Impact Grows in Community

Anyway, in case he asked these 4:9, when we get there here in a minute, this is week, 3 of a short series we're doing on impact. So I believe that Jesus wants us to make an impact. I think you probably believe that say that same thing. And last week, or the week before last rather, we started this series. And we talked about the impact starts with me, it's going to affect anybody else. It's going to, it's got to affect me first, not my brother. My sister buddy to me oh Lord a standing in the need of a price of God, never intended for impact to be carried alone. Okay, I'll buy all by itself. It just it's nowhere in scripture impact, grows impact Rose, and the Mount of the impact grows when we participate together and talk about that a lot, the last two weeks and we have one more Sunday to talk about it, but Community then matters us doing things together in community. And so, we've already established the two things that I said, impact starts with me and impact requires participation. Okay, not precipitation, but participation. Okay. And participation was never meant though to stay individual. Okay. It was always supposed to be a group from Genesis all the way to Revolution. Always moves through a people, okay? More than just a person. Okay, Aviary, where you look, that, that's just the way God does things. And it seems like we, his people sometimes really fight that because, you know, we don't want to or too tired. We're too busy where to what it, whenever our our our, our thing is, but we've not really been taught that. Hate is really not an option. If I choose to really participate, it's a, it's kind of a thing that he told us to do now, your choice would be to disobey. And not do it, not get what I'm saying that if that would be your that will be your choice of isolation when we isolate ourselves and we and we don't work together as a community, really weak impact that the impact that you can have because you're you're just, I think it was John Maxwell. That said that one is too little of a number to be significant. Now, it takes all of us individually coming together to make a corporate thing that really can do something. But one all through scripture, we see that God always uses groups of people, okay? And so the good news is for us that were part of that provide five things I want to share with you there in your notes. And I'm going to try to move as quick as I can so that I don't detain us. Any more than we, then we have to be first number one is this. The God, never designed Believers to walk alone. Man, we've talked about that. The last a lot, the last few months. God, never designed Believers to walk alone. And when you start walking alone, always be assured, that the devil's going to try to pick you off. Okay? He's like a sniper, he's waiting for you to be alone and that's when he's going to start sending things to you, that you can't deal with on your own. Because you need a group, a community of people with you, not necessarily and thankfully living in your house. Can you imagine us all living in the same house? Who come out right there. Okay. I'm sorry. It's easier to get for forgiveness than permission by. I'm moving out okay I'm going to live in the shed or something okay and but yeah God designed Believers to walk, never to walk alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says that, it says, two people are better off than one. For they can help each other succeed. Okay? So if one person falls, the other can reach out and help of someone who falls alone is in real trouble. You've seen the commercial on TV help. I've fallen and I can't get up. There, was nobody there with her, was there? That was a poor example, but he came to me. David McMasters inspires me. So when I look at him, things like that. Come to me. So if you wonder where I get those thoughts over here, that's where I I get to, he's more messed up than me. That's what I'm trying to say. I get my, I get my material from him number 10. If one person follows the other could reach out and help of someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise two people lying close to each other can keep each other warm. Now, when I have real cold feet Larry and I get in bed at night, I expect to be able to put those on my wife's warm leg because it says in the Bible that two people can help keep each other warm.

