A Community of Care

Romans 12:9–21 NIV

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Introduction: Wow there is a lot there. Hodge Podge meal - Do these things even go together? Which of these many commands should we focus on? - Is there a way to see a common thread through all of these instructions of Paul?

One Thing Paul is not emphasizing is Individualism.

19-Individualism is Celebrated.

20-1. American individualism has emphasized a personal relationship with God to the point that many people who call themselves Christians think community, walking together in life-to-life accountability, is optional. But intentional Christian community is a nonnegotiable part of being a healthy and effective believer. “Christianity is not a religion for solitude and solitary. The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion” - John Wesley.

21-I was listening to NPR this past week and they were talking about Norms - mostly they were making a big deal about Trump violating political norms, but that is not what I want to focus on. One of the experts said that Norms are often created for survival reasons. Societies are on a spectrum of individualism and collectivism and those norms are because of histories that recquired one or the other for survival. Our individualism was forged by our pioneering spirit that required individual to work for themselves to survive.

The Gospel challenges our Culture and says to survive as a Christian...

22-We Need Community.

Count the One Another’s in this passage. vs 10 2 x’s, 16 - 3 x’s total. - The rest of the passage implies it.

The devil is like a lion, looking for someone to devour (see ). This video shows how lions like to hunt by isolating a target: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/worlds-deadliest/deadliest-lions-zebra?source=relatedvideo. As the video say, the “first rule of the safari” is this: “always stay with the group!” (see 1:38 in the video). The same rule applies to believers. If we become isolated, we weaken ourselves and become more vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.

The devil is like a lion, looking for someone to devour (see ). This video shows how lions like to hunt by isolating a target: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/worlds-deadliest/deadliest-lions-zebra?source=relatedvideo. As the video say, the “first rule of the safari” is this: “always stay with the group!” (see 1:38 in the video). The same rule applies to believers. If we become isolated, we weaken ourselves and become more vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.

Castaway’s scene - I could do this on my own, but so and so is lighting my load. He is a blessing. A scene right after where another lady’s partner was getting sick and had to leave the show. “I am losing a my friend. Struggling with the reality of being alone.”

We need community to support us in our walk with Christ - In fact Jesus designed it that way. To Love God is to Love our brother and sister, and to love our brother and sister is to love God. So we grow in both when we pursue both in community.

The New International Version Chapter 4

20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

So we need Community to battle the enemy, to stay on Christ’s mission, and to grow in love with God and with Others.

What is this community and What should it look like?

23-The Church is a Community of Care.

A Better word, I feel is encouragement

A Better word, I feel is encouragement

Encouragement in the following ways:

To Love one another as Jesus loved us.

Douglas Moo - As a Spiritual family, the church is to exhibit the intimacy and tenderness toward one another that mark the best earthly families.

To do good and not evil.

To live the very difficult call - Bless those who persecute you, ie. live the Gospel story.

The man who did not want blessings when I handed out flyers.

Through the roller-coaster of life.

The multiple times our life group walked alongside us/The church walked alongside us.

To work towards peace & reconciliation.

rubber Band Illustration https://dskidsermons.com/2017/08/28/september-3rd-2017-13th-sunday-after-pentecost/

Quite Frankly the church does not always live up to its calling, and sometimes people mis-understand the church - So our landscape is riddled with people who have felt like the Church has not cared. This challenges us to grow in peace and reconciliation. - This is not a call to give up on church - but to ask what does the gospel call me to.

Pursue forgiveness with the church.

Pursue reconciliation with the church.

If people refuse to reconcile, then try another church.

The Church does this by...

vs. 9 - Love one another sincerely - 1 Corinthians definition of love.

vs. 10-13, vs.15-16, 18

Restaurant who stopped everything to cater a wedding.

Conclusion: - How we are creating community at SBRC.

Ministry Fair.

Worship - A little surface-level - but focused on Growing in Faith together.

Life Group Sign-ups.

Missional Community - Like extended family - Get to know each other more, but not deeply - to serve in Christ’s name.

Life Groups - To go deeper with eachother - like immediate family - to Make disciples.

Worship

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Chatechism: Q&A 32, 52-55 Belgic Confession: Articles 27-29 Belhar Confession: Article 2