The church at Rome was a stop that he didn’t have to make. It would take up time that he probably felt he couldn’t afford to lose.

As I said earlier fellowship is costly.

It takes time.

It takes effort.

It takes vulnerability.

And yet in spite of all of that Paul’s plan is to stay with them for a while.

Growing in Fellowship

Romans 15:24 “I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.”

Fellowship should bring you joy. A Christlike Christian Community should be a place and people of joy.

This is probably why you should sign up for the Castle retreat by the way.

Romans 15:29 “I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.”

Fellowship is full of blessings.

When Christ came did He go at it alone or did He create a community?

Romans 15:32 “so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.”

As believers we need to get out of the world regularly.

It is refreshing to fellowship with the saints.

Generosity

Work of Generosity

Romans 15:25 “At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints.”

Again like his plan to go out of his way to visit the church in Rome, Paul had this gift for the church in Jerusalem and had to travel to get it to them.

I assume there was no 2 day free shipping.

I am sure that Paul was super excited about carrying a bag of cash all the way to Jerusalem.

Generosity has very little to do with the size of the gift.

In the words of Jesus - Luke 21:1–4 “Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.””

Who was more generous?

True generosity is not a show. It is a humble sacrifice.

The ability to be generous is not dependent upon your material wealth.

Be generous with what you have.

Be generous with your time.

Heart of Generosity

Romans 15:26–27 “For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it...”

True biblical generosity requires a certain motivation or attitude to accompany that which is given.

You can give:

Begrudgingly

Peer Pressure

You can put money in the offering plate because your afraid that someone will notice if you don’t.

Again true generosity has very little to do with the size of the gift because it has everything to do with the heart of the giver.

Necessity of Generosity

Romans 15:27 “For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.”

From Paul’s perspective the believers in Macedonia and Achaia owed the believers in Jerusalem because they recieved the gospel from the believers in Jerusalem. I don’t really think that Paul is off base here.

Perhaps the point for us today is that we need to stop viewing generosity as optional.

True biblical generosity is not about being generous with the mood happens to strike us. We should build generosity into our lives. The biblical model of giving is sacrificial.

Intercession

Means of Prayer

Romans 15:30 “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,”

Our prayers are first “by our Lord Jesus Christ”

When we pray we often close with the words, “in Jesus name”.

This communicates that we pray is, for His cause and empowered by His authority.

Our intercessory prayers for others are motivated by the love that we have for each other which was placed in our hearts by the Spirit.

Work of Prayer

Romans 15:30 “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,”

In his prayers Paul is appealing to the saints and striving with them.

Prayer is work.

By now you have noticed a pattern.

Living in Christlike Community is work.

Walking with Christ is work.

It is a lifetime of work.

Target of Prayer

Romans 15:31–33 “that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.”

Paul was praying for three things:

Deliverance from unbelievers - remember that bag of cash?

Acceptable service - he wanted to meet their need.

God’s blessing for the Roman Christians

We should be specific in how we pray for each other when possible. Which requires us to be open with each other from time to time.

Conclusion:

Christlike Community is a balm for your soul.

It brings joy, blessing and refreshment.

It is an atmosphere of generosity and prayer.

Be in the family!