Malaria Greece. That is why I've been in here, but I like two people lying. Close together can keep each other warm, but how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated you here in this? Have you ever felt that act like goodnight when's this going to end when he wins this party going to you know this party going to end so can be attacked and be defeated but two can stand back to back in Concord. 3 are even better for a triple braided cord is not easily broken. Now, you know, the scripture and probably read it in time or two in your life, but two people are better than 12. People better. What is 3 is even better a person standing alone is going to be attacked, and he's going to be defeated because they are just that alone, scripture doesn't really celebrate independence. Okay? We want independence, and sometimes his Americans because we think we have Independence, we become so independent. There were independent of each other. I once went to a fundamental independent King James only cut your hair short, don't wear pants, ladies, watch the makeup eye Baptist Church. They were independent. They weren't any part of any denomination. They were, they were fundamental. I said, I'm not sure if we can take the first Funda out of it and just put mental, okay? Maybe they were just mental and but they were independent and sometimes you can become so independent that you're independent of everybody else. Some believe that it's only you and your city. That's preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it's only you, and your little group, going to heaven, and we become isolated, and we become targets for the devil to take us out, okay? So God never calls him back strength, strengthen factors multiplied in connection. We get stronger as we get closer together, okay? God never called anyone to live in isolation isolation, is always a place of drift and it's never a place of calling if you think. Will God just call me this? And no, he didn't that. He may have called you to live a single life. Okay? And if you're single and you haven't, you haven't found a husband or wife, whatever your case is, then maybe that Scots playing, but Living Single doesn't mean you're living in isolation. You still can have friends and you can have family and all this kind of stuff in your life, but God never called anybody to isolation. It's never calling Independence or inter independent sounds strong, but In theory, really Independence his dangerous, okay, because you're going to be attack. So spiritual strength is sustained through proximity or through provis not privacy. Okay. It's it's it happens when you get together. Like, I just want to say again that if you start struggling in your life and you feel like the enemy's really coming against you, look around how private of a life if you're living and if you're living so private that's probably want. I think a lot of times, not always but a lot of times are depression and things like that, because we've isolated our self. And so all we think about is us every little pain. You feel, every little thought, you absorb everything that goes on. It's you it's you cuz it's only you and your world and it's almost kind of a selfish way to live because you have gifts and things inside of you that other people need, they really needed a new become you isolate yourself. It's not good. The enemy doesn't have to destroy Kinect connected. Believers only, Isolate them. So the way he did she was not making you go rob a bank or have an affair or do something you shouldn't do. He just get you alone and once he gets you alone, he starts drilling on you and they're absolutely is no way up from there. Right? Kind of like swimming against the tide when you're in the ocean. Once you get in that Riptide, it's going to pull you out. You can be the world's greatest swimmer and you still got a great chance and not make it out because the force is just pulling you out. That's not how God planned for us to live our lives. So the devil doesn't fear. Talented Christians, you can be the most talented. That's why he doesn't even care if you memorize scripture. He doesn't even care if you come to church on Sunday and ties. He's okay with that with a double never bothers me, because you're just a talented Christian. Now, you start getting connected and you watch all hell break loose in your life. Try to happen. Let me just assure you it's it's going to happen, Okay? But he was come to church and you can lift your hands. You can even tell God you love him. You can't even tell God I love you and I hate the devil. You can memorize have to talk to a guy. The other day that is working on memorizing, the entire New Testament. I think the guy is a Christian, I think that he's not isolated, so I'm not saying that at all, but what I am saying, you can memorize the whole new testament, you can memorize the whole Testament. But if you're independent of your living outside of connectivity, then you are a target for the enemy. You can quote, the Bible to, in fact, the Bible says that he knows the scriptures and trembles. In fact, the devil probably knows him the scripture better than a lot of so-called Christians. So the devil doesn't fear. Talented Christians. Nearly as much as he feel he, fears connected ones. Gordon fee of Pentecostal preacher in the rider emphasized, that the spirit is given to the body. Not, merely to individuals under their Pentecost sweet. We know this don't we, they were all in one place and they wasn't he or she it was a day. In our world, especially in our denomination. And we're arguing about it. He's and cheese. And what the he's can do in the sheets. Can do want to seize? Can't do and what the he's on a letter do, and we're forgetting about the day in the, we saw the devil winds. Because we reduced it to something that shouldn't have been reduced to you. Are you following me? So the Holy Spirit does not just empowers me. Empower me. He empowers us. All of us. It's a nice thing. You take a call from a burning fire and the fire could look cold cools down quickly. Why? Because it's away from all the rest. A coup like a coal scuse me Place back in the fire turns hotter, it burns hotter and it lasts longer. Why? Because it's with the pack it's with its tribe. Who is your tribe? Who are the people that you run with? Who are those people look at what's going on in their life and guess what? Surprise some of the same stuff going to go on in your life. So we got to watch who we run with his. So we have to ask the question. Am I connected or just attending church? Am I really connected with church? Do I have people who know my faith walk? Do the people that I go to church with no? What I struggle with in in in the area? Christian them. Do they know that they know where I struggle guys, if they don't know where you struggle. There's no way that they can help. Now, we like to live private will, it's none of their business. Whether there's a lot in scripture that talks about confessing your faults, one to another Well, they'll just tell will maybe you need different friends. I don't know. I can't. I'm just a message, boy. I'm just telling you in the word of God. It says that you don't have to like it. It's still real.

