Authentic Christianity: Authentic Community

Real followers Live in Community

By Eric Snyder

Summary: Part of a real Followers series

Barna Friendship graphic.

Real Followers Live in community,

Eric A. Snyder, Minister, Farwell Church of Christ

January 13, 2002

Loneliness is a growing problem in our society.

A study by the American Council of Life Insurance reported that the most lonely group in America are college students. That’s surprising!

Next on the list are

divorced people,

welfare recipients,

single mothers,

rural students,

housewives, and the

elderly.

Americans are amongst the loneliest people in the world.

I’m not talking just about divorce, we are a very mobile country.

Generally speaking you graduate from high school, move away from home for college, and then you move again for your job, and most people will switch jobs 2-3 times.

Now, there’s nothing inherently evil about this but it contributes to the loneliness in the United States, and you couple this with a high divorce rate in the country and that makes for some very lonely people.

Concert attendance has been slowly declining over the last 10 years, because people no longer want to go to concerts to get lost in a crowd.

But if you track another trend over the past 10 years you’ll see concerts down but coffee houses are up.

I read an article on coffee houses check out this quote, "I come here because I like an atmosphere of busyness, I don’t like to feel like I’m alone."

About a year ago the State Journal ran a piece on coffee houses check out this quote, "I come here because I like an atmosphere of busyness, I don’t like to feel like I’m alone."

Co-workspace is taking off as well. We don’t want to feel isolated and alone.

How many of you remember a show called "Friends." It’s on Netflix so, you may have bing watched it...

It’s A show that takes mostly takes place in a coffeehouse, 5 or 6 friends in NYC just trying to make it and they spend time together.

It’s A show that takes place in a coffeehouse, 5 or 6 friends in NYC just trying to make it and they spend time together.

One of the most popular shows of the 90’s was a show called Seinfeld, they said it was a show about nothing but it really was about a group of friends who hang out and talk about meaningless stuff.

One of the most popular shows of the 90’s was a show called Seinfeld, they said it was about nothing but it really was about a group of friends who hang out and talk about meaningless stuff.

We live in a society that is extremely lonely.

Some of you have experienced this feeling first hand and you have not wanted to complain for one reason or another

Some of you you feel like you’re living in an endless game of keep-away.

Some of youyou feel like you’re living in an endless game of keep-away.

There is an underlying sense of humiliation and shame and separation from other people.

As a country we are going to have to deal with this epidemic of loneliness.

I believe that a disciples of Jesus we have the answers and we’re going to need to communicate those answers.

I believe that real followers have the answers and we’re going to need to communicate those answers.

The world is definitely communicating their answers to the problem.

One solution that’s offered is to simply dull the pain of loneliness with destructive behavior (addictions and habits).

There was an ad in a Kansas newspaper. It read, "I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without comment for $5.00." "Sounds like a hoax, doesn’t it? But the person was serious. Did anybody call? You bet. It wasn’t long before this individual was receiving 10 to 20 calls a day. The pain of loneliness was so sharp that some were willing to try anything for a half hour of companionship"

There was an ad in a Kansas newspaper. It read, "I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without comment for $5.00." Swindoll said, "Sounds like a hoax, doesn’t it? But the person was serious. Did anybody call? You bet. It wasn’t long before this individual was receiving 10 to 20 calls a day. The pain of loneliness was so sharp that some were willing to try anything for a half hour of companionship"

The other solution that’s offered is to get plugged in to a coffee house or bar and to simply hangout. I love hanging out, I love coffeehouses, I love having friends over to just be together. Being with friends and hanging out will satisfy a need in your life but it’s not the totality of the experience that God wants for you. God’s desire for you is to experience "community."

Authentic Community is God’s desire for us—and a sign of a mature faith. Because at the end of the day, when we grow in our relationships with others, we’re growing in relationship with Him!

We were created in community for community.

But we also need to learn to come together for an individual spiritual purpose.

Larry Crabb, "Community matters."

“That’s about like saying oxygen matters. Community is essential in a healthy Church. As our lungs require air, so our souls require what only community provides. We are designed by God (who himself is a group of three persons living in profound relationship with each other) to live in relationship.”

