Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

A disciple is becoming more like Jesus

Knowing; Doing; Growing; Going

last week - Disciples - Worship the Father & not their own agenda

this week - Disciples - Committed to Christian Community

Specifically this morning, I want to answer the question “Why?”

Why should disciples be committed to community?

Why should disciples be committed to Christian community.

First and foremost… God exists in community

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Tyndale House Publishers.

(2013).

Holy Bible: New Living Translation ().

Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.

There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.

God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

Tyndale House Publishers.

(2013).

Holy Bible: New Living Translation ().

Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

“We believe in the one living and true God, both holy and loving, eternal, unlimited in power, wisdom and goodness, the Creator and Preserver of all things.

Within this unity there are three persons of one essential nature, power and eternity — the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

~ Articles of Religion of The Wesleyan Church

Second… We are created in the image of God

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone (Right there…We are made for community).

I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky.

He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.

He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals.

But still there was no helper just right for him.

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone (Right there…We are made for community).

I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky.

He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.

He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals.

But still there was no helper just right for him.

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone (Right there…We are made for community).

I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky.

He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.

He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals.

But still there was no helper just right for him.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep.

While the man slept, the LORD God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening.

Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

“At last!” the man exclaimed.

23 “At last!” the man exclaimed.

“This one is bone from my bone,

At the very beginning we learn that we have been created in the image of God.

God said it’s not good for man to be alone.

- no wonder people have a natural tendency toward gathering/community

“This one is bone from my bone,

and flesh from my flesh!

She will be called ‘woman,’

because she was taken from ‘man.’ ”

Tyndale House Publishers.

(2013).

Holy Bible: New Living Translation ().

Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

At the very beginning it is clear to see that we are created in the image of God, And God said it’s not good for man to be alone, so no wonder people have a natural tendency toward gathering/community

Third… We are designed for Christian community

We are designed to belong in relationship with the Triune God.

We are designed to belong to the community of faith - I believe that means a local church (which is part of The Church - the body of Christ - other Christian churches in our community, other Christian communities in our country, other Christian communities around the world).

We are called not to just come & listen to a sermon or teaching; We are called not to just come and sing some songs; We are called not to just come and serve one another in different types of areas; We are designed to belong to one another in Christian community.

You might be asking yourself, How is that possible?

Community works because of unity in Christ

And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Christian community is simply sharing a common life in Christ.

It moves us beyond the self-interested isolation of private lives and beyond the superficial social contacts that pass for "Christian fellowship."

The biblical ideal of community challenges us instead to commit ourselves to life together as the people of God.

~ Howard Macy, author & professor from George Fox University

Christian community is simply sharing a common life in Christ.

It moves us beyond the self-interested isolation of private lives and beyond the superficial social contacts that pass for "Christian fellowship."

The biblical ideal of community challenges us instead to commit ourselves to life together as the people of God.

~ Howard Macy, author & professor from George Fox University

We are called not to come & listen to a sermon; but belong in relationship with God & belong to the community of faith, or christian community.

Rick Warren is famous for saying it & writing a book about it - but he’s right - We are better together!

It’s not that you automatically like it more, or it doesn’t have to be the way you would have designed it - because we probably wouldn’t have put it all together like this.

But it’s God’s plan & God’s design.

It’s not perfect because we’re not perfect.

It’s messy because we’re messy.

But it’s beautiful because God is beautiful and it’s His plan!

And we’re to say Yes!

Christian community is simply sharing a common life in Christ.

It moves us beyond the self-interested isolation of private lives and beyond the superficial social contacts that pass for "Christian fellowship."

The biblical ideal of community challenges us instead to commit ourselves to life together as the people of God.

~ Howard Macy, author & professor from George Fox University

Lastly, Without Christian community there is no discipleship

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Jesus told his disciples, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

We can read, we can study, we can pray, we can memorize scripture, we can enjoy nature & creation, but we ain’t disciples without Christian community.

Discipleship happens in relationship with one another.

Tyndale House Publishers.

(2013).

Holy Bible: New Living Translation ().

Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.