So we maybe need to ask the question. Do I have people who know my faith Walker have I mistaken Independence for maturity? Why matter? Now I don't I don't need I don't need the the whole body. I know you need the whole body. You still need the whole body and you're not actually mature. You're actually immature because you haven't figured that out yet. So the key thing is, then isolation does not protect faith. It weakens our faith. When we become isolated, here's number to Community is where faith is formed and strengthen Community is where the our faith is formed and strengthen Acts 2:47 says this and all the Believers all, don't you like that word, how many all of them, all the Believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship and the sharing and Mills, especially Fried Chicken, if you cook it. Well, even including the Lord's supper and and to prayer. Did y'all hear that, okay? The important thing is Andrew, did you hear that? Yes. Okay, you got it. All right. I think he miss that chicken part. I don't think he heard it. I don't either. I don't think. I think he's playing Tic-Tac-Toe.

Here's verse 43, a deep sense of all came over all of them and the apostles performed, many or miraculous signs, and wonders. When did they do that? When they were all together? Are you, are you getting that? And it goes on a 44 sis and all the Believers. All again, met the Believers met together in one place, and they shared everything that they had, there's no selfish people. There are no. People said I want to hold onto. So I'll have a little bit more. They all shared everything they had. No, that's a tough one that starts with just generosity first 45 says they sold their property and possessions and share the money with those in need. You want to get some Christian people stirred up, quick start talkin that You know I'm saying? I'll preach on tithing, but I'm not going to jump off in a pasture full of selling everything you have in sharing your money. You know what I was saying? I think I might need a bodyguard, then, you know what I'm saying? Cuz I think that's radical Christianity right there. Go put everything up for sale and just give it all to the church.

I'm think I'm going to stay with that means in the Greek. In the Russian in the Portuguese in every other language there is out there. Yeah, there's that stuff. What is that they worship together at the temple? Each day? Tell me, I'll complain that we asked you to come twice a week. They went to the temple every day. What was different than? Yeah. They had to walk.

You know what I'm saying? So now I'm telling you got to go sell everything you have, give it to the church, and you got to be here every day. I'm preaching that I'm going to bring a guest speaker in the priests that and then we can just never invite him back. They worship together at the temple each day and they met in homes for the Lord's. Supper setting that they went, they were coming over for dinner. Andrew and and share their meals with great joy, great joy. They were happy about it. Man, I'm liking this more more and generosity verse 47. Last one, all the while, all the, while the all that was going on, while they were selling everything they had, and give it to the church meeting in the temple. Every day, going to people's house for dinner at Deering all that the Lord added to their Fellowship. Those that were being saved. Sounds to me like something's going on at the church house. I don't know about you but I mean, we can't explain that away. They were together that they were together in community. so they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching in the fellowship in the sharing of the bill, what the early church really did together was they learn together, They weren't together that they may pray together, you know, I think sometimes it's even alright. Sometimes it in church settings, We Fear. What if I don't agree with everything then you don't agree. I tell my students all the time. I don't mind if you disagree with what I say, I don't mind. I had a student just the other day. So you know, I think this textbook is the worst excuse for a textbook. What wasted paper do we put in making this book? This is just a pile of junk. Is that okay to say one like you kind of already set it? You know, and I told, I told her, I said, Lewis, I don't care if you don't, if you don't like the textbook, I don't even care. If you don't read it, because it's okay for me to give you a zero. It's less numbers for me to write But as long as you're in this class, you don't have to agree with that book. You don't have to, you do not have to agree with it but I just want you to be intelligent about it and tell me why you disagree with that book. So I think coming together and learning together, I think that's what iron sharpens iron. I think that's when we learned things that we didn't know because somebody else says, well, I understand that you feel this way about it, but what about this? And it presents a different side of the case. It doesn't mean that they're full of rebellion and need to have a demon cast out of them. It just means that they have a different thought.