That’s about like saying oxygen matters. Community is essential in a healthy Church. As our lungs require air, so our souls require what only community provides.

We are designed by God (who himself is a group of three persons living in profound relationship with each other) to live in relationship.

Community doesn’t have to

The best way you can tell if you experience community is by answering this question:

How often during the week do I get together with people with a spiritual purpose in mind?

We are physical beings so we need to take care of ourselves physically, we’re mental so we need to sharpen ourselves mentally, but we are also spiritual so it stands to reason that we should take care of ourselves spiritually.

I want to talk this morning about authentic community from the perspective of .

Sunday morning is one way (but, that’s more to satisfy worship part of spirituality). You can become involved in a ministry team. Or you can get involved in a small group, or mid week Bible study.

I want to talk to you from the perspective of .

Here we have the first churches and they were rapidly growing and were on fire. The Holy Spirit was moving. But we also see a group of real followers that were devoted to authentic community, this was a church that desired to be together with a spiritual purpose. This church was not a social club, they were not just a group of Christians that were "hanging out" they were dedicated to the things of God. So let’s read and find out what made this church so powerful.

Here we have the first churches and they were rapidly growing and were on fire. The Holy Spirit was moving. But we also see a group of real followers that were devoted to true community, this was a church that desired to be together with a spiritual purpose. This church was not a social club, they were not just a group of Christians that were "hanging out" they were dedicated to the things of God. So let’s read and find out what made this church so powerful.

Acts 2:42–47 NIV

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42–47 NVI

Se mantenían firmes en la enseñanza de los apóstoles, en la comunión, en el partimiento del pan y en la oración. Todos estaban asombrados por los muchos prodigios y señales que realizaban los apóstoles. Todos los creyentes estaban juntos y tenían todo en común: vendían sus propiedades y posesiones, y compartían sus bienes entre sí según la necesidad de cada uno. No dejaban de reunirse en el templo ni un solo día. De casa en casa partían el pan y compartían la comida con alegría y generosidad, alabando a Dios y disfrutando de la estimación general del pueblo. Y cada día el Señor añadía al grupo los que iban siendo salvos.

Pray that every person would become spiritually healthier as a result of participating in your community group experience. Ephesians 1:17

I am so inspired by this section of scripture. Think about what this must have been like.

Check out this quote from CS Lewis,

"Christ works on us in all sorts of ways…But above all He works on us through each other. Men are mirrors or carriers of Christ to other men…Usually it is those who know him that bring him to others." CS Lewis

Check out this quote from CS Lewis, "Christ works on us in all sorts of ways…But above all He works on us through each other. Men are mirrors or carriers of Christ to other men…Usually it is those who know him that bring him to others."

Let’s discover what this early church knew about community and what were the qualities they possessed.

We want our fellowship to have the spiritual base that I was speaking about earlier, so let’s discover what this early church knew about community and what were the qualities they possessed.

I believe that when we are involved with each other at the level I’m talking about then one of our deepest needs will be met in that moment and there will be no room in our life for loneliness.

People in Authentic Community desire to grow in their relationship with God.

Real Followers desire to be in God’s presence.

Often when we think of church we think of wanting to be around people, however this passage shows us that although it’s great to be in the presence of others our first priority is to be in the presence of God.

The early church understood that if you are getting together for a Authentic community the most important thing that can happen is to grow closer to God. verses 42 and 47.

The early church understood that if you are getting together for a spiritual purpose the most important thing that can happen is to grow closer to the spirit of Christ. verses 42 and 47.

The early church prayed, read their Bibles, took communion, and praised together and if we were wise we would do the same. I know that it’s great to get together but job number 1 is to grow in our relationship with God.

The early church prayed, read their Bibles, praised together and if we were wise we would do the same. I know that it’s great to get together but job number 1 is to grow in our relationship with God.

So we work hard to apply the Bible to our lives, we pray for people in our church that need encouragement, we do things to give praise and honor to God. We remove barriers so that we can allow God to speak to us and we do it as the early church did, together!

I love what is says in vs. 44, "all the believers were together."

