Biblical Authentic Community...

Biblical Authentic Community isn’t practical in a crowd of 200 or 2,000.

2,000. That’s why I feel so strongly that churches must

That’s why I feel so strongly that our church must create Care Groups so that Christians can develop intimate relationships, where they can “know and be known.”

create small groups where Christians can develop intimate

relationships, where they can “know and be known.”

A church following a biblical model will not just “have” small groups. It will not merely “offer” small groups.

small groups. It will not merely “offer” small groups.

Rather, it will be built with small groups.

44 "“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.” ()

We are a group that is willing and ready to leave and forsake all for Christ!!!

That’s a pretty authentic community.

52 "After worshiping him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 "And they were continually in the temple praising God.” ()

A life of worship lead to joy that produces a life of worship!

You know that passage of devoting ourselves to the apostles doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers.

"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,” ()

That’s an authentic community.

48 "When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 "The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” () 52 "And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” ()

Seeing God infallibly save sinners and His Word spread unrestrained lead’s to those who follow Christ to be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

13 "For this reason we have been comforted. In addition to our own comfort, we rejoiced even more over the joy Titus had, because his spirit was refreshed by all of you.” ()

Being refreshed by the community of Christ produces comfort and joy. (These are deep relationships).

2 "make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” ()

You see the point? Our unity as a body produces joy. To have the same love and be united in the spirit, intent on one purpose requires relationship!

And the context of the chapter is: sometimes we give up some things that we think we are free in Christ to have,

ometimes we give up some things that we think we are free in Christ to have, but we surrender them so that we might win some!

but we surrender them so that we might win some!

I’m not speaking of setting up the worship service the way the culture wants it.

That would mean watered down songs. Preaching-light, heavy on the jokes and stories.

Is the church built up by that? NO.

But what might be some of the things that you have the freedom in Christ to have, but would be willing to surrender them so that we might win some?

Type of music?

I can tell you the only time that a 20 year old who comes in off the street has heard an organ, is in a funeral.

So would we be willing to not have that so that some might be saved?

We can make changes there and not compromise on

Theology,

morality,

your life and practice,

holiness,

obedience,

marriage between one man and one woman for life

family,

our roles as men and women

not on the One way of salvation

we’re not going to abandon the bible for “how” we evangelize sinners in exchange for the modern psychologist’s notions and theories.

Is this the inspired, infallible, inerrant word of God or not??

If so, it will not command us to do in one place, what it forbids us to do in another!

“I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Sounds like an absolute mandate for giving up everything, in order to reach everyone!

Do you see this shift happening in church culture?

This is where a lot of churches are going!

There needs to be a shift in our church, but the shift will come and everything that needs to be intact is going to stay!

Be assured of that!

(at least as far as possible sinful folks like us seek the Lord in His Holy Word and hold fast to all that’s revealed!)

· Do we have commands for husbands and wives and children, and fathers and mothers?

· Do we have commands for pastor’s and churches to follow? How to worship God, has He written about these things?

· He didn’t write about what translation to use, nor if we should have VBS, nor if we should have a good Friday service.

· But what He did write about (unfortunately, this is where most of our ignorance lies) are the things we are supposed to hold fast to and follow.

“I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” Paul doesn’t apply this to doctrinal issues! When he write to the Corinthians in this same letter, when you get to chapter 15 he says,

"For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,” ()

He delivers what he received, as his first priority! His authority comes from the “Scriptures” and Christ expounding those scriptures to Paul.

He doesn’t say, “I’ve done some polling there in Corinth and I have a pretty good idea what’s going to sell there.”

First priority for the church for all time, to deliver that which we’ve received according to the Scriptures!

Let’s give ourselves to what the scriptures teach as led by the Spirit of our Lord as possible.

Although one’s personal responsibility for sanctification remains paramount, sanctification cannot be accomplished in isolation from the local church, the body of Christ.

remains paramount, sanctification cannot be accomplished

Scripture clearly teaches that sanctification is intended to take place

in isolation from the local church. Scripture

clearly teaches that sanctification is intended to take place

in the local church—and small groups contribute dearly to this process.

to this process.

The bulk of New Testament teaching on the Christian life, including the major sections on holiness,

life, including the major sections on holiness, occur

occur in letters addressed to corporate groups, to churches.

in letters addressed to corporate groups, to churches.

All the major exhortations to holy living are plur a l — “we,” “you” (; ; )...

Similarly all the New Testament promises of victory are corporate.

victory are corporate

“we,” “you” (; ; -

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” ()

"because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.” ()

2 "I also saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast... were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God. 3 "They sang the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the Lamb...” ()

In other words the apostles visualized the Christianlife and Christian sanctification in the context of a loving, caring fellowship.

life and Christian sanctification in the context of a

You remember how in that as needs came up people within the body of Christ met those needs.

loving, caring fellowship.

Remember how it was before Christ died? If anyone had needs they would go to Jesus!

After He died, rises from the grave victoriously and pours out His promised Spirit and Jesus is still going to meet the needs of all those that are in need, but He’s now going to do it through His body, the church! ()