So they learn together. They pray together, there is a, there is a power when we began to pray together. That's why these prayer times are important, not that you can't pray at home. In fact, you should put their importance about praying together, they ate together, I think that's extremely important. They gave together. It wasn't just the one person that are two or three people that covered everything, they gave together. They served together, that's what they did. God uses people to shape people. That's just an amazing thing but he uses people growth accelerates so much when faith is practiced together. When we all start doing it together, growth just begins to happen. We see that happening in the book of Acts chapter 2. When the early church, you see it happening as they began to do that the Lord added daily to the church? What a nice problem to have.

The growth accelerates When Faith is practice together. What we normally eyes and Community eventually, then just becomes culture and it becomes part of what we do. So Faith grows best where it is practiced. Not just discussed. That talked a little bit about what we talked about last week. Eight requires participation, we can't just get together and talk about the things of God. We have to start practicing those things. The Bible says, if you know me and you love me, you will obey my commands. Not that you'll think about it, not that you need to have a week's prayer meeting about it, but you just do it. You don't have to pray about it. You know, how may be growing up? I know with my father, you've heard many stories if he told me to mow the grass. There was no prayer needed.

Other than maybe the prayer of God help me mow it quick so I can go on and do what I want to do. But there was no. Do I really need to mow the grass today? Do I really need to obey my dad? Because I got, I'm not feeling it today, I'm a little shy. I'm a little timid, I don't want to go out there amongst the grass and offend the grass for giving it a little bit of a haircut. So it looks cut when my dad gets home and who is there. Anyway, you could the Rapture take place real quick and just get me out of here. So we, we just have to do it. Church historian Frank Barnum and also part of the Azusa thing noted that early Revival moments thrived. Because Believers, listen to this stayed close enough for the fire to spread.

Firewood. We when you, when you, when you light a campfire, you don't put a piece of wood 3 ft apart and expect for this big fire to burn. You stack it all on top and then it begins to burn. Sometimes it's the church, we want to separate out where we have our room in our space and we can never burn to the to the heat, the heat that we should have in the life that we should be able to give because we're not, we're not together, he can't sharpen a knife with air. It takes contact.

So, here's the application for that. Where is my face being sharpened? Am I am I known by anyone spiritually do? I pursue fellowship or do I avoid it? Like a plague. Faith, matures faster and proximity when we're close together. Here's number three, Community provides accountability. That protects impact Community provides accountability that protects impact. Proverbs 27:17 says, it's iron sharpens iron. So friend, sharpen a friend. I don't know how many of you have friends, I have two or three close enough friends that that I allow into that area where they can really sharpen me. Who do you have? I would dare say that most Christians don't have that person in their life. That person that can call and question you on things and you not get mad. So I'm not talking to them again, it's none of their business know, you've allowed it to be part of their business, them to call and say, hey, how's your relationship with God doing? How's it doing? How are you doing with God? I mean, how, and I don't want to lift your hands, but I do want you to ask yourself. Do I have that? Kind of a person? Will the Lord? Does it to me? Okay, I'm sorry. He didn't include you in that verse that iron sharpens iron sometimes, God sharpens, you, because you're special.