Authentic disciples of Jesus desire to grow their relationship with God together. Isn’t it refreshing to grow in our relationship with God together?

It has been so encouraging being in the bible Study group with Chad. He is the single guy that has been playing bass on Sundays. It has been so refreshing growing in our relationships with each other and getting deeper into the word of God.

Real followers desire to grow their relationship with God together.

Chad showed up on a Sunday from the website, but it was the community, the relationships that helped him to come back. He was baptized as a teenager and then drifted in his relationship with God. But he has recommitted his life to being a disciple of Jesus and is being added to the church membership here. I’d encourage you to get to know him.

It’s refreshing to see someone grow closer to God and to God’s people in authentic community.

Sometimes if I’m not careful my relationship with God can be like a persimmon. Maybe I need to explain that statement with a story.

Either I was really bored, or I had a sudden lapse in sanity.

It was my freshman year in college, and a group of my friends were in my dorm room, and we were trying to figure out what to do that night.

Should we see a movie? No. Go get desert? No. Study? NO!!! Finally, someone came up with what seemed like the perfect idea-- Why don’t we have an exotic fruit night? (Yes, I said exotic fruit night—it was a Christian College.)

With that we piled into the car and went to Meijers—where we bought all the exotic fruit we could think of. Pineapple, kiwi, star fruit, and persimmon. (I told you we were bored.) So we went up to the room, cut the fruit an sat in a circle. The deal was we would pass out a piece of fruit to every person and try it at the same time.

We started out with the pineapple, and I’m not kidding you the juices from that pineapple exploded into our mouths in a way I can’t describe, and we knew we were tasting a little bit of heaven.

This frenzy of taste sensations lasted as each fruit was passed in the circle. Then we came to the persimmon. Let me say at this point I don’t know if we had a flawed persimmon, I don’t know what the persimmon is supposed to tasted like, or what it’s used for—because after this experience I have never tasted another persimmon.

We passed the fruit around each popped it in our mouths expecting a taste explosion, but what happened next surprised everyone. That persimmon sucked every bit of moisture out of our mouths-- the next few minutes were that of chaos. Some people were gagging, others were downing gallons upon gallons of water, and others simply sat in awed silence.

Let me say that I don’t believe the apple was the forbidden fruit in the beginning with Adam and Eve, I believe it was the persimmon.

But, Satan wants nothing more than to suck that refreshment right out of you. and some of you may be there already. You relate with those stats of feeling lonely and disconnected, dry spiritually.

My son and I were working on this project outside this week. It was hot and the son was blazing, I was just so thirsty. My body was telling me I needed to drink more water. It can be the same way spiritually. If you are feeling lonely, discouraged and dry spiritually, that can be your spirit telling you need to get closer in your relationship with God.

Do you find yourself having a hard time growing in relationship with God?

Do you find yourself frustrated every time you try to start a devotional with God?

Do you feel dry or empty spiritually?

If those things are true for you I want to encourage you to get refreshed by getting plugged into community here, where people will care about your spiritual welfare, where you can go deeper into the Bible, and have people pray for you.

If those things are true for you I want to encourage you to get plugged into community here, where people will care about your spiritual welfare, where you can have some Bible application, and prayer.

On the back of your newsletter is a list of all our community groups. Those are just small group bible studies that meet during the week. Its a great place to get into authentic community to have friends to live life with. It’s not about just doing church together, its doing life together.

I am always amazed at how refreshed I feel after a Wednesday night discussion, it’s like drinking a big tall glass of ice water on a hot sunny day when you are parched, it’s refreshing.

So first thought is People in Authentic Community desire to grow in their relationship with God.

I am always amazed at how good I feel spiritually after Sunday night discussion, it’s like drinking a big tall glass of ice water it’s refreshing.

Second thought is this.

People in Authentic Community are dedicated to each other.

Authentic Disicples are dedicated to each other.

I want you to notice some of the imagery in this text

Everyone was filled with awe, all the believers were together, and every day they continued to meet together.

Everyone was filled with awe, all the believers were together, and every day they continued to meet together. The early church understood and wanted to be together and they were dedicated to each others needs.

The early church understood and wanted to be together and they were dedicated to each others needs.

