Sermon Tone Analysis

What does the Bible teach about Small Groups?

Play video: Discipleship

Gayle’s Three cord metaphor

When you were born again, you were born anew

Workplace, Family, life.

You are not fully formed, many still, as Paul describes it “baby desiring milk.”

How do you grow from there, beyond milk?

Many of your personal problems are the result of you not growing.

You were also born into a new family, one that’s built on relationships

Relationships that are honest and open, transperant.

A family that also demands time,

much more than once a week.

A place where you will grow.

Maybe you are a person who believes that you are already mature; if so, then you should be growing others.

We don’t get off that easy, to just focus on ourselves.

Do you know where you can see the greatest model doing church?

The Bible tells us in Acts 5:42, “Every day they spent time in the temple and in one home after another.

They never stopped teaching and telling the good news” (CEV).

They met in large groups for worship and small groups for fellowship.

This biblical strategy still works today.

If your church is going to be healthy, it must be growing larger and smaller at the same time.

What does this mean?

Larger through celebration services and worship, and smaller through your small groups.

What did these first small groups do?

The Bible gives us the answers in Acts 2:42-47.

You can’t/shouldn’t do life alone.

Not just shouldn’t.

#1 - Read Hebrews 10:23:25 and answer the following…

Count the number of times the words “us” and “we” are used…

With this in mind do you think God intended Christianity to be a solo effort?

Hebrews 10:25…does God want His people meeting together on a consistent basis?

#2 - Some would argue that church is just not that big of a deal, with that in mind let’s work through the following verses…

Read Matthew 16:18…who did Jesus say the church belonged to?  (Follow up…if something belongs to Him is it important?)Read

Ephesians 1:22—who is the Head of the Church?

(Follow up…would Jesus really sit at the head of something that is unimportant?)Read

Ephesians 3:10—does Jesus want the church to “contain” or “proclaim” His message?Read Ephesians 3:20-21—does Jesus have small or great plans for His church?Read Colossians 1:18—once again, who is the Head of the church?Read Revelation 22:16-21—what is the ONE ORGANIZATION that is still standing when everything else on earth has been destroyed (hint…the answer is in verse 16!)’

First there is the mystery which was hid from the beginning of the world and revealed in the fullness of time

literal meaning of a great variety of colors, emphasizes that the wisdom of God shows itself in a great variety of forms.

As a beautiful picture is composed of many different colors and shades, so the wisdom of God has many aspects, forms, implications, and threads.

#3 - In regards to taking this to a personal level…not only do we need church but we need others in our lives, Christian community.

to take a deeper look at this look at the following verses…

Read John 13:34-35—how did Jesus say that His followers would be identified?

Read Romans 12:10—are we supposed to turn our backs on each other?

(Remember, this was written to people IN THE CHURCH!)

Read Ephesians 4:2—how are we supposed to treat one another?

(Once again, this was written to people IN THE CHURCH!)

Read Colossians 3:13—how are we supposed to treat others who have sinned against us?

Read I Thessalonians 5:11—who comes to mind when you read this verse…and what can you do today to follow through on what this verse commands?Read James 5:16—is there anyone in your life that you feel you could do this with?

#4 - Read Matthew 26:36-39 and answer the following…

Jesus did not do life alone, nor did he allow any of his followers to do it either…

Was He honest & vulnerable with those closest to Him?

As His followers are we called to do the same?

Tomorrow is too big to try it alone.

Show/showing visible Love and care.

We believe the greatest commandment is to love God and love others, and we will be a church that shows visible love.

Having Kingdom Mentality.

“We believe God has called us to love our church and THE Church.

We need to strengthen kingdom work in our city, our state, and our world.”

A lot of this comes by us understanding our ability to do this.

What was happening to the early church as a result?

They grew spiritually.

Verse 42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (NIV).

It appears the apostles were teaching in the temple courts on Sunday, and the people were studying their teachings in greater depth in their homes.

As they did so, the people grew in spiritual maturity.

They spent time in fellowship.

The Bible says, “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46 NIV).

The early church gathered together in homes to eat and develop relationships with one another.

They worshiped.

They devoted themselves “to the breaking of bread and to prayer” and they were “praising God” (Acts 2:42, 47 NIV).

These early small groups participated in communion and worshiped together.

They ministered to one another.

The Bible says, “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (Acts 2:45 NIV).

Home groups became an outlet for support—they helped one another in practical ways by meeting needs.

They loved the lost.

Acts 2:47 says, “The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (NIV).

If people were coming to faith in Christ daily, that means the church saw at least 365 conversions a year!

That only happens if these groups are engaging in their God-given mission sharing the Good News.

These small groups in Acts were a microcosm of the greater church.

They were fulfilling the five purposes of the church: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism.

Typically, small groups today only fulfill one or two of the purposes.

If your small groups are going to be healthy, you need to build the DNA of the church—the five biblical purposes—into them.

A healthy church has healthy groups!

Have you ever opened up to someone about the problems on your mind?

Why or why not?

Whatever you may be going through, no matter how alone you feel, you are not abandoned.

Jesus is with you, and He wants to wrap His arms around you.

Found People Find People.

Saved People Serve People.

You Can't Do Life Alone.Growing People Change.

Lean on me

Sing: Lean on me