That was sarcasm, wasn't it? I apologize, David. You got to stop sending those kind of material to me. Hebrews 10:24 says this, let us think of ways to motivate one another. The acts of love and good works and let us not neglect the meeting together as some people do. But to encourage one another especially now that the day of his return is Drawing Near, this was written a long long time ago and they were talking about his return Drawing Near and they wanted to make sure that they work together and let us not neglect and I love that scripture says, and let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Can I ask you a question, Who Are you seriously thinking about that, you're helping to motivate, okay to do acts of love and good works that you consciously think I need to talk to that person. I need to send this to that person. When you see something that has to do with anything. I got to send that to them. I've got to say this to them. I need to check on them who you doing it. Not people that you have to do it to not people, you know, that you're required to take care of them, maybe because their health or something, but just people that have maybe or not necessarily living in your house, but you're just so concerned with them that you just want to motivate them to acts of love and good. Deeds and good works. You need somebody, you need somebody. That's calling you and you need to be calling, you don't do this stuff breached.

So why accountability matters? It exposes blind spots. It helps you see things that you can't see. Well, I'll just see him on my own. No, you don't understand. You can't see it on your own. You have to have somebody else saying to, you see this It strengthens discipline, it guards against drifting away because somebody can say, hey do you understand that you're getting further and further away from the shore?

You're going further and further away from the heat, you, you may think everything's okay? And you're believing that lie because you think you've been in church forever, and it'll just always stick, but it's not true. It's a lie. It's a lie. The enemy's got you believing accountability. Is protection not punishment. I love the fact that there's other pastors, another just regular people that they called it. That hold me, accountable, I love that. I don't love it when they find an area of my life that they say, you know, you might want to think about that. You might want to give some thoughts to that. You might want to work on that correction is a gift when it comes from a trusted voice. It's not a curse. They're not being mad at. You are mean to you, it's actually a blessing, thank you. I mean how have you ever done that somebody tells you something big major flaw in your life and you get you went, thank you for telling me that I don't think that's what you do. Connie's tried to set me straight two or three times and I didn't say, you know what, Connie, I appreciate you straightening me out. I don't have, it's not like, I don't have a wife to do it too, but I appreciate you calling me or, you know what I'm saying? I'm kidding. She didn't. It was really Carroll drafted Drifters Drifters rare.

David David?

Drift is rarely drift is rarely sudden, it just doesn't happen like that. It takes time. And you start drifting away, and you haven't had a married. Couple should have been married so long. And then all the sudden, one day after they've been married, how many every years that we don't love each other anymore. Where did that come from? It came from drifting. They didn't know, they were drifting, but they weren't doing anything to stay together. So they just, they drifted apart. There was, nobody meant to nobody meant to hurt anybody. It just happened, drift is rarely sudden, and it's slow. And it's a notice without accountability but encouragement. And challenge causes things that they have to live together. You need that in your life. Studies consistently show that people who engage with intentional spiritual Community are far more likely to maintain long-term Faith practices than those who try to make it alone. What I'm saying is those people to get really involved, they really they're all in. They tend to grow in Christ quicker than people who just are just kind of there on the fringes. I'm not trying to be mean I'm not trying to tell you how to how to live your life. You certainly have the right as an American citizen to live, however you want serve, whoever you want. But I'm just telling you. If you want to serve God, you can't do it alone. If you want to serve God and you want to grow in your relationship with God, you need something, somebody bringing correction, because we're going to drip, we're going to, we're going to kind of go away where we're going to our world is doing it now, things that used to be wrong. Okay, 20 years ago or okay. Now, you know why? Because we've drifted now, if you don't want to see that happen to your Christian Life, you better get in

How Darwin have no idea who he is, but I like what he said. He taught that spiritual formation accelerates. When Believers submit, that's a big word commutable and courage, mint and correction,

For Mason accelerates week in man. We've got some people up in the church that don't you dare try to correct them.

