Planted - Week 4 (Community)

Intro

Recap: If you’ve been with us for the last few weeks, we’ve been talking about the idea of being planted.

We said that you and I need to plant our lives in a way/place where God can move and work and grow fruit in our lives.

We said we needed to be planted in love, and last week we said we need to be planted in worship. We talked about turning our worry into worship.

Opening Illustration/Story: There’s a saying that I’ve heard that I have often repeated, especially to middle and high school students, that goes like this - “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” I’ve also heard, “Your tribe determines your vibe.”

This statement shows the importance of the people we hang around.

I was thinking about it this morning though - A slight change to that statement - Change your friends, change your future.

A problem I see now days though, is people often want to take Jesus, but not the Church. They don’t realize how life-changing the community of believers is for them.

You’ll hear people talk about how they love Jesus, but they just don’t want to be involved or committed to the church.

Discuss: Why do you think there are many people who want Jesus, but not the Church? Do you think this is an issue? Why? Why not?

Transition to text: Scripture tells us that when we join ourselves to Jesus, we become part of his body, the Church.

Whether we like it or not, we become a part of it.

Paul gives us this picture in Romans 12

Text:

Text:

Romans 12:1–8 NLT

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Body

Plant yourself in the Church because We’re better together

Don’t think you’re too good or to low to be part

Notice what Paul tells us here -

Romans 12:3–4 NLT

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,

Romans 12:3–5 NLT

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

Paul says you need to look at your life and evaluate yourself honestly.

The idea here is that Self-conceit is seen as insane. Seeing yourself better than you really are.

He’s using the same idea as someone who is drunk - Think of yourself the right way and don’t be drunk on yourself!

Discuss: What are some of the dangers of being “drunk” or “full” of yourself?

When you think you’re better than everyone else, it’s hard to join in the community.

Illustration: I don’t have the best eyesight and sometimes when I’m driving at night it’s hard to see. Especially since my car has a few bad blindspots. When I’m changing lanes I have to be extra careful - But you know what helps? When I have someone with me who can see for me. Who can look over and see what I can’t see.

When you think you’re better than everyone else, you can’t see your blindspots.

Everyone one of us has blindspots in our lives. Parts of our character and personality we can’t see. Problems and habits we don’t see. When you think you’re better than everyone else, you can’t see your blindspots. Your blindspots can become your downfall. But what helps with this? Having someone there to point them out to you. But pride cuts you off from this!

Paul says to measure ourselves by the faith God has given us. This is a gift from God - So you and I have nothing to boast about.

On the flip side of this, thinking too little of yourself can also keep you from community.

We’ve all seen it - People who are so worried about what others think that they won’t join in.

This is also a form of pride - It’s a false humility. Many times it’s a ploy to call attention to ourselves.

The point of humility is not to think less of yourself, but to think of yourself less!

Paul is saying - Think of yourself in the right way.

We need each other

Why should we think of ourselves the right way? Because we need each other and wrong thinking isolates us.

Paul says here that we belong to each other.

Romans 12:6–8 ESV

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:5–8 NLT

5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

When you get saved, you don’t just belong to “you” any longer. You belong to the body of Christ. We are all connected.

In their book, “The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb,” Kyle Strobel and Jamie Goggin Say, “We cannot live in Christ’s way on our own. This likely sounds right, but many of us functionally doubt our need for the church. Pursuing the way of Christ seems like a “me and Jesus” kind of endeavor. But our focus on ourselves unearths a deep foolishness that owes more to our culture and worldliness than it does to Scripture. We have no hope of pursuing the way from above apart from the church.”

Think about this: You cannot actively live out the Christian faith by yourself. It’s almost completely impossible.

Illustration: When you’re saved you are “In Christ”

If you are to grow as a Christian, There are gifts you bring to the table that others need. There are things that you lack that you need from others.

When you cut yourself off from community, you cut yourself off from growth!

In everything - Love each other

Romans 12:9 NLT

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

Paul’s next statement after he talks about gifts? Love each other.

Romans 12:9 ESV

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

In , Paul uses some of the same language about the body and how we belong to one another. The next chapter, his very next thought - - Love!

How do we do community? In love!

Discuss: What does it mean to love each other sincerely? How can we practice this more within our church?

Love puts others first

Love says, “I’m here to serve.”

Love walks into a room a says, “What Can I do?”

As we think about each other and serve one another and do our part, we all start to grow.

Conclusion

Don’t plant yourself in isolation. Plant yourself in community. There’s something you have to offer that we need. There’s something that we have to offer that you need.

This is true in our church of different generations - It’s easy for us to look at older people and think certain things. But we need them and they need us.

Discuss: What are some things you could teach the older generation? The younger generation? What are some things they could teach you?

Closing: I want us to get together tonight and pray for each other.

Conclusion

Conclusion