Better Together

Welcome

Welcome to Celebration Church. We are so glad that you are here. Thank you for worshipping with us today. If there is anything we can do for you and your family, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We are a family and we are with you. If you are joining us online, welcome. We are so glad that you are here. If you are in the area, we would love to invite you to join us for our in person gatherings where we have a safe, clean and socially distanced environment for you and your family.

Series Recap

Our pursuit determines our experience. Pursue means to seek to attain or accomplish. Synonyms include chase down. Go after. Fully engage. Seek. The heart of who we are and what we do is connected to our pursuit. Our mission statement is we are God’s Family, Pursuing God’s Kingdom. What that means is we are not called to passively sit back and wait to experience what God has for us. We have to pursue it. Our pursuit determines our experience.

Matthew 6:33 CSB

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Matthew 7:7 CSB

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

1 Timothy 6:11 CSB

11 But you, man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

Main Scriptures

Matthew 18:20 CSB

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”

Ecclesiastes 4:12 CSB

12 And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

Hebrews 10:25 CSB

25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

There are 59 “one another” statements in the New Testament. That’s right, 59. That’s just under 60 exhortations in scripture to actually “do” something towards another person. The entire Old Testament narrative may highlight individuals but the context is their community…for the Church as well.

These are behaviors we may do out of an overflow of our relationship with Jesus, but they are not things that we do solely unto Jesus. Other people must be involved in order to fulfill them.

Transition

We are created for connection. Think of a cellphone, it can do so much. However, the strength of the phone is revealed based on its’ connection. If it is connected to a weak source, it slows everything down. If it is connected to no source, there isn’t progress at all. But, when it is connected to the right network, it is able to function the way the creator intended it to. We are created for connection with God and each other.

Title

Today I want us to have a discussion on the importance of our faith community and I have entitled this conversation, Better Together.

Prayer

Lord, we are thankful that you have given us the gift of community. We are better together. I pray that you help us to pursue the right connections that will foster the grace that you have for our lives. Give us open eyes, open ears, and open hearts. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Illustration

I recently read in an article the difference between people that are connected to community versus those that are not. Turns out that babies that are raised in environments where they have positive community, they developmentally grow quicker than those that don’t. Somehow the words, environment, and nurturing helps them to thrive, not just survive. Our community impacts our life and performance. We are better together.

Observation/Points

Faith Community Provides Support

Acts 15:6 CSB

6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter.

The disciples didn’t have all the answers individually, they often would gather together to think, talk, and pray so that they could discern what God was saying through community. It requires us to be vulnerable and recognize we need others to come along side us to bring stability and support. To be vulnerable means to be open for criticism, attack. But it also means to be open for growth and healing. The key is to be vulnerable but not a victim. Sometimes we ignore our situations or make an altar to them. The need state acknowledges that we are better together and you are strong enough to be vulnerable. (1 Cor 12:26)

Faith Community Provides Truth and Accountability

2 Samuel 12:7 CSB

7 Nathan replied to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from Saul.

David was out of line with the whole Bathsheba and Uriah situation. God sent Nathan to confront David. There was a relationship and trust that could handle the weight of the truth. We need people that can speak the truth in love. People that can speak life, but also identify death. Truth sets us free as long as we don’t avoid it. At the same time, there are moments we can believe lies from the enemy and we need someone to speak truth to that as well.

Faith Community Provides Encouragement and Hope

Numbers 13:30 CSB

30 Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “Let’s go up now and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!”

God made promises to the Israelites. As they arrive at the promise land, Moses send 12 leaders to scout the land. 10 say it is impossible but Joshua and Caleb have a faith-filled report. They were reminded of the promises of God and they stood on that instead of obstacles. It is good to have community that doesn’t ignore challenges, but doesn’t make an idol to them. The Faith Community acknowledges struggle but doesn’t make an altar to it. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. (Pro 18:21)

Closing

When we live lives isolated from the community of faith, we lack godly support, life changing truth, and consistent encouragement and hope. Our community determines our trajectory. We must pursue community. Our pursuit determines our experience.

Altar/Response

Perhaps you are with us, and you don’t have a community of faith because you haven’t placed your faith in Jesus. We want to give you an opportunity to do that today. You are not here by accident. Maybe you came here for obligation, necessity, exploration…no matter the origins or situations that got you here today, know that God has led you here so that you can experience life to the fullest. (John 10:10)