Firework starts, a little WWE up in here. We're talkin body slams were taught. You know what I'm saying? Hulk Hogan on steroids, you or whoever is popular in wrestling now. So a car that's out of alignment, doesn't stop immediately. It just wears out faster. Your tire start wearing out faster other things start wearing out faster and before long, you can't go anywhere or do anything. Although you got the car they could do it. It's the same thing with our Christian Life, you have the basics of what you need but because you didn't think keep things aligned. And how do you get things back of the line is through. Correction you say, well, I'll never let you do it passed, right? You're not not, you're not the one that correct me. I'm fine. Who is? Who is in your life? I, I don't need to be your protector.

So the application is who has permission who really has permission to speak to my life and do I resist, correction or do I receive correction is the first thing that I think so I don't think that I don't think you understand how I really am. I really didn't mean it that way. I think you're seeing it wrong or is the first thing he going to let me look at that, let me look at that. You're not, I don't know that I've ever seen it that way before you could be right. And you really look at yourself, do I resist correction, or do I receive it? Do I say, thank you, thank you for being gutsy enough. Have enough backbone to tell me what you see. Am I drifting slowly away? I double dog. Dare you to really wrestle with that thought. Just today. Am I drifting away? Keep in mind. You can read your Bible every day and drift. You can pray everyday and drift. You sell. No, no, no. The Lord will keep me know. It's not just the Lord's job. He put other people there too and show you scripture after scripture, that, that's what he did. So, unaccountable faith is vulnerable Faith. Vulnerable faith. I read a funny thing about my dog. I'm going to share this because it has a lot to do with what I'm saying. Hopefully, you'll see the importance, I read a little article last night, Bob about dogs, and when a dog is going to the restroom, not trying to be gross. It's all I'm saying. That's his most vulnerable time to be attacked by another animal or dog. Okay, buddy with that. Okay, I don't need to explain why that is What are some dogs? Not all dogs, but some dogs when you go to the bathroom, I don't know about yours but mine does. For sure. I would. Imagine some of your dogs do when you go to the bathroom, they want to be there too, huh? Like Oliver. He's right up in it. Sometime he lays between my legs. Sometimes you settle on a rug over here he just stares at me. I'm not going to quit looking at me while I'm going to the bathroom. That's a little that's that's worse than Santa Claus.

And the sky. This is p a guy and he's got a PhD. It might be, I don't know. Pretty holistically dumb. I don't know what. I don't know what's PhD stands for but he's saying that dogs. When they're going to the restroom other dogs in the pack Walk-In times watched over that, dog. Because the Varner it's so when your dog comes in the restroom with you, he's not coming in there to be a nuisance. He's coming in there to watch over you and your most vulnerable time. And that cool. I'm like, well, dadgum all over your smart and I thought you were No, wonder you think this is your house cuz you're probably one of the smartest people here. I don't know if your dog have your dogs do that if you have dogs a couple of yet, how many we have cats to do that? Know, you don't care to do that. Cuz cat so stupid, we all know that.

Where where Vault where we are, but we're vulnerable. We're vulnerable, we're vulnerable, we're easily attacked, and your little pup, or whatever you have is watching over you at your most vulnerable. You're vulnerable as a Christian. You going to walk out of here in about 30-40 minutes from now. And and the enemy is going to be waiting to attack you. He's going to look for a wake. He's probably going to start in your mind with your thoughts, if you know, that's true. It's absolutely true. Here's the truth, God designed the church to function as a body, Ephesians chapter 4 verse. 16 says this, he makes the whole body fit together. Perfectly we're not dysfunctional. We're very functional. As each part does its own special work. And I know I've heard somebody say what pastor Kevin. He's really special in. He like like special like there's a bus for me and there's classes for me cuz I'm special, you know what I'm saying? Now the Bible says that each part does its own special work. Yes, it helps the other parts, bro. Did you know that I have a part in the body of Christ and my part is to help you grow.

