Life Together - Christian Community

I.) Introduction

A.) Opening Remarks

1.) Discussing Christian community, not relationships outside of it

2.) Large influence from Bonhoeffer’s Life together

B.) Primary Passage –

C.) From scripture and experience, we know two things about relationships:

1.) We yearn for them

a.) Adam needed companionship pre-fall –

b.) John desires the presence of believers (more than social media) –

2.) They are broken

a.) Sin affects relationships

b.) The only consistent factor in broken relationships is you

c.) Therefore we cannot assume community is automatic. We must know the why and how and make efforts to put it into action.

II.) The Foundation of Community (King’s Cross – Keller)

A.) The community of the Trinity

1.) Community existed prior to creation as part of the character of God – not created. God is love.

2.) The Trinity models what true community looks like

a.) The “Dance” – CS Lewis, Plantiga quote

b.) All members seek others glory – , ,

c.) This is how we rectify a self-glorifying God with a self-less God

B.) How do we participate within this community

1.) We were originally created in God’s image to participate in this Dance with God – But we fell

2.) Through the redemptive work of Christ, we have peace with God and are restored in relationship. –

a.) Our actions do not gain us community

b.) This applies both to you and your brother

3.) Picture #1: Christ is the true vine – ,

a.) We are called to abide in Him

b.) The source of life and community is from Him

c.) We only have connection with others through Him

4.) Picture #2: We are in the body of Christ –

a.) Once again, only as we are connected to Christ the head, do we have life and community

b.) We see there is a purpose as a community

c.) We see variety within the community

III.) If we are the body of Christ, what does that look like?

A.) Structure of community

1.) Sphere of influence – God has placed you where you are. You are called to be in community with those around you.

2.) Avenues of community

a.) Large groups

b.) Small groups

c.) One on One relationships

3.) We are eternally united – All relationships matter

a.) There are not temporary relationships

b.) Even transient relationships matter

c.) We cannot dispose/ignore hard people

4.) Gospel community is not segregated

a.) We tend to classify ourselves too much

b.) Biblical community does not segregate by age, race, or culture

c.) This does not mean a small group based on age is wrong, but it would be wrong to make ourselves distinct from the community God has placed us in – the local church

d.) We all need all of us

B.) Beware things that can kill community

1.) Favoritism has no place –

a.) We tend to gravitate towards useful people - Wealth, influential, popular

b.) The gospel breaks through the use/obstacle pattern

2.) Bringing our own agenda / Human Love – P. 27

a.) Human Love makes an end to itself

3.) “Experiences” of community – P. 38-39

a.) We all have had a camp or something like it where we felt this intense sensation of community

b.) Seeking these feelings can poison our expectations of daily mundane community

c.) Seeking these feelings can cause to be an inward facing holy huddle rather than be the light of the world

C.) Solitude and community – P. 76-77

1.) Community starts with Christ, and he is all we need

a.) Christ promises the Holy Spirit, not people

2.) We can make community an idol

IV.) How do we minister to one another?

A.) Submission

1.) Holding one’s tongue and listening

a.) Our words can speak death into someone else’s life

i.) Hurtful words –

ii.) Gospel of self-sufficiency

b.) Listening is important, not just waiting until you can say something

2.) Meekness – “Consider your brother better than yourself”

a.) Paul’s view of himself

i.) Least of the apostles – 54 –

ii.) Least of the saints – 62 –

iii.) Least of sinful men – 63 –

b.) How can you serve a brother if you see him as a worse sinner?

3.) Authority

a.) God has structured many of our relationships – church office, marriage, family , government

b.) We are call to lead lovingly and submit joyfully

B.) Service

1.) Helpfulness

a.) Other people are inconvenient

b.) Value your brother more than your schedule

2.) Bear each other’s burdens – P.100

a.) Other people are messy

b.) They have grief’s and imperfections

C.) Preach the gospel into each other’s life

1.) Pray

a.) It is hard to hate someone you pray for

b.) Prayer changes us (not God) so that we love our brother more

c.) Prayer implies we cannot fix each other and that we need the Lord

2.) Sin and Confession – P. 110 - 111

a.) We are not honest about our sin

b.) We can act as if sin does not affect us, but that shatters community

c.) We are not airing dirty laundry, but appropriately sharing our weaknesses

d.) We have to actively build this culture

e.) Our response to confession is powerful

3.) Proclaim the gospel

a.) Little kids are not the only watching eyes

b.) All actions and words are included

c.) We can either build them up in faith in Christ or in themselves

V.) Conclusion

A.) See the example of selfless love within the Trinity

B.) We have community only by abiding in Christ

C.) Point others to God and not themselves