If the need was physical, we’re told the early church sold their possessions and gave to anyone who had need.

If the need was spiritual this tight knit group of people would be available for that as well, to help and pray

I heard a story about a little boy that was born without a left hand.

One Sunday in the children’s program the teacher was trying to illustrate the church and in order to illustrate it she folded her hands and said, "Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors and see all the people."

She asked the class to do it along with her, obviously not thinking about the boy’s inability to pull off the exercise.

Yet in the next moment it dawned on her what she had done but before she could say anything the boy sitting next to him said let’s do it together.

The two boys proceeded to join their hands together to make the church and the steeple together.

that’s the church.

That exercise should never be done the same way again because the church is not an individual but it is made up of people interconnected in Christ.

Sometimes life throws a curve ball, and things don’t always make the most sense. Tragedies happen and they cannot be explained.

I’ve heard it said, "Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian."

Bad news, spoiler alert: tragedy happens, bad things happens, unfair things happen, there are consequences of your sin you will have to live with.

Good news: if you are a member of the body of Christ and His church you don’t have to go through it alone. But that only happens in authentic community.

So here’s what can happen when you are in authentic community and tragedy strikes.

Encouragement is given, prayers are offered up, sometimes checks are written. But the body of Christ does exactly what it’s name implies and becomes Jesus to that person. Maybe you’re here today and you feel like you’re going through the ringer, or maybe you are doing kinda sorta OK. But aren’t in authentic community. Fix that today.

When is the best time to plant an oak tree? 50 years ago, when is the 2nd best time? Today.

It takes time to grow an oak, it takes time to be in authentic community. Start today. Not when tragedy strikes, because it will and you need community God crated you for it.

EX: heart attack, the community was already there, I didn’t have the energy, I didn’t have the desire, I didn’t have the time to start new relationships. It scares me to think where I would be, where my family would be if it wasn’t for authentic relationships.

The best time to get into a community is 10 years ago, the second best time is today. Get in community before the crisis. You need to get into community before you need community.

At this church and I really hope you find a group of friends who will help you in anything. So when someone gets a job promotion or a raise or if they’re pregnant or getting married, we all celebrate together, there is more joy when we have joy together . If something bad happens and they lose a job or a loved one dies, have a miscarriage, we all mourn together.

There’s a Swedish proverb:

so people authentic community,

desire to grow in their relationship with God.

Second thought is this.

are dedicated to each other.

and the last thought is this

People in Authentic Community are devoted To The Mission.

next slide. Notice the last verse in this section. "The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

Authentic community is attractive.

Remember how lonely people are and when they see the friendships (but not just friendships) that we make and the spiritual satisfaction that we have they will be drawn like a magnet to Christ.

Notice in the passage that the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved, it’s ultimately the Lord who adds to our number.

Our job is not to be the Savior but our job is to be proclaimers.

Every day this church was in the temple courts talking to people, worshipping and sharing Christ to those who didn’t know.

God is very relational.

As a matter of fact he lives amongst three parts that are intimately involved with each other, so he communicates to us through relationships.

In authentic community you can see people for who they really are, people desperately in need of God’s grace.

In authentic community you can see God for who He really is. A loving father who longs to have a deeper relationship with you.

In authentic community you can see the true friendships that God desires for every believer.

When people see these three things they are going to want what we have in Christ and the natural response is for them to get closer to God and to our community.

You don’t have to feel lonely any more. God wants you to be in authentic community.

Do you want to be a part of a community

desire to grow in their relationship with God.

are dedicated to each other.

and that are devoted to the mission.

Text Welcome slide.

Bob Russell has said,

"The church exploded in growth because the people loved being together. When you get a group of people together who genuinely believe something and who really enjoy each other, it’s such a contagious atmosphere that you can’t keep people away from it. People assume that smaller churches must have better fellowship and stronger relationships because everybody knows everybody. But churches that genuinely love one another don’t stay small very long."

When God Builds a Church, Bob Russell, Howard Publishing, 2000, p. 1999

Copied from Sermon Central

Authentic Christianity: Authentic Community

Opening Slide

“Shared joy is double joy; Shared sorrow is half a sorrow.”