I have it. I'm so excited. I have a part in your life, some of your like a wonderful. Wonderful. I knew I should have come to church today. Wonderful. And here's the great part. Here's the great part. Look Around The Room, everybody that your seed has a part in your growth. He says he makes the whole body. That's everybody, that's an all thing, he makes them all fit together. Perfectly as each part does its own special work and help the others grow set the whole body so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love healthy growing

And full of love the goddess and the church could function as a body. Every part matters. Every part has to contribute God never intended for one person or a small group to carry the full weight of impact every believer. Karaoke something the body needs, I don't know what you have, but I know that I need it. And you may not know what I have, but you need it. When you gifts remain unused, the church remains limited. Can I tell you? Another funny illustration, who I just have the spirit of funny on me today. My daughter visited us for, Thanksgiving for Christmas. Sorry. When she got on her United Airlines playing in New Orleans Larry, she was way overweight on her luggage and they charged her $1,000, or $100 extra for her bag. Melody said I left something in the trash can right there. Okay. But she didn't, she just paid $200. Wow, is right? So when we were getting ready to send her home, Melody, gave her another suitcase that she can carry on board with her. And we packed that one full as we could, we can get it and it still didn't handle everything. So we had the mail, Boxers that cost us like 20 or 30, 40 bucks, a piece. It was two of them. We had to mail those to her and then she didn't mind that. She's so you can just mail them to my mom. Like

doesn't it cost for me to mail them to you? I mean I already I already kind of like putting money into it, when I bought it, you want to say it like it's your job to get it home. You're the you're the ding dong it moved in Louisiana to begin with. So we we mailed her these packages and I never want to use my wife as the blunt end of a joke with. And this one is certainly not. That is certainly not that at all. That's not my intentions but here's what happened.

Here's what happened. My daughter. Got her packages of the AC open him up and she said, Dad, she called me. She FaceTime me and Connie. Here's what she said. Did you not like any of your Christmas presents? I said, what do you mean? She said well, every one of your Christmas presents was in my box.

I don't want to mention any names. But her initials are Melody Wells. She mailed my presence.

Can you believe that she mailed her? I only thing that's good about that as I feel a little justification. Now that Cindy has to pay the mail them back.

Until she said that, are you going to send me some money to mail your packages to you? I'm like, yeah. On the same Mail system that you sent me money, to mail them to you.

God never intended for you to carry the weight alone. He believes that every every believer should carry something the body needs. We gifts remain unused. The church remains limited. When you don't use those things, multiplication requires cooperation, not competition.

The church doesn't need more stars. It needs more servants. And needs his people that just work impact is Multiplied. Not duplicated in community. You take a candle when one light goes out on a candle. A room full of candles changes, the atmosphere one candle lights it up, but 50 candles do a lot more. So what might we do to our county or city? Our area? If we all together, work together to show our light and let Christ be multiplied. Amen. So where my contributing? That's a question you need to ask, why don't have time. I got this going on. You don't understand. I'm busy. I understand what I'm going through. I might know, you don't understand. You're going to always be busy and you're always going to be going through something sooner or later. You just got to jump in and get busy and I'm using gifts, am I using my gift from a hiding? Those gifts? What are you doing? What are you doing with him? And am I adding strength to the body or am I staying passive? The church is the strongest when everyone carries the weight. And where are we kissed? When we don't hear the last Point Community becomes a witness to the world. I love it. Community becomes a witness to the world. John 13:34 says that's. So now I am giving you a new commandment love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. We said well I'm going to love them but they don't have to come around. Just this Jesus loves us just as Jesus loves us and he didn't say, man, I hope Kevin don't come to church today, I'm just not up for that. I never said that. I know I've said that about family, man. I hope the so-and-so and I don't want him to be sick to death or anything, but I hope they can't come. That Bri. Will have you ever said that? I'll come on. You guys have thought something like that before? I know you have. I'll even say who it was that you didn't want to be there. Don't fire me up now.

