An Alternative Community

Introduction

Opening Story/Illustration: I’ve been reading a few books recently and I came across a phrase that I want to focus on for the next few months. The idea is this: The Church is called to be an Alternative community.

Transition to Text: We often think about our salvation as merely, “I’m saved so I can go to heaven.” But in reality, we are saved to be part of a community. We are pulled into a group.

Text: ,

1 Peter 2:9–12 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Revelation 5:8–10 ESV

8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Transition to points: Tonight, I want to talk about what it means to be this alternative community.

Here’s the point I want to make over the next few weeks: Salvation is a call into a community, for a purpose. In other words, Jesus doesn’t simply save you FROM sin and FOR Heaven. He saves you FOR himself and pulls you INTO a FAMILY with a PURPOSE.

Discussion

Conclusion

What does it mean to be “royal priests?”

What does a priest do? Connects people to God and God to people - You might be the connection to God for someone.

What does it mean to be “God’s possession?”

How do you think God takes care of What belongs to him? Why worry then?

What do you think it means to “be the church?”

How should Christians look different from the world around them? Be specific.

Conclusion

This is what I want us to think about, pray about, and learn to live out over the weeks to come - What does it mean to be an alternative community? What does it mean to be the church?