Your love for one, another will prove to the world that you are. My disciples. Are you getting this? This is been. This is heavy stuff huh? You want to talk to deep things of God? I think this is pretty deep. Get your love for one, another will prove to the world that you are, my disciples will. Here's what the world notices about the church, the lack of unity. The world notices, the lack of care, the world, that notices, the lack of consistency in authentic love, unity, preachers, Lots louder than arguments, the world is drawn to Bean belonging rather. Before belief people debate Doctrine, and they recognize genuine love immediately. They know that they're being loved. The world is not impressed by program. It's, it's drawn to belonging So how do we apply that to our life? Does our community reflect Christ. Does our community reflect price and would someone feel welcomed here? I don't mean that when they walk in the door that their hugs kissed or giving a pack or a visitor card, but do they really feel loved love goes beyond the first visit Love Goes six weeks into it when they've missed a couple of Sundays and you said, hey I miss you, you're not saying I miss you as though you're saying, where were you? You're just saying. I don't know where you were, and I don't really care, but I do want to let you know that I didn't see you and I missed you there.

And are we known for our Grace? Are we known for our division? Healthy Community makes the gospel visible. So I have three questions to ask you and I'll close. Number one, where do I need to connect? I pray, you would answer that question.

Yes, I heard the alarm. I'm almost done.

Where do I need to reconnect? Where do I need to reconnect? What step towards Community have? I avoided Am I willing to move from Comfort to connection? Sometimes it's a lot easier just to live by yourself. Then have to commit to always having company. Community doesn't happen. Accidentally it requires, intentionality requires intentional steps, Vicente wanted you come over for fried chicken. Why don't you come over for candy? You know what I'm saying?

The altar is not about joining something, it's about committing to walk with other people.

It's for those who've been isolated. It's for those who need reconnection to get ready to invest in community. I wrote down this prayer prompt for myself this week. God placed me where I can grow and help others grow. God placed me in an area in my life where I can I can grow because it starts with me but how that I can help other people grow to. Sometimes it's just the text. We used to send little no cards no cards. Nice. Hey, Pastor. Just want to let you know. I love you but your message was wonderful. Just kidding.

I know what you meant.

You know what I'm saying? I sent somebody that I haven't seen in church in a few weeks. I sent him a text last night, I might get out. It just dawned on me. It feels like I haven't seen you since last year.

little play on words that just to say, hey, you know what I noticed you weren't here, I just noticed Impact starts with me impact, requires participation, and last of all Impact. Grows in community grows in community Metro. We need to start with your bow. Your heads with me for just a moment. Father, thank you so much for your word and for what it says to us, what it implies to us in the direction that we have to walk with it gone, I pray you would help us. Father is a church to be that church that comes out of comfort. Just being alone and really being together that, we find those times to meet for coffee, we find those times to have people over, just for just for fun. We had those times when we meet together and do things but we're constantly building Community with one another because it's important for us as the family of God to grow together, not only in scriptures, but just to grow together with one another, God help us to find someone in our life or multiple people to help. Hold us accountable to live and do the things that you've called us to do. God, help us above everything else. Not to drift. I pray for everyone listening, buy online. I pray for those that are here in this room right now, God that you would help us. Father Lord, set bright lights, flashing lights, whatever it takes to get our attention, and let us know how you that we're drifting. We're we're, we're going further away. We're not getting closer. Help us to stand up and change that direction and never drift. Help us is a church. God to never draft and we give you praise for it, be with us or in the next few moments as we talked about your business. We celebrate what you've done. And we look at what we're believing you to do and we thank you for it in Jesus name and everybody say amen. Amen